What would you do?/Pavement Cycling

mattsaw

There is a stretch of my commute where I have the option of going on th A3 or using the pavement,

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sourc ... 22724&z=16

I was thinking about using the A3 itself, but in reality it's a motorway in all but name, so I'm not really comfortable on there. The pavement is usually quiet, and I'm always careful to slow/stop for peds. I jump back onto the exit carriageway after being on the pavement for perhaps 500m before the roundabout.

What would your call be?

The Rookie

Can you not use Bodley Road which runs parallel to the A3?

Personally I abhor riding on the pavement, we complain about other road users not giving cyclists consideration, then do the same ourselves if we ride on the pavement, but the A3 doesn't look good for cycling and slip roads are a common cause of accidents when traffic drives 'through' the cyclists following the edge of the cariageway..

Simon

snailracer

According to their own operating guidelines, if you are pavement cycling considerately, you should not (at least in theory) be ticketed by plod.

mattsaw

Can you not use Bodley Road which runs parallel to the A3?

No, you can't turn right out of there. It's worth the detour otherwise. I'm not a fan of it either - hence this question Unfortunately this section of the A3 isn't particuarly friendly to cyclists.

I do use this part - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sourc ... 22,,0,5.08

Technichally the LH lane is a B road and I still get people whizzing past me at 70 leaving a couple of inches to spare.

vaseline

snailracer wrote:

According to their own operating guidelines, if you are pavement cycling considerately, you should not (at least in theory) be ticketed by plod.

Highway code, rule 63: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement (their emphasis)

trtimothy

pavement. just slow down for pedestrians

mattsaw

trtimothy wrote:

pavement. just slow down for pedestrians

Yep, I always do stop/slow/move to outside. That stretch probably sees one every couple of months on average.

sfichele

pavement, with consideration for peds

cjcp

The heck would I do that on a bike - I avoid the A3 big time on a bike. I'd go any other way.

Down the Road

Find another route or it s the A3 I'm afraid.

Swap the discussion "I'm a little worried driving my car on the A3 Should I ride on the pavement or find another way"

We ALL know how we'd answer that one.

Yes it is the same thing!!!!!!

veronese68

No way on earth I'd cycle on that bit of the A3. Pavement or longer detour. No problem being on a pavement like that as you don't act like a twonk.

Monkeypump

Down the Road wrote:

Find another route or it s the A3 I'm afraid.

Swap the discussion "I'm a little worried driving my car on the A3 Should I ride on the pavement or find another way"

We ALL know how we'd answer that one.

Yes it is the same thing!!!!!!

Absolute nonsense.

Take the path, and show consideration for peds.

Down the Road

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO RIDE ON THE PAVEMENT.

Potential fine is £2500

If you want respect from motorists we must obey the law of the land.

owenlars

I know that part of the world well, where are you going from and to? There must be a way of getting round that stretch. I often cycle between Tolworth and Wimbledon but never go on the A3. New Malden to the west of that stretch or Motspur Park to the East spring to mind

desweller

I ride on the A3 near Richmond Park. It's not that bad, the slip roads are a bit tricky but I've certainly ridden on much worse roads.

spen666

Veronese68 wrote:

No way on earth I'd cycle on that bit of the A3. Pavement or longer detour. No problem being on a pavement like that as you don't act like a twonk.

No problems apart from the crime you would be committing and the disreute you bring on cycling from other road users

mattsaw

owenlars wrote:

I know that part of the world well, where are you going from and to? There must be a way of getting round that stretch. I often cycle between Tolworth and Wimbledon but never go on the A3. New Malden to the west of that stretch or Motspur Park to the East spring to mind

Normmaly when I go direct to RP I cut that part out and go via Kingston Hill. But sometimes I meet a workmate just after Shannon Corner at the big B&Q

mattsaw

DesWeller wrote:

I ride on the A3 near Richmond Park. It's not that bad, the slip roads are a bit tricky but I've certainly ridden on much worse roads.

Yep, traffic speed makes it much easier up there. I always negotiate Robin Hood roundabout without any problems. On this section it's always far less busy so the traffic speed in all three lanes is much quicker.

snailracer

Vaseline wrote:

snailracer wrote:

According to their own operating guidelines, if you are pavement cycling considerately, you should not (at least in theory) be ticketed by plod.

Highway code, rule 63: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement (their emphasis)

Illegal, yes, but the police are supposed to apply discretion whether to ticket you for it, or not:

"The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required."
(Paul Boateng, Home Office Minister 1999).

"...The Government have included provision in the Anti Social Behaviour Bill to enable CSOs and accredited persons to stop those cycling irresponsibly on the pavement in order to issue a fixed penalty notice...I should stress that the issue is about inconsiderate cycling on the pavements. The new provisions are not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other road users when doing so. Chief officers recognise that the fixed penalty needs to be used with a considerable degree of discretion and it cannot be issued to anyone under the age of 16." (John Crozier of The Home Office, reference T5080/4, 23 February 2004).

snailracer

Down the Road wrote:

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO RIDE ON THE PAVEMENT.

Potential fine is £2500

If you want respect from motorists we must obey the law of the land.

Even if all cyclists obeyed all traffic laws without fail, motorists would still not respect us because we'd be still be "holding up traffic", "don't pay road tax", "undertaking", "SMIDSY", etc.

Down the Road

Agree but we have to make the first move

hstiles

Where do you commute from > to? When I've been in a real hurry I've gone along the A3, as it is the quickest route from home to work, as the crow flies, but I decided I'd much rather build a couple of extra miles into my journey and actually enjoy the experience, so I cut through Kingston and Richmond park and either rejoin the A3 at Robin Hood gate, or 99% of the time, Roehampton gate.

Headhuunter

I can't believe that some of the people who comment here are really, truly as dedicated to the letter of the law in every day life as they make out! Jesus, relax. I can't imagine that a stretch of pavement alongside a "motorway" is full of peds like Regent Street so cycling carefully along it is highly unlikely to bother anyone. Are there even any buildings that open up onto the pavement?

Personally I would probably either ride on the "motorway" or find a back route but I wouldn't blame anyone for using the footpath there.....

And no, cars and bikes are not the same and driving a car on the pavement is not the same thing!

hstiles

Oh, and for the record, when I have to cycle along that bit of the A3, I either go on the pavement or cross on to the other side of the A3 for the Tolworth New Malden stretch and cross back over at the Malden road junction roundabout.

Down the Road

And no, cars and bikes are not the same and driving a car on the pavement is not the same thing!

In the eyes of the law they are. If we want respect we have to earn it.

Therefore we need to clean up our act and obey the law, even if it means waiting 5 minutes at a red light with no traffic around.

Headhuunter

Down the Road wrote:

And no, cars and bikes are not the same and driving a car on the pavement is not the same thing!

In the eyes of the law they are. If we want respect we have to earn it.

Therefore we need to clean up our act and obey the law, even if it means waiting 5 minutes at a red light with no traffic around.

I don't believe I have to earn anything! I have as much right to the road as any car, bus, lorry, horse etc etc. I have paid my tax/council tax which pays for the roads and I'll use them! I'm not saying it's obligatory to break the law but in this instance, cycling along an abandoned stretch of pavement along a 3 lane A road with no buildings, is it really going to make a difference? I bet if a police car went past they wouldn't even stop.... They'd probably think you were wise taking yourself off a major motor dominated artery...

wheezee

Yeah, I say choose not to die under the wheels of a lorry.

You have my permission to ride on that pavement.

mattsaw

hstiles wrote:

Where do you commute from > to? When I've been in a real hurry I've gone along the A3, as it is the quickest route from home to work, as the crow flies, but I decided I'd much rather build a couple of extra miles into my journey and actually enjoy the experience, so I cut through Kingston and Richmond park and either rejoin the A3 at Robin Hood gate, or 99% of the time, Roehampton gate.

I ride from Surbiton to Hammersmith. I don't usually go that way, only when I meet a workmate at the big B&Q after Shannon Corner.

If I'm going direct I usually take a route pretty similar to yourself.

hstiles

Mattsaw wrote:

hstiles wrote:

Where do you commute from > to? When I've been in a real hurry I've gone along the A3, as it is the quickest route from home to work, as the crow flies, but I decided I'd much rather build a couple of extra miles into my journey and actually enjoy the experience, so I cut through Kingston and Richmond park and either rejoin the A3 at Robin Hood gate, or 99% of the time, Roehampton gate.

I ride from Surbiton to Hammersmith. I don't usually go that way, only when I meet a workmate at the big B&Q after Shannon Corner.

If I'm going direct I usually take a route pretty similar to yourself.

Another local boy In that case, why not ride down elmbridge avenue, take the subway under the A3 and joint he A3 from the other side. There's a tiny section where you have go on the pavement, or you could peel off to the right down south lane, cut across the malden road and join up with your workmate by B&Q.

walkingbootweather

Choose life.

If no other sensible route and you are considerate then I'd use use this pavement.

Drysuitdiver

instead of griping on an internet forum, why not speak to the highways department of your LA and se if it can be turned into a " cycle lane" if its such a disused pavement, maybe if its wide enough a split use one.

OK its not a perfect solution but its gotta be better than nothing.