Discuss - Fine for cycling on pavement

hstiles

I foolishly thought I'd cut a few minutes off my commute by cycling slowly along the pavement from Wandsworth > Putney (road is closed one way for the next few months whilst transco drag their heels with some gas works)

Anyway, the filth were out in force (7 along a 100 yard stretch) and although I'd been tipped off by a nice passer by and was pushing the bike they pulled me over for a talking to and threat of a £30 fine.

Now, here's the rub. Although a £30 fine was introduced in 1999 for the offence of riding on the pavement, the guidelines from the home office state

“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.”

I was cycling slowly, uncleated and stopped to allow pedestrians to pass. So, IMO, I was cycling responsibly.

It's all kind of academic - it didn't save me any time. I just have a dislike for the police, hence the discussion.

Agent57

Meh, cyclists should be on the road.

iPete

greg66_tri_v2.0

Errr, the guidance is cumulative: responsible cyclists plus consideration to peds; plus fear of traffic.

Why were you afraid of traffic?

motopatter

not a fan of the rozzers either and I cycle on the pavement if I fancy too. put that in yer pipe and smoke it 8)

actually got some grief off a dog walker this morning on a 'shared' path (cycle painted on the path) who heard my bell way off and stood in the middle of the path then shouted at me that I "could have slowed down". I called him a tosser and cyled off. The tosser.

The tosser could have moved over, I was covering my brakes, it was uphill and I was doing no more than 10mph as I'd just negotiated a 'chicane'. Next time I'll run the b'stard down and sh1t in his dog's mouth.

motopatter

Greg66 wrote:

Why were you afraid of traffic?

I'm guessing getting splattered on the road

CiB

The Home Office wrote:

..sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.

See there's the problem. Guidance requires careful use of discretion; Plod sees it as a way to divvy up some fuunds for their forthcoming ball by having a pitch on a bit of pavement. Wrong place wrong time mate. On another day they might well have nicked you for whistling out of tune.

attica

CiB wrote:

The Home Office wrote:

..sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.

See there's the problem. Guidance requires careful use of discretion; Plod sees it as a way to divvy up some fuunds for their forthcoming ball by having a pitch on a bit of pavement. Wrong place wrong time mate. On another day they might well have nicked you for whistling out of tune.

Or being in possesion of an offensive wife

Jay dubbleU

motopatter wrote:

not a fan of the rozzers either and I cycle on the pavement if I fancy too. put that in yer pipe and smoke it 8)

actually got some grief off a dog walker this morning on a 'shared' path (cycle painted on the path) who heard my bell way off and stood in the middle of the path then shouted at me that I "could have slowed down". I called him a tosser and cyled off. The tosser.

The tosser could have moved over, I was covering my brakes, it was uphill and I was doing no more than 10mph as I'd just negotiated a 'chicane'. Next time I'll run the b'stard down and sh1t in his dog's mouth.

That really helps cyclists image - dog walker wasn't the only tosser

jonny_trousers

motopatter wrote:

not a fan of the rozzers either and I cycle on the pavement if I fancy too. put that in yer pipe and smoke it 8)

actually got some grief off a dog walker this morning on a 'shared' path (cycle painted on the path) who heard my bell way off and stood in the middle of the path then shouted at me that I "could have slowed down". I called him a tosser and cyled off. The tosser.

The tosser could have moved over, I was covering my brakes, it was uphill and I was doing no more than 10mph as I'd just negotiated a 'chicane'. Next time I'll run the b'stard down and sh1t in his dog's mouth.

Not a fan of those who ride on the pavement,, but post of the year!

Sheikhus

+1!

itboffin

It's a bit early for popcorn, but hey!

mudcow007

**Sits back and waits for the fireworks**

flicksta

I foolishly thought I'd cut a few minutes off my commute by cycling slowly along the pavement from Wandsworth > Putney

“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"

Where's your problem? Your first sentence isn't compatible with the guidelines, you rode on the pavement to save time, not because you were scared.

MTFU.

SimonLyons

I got a fine a couple of years ago - similar thoughts at the time as the original poster.

Ultimately I realised that I was too comfortable with the route I was taking and changed it so I didn't use the pavement.

snailracer

flicksta wrote:

I foolishly thought I'd cut a few minutes off my commute by cycling slowly along the pavement from Wandsworth > Putney

“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"

Where's your problem? Your first sentence isn't compatible with the guidelines, you rode on the pavement to save time, not because you were scared.

MTFU.

Surely anyone cycling on the pavement is trying to save time - they could always walk their bikes.

snailracer

CiB wrote:

The Home Office wrote:

..sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.

See there's the problem. Guidance requires careful use of discretion; Plod sees it as a way to divvy up some fuunds for their forthcoming ball by having a pitch on a bit of pavement. Wrong place wrong time mate. On another day they might well have nicked you for whistling out of tune.

The police in this case did apply discretion - the OP didn't get a fine.

snailracer

Greg66 wrote:

Errr, the guidance is cumulative: responsible cyclists plus consideration to peds; plus fear of traffic.

Why were you afraid of traffic?

Having been hit from behind by a bus, I personally recommend you fear traffic.

georgee

I got fined by a plastic bobby who in all accounts was being a c*nt, but I was on a bike, on a pavement so I was in the wrong.

In my case I went up a dropped curb infront of my office's cyclists gate as I dismounted. I can hold no high ground here but I do take a dim view of people using the pavement as a shortcut or a way to avoid traffic and quite often will make a comment to riders.

tarquin_foxglove

I used to think that cyclists should ride on the road 'as it is the law' & get wound up that pavement cyclists were 'giving the rest of us a bad name' but as soon as I realised that put me in with the grumpy 'I didn't hear that cyclist coming ergo they nearly hit & are a menace' group, I knew I had to have a rethink.

"Cycling on footways (a pavement at the side of a carriageway) is prohibited by Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835, amended by Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1888. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £30 under Section 51 and Schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988."

This puts it in the same FPN category as other offences such as littering & "unnecessary idling of a stationary vehicle engine", potentially anti-social but not the worst crime known to man.

With the Home Office guidance:

“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.”

Surely the FPN should only be used on someone riding down Oxford Street pavement at lunchtime shouting 'get out of my way'?

mudcow007

i thought that FPN is only if the cyclist is causing a menace to the public or is riding dangerously on the pavement?

not that i ride on the pavement, i use to when i was a nipper though

notsoblue

tarquin_foxglove wrote:

Surely the FPN should only be used on someone riding down Oxford Street pavement at lunchtime shouting 'get out of my way'?

Pavement cyclists are often cited as a major problem by the kind of people that attend police-community liaison meetings. Police (and PCSO's) have to be seen to be doing something about it. FPN stats are a good metric I guess.

gtvlusso

I see the Op's point.

However;

Kids; I don't really care if they ride on the pavement. Safest place for them.

Adults; ride on the road and mix it up with the traffic. You don't see scooters and motorbikes on the pavement and cyclists can use the same tactics that they use to avoid street works.

Eskimo427

One of the only times I've cycled on a pavement was to avoid going round a round about. The irony is a police car stopped and let me cross (whilst riding) in front of him onto the other side of the road straight onto the pavement.

The incident was early evening and no pedestrians were around. I'd say the police man driving not only used discretion but also used common sense too.


There is definately a time and a place!

rjsterry

gtvlusso wrote:

I see the Op's point.

However;

Kids; I don't really care if they ride on the pavement. Safest place for them.

Adults; ride on the road and mix it up with the traffic. You don't see scooters and motorbikes on the pavement and cyclists can use the same tactics that they use to avoid street works.

Well, that's not strictly true. I've seen a few pavement hop to get round a line of stationary vehicles as well as blatant RLJing (not the 'just turned red' but 'f*** it, I'm not stopping' kind).

rjsterry

gtvlusso wrote:

I see the Op's point.

However;

Kids; I don't really care if they ride on the pavement. Safest place for them.

Adults; ride on the road and mix it up with the traffic. You don't see scooters and motorbikes on the pavement and cyclists can use the same tactics that they use to avoid street works.

Well, that's not strictly true. I've seen a few pavement hop to get round a line of stationary vehicles as well as blatant RLJing (not the 'just turned red' but 'f*** it, I'm not stopping' kind).

But, yes, ride on the road if you are more than 10 years old.

georgee

What irked me about my fine was this was 20 meters from Oxford St in London with the world and his wife RLJ'ing...

but obviously for the PCSO it was far easier to fine people if you stand next to the cyclist entrance to a building with a dropped curb in front!

vorsprung

Cycling on footways can be antisocial. Particularly when the footway is narrow and there are concealed entrances

However, in the town I work in (Taunton) there are many shared use paths. It is also not clear much of the time where the shared use ends and the path becomes exclusively pedestrian again. I'm sure a lot of people here don't know when they are allowed to ride on the pavement and when it is allowed.

This confusion of the footway with a cyclepath encourages the famous "less confident" rider to get into the habit of riding where the pedestrians are.

Personally speaking I do always try to dismount and push if I am on a footway

notsoblue

georgee wrote:

What irked me about my fine was this was 20 meters from Oxford St in London with the world and his wife RLJ'ing...

but obviously for the PCSO it was far easier to fine people if you stand next to the cyclist entrance to a building with a dropped curb in front!

If its a PCSO, you can just ride off :shock:

gtvlusso

rjsterry wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

I see the Op's point.

However;

Kids; I don't really care if they ride on the pavement. Safest place for them.

Adults; ride on the road and mix it up with the traffic. You don't see scooters and motorbikes on the pavement and cyclists can use the same tactics that they use to avoid street works.

Well, that's not strictly true. I've seen a few pavement hop to get round a line of stationary vehicles as well as blatant RLJing (not the 'just turned red' but 'f*** it, I'm not stopping' kind).

But, yes, ride on the road if you are more than 10 years old.

Jeez - never seen a scooter or M/C on the pavement!!!! Thats just plain bad!!

PBo

Attica wrote:

CiB wrote:

The Home Office wrote:

..sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.

See there's the problem. Guidance requires careful use of discretion; Plod sees it as a way to divvy up some fuunds for their forthcoming ball by having a pitch on a bit of pavement. Wrong place wrong time mate. On another day they might well have nicked you for whistling out of tune.

Or being in possesion of an offensive wife

don't even need to click.

it's winston codogo innit?