Cycling on the pavement, without lights etc

[Loosehead]

Not sure where to put this, anyway. Why has the law on cycling on the pavements become effectively ignored these days, ditto cycling without lights? I am a regular cyclist and I never cycle on the pavement and always have lights at night. I just think these morons give us all a bad name. I can remember being stopped by the police and made to walk home once because my lights had failed (I was about 13). So have the police simply given up on cyclists? Whats going on? any coppers here explain? Are you one of the ride on the pavement types?

[smudge]

I always cycle in the road too Loosehead.

I get so angry when I see grown men, women & teenagers, riding on pavements, with absolutely no regard whatsoever for people doing what they are meant for - walking on!

Around where our daughter lives, the council have painted cycle lanes at the sides of the roads - you've guessed - no one ever uses them!

[Loosehead]

Well at least I'm not alone! Thanks Smudge I was beginning to think I was weird cycling on the road and all!

[Gilli]

"so have the police simply given up on cyclists?" ......

.... it'd seem so, especially in Cambridge where the morons you speak of have cycle lanes galore, yet still cycle on the pavement and what's more get irate if you, the inferior pedestrian don't move out of their way !

The police are probably concentrating on catching motorists who are scratching their nose, or taking their seatbelt off as they turn into a petrol station !

Seriously ..... there are any number of offences which fall into the broad category of being "anti social" & most of these seem to be ignored by the police ..... not a direct criticism of the average pc by the way, but more a criticism of the ridiculous system we have now which passes as justice. I think many factors are to blame for lack of interest in pavement riders, litter louts, people who spit in the street etc., not least cutbacks in recruitment, emphasis on admin., the ways pcs are deployed, the threat of litigation for the stupidest "human rights" infringement ..... I could go on and on.

But it's damn infuriating all the same.

[Ray the DJ]

Police turn a blind eye towards cyclist using the pavement, because vulnerable cyclists are safer on the pavement than on the road.
I agree with you about light though.  But it's not just cyclists.  How often do you see cars in fog and heavy rain with no headlights on or cars with one of their lights not working.

[Grunty]

There are several reasons, including

If a motorist gives a false name and address, he can probably be traced. 

Many cyclists are young enough that they have to be interviewed in the presence of their parents, and that takes extra time.

Many officers have succumbed to the 'why don't you catch real criminals?' argument.  It doesn't make sense because they are not chasing criminals all the time (unlike the Keystone Cops who were good at doing so)

After the PC has done all the work, the offender would be cautioned (i.e. no action), so he or she wonders why they bother.

Officers are often judged on the number of arrests made, and these offences are not in that category.

The police cars have heaters.  The outside world does not.

[Loosehead]

Grunty, I'm not saying the Police should go to the trouble of actually prosecuting but they should do what they used to do, ie order you off the pavement. That way eventually riding in the road would again be the norm. I can remember when I was growing up riding on the pavement was a no no. Most adults would shout at you let alone the police.

[kempie]

Perhaps this is the answer... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4422219.stm

[undercovers]

when i was young, and living in cambridge, i'm sure people used to get fined for not having lights (by the police not strange men in dark alleys). If we're moaning - i also find those flashing lights very annoying - i don't notice them until the last minute and i'm sure they are not a legal alternative to the proper lights

[kempie]

'West Mercia Police say the incident is being treated very seriously as the boy should not have been stopped at all.'

This implies that even the police should not have stopped the boy, which is strange for an offence which incurs a non-endorsable Fixed Penalty Notice.

And undercovers - as you say flashing rear lights are illegal. See here

[Pootle]

There is unfortunately a city bylaw in Cambridge that allows cyclists to ride on the pavement

[kempie]

I'm intrigued how a bylaw (or secondary law instituted by a local authority) can countermand Statutory Law.

The only way to allow cyclists to use footpaths is to redesignate them cyclepaths or roads.

[Grunty]

Kempie - the report does not say the police should not stop the boy.  It quotes the police as saying (quite rightly) that the unknown motorist should not have stopped him and should not have demanded money.

Loosehead - I take your point, but the police have found that taking the action you advocate is no longer effective as it will be ignored or disputed by many people.  Warnings/advice that are given now are usually official.  I agree with you that things were much better in the old days and would still be so if adults took the action you describe.  With the exaggerated reports of retaliation, and the propensity of modern children to be abusive, their attitude is understandable.

[kempie]

Grunty - I know what the police intended to say but I'm being pedantic in saying the statement is worded in such a way as to suggest that no-one had the right to stop the boy. The 'at all' phrase effectively indicates that there was no reason to stop the cyclist, i.e. he was not in breach of the law when, in fact, the law had clearly been broken.

Sentence construction is very important when you wish to stay clear of ambiguity.

[Jay70]

Ray The DJ What about vunerable pedestrians on the pavement.  I agree with loosehead.  I remember as a teeneger I pulled off the road on my bike and travelled about two house lengths on the pavement before turning into a friends drive.  A policeman was passing and gave me a right grilling and rightly so.  I think its even worse now esp with these electric and petrol powered scooters which I see youngsters riding on the pavement at about 15mph.

[Tim Baxter]

Sad isn't it, is this post devolving into a rant about what laws the police will enforce and those which they won't?

I quite agree.  I spend my working life on the roads and see all manner of illegalities, e.g dangerous parking, dangerous driving, inconsiderate driving, drivers still using hand-held mobiles, parking on pavements (only legal where byelaws allow).  I've seen no reduction in people using their mobiles yet a specific law was introduced to deal with it and still it's not enforced.  I honestly see it 4-5 times a day.

There is a stetch of road I use which was hammered for speeding in the 70's and to this day nobody speeds along it and there are no cameras.  If the police blitzed areas similarly today, there would be no need for cameras, traffic calming etc.  Ooooooh, I could go on for hours!

[Insane Wally]

My 10 year old daughter walked out of our gate & was hit by a guy cycling on the pavement - apparently he fell over his handlebars & landed with a thud.  He got back on his bike & cycled off, leaving my daughter lying on the pavement (thankfully she was only shaken & not hurt).

[Gef]

Walking across a crossroads on the "Green Man" this morning I was nearly hit by a cyclist. He obviously thought it was best for him since all the traffic was at a red light and was furious when I shouted at him. If I had seen him sooner I would have stuck my umbrela between his spokes.

I know that cycling in a city can be pretty hairy but most cyclists seem oblivious to pedestrians and expect cars etc to get out of their way.

[smudge]

Well there you go Wally - that is exactly why I don't cycle on the pavement.

I hope the cyclist had enough bruises to make him think twice next time!

Glad your daughter was okay too.

[flaming]

Amazing - threaders are talking about the Police as though they are thick on the ground. In my neck of the woods they whizz by in fast cars, wee-wah-ing, quite often narrowly missing people.  A PATROLLING Constable draws stares from passers-by as it is such an unusual sight!   Meanwhile some bad cyclists avoid red traffic lights, ride without lights, disregard other road users, and so on.  I am sometimes a  car-driver and sometimes a pedestrian and from both angles I should like cyclists to have to pass some sort of test  before being let loose on other road/pavement users.  I once had the chance to speak to a light-less cyclist from my car, at dusk;  he reckoned he could not afford lights and rather pooh-poohed my concern that he could end up in hospital!  As for mobile phone use by drivers.........and 10-a-penny parking wardens....