Cycling On The Pavement, What's Your Excuse?

[DangerUXD]

One of my bug bears I suppose but I'm old school, trained to cycle on the road properly and obey road rules etc. Anyway the other day I was walking home and some numpty on a bike got right up behind and rang his bell. I did not move at all and after a bit more ringing I turned around and pointed out the road about 2 feet to his left and said "get on the road, why are you on the pavement?" - Here's the good bit, he said and I kid ye not, it was less dangerous to pedestrians if he cycles on the pavement that it is to cyclists to cycle on the road - I've only just stopped ranting! How has it got to the stage now where most cyclists think that cycling on the pavement is ok? Dropping the kerbs at the corners hasn't helped here either.

[emmie]

no, i don't think so, i would say we have a lot of yobs about.

[Answerprancer]

"Here's the good bit, he said and I kid ye not, it was less dangerous to pedestrians if he cycles on the pavement that it is to cyclists to cycle on the road".
IMO, he was right. What would you prefer: to be hit by a 150lb bike/rider doing 15mph or a ten ton truck doing 50?

[ummmm]

I've been fortunate in life to have never encountered them. Being spat at?? Really?

[albaqwerty]

We've loads of cycle paths in our area, but not a lot connect with departures and arrivals, cycle lanes are blocked with cars parked in them.

[chaptazbru]

em I'm with you 100%. I was walking with my dog along a very narrow footpath last summer and a cyclist came bombing along. Before I had time to pull my dog towards me to avoid the cyclist, he ran over my poor dog's paw causing him to cry out and when I shouted at him he cycled off giving me the finger! I swear if I'd got hold of him I'd have a criminal record now! A work collegaue was also knocked down by a cyclist on her way to work one day (on the pavement) and he just cycled off swearing at her. She was badly shook up and had to take the day off work.

They're not all courteous like you MadMen and this is where the problem lies, sadly.

[zebo]

Surely MadMen epitomises all that's wrong with cyclists, their sheer arrogance beggers belief, how many of these people carry insurance for the damage they might cause by riding illegally on the pavement? As for the petulant response, I'll stamp on your camera, to slightly paraphrase, has s/he never heard of long lenses, believe me you'd not smash my camera, you'd be a long way off!

[emmie]

yes really, sworn at loads of times, knocked into any number of times, this was by cyclists on the pavements, one bloke who rode diagonally across the pavement, because he couldn't be bothered to go around the corner, a matter of a few feet, i was standing on the kerb waiting to cross the lights. unless one lives here, you wouldn't be aware of the problem.

[ummmm]

I don't think she really meant it....

[TheOtherHalf]

even new motorists on the road now have to have eyes everywhere because of other stupid inconsiderate ones, so how do you think us cyclists feel. We have have to watch out for these stupid people who have no thought for others plus watch out for potholes and vehicles almost clipping us as they pass and people jaywalking in front of us because they are on their mobiles or earphones plugged in and dont hear us as they would a vehicle

[magsmay]

DangerUXD - I have found recently that the most arrogant of people these days are push bike riders - they are either illegally dodging pedestrians on pavements, or lycra clad twits going three or four a breast down winding country lanes at 20 miles an hour with a string of cars behind them. When I'm on my horse motorbike riders are usually extremely polite and will slow right down yet push bikes fly past me sometimes dingling their stupid bells not realising their head is just about in the firing line of my horses hooves should they kick out -Mmmm now there's a plan.....

[emmie]

that is without the near accidents, elderly, children being at risk.... it pisses me off because there are cycle paths, perhaps not enough, but many choose not to use them..

[SlackAlice]

I'm a cyclist, biker, car driver and up to a couple of months ago a bus driver.
Do I ride on the pavement? Yes, when I consider my safety is at risk but I ride with due care and attention to pedestrians and obviously at reduced speed. If there are too many pedestrians then I get off and walk.

There are a few cycle lanes in the area (which I use) but they are basically the pavement shared type or a strip of green tarmac about 18" wide in the road. I've never hit anyone on the pavement or caused unnecessary inconvenience to a pedestrian. I have been hit by two cardrivers and HGV driver on the road, fortunately all minor incidents.

Interestingly, our local plod often use Bicycles instead of walking patrols and I've often seen them on the pavement as well and exchanged 'Good Mornings' with them.

So whilst I agree that legally I'm breaking the law, I'm not about to change. I do agree there are some numpties around but that would encompass pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers, HGV & PCV drivers.

[craft1948]

Cyclists on the pavement...............hang the buggers I say.

[emmie]

sorry, i will just reiterate it is illegal, and you cycle on pavements at your peril. It just isn't fair on pedestrians of which i am one. I don't jay walk, or wear ear phones, nor tx whilst walking, to me that is asking for trouble.

[MadMen]

"As for the petulant response, I'll stamp on your camera"

For goodness sake. Again, did you not bother to read the full response?

This is what I said:

If there is someone coming up on the pavement, in front of me, I drop down to the curb and go round them, and then get back up onto the pavement.

Hardly "arrogant".

[MadMen]

"our local plod often use Bicycles instead of walking patrols and I've often seen them on the pavement as well and exchanged 'Good Mornings' with them. "

The PCSO's do that here, too. As I said earlier on in the thread, they just say hello.

[craft1948]

I hate any cyclists. I've been hit by a cyclist who buggered off and left me laid out, I lost a lot of skin from my leg and was off work for 6 weeks with a back injury.
I've been sat at traffic lights in my brand new car (which I worked all hours to pay for) and had a cyclist, who decided to squeeze his way to the front of the traffic queue, leave a 2 foot long scratch from his pedal along the passenger side door (he didn't hang around either)

[Answerprancer]

To conclude my opinions, I have no problem with cyclists using the pavement as long as they 'play the game' ie, keep it slow, give way, be observant of the elderly/kids, blind alleyways etc.

[baza]

I used to ride to and from the local station and across central london every day for work, twice I was knocked off my cycle by dumb motorists, both times within a mile from home. One was an off duty plod at a junction with a road called constable way. In all the years of riding my bike I never had the urge to ride on the footpath. Perhaps I'm getting old.

[FredPuli43]

So some on here ride on the pavement because the road is too dangerous for them. Then it must be too dangerous for other cyclists. Let's, therefore, have every cyclist riding on that pavement. As they don't, does that mean the individual who does is a) wrong and should learn to ride safely in traffic b) sufficiently self-important to think there must be one rule for him or her c) the others are wrong d) some other explanation applies ?