Cycling on pavements

[WestTinsley]

I think over the past ten years the cycling in the footpath law has been thrown out the window. No idea why.

 

I guess next there'll be speed limits on cyclists ..if the hazardous London speeding cyclists are anything to go by..

[focemal]

Oh, another cycling thread. To save a few pages of inane and ill-informed comments, can I be the first to mention

road tax, insurance, red light jumping, lycra louts, helmets, hi-vis. Have I missed anything?

 

Just the fact that there is no such thing as Road tax, it's vehicle excise duty you pay. The Roads are paid for from general taxation that everybody pays, including pedestrians like me.

[TimmyR]

Cycling on the footpath is illegal - whether that is beneficial to society is another question however. You need to be aware that some footpaths are in fact shared with bikes. You'll see the blue sign with a pedestrian and a bike on it if this is the case. If the path you were on was one of these then the person was entirely within their rights to be there and courteously warning you of their presence using their bell so as not to startle you as they went past. Please view it like this rather than assuming they are "trying to get the pedestrians to move out of her way"

 

If you don't use your bell, you get "Get a bell you lout" as you scare the willies out of people as you whizz past, if you do use a bell you get "how rude, trying to make me move". Can't win on a bike.

 

 

---------- Post added 28-09-2017 at 08:45 ----------

 

Just the fact that there is no such thing as Road tax, it's vehicle excise duty you pay. The Roads are paid for from general taxation that everybody pays, including pedestrians like me.

 

Well you entirely missed the previous posters point there!

Edited September 28, 2017 by TimmyR

[ohmyword]

The bicycle mob are an arrogant species who think that having a “DING DING” button on their obnoxious mode of transport makes them the ‘King of the Road’. I’ve experienced it too when a stuck up woman wearing all red lycra and a red helmet on a bike zoomed up behind me as I was walking Oscar my pet dog and she ding donged then as if to say to me “MOVE!”. I thought "Whoa, how rude, this lady in red is cycling past me, cheek to cheek!" Me and Oscar just turned round and we both smiled a defiant grin at the lady in question.

Edited September 28, 2017 by ohmyword

[TimmyR]

I think over the past ten years the cycling in the footpath law has been thrown out the window. No idea why.

 

The point of such a law would be to make people in general safer would it not? Like any law regarding roads etc. If there was no discernible benefit to such a law being in place then the law is basically pointless. There is small increase in risk to pedestrians when cyclists use footpaths, but it is small and there is a decrease in risk to the cyclists. The london cyclist killing a pedestrian was a rare case which sadly got huge media attention and now everyone think cyclists kill people regularly. Its hugely unlikely compared to a driver killing a pedestrian or a driver killing a cyclist.

 

---------- Post added 28-09-2017 at 08:55 ----------

 

The bicycle mob are an arrogant species who think that having a “DING DING” button on their obnoxious mode of transport makes them the ‘King of the Road’. I’ve experienced it too when a stuck up woman wearing all red lycra and a red helmet on a bike zoomed up behind me as I was walking Oscar my pet dog and she ding donged then as if to say to me “MOVE!”. I thought "Whoa, how rude, this lady in red is cycling past me, cheek to cheek!" Me and Oscar just turned round and we both smiled a defiant grin at the lady in question.

 

The standing in the way mob are an arrogant species who think that having a face on their obnoxious head makes them 'King of the Road' and that they should not allow anyone past even if they are politely requested from afar using a bell. Why I wonder do you see a quiet ping of a bell as "MOVE" rather than "Please may I come through"? Its not like they're blasting a fog horn at you.

 

The other day I had a chap holler at me "This is a public thoroughfair get out of the way" I was standing on a footpath, he was walking. I hadn't spotted him but you know I did let him past despite his unpleasantness. So you see being on a bike doesn't mean you are a rude t*** by default. T***s are present everywhere regardless of mode of transport.

 

I'm also impressed you have a dog that can smile.

Edited September 28, 2017 by TimmyR

[biotechpete]

Cycling on a footpath is not an offence unless specific local bylaws exist. Cycling on the footway ie pavement is an offence but police should apply discretion in accordance with government guidance

fixed penalty [is] only for "inconsiderate cycling" and shouldn't be used for "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."

[Cyclone]

Cyclone this thread is for you!

 

Ironic that you posted here before me. Perhaps you have something to actually contribute though?

 

It's time the law was revised to allow careful cycling on the footway at all times.

Ringing the bell is surely the safe thing to do though, alerts the pedestrian to the presence of the cyclist, avoiding the potential random sidestep and collision hopefully.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Cyclone

[ohmyword]

The standing in the way mob are an arrogant species who think that having a face on their obnoxious head makes them 'King of the Road' and that they should not allow anyone past even if they are politely requested from afar using a bell. Why I wonder do you see a quiet ping of a bell as "MOVE" rather than "Please may I come through"? Its not like they're blasting a fog horn at you.

 

The other day I had a chap holler at me "This is a public thoroughfair get out of the way" I was standing on a footpath, he was walking. I hadn't spotted him but you know I did let him past despite his unpleasantness. So you see being on a bike doesn't mean you are a rude t*** by default. T***s are present everywhere regardless of mode of transport.

 

I'm also impressed you have a dog that can smile.

 

Proper cyclist attitude that - “I ring the bell, so I call the shots”, or as that famous cyclist guy Cicero in the olden days put it – “Ringo, ergo sum”. Well I got news for you bike yobs. It doesn’t work with me and do you wanna know why? GOT IPOD ON! Also, calling people 'twerps' just shows true rudeness in my book.

[hauxwell]

There seems to have been a few accidents lately just found this link.

I definitely feel that cycling should be banned where parts of the city have been pedestrianised.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/elderly-woman-cyclist-collision-dies-oxford-street-london-met-metropolitan-police-a7946736.html

[alchemist]

Amusing incident this morning at crossing outside SHU, lights at red green man lit, cyclist crossing on bike, all fine. Cyclist comes on road and proceeds to go through said red light nearly hitting the crossing cyclist. There than ensued a right old slanging match which thoroughly entertained me and others around.

 

If either of you are reading this can I thank you for really making my day