Cycling on pavement

Should... Should.... Should.... Should... Stones? Glass houses....most, if not all, cyclists who ride on pavements do so because they are frightened on the road. Frightened by drivers who are impatient, who drive too close and too fast, by drivers who aren't paying attention, who cut them off at junctions and side roads without noticing, who run them over and claim that they 'didn't see them'.

So, how many drivers here? Probably lots, if not all, and I know you are all angels.

P. S. Latest example of 'I didn't see you' was 74 year old friend cycling home from school where she volunteers. Broad daylight, mini roundabout, she was wearing high viz, little other traffic, mother from the school pulled out onto the mini roundabout and knocked my friend down breaking her shoulder. Perhaps all drivers should be forced to take a yearly vision test?

It is allowed by the highway code for cyclists to ride two or three abreast and this fill the road lane they are in. This is particularly so when it is tricky for motor vehicles to overtake them as it prevents dangerous overtaking. Many car drivers do not give cyclists enough room (i.e. enough to fall off their bike into the road without being hit).

Car drivers who expect cyclists to get out of their way and not use up road space are probably the same people who think pedestrians should step out of their way too when pedestrians have to walk on the road because there's no footpath, or when some driver has used the footpath by parking on it.

Cyclists and pedestrians have as much right to use the roads as drivers of motor vehicles. Why shouldn't some roads be closed to other traffic once in a blue moon so that cyclists can ride in a bunch for some particular reason? Roads are sometimes closed because of pedestrians demonstrations. What's the difference?

Yes, there are noisome cyclists. Probably in the same proportion as noisome drivers.

Following on from what others have stated, there is a particularly aggressive type of cyclist, not all, but usually in all the gear, head to toe in Lycra. Since The success of the 2012 Olympics their numbers have multiplied. I'm not sure when it is, but sometime in the summer, maybe not this year, but certainly since 2012 there is a Sunday rally when cyclists recreate that run into London, certain areas around where I live and into Surrey, can't get out of their roads, a lot are closed for their benefit, it generally causes chaos, and none of them pay any insurance! Many of the thrusting," highway code doesn't apply to me" type go through red lights habitually. Near where I live, they think nothing of riding three abreast in Richmond Park, and woe betide you if you give them a toot, there is a 20 mile speed limit there, but you can still find a whole stream of cars just following several cyclists who won't get in single file. They can be very intimidating. As I said it's a certain type, not all cyclists, most I can see are not like that.

The adolescent of the OP shouldn't have questioned "why" anyone pushing a pushchair wouldn't want him crashing into them, it's so dangerous, at that age he should know better. Just being obtuse goes with the teen territory, sometimes! and the mother obviously a "my little Johnny never does anything wrong" variety.

Granarchist-re no potholes /litter in France. That's because our money has been spent there instead of here. Also, I think parental and school discipline is generally stricter, for which I commend them.

Cyclists should have to have number plates and insurance, the same as car users and should be fined for breaking the laws of the highway. Since these seem to be the only laws which police care about (other than sitting alone on a bench during lockdown), I'm surprised they don't push for my idea to become law as it would bring in extra revenue.

They shouldn’t be on pavements. We cycle all the time and are very careful. We get fed up because everyone else seems to take priority over us, even on cycle tracks....horse riders for instance! People with dogs are an absolute menace at times, and the only time I’ve ever nearly come off.

Some cyclists are a menace. I was knocked flying by a cyclist who was going hell for leather through a railway station, of all places. This was more than 15 years ago and I still have the scars on my arm and knee.

If I was knocked down like that today, I’d be suing the cyclist. Back then, I suppose I just accepted my fate. ? There’d been a witness, an elderly lady who knew the lad‘s family, and she shouted at him and said that she’d told him off before for cycling in the station.

Ever since, I’m very nervous around cyclists, they’re so unpredictable.

Cyclists have to remember that they are riding a potential. weapon just as a car driver is driving a potential weapon. People know that cars can kill if there is an accident but seem to forget that being hit at speed by a bicycle can also be dangerous. It's the cyclists responsibility to be extra vigilante if they cycle on pavements or shared tracks.

It's when they're right behind you that it can sometimes get confusing as to whether to quickly leap to the right or left----it shouldn't be this way, so dangerous and it gives you a start.

It is a criminal offance to ride on pavements contrary to section 72 of the highways act of 1835.
And they could be fined anything from £30-£500.
How that could be policed though i don`t know.

I thought bells were a legal requirement! What drives me insane is having to move to the side so an adult on a mountain bike can use the pavement while I stand on the grass.

I haven't yet had a single cyclist ding a bell

Bells seem to have been abandoned - why are they considered so uncool these days? I think they should be compulsory, especially as they can usually be heard above traffic noise.

If there are going to be so many bikes about then there should be some sort of compulsory training and registration for them.

Bring back the Cycling Proficiency Test? Plus and adult version?

I hesitate to join in the grumble but here I go.
I'm a regular walker on our woodland paths, the paths around the many reservoirs in our area and our local parks. Cyclists are always a bit of a menace but since lock down it seems a lot of a menace.
I haven't yet had a single cyclist ding a bell or shout a warning that they're about to speed past me. Often there will be half a dozen of them, usually men who seem to totally lack any notion of live and let live. Cycles are banned around the reservoirs but of course this can't be enforced. I'm happy to share the lovely places with anyone but I wish these cyclists would shout a warning or ring a bell or even (can you imagine) slow down as they pass.
I'm always walking with dog(s) and its become increasingly difficult to let the dogs off lead so they can sniff and amble. It just isn't safe with cyclists zooming past and likely to run your dog over if it happens to be in their way.
Before anyone reminds me - I stress my dogs aren't off lead pestering other people, they're well behaved and their recall is spot on. That wouldn't prevent them being injured by a bike.
Sorry for this long moan.

We often took a long walk to a local garden centre which was also near to the local comprehensive school. Many times we were passed by teenage kids on their bikes. We tried to stay vigilant and stood to one side for them to pass. Without fail the first one would call out a "thank you" and the last would say, "I'm the last one!" They're not all bad.

The problem is that many of our roads have a large amount of traffic and the pavements are narrow. When they were first built they were never intended to cope with such large numbers. Cyclists are squashed in the middle. Motorists feel that they are in the way and slow them down while pedestrians can feel intimidated. It's only the badly behaved which are noticed.

Difficult one this. On shared paths can't pedestrians walk to on side instead of right in the middle and I am afraid we are all just going to have to get use to it as cycling is becoming more popular and more shared paths being made. I cycle down our High Street, with cars parked on both sides so I cycle in the middle of the road so I don't get knocked over by some driver opening his door. I not a fast cyclist so the cars build up behind me and people sound their horns and shout but what am I to do. It seems wherever I cycle someone is upset.

We cycled 700miles across France last year - most interesting. On the whole, cars ALWAYS gave way to cyclists and cyclists ALWAYS gave way to pedestrians. Often in towns cyclists are expected to ride on pavements - indeed where pavements are wide enough there is a white line showing which side pedestrian and cyclists should be. It was very relaxing and stress free. The only problem was on big main roads where it was the huge lorries and the Dutch towing caravans who were the menace. We rode on all types of roads and were amazed by a total absence of litter and potholes.

I know it's heresy to say it but I'm sick of cyclists being sacrosanct and the way ahead for us all. As an exasperated taxi driver once said to me 'the trouble with cyclists is that any damn fool can buy a bike and immediately get on to the nearest road without any knowledge of the highway code.'
If there are going to be so many bikes about then there should be some sort of compulsory training and registration for them.

Oh it’s a big pet hate of mine, where I live there are several cycle paths but what happens on a daily basis, grown men bomb along the path right next to the CYCLE PATH, teenagers etc, I just can’t get my head round it, there will be an accident one day, they take no notice when you say things as they are gone like the speed of sound, we have a few disabled people who too go quite fast too, you have to mind your ankles, but on occasion some use the cycle paths, I don’t really have a problem with the disabled at all using the footpaths as such but I do think it’s disrespectful when they too go a speed and expect you to get out of the way quick, one in particular with a air type horn thing waving his flag, on your ankles in second, he could of course have dementia though, it’s like formula one some days

This is an age old problem - years ago I used to take my kids to the school bus stop which was close to a secondary school. Whilst stood with others at the stop we would constantly have to jump out of the way of cyclists. I reported it to the police and was told "Actually they're safer on the pavements than on the roads!" I did suggest that we and our kids might be safer if we walked in the middle of the road but that suggestion was ignored!
That was the best part of 40yrs ago so nothing has changed.
I agree with you all though - if the riders are not competent enough to be on the road they should get training and not use the pavement - it is so dangerous especially for the elderly and hard of hearing.
I also cringe when I hear parents moaning that the streets aren't safe for the children to play in!!!

I did once say to a young man that I thought he was old enough now to ride on the road, I got a blank look of incomprehension but no abuse fortunately !

Yes cyclists silently swerving past me from behind is one of my dreads.

Either they have no bell and whizz past or if they ring, it it is too late and I get confused.

It seems the law doesn't seem to exist any more that cyclists should be on the road, unless I am mistaken.

We were on a river path and some youngsters dodged in and out of pedestrians. They were very agile, sadly I am not. We need some public awareness videos maybe.

Absolutely should be on the road, maybe with the exception of very young children who sometimes are a bit too wobbly for the road.

Cycles and disabled scooters are becoming more and more of a problem. They need a separate lane on the roads but unfortunately, most roads just aren't wide enough to provide them.
To add to the problem, many cyclists don't have bells on their bikes. They come up silently behind you!

Recently I've seen lots of cyclists on footpaths. I don't mind if they are courteous, unless of course there's a dedicated cycle path.