Pavements for people?

In our little town the pavements are too narrow to cycle on. Or push and push chair or walk with crutches. I heard the other day that pavements were built narrow so that poor people were unable to walk two abreast and chat to each other!

It's interesting that in places where there are many bikes ie central Cambridge, cyclists have to push their bikes between 10 and 4pm to avoid crashing into pedestrians! It must have been a problem before . They don't always obey the rules but it makes sense to have them.

I don't like to see cars parking on pavements either but I guess it's a hazard of modern life.
Our pavements are frequently blocked by parked cars and we live next to a residential home for disabled people.
Every now and then I rush out in a fury and write an angry note on the windscreens.

Grannycool one of the local schools here does some sort of cycling proficiency every summer. They do it in large numbers and go out on the roads en masse with their adult trainers stopping the traffic so they can practice on the roads. Getting stuck behind 30 cyclists learning to turn right one at a time is not fun. The trainers dont seem to have the sense to do it a few kids at a time or to stop them somewhere safe every few minutes for any cars to go past.

Rules for Cyclists in Cambridge:

Do not cycle on pavements that are not marked as shared use
Always give priority to pedestrians
Never speed past pedestrians, especially from behind
Always be ready to slow right down and make sure you can stop if anyone unexpectedly moves sideways - children and dogs are particularly unpredictable
Use your bell or a friendly voice to let pedestrians know you are there but remember that they may not step the right way and that some may not be able to hear you
Slow down near blind spots like bends, entrances and trees
When passing oncoming cyclists it is normal to pass on the left
Be polite, ­ say thanks if a pedestrian moves for you, especially on a narrow path
As a pedestrian its usually safest to assume that cyclists will make their way around you if there is space, so avoid making sudden movements or change in direction as much as possible

I can understand that it can be dangerous cycling on the road but do feel that cyclists if they do ride on the pavement should acknowledge that pavements are for pedestrians and the should get off their bike and walk past them not ring their bell loudly and expect rightful users of the pavement to get out of their way. We have loads of cyclists on pavements where we live and it worries me that if I take a step sideways one day I could be mown down by a bike I didn’t even realise was there

Really cross this morning as I had to walk on the road as cars were parked right across the pavement, with no space left.

I can understand cyclists feeling vulnerable on the road (so is that why they make pedestrians vulnerable on the pavement?), but what really annoys me is lycra-clad males getting in the way on the road when there's a perfectly good, and clearly marked, cycle path. Are they too good to use it?

And then there are the combined foot/cycle paths with the lanes clearly differentiated but pedestrians blithely stroll along the cycle lane....

Planners for new housing estates have a lot to answer for. In rural areas like mine, poor public transport means there is a requirement for more cars per household than parking spaces. Of course cars are going to end up where they shouldn't. We need imaginative, joined-up thinking by planners and local councils. It wouldn't be rocket science to include transport solutions for residents at the time of building new estates and it would help the environment. After all, new builds have to be energy efficient, it’s a pity that requirement stops outside the house.

I am hearing impaired cyclists have no idea that the person in front of them may not be able to hear them. My friend who is partially sighted says cyclists are a nightmare on pavements and she cannot see them. They also just sail gaily through traffic lights when they clearly are at red. They just don't give a s* about anyone but themselves. The other problem is many bikes don't have bells now. I think there should be an enforced ban on pavements. I also think cyclists should be tested, registered with some sort of body and contribute a small fee as they do use the road( or pavement). I flatly refuse to get out of the way for a cyclist on the pavement. The difficulty being if one does knock me down, how do I prove who they are?

I certainly don’t want to discourage cycling because I really admire their fitness levels and it’s preferable to being stuck in front of a screen. If all road users were considerate there wouldn’t be such an “anti” feeling (I hope). I would love to cycle but as a driver I am way too nervous to be on the open road on two wheels. Parked cars can be an annoyance to pedestrians of course. Again, it’s about consideration. People want to park as close to their destination/house as possible. Walking a bit further wouldn’t hurt them. Older houses were not built for car owners so street parking is the only option. A lot of new build estates have such narrow roads that it creates problems - that’s down to planning and builders trying to squeeze as many houses into the space as possible (money)!!

Now, my real gripe is HORSES. Why do they even need to be on a road? No-one uses them to go to the shops or go out for a meal or pull a carriage (unless you’re the queen). Yes, they need exercise but aren’t there enough fields around?

I am quite unsteady on my feet due to arthritis and I often wander as I am walking, so have had a couple of near misses when cyclists have crept up behind me on the pavements.
We have had an incident recently in Plymouth where I live of a cyclist going around one of our busiest roundabouts with her dog on a lead (see photo) and the news story caused outrage.

Have you got a mobile phone with camera? Start taking pictures and then show them to the council. You are not supposed to park on a pavement.

Cars parking on pavements can be an issue particularly on narrow streets and pavement areas. This is often to allow room for a vehicle to pass comfortably on the road. Blocking paths completely is an inconsiderate no no.

Yes schools still do proficiency tests but we all no that everyone adapts their driving/riding skills after taking tests.

Going forward in city areas planners are accommodating cyclists more and more with cycle lanes, some of which I have seen are the equivalent size to the adjacent road which needs to accommodate heavy bus and car traffic. It is currently underused and seems a bit of a nonsense but going forward they are assessing that cycling in city areas will increase.

It will always be more of a problem in smaller areas.

It annoys me when there is a cycle path provided yet cyclists don’t use it and cycle on the road. The main A road leading to the villages here is very busy with lorries, it is narrow and quite windy (twists and turns, not blowy windy! Although it might be as there are open fields each side!). They cause frustration for drivers as they are hard to pass and so cause a back up of traffic. I don’t know why they do it, the cycle path looks well kept, and undoubtedly is much safer for them.

I was coming out of my daughter front garden a few years back, she has a high wooden gate. Luckily I stepped out slowly, as a cyclist came whizzing past inches from me. I had to step back quickly. I was just glad it wasn't one of my granddaughters coming out if the gate, they would certainty have been knocked over. Cyclist on pavements is not right. I also think cyclist should have to have some form of registration number.

I have an issue with cyclists in general. The Government is bending over backwards to encourage cycling but not placing any restrictions on the cyclists. They are not registered, they do not have to purchase insurance. Insufficient provision is made for them on the roads.

They spend maybe hundreds of pounds on their bike and clothing but never spend a few pounds on a bell - just not cool enough for them! If you are hard of hearing or your clothing perhaps rustles as you walk, you don't hear them until they are right behind you - at best this simply frightens you, at worst you inadvertently take a step to the side and they collide with you. They always assume you are going to walk in a straight line.

On country roads they ride 2/3 abreast so that cars can't pass.

We lived on the edge of the Peak District and were keen walkers. I have lost count of the number of times cyclists have nearly ridden into me on walking paths. If there are several of them the first one never calls out to warn you that there are more behind - on one occasion as I was walking uphill towards a bend, I had to jump into the hedge 3 times to avoid being run over by a group of cyclists riding downhill at great speed. The Monsal Trail, for instance, used to be a good walk for people who couldn't cope with the hills any more, but they opened the tunnels up and now cyclists flock to it because they can ride for many miles unimpeded. Can you imagine walking through a dimly lit tunnel and having a bike come up behind you at about 25 kmh? It's very scary.

Cycling is being promoted for health reasons, but walkers have been following their sport also for health reasons for years, yet are being driven off their designated paths by arrogant cyclists. I was once walking along the Regents Canal when I was bellowed at : "Get out of the way!" by a female cyclist who certainly didn't slow down for me.

On the odd occasion that a cyclist rings a bell to warn me of their approach, I always thank them, but it's quite a rare occasion.

I have found cyclists to be very arrogant in the main, and obviously realise they have the encouragement of the powers that be and that the likelihood of them being prosecuted for riding on the pavement, for instance, is very unlikely.

Middle aged men in lycra are definitely the worst though.

My granddaughter’s junior school have just had a Bikeabilty course for the year 6.
First time I’ve seen anything like it since my 2 did cycling proficiency in the 80’s. Good to see.

Well I cycle and many pavements are shared spaces so you can cycle on the pavement. Nobody has moaned about mothers with large buggies and also walking a dog and a kid on a scooter. Mobility scooters, some are huge all use the the pavements and you dodge around them.

I can't cycle in our local high street on the pavement so I do use the road where there are cars parked all along the street with the risk of being pushed off your bike by someone opening a door. So I cycle in the middle of the busy road with a pile of unhappy people in cars trailing behind me.

We should all be a bit more tolerant to other users and that includes us cyclists cycling on the pavement.

Cyclists on pavements annoys me to distraction They expect ME to move...no, they should be on the road.. I also have been known to shout at cyclists who are on the roads "Helmet" when they aren't wearing one too

I was on a cycling and walkers' path through the local country park with my dog. I was calling my dog back to me and the dog was about six feet away responding to my call me when a woman on a bike rose between me and my dog. It's ignorance and thoughtlessness.

This happens where I live and, in fact, the pavements now are now officially shared with cyclists (bicycle logo painted on ground). The problem is that cyclists seem not to want to share and get cross with pedestrians. Also, why do bicycles not have bells any more?

It is illegal here in BC (and I believe all of Canada) to ride a bike on a sidewalk (pavement). The only ones you ever see do it is children that are not confident enough to be on the road.

I live in a small town so it is not an issue, but I know in Vancouver and Victoria bike riding is becoming more and more popular. More bike lanes are being created, but at the cost of parking spaces along the road.

I agree that bicycles should be registered and carry basic insurance.

I agree that cycling on roads can be difficult but that does not mean you can cycle on pavements. It is illegal and extremely dangerous.

reelashosser
They spend maybe hundreds of pounds on their bike and clothing but never spend a few pounds on a bell

But a lot of posters on here are complaining about those who do use a bell. They choose to interpret it as a "get out of my b****y way", instead of a simply warning that something is coming.
It seems cyclists just can't win!

As someone who often cycles on quiet country lanes, where there can be walkers, joggers and horses sharing the road, I know first-hand how necessary it is to alert people ahead to your presence. Walkers tend to rely totally on their ears, and are prone to zig-zag across the road unless they actually hear something approach. Bell-ringing has to start well before you reach them, and often has to be backed up with a vocal warning before they hear you, yet they still glare at you as if you are in the wrong.

Horse riders on the other hand are very alert to a distant bell or vocal warning (their horses too), and very appreciative, giving a wave or nod of thanks as you pass them.

And don't get me started on the huge numbers of pedestrians who step out into roads without looking, assuming that it is clear because they can't 'hear' any traffic, endangering both their own and a cyclist's life.

Sorry, Barmeyoldbat, but pavements aren't shared spaces.

The offence of riding a bike on the pavement is punishable by an on-the-spot fine, a fixed penalty notice of £30. This is charged under Schedule 3 and Section 51 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

www.slatergordon.co.uk/media-centre/blog/2018/03/is-it-illegal-to-ride-your-bicycle-on-the-pavement/

Roads are for vehicles and pavements are for pedestrians. Motor scooters are different, as they can't go fast enough to be on the road, and obviously, buggies have to be pushed by a pedestrian - neither of these is a sensible comparison, IMO.

Cycling is a choice - it's not something you have to do (such as use a motor scooter), and if you 'can't' do it on the road, you shouldn't be doing it at all.