Cycling on Pavements - Is it really that bad?

[Barnowl]

I was reading the viewers letters on Teletext this evening and yet again I saw more letters spitting venom at cyclists riding on pavements. It really does seem to be a very serious issue for some folk.

I'm not keen on cycling on pavements myself (except to avoid some nasty junctions) because I prefer the road, they're faster and smoother. However as someone who's done more than his fair share of walking on pavements I must say I can't see it's really much of an issue . The only near miss I've ever had, as a pedestrian, was with some elderly gentleman on a mobility scooter who must have pressed the wrong button and rocketed to 8 miles per hour and a mum mounting the pavement to park closer to the school gates .

Anyway I was interested in the real statistics rather than what appears to be hatefull prejudice and found a CTC link which only covers London. I guess London is the very worst case.

The figures show that, in London during the period 2001-05:

"There were 101 times as many reported pedestrian injuries due to collisions with motor vehicles than with pedal cycles (there were 34,791 pedestrian injuries involving motor vehicles, compared with 331 involving cycles).

Motor vehicles were involved in 126 times as many fatal and serious pedestrian injuries as cycles (there were 7,447 fatal and serious injuries involving motor vehicles compared with 59 involving cycles).

534 pedestrians were killed in collisions with motor vehicles, compared with just one killed in collision with a cycle. That one fatal collision with a cycle occurred neither on a pavement nor a pedestrian crossing point.

Even on the pavement, there were 2,197 reported pedestrian injuries arising from collisions with motor vehicles, including 17 fatalities. These injuries outnumbered those involving cycles by a factor of 42 to 1.

The total number of reported pedestrian injuries in London due to collisions with cyclists on pavements was just 65 in the year 2001, and 69 in 2005. In the meantime, the figure went down, up and back down again, showing no clear overall trend. This was despite a 72% increase in cycle use over the period.

On average just under 18% of cyclists ran red lights, whereas over a third of motorists encroached into cyclists’ “Advance Stop Lines” (cycle boxes at traffic lights). "

http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Press_Archive/Share_the_Road1.doc

 

[flecc]

Cycling on the pavement is not necessarily illegal, it's permitted if there's genuine fear of the traffic at any time. Here's the legal position relating to fixed penalties for doing it, the law only being aimed at irresponsible cyclists:

On 1st August 1999, new legislation came into force to allow a fixed penalty notice to be served on anyone who is guilty of cycling on a footway. However the Home Office issued guidance on how the new legislation should be applied, indicating that they should only be used where a cyclist is riding in a manner that may endanger others. At the time Home Office Minister Paul Boateng issued a letter stating that:

"The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required."

Almost identical advice has since been issued by the Home Office with regards the use of fixed penalty notices by 'Community Support Officers' and wardens.

"CSOs and accredited persons will be accountable in the same way as police officers. They will be under the direction and control of the chief officer, supervised on a daily basis by the local community beat officer and will be subject to the same police complaints system. The Government have included provision in the Anti Social Behaviour Bill to enable CSOs and accredited persons to stop those cycling irresponsibly on the pavement in order to issue a fixed penalty notice.

I should stress that the issue is about inconsiderate cycling on the pavements. The new provisions are not aimed at responsible 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. Chief officers recognise that the fixed penalty needs to be used with a considerable degree of discretion and it cannot be issued to anyone under the age of 16. (Letter to Mr H. Peel from John Crozier of The Home Office, reference T5080/4, 23 February 2004)
.

 

[Fecn]

That's good to know flecc - When I have my 2-year old daughter on board we use the pavements rather a lot.. but we only go at a snails pace and I'm extremely polite and careful and always give way to all the pedestrians.

It's nice to know that I'm not breaking the law.

 

[cocoabeans]

Yes that is really good to know, thanks flecc. I shall no longer feel like a criminal when briefly and carefully diverting onto the pavement to avoid the odd junction

 

[RedSkywalker]

When I started cycling again it took me some time to become accustomed to the volume of traffic [and I know how little we have up here compared to some parts of the south!] so I did make use of the pavements, although I wasn't happy doing it.

I'm much more confident now but there are some roundabouts where I still make use of the pavements - although always at slow speeds so as not to present a hazard to anyone else.

Having said that I have seen teenagers tearing round the pavements at speeds close to that of road traffic and I'd sure hate to be hit by one of them! We do have a few areas where there are cycle lanes on the pavements and they seem to meet everybodies needs - perhaps we should try to see more of them being considered at the initial design stage of road design?

 

[eddieo]

I would say its a little different and more of a risk with a powerful and heavy E bike then a normal bike.......

 

[Hooligooner]

My personal view is adults cycling on the pavement should be forced to wear nappies in public.

But then I'm in a bad mood this morning.

 

[essexman]

I was reading the viewers letters on Teletext this evening and yet again I saw more letters spitting venom at cyclists riding on pavements. It really does seem to be a very serious issue for some folk.

I'm scared when i cycle on pavement or cyclepaths too! Bloody dangerous! I stick to the road.

 

[Mussels]

My personal view is adults cycling on the pavement should be forced to wear nappies in public.

But then I'm in a bad mood this morning.

Near me there are many shared pavements where cyclists are instructed to ride on the pavement and these are growing at an alarming rate. Some are wide and have seperate cycle and walking areas but many are narrow and mixed and that will upset a lot of people.
I normally ride about 18-25 mph and if I hit a pedestrian then it's no little matter, this makes narrow mixed paths pretty much useless for me and I consider them a cop out for planners who don't want to put cycle lanes in but do want to claim the grants. Some of these pavements I have to use as the alternative is riding down a dual carriageway where my unexpected presence would likely trigger an accident.

 

[Barnowl]

Flecc - Thanks for the post. usefull stuff

I have no doubt most, if not all the members on this forum only cycle on the pavement when they really need to, and then, with the utmost care.

Also our E-Bikes are a bit heavier than normal bikes but I don't think that makes much difference. I'd be more fearfull of the heavy brigade. No offence guys

However we're probably all pedestrians ourselves and have walked many miles on the pavements. I can understand there might be a very minor issue in London (in the grand scheme of things) but what I can't see is why it arouses such emotion throughout the country. After all there's so many real issues for people to complain about. It would be interesting to know just how many people throught the UK are killed or injured, on the pavement, by cyclists per annum. I'm betting a decent winter chill makes it look insignificant.

 

[Bigbee]

In the good old days when I could use a " normal " bike,I would some times take the kids out for a ride at the Weekend.Being paranoid of every thing in life and especially the safety of my kids we of course rode on pavements.We're pretty rural here and I wouldnt of done it in a town.I used to ride close behind them and watch out for cars like a hawk.I was always wary of a car darting out of its drive and taking one of us out.For this reason I some times think its a trade off between road or pavement.

 

[flecc]

Like Mussels I have many shared pavements in my area. When they are wide and separated into cycle and pedestrian lanes I'm happy to ride at around 15 mph, but on the narrower and fully shared ones I always slow to virtually walking pace when coming up to walkers, adding a "good morning/afternoon" and a smile. The response is always favourable, often very positive.

The complaints about pavement cycling are often accompanied by grossly exaggerated claims of seeing many accidents with cyclists on them, showing that fear is the real element rather than real risk. So the important thing is to rule out that fear element, the way I do it being one example, but we do need the authorities to come down much harder on those who race on pavements to stop us all getting a bad name.

As ever, the Dutch have this well sorted, even when riding on their exclusive cycle lanes the speeds are often leisurely and not likely to cause fear to pedestrians crossing.
.

 

[essexman]

i can remember being kind of scared by bikes wizzing from behind me when in Holland, walk through a town at rush hour and you are swamped by em.

PS They go slower but they are heavy so the momentums probably about the same!

Seriously though, every now and then i'll try the wide tarmacced pavement\shared use lanes by me. They scare the bejesus out of me. Hazards are:

1. Dogs
2. Crap being blasted from the roads
3. leaves
4. crap from roads
5. potholes
6. ice
7. wood
8. mud
9. dreadful concrete grids every 200yds
10. guys on bikes with no lights on the wrong side of the path
11. scary scary scary busy junctions with no priority

Is it just me? I mean they look good when i ride past em on the road, but when you get on them.... Maybe if your an experienced offroad rider who isnt scared of a few bunnyhops or rough terrain its fine but i always come away thiking why did i do that?

 

[Mussels]

i can remember being kind of scared by bikes wizzing from behind me when in Holland, walk through a town at rush hour and you are swamped by em.

PS They go slower but they are heavy so the momentums probably about the same!

Seriously though, every now and then i'll try the wide tarmacced pavement\shared use lanes by me. They scare the bejesus out of me. Hazards are:

1. Dogs
2. Crap being blasted from the roads
3. leaves
4. crap from roads
5. potholes
6. ice
7. wood
8. mud
9. dreadful concrete grids every 200yds
10. guys on bikes with no lights on the wrong side of the path
11. scary scary scary busy junctions with no priority

Is it just me? I mean they look good when i ride past em on the road, but when you get on them.... Maybe if your an experienced offroad rider who isnt scared of a few bunnyhops or rough terrain its fine but i always come away thiking why did i do that?

They are all fairly new near me so tend to be a better surface than the road and fairly well marked, some even give bikes priority over cars at each of the side turnings - that helps a lot.
In Amsterdam you need to watch the bike riders don't swipe your stuff on the way past, a fairly common robbery method over there.

 

[bogmonster]

Well, there are no pavements near me at all so not a decison I need to make. However, the state of the roads leaves something to be desired. The main issue is resurfaced roads where the standing water drains have not been raised. Many are 3 to 4 inches below the road surface.

At best these trash your bike, at worst they are very dangerous. My Cateye rear light dissintegrated a few days ago when I bumped accross such a drain. The lens and battery holder came away, bounced off the rear tyre and flicked into the middle of the road to be run over by the car that was following up my backside.

Amazingly only the lens was cracked and I managed to reassemble it and get home. I still had 16 miles to go and it would have been a long walk.

BM.

 

[flecc]

My shared pavements are mostly quite good, though there are many intersections. The authorities try though, using Toucan crossings to bypass the worst roundabout.

Sad news last night though, London's mayor Boris Johnson has slashed 9 million pounds from the 2009 cycling budget for the local authorities, almost halving it and exactly as I predicted he would.
.

 

[JohnofCambridge]

There is a sort of reverse argument around some cycle ways. There is a sustrans route near me - it stretches into the rural countryside and is approx a mile and a half. In winter nights, it is very difficult to see pedestrians who might be walking in any direction with no lights and with dark clothing. On an e-bike one comes across them all too quickly even allowing for a reaction time at the periphery of the beam. If there is a dog on a long lead it is really tough!

Planners should separate out pedestrians otherwise there could be some serious accidents!

Makes me wonder how much negligence can be attributed in an accident claim if a pedestrian knowingly walks down a dark path frequented by cyclists in dark clothing with no visibility aids!

 

[Caph]

I normally ride about 18-25 mph.

Holy moly, Mussels, is that on an ebike? I know some guys at work that cycle at that speed on the flat but that's in full lycra on an extremely light weight road bike with drop handlebars. You must have serious muscles (maybe explaining the name?) to get up to that speed unassisted with standard handlebars and the additional weight of the ebike!!!

 

[Barnowl]

Holy moly, Mussels, is that on an ebike? I know some guys at work that cycle at that speed on the flat but that's in full lycra on an extremely light weight road bike with drop handlebars. You must have serious muscles (maybe explaining the name?) to get up to that speed unassisted with standard handlebars and the additional weight of the ebike!!!

The Wispers got afterburners

 

[nigel]

Mussels you speed freek i would never risk doing that kind of speed on a shared pavement .
I went past a family on a shared pavement going by slowly and the father decided to shout a few obscenitys at me i was quite tempted to punch his lights out.nigel