Cycling on Pavements - Is it really that bad?

[fcurran]

I couldn't possibly comment... anyway drivers of scholarship kids are always very courteous and mindful of cyclists
bw
musicbooks

lol!

I had to cycle to school anyway! Sadly on a pushbike too as electric bikes were not around all those years ago!

 

[Conal]

Liverpool Street Station to London Bridge

Cycled along Shoreditch Rd outside Liverpool Street Station and then down to London Bridge todayat 11am. As you approach the station from the east there are two or three patches of cycle path that are extended pavement, then these stop and you have to share the single lane with the rest of the traffic. I could have stood in the traffic, as it was not moving, but instead continued (carefully) along the pavement and then travelled the rest of the journey on the wrong side of the road. There is no room for cyclists in London during the day unless you are a) willing to travel at the same speed as the stationary traffic, or b) willing to bend the rules a little.
I passed a number of police cars and received no attention.
Once on the bridge great view and no traffic!

 

[Barnowl]

Cycled along Shoreditch Rd outside Liverpool Street Station and then down to London Bridge todayat 11am. As you approach the station from the east there are two or three patches of cycle path that are extended pavement, then these stop and you have to share the single lane with the rest of the traffic. I could have stood in the traffic, as it was not moving, but instead continued (carefully) along the pavement and then travelled the rest of the journey on the wrong side of the road. There is no room for cyclists in London during the day unless you are a) willing to travel at the same speed as the stationary traffic, or b) willing to bend the rules a little.
I passed a number of police cars and received no attention.
Once on the bridge great view and no traffic!

And very satisfying it must have been.

I can't see anything wrong with that:

Responsible cyclist taking care.

Perhaps felt obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic - All those noxious traffic fumes

 

[Conal]

Dangers of riding on the road!

Barnowl

"Perhaps felt obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic - All those noxious traffic fumes"

And all those scary bendy buses!

 

[Mandy]

I'd say the pavement anytime if necessary.
I have had the odd nasty comment from pedestrians on paths (pedestrian only) even when I snail past them and smile nicely and even stop completely mostly to let them past. I hear what is she doing on the path when I have passed them even when I have treated them with the upmost respect! It annoys me as they only have to take a look at the road to see why I am on the path!
There is just no pleasing some people even when great care is taken.

 

[tenderbehind]

Well, This issue of riding on pavements has never really bothered me, cyclists that I have seen doing it usually ride quite slowly and carefully, except kids.
Today however, I saw a yobbo, a hoodie type riding fast on the pavement, clearly doing this because it was a one way street and he didn't want to go the long way round and back up the correct way, and didn't want to walk.
I felt annoyed - so I stood in his way, I've got good reactions, as probably most if not all of you have on here, I need them as I drive something like 28,000 miles per year in a variety of vechiles, so I knew how close I could allow him to get before I needed to get out of his way.
At the last second, with me still in his path he looked up from his illegally annoying efforts, saw me and sweved to one side and, as his type often dictates, gave me the obligatory mouthful of abuse, f...... idiot. I shouted out that he shouldn't be on the pavement.
I was, in all honesty, fairly relieved when he carried on, he could have turned around, come back, and offered me fisticuffs, and no doubt he was more used to that form of attack than I.
Anyway, it gave me a bit of satisfaction that I had told him what for, maybe he'll think about it a little next time, though I somehow doubt it.

 

[Mandy]

Well, This issue of riding on pavements has never really bothered me, cyclists that I have seen doing it usually ride quite slowly and carefully, except kids.
Today however, I saw a yobbo, a hoodie type riding fast on the pavement, clearly doing this because it was a one way street and he didn't want to go the long way round and back up the correct way, and didn't want to walk.
I felt annoyed - so I stood in his way, I've got good reactions, as probably most if not all of you have on here, I need them as I drive something like 28,000 miles per year in a variety of vechiles, so I knew how close I could allow him to get before I needed to get out of his way.
At the last second, with me still in his path he looked up from his illegally annoying efforts, saw me and sweved to one side and, as his type often dictates, gave me the obligatory mouthful of abuse, f...... idiot. I shouted out that he shouldn't be on the pavement.
I was, in all honesty, fairly relieved when he carried on, he could have turned around, come back, and offered me fisticuffs, and no doubt he was more used to that form of attack than I.
Anyway, it gave me a bit of satisfaction that I had told him what for, maybe he'll think about it a little next time, though I somehow doubt it.

Well said!
It is sadly the idiot youths on bikes that give cycling on a pavement a bad name.
I come across some on my way to work on the shared paths (older school kids) and they seem to ride in groups. I feel quite uneasy as I kept to the left with oncoming traffic and they seem to like riding two or three abreast.
I now stand my ground to the right and let them go along the kirb side to avoid any accidents as nearly had one a little while ago when they were just squeezing me into the road and on purpose I think I would rather end up in a hedge than on the road under a car!
I dunno, you try to be courteous to others as a pedestrian or cyclist and then some idiot spoils it for some unknown reason, makes me cross

 

[Barnowl]

=I was, in all honesty, fairly relieved when he carried on, he could have turned around, come back, and offered me fisticuffs, and no doubt he was more used to that form of attack than I.
Anyway, it gave me a bit of satisfaction that I had told him what for, maybe he'll think about it a little next time, though I somehow doubt it.

I doubt it to... but you never know.

Trouble is some of these guys use bikes because they can make good their escape after engaging in some illicit activities. You can never be sure the're not carrying something far worse than a fist