Cycling on Pavements - Is it really that bad?

[Mussels]

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

I normally ride about that speed but not on a shared pavement.
I can maintain about 18mph up mild hills, 20mph on the flat and up to 40 downhill but I only break the speed limit in a couple of places. Even though I've dropped the gears I can still pedal to 30mph but not on the flat, it helps that I have put a balloon tyre on and it has raised the motor gearing by about 10%.
I mostly get positive remarks about the speed I'm going and only scare pedestrians who are very blase with their green cross code.

 

[WALKERMAN]

Hazards

I have come across a new hazard on cycle paths - youths riding along at speed and using a mobile phone at the same time

 

[fishingpaul]

I think as long as you ride at low speeds around pedestrians,and when approaching them,there is nothing wrong with riding on the pavement,trouble is you get young cyclists hurtling along and narrowly missing people,who give us all a bad name.

 

[Barnowl]

I think as long as you ride at low speeds around pedestrians,and when approaching them,there is nothing wrong with riding on the pavement,trouble is you get young cyclists hurtling along and narrowly missing people,who give us all a bad name.

Totally agree with you. When all is said and done one cyclist = one less car on the road or even pavement. That's less pollution for pedestrians, less harm to the environment and less chance of hurting a pedestrian by hitting them with a car. Pity some people can't see past the "that's illegal" aspect and lump cyclists together.

"Cycling on the pavement - is it that bad". Yes it is . It's rough, slow, has it's own hazards and the pedestrians get in the way

 

[JK1]

I often use a 'Rail Trail' path, part of the old Scarborough to Whitby Line which is a designated Sustrans route. The path is pretty narrow for shared use and does not have segregated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.

My main bug bear on the path is dog walkers. Some have very long, near invisible leads, which could cause injuries to the dog in particular if it got caught up as I pass (once someone lifted the lead high in the air as I passed as he realised I hadn't spotted the lead; that was pretty close). Some dog walkers see me coming and hold the dog out of the way as I slow to pass them; that's fine and a good example to other dog walkers. Others though see the bike coming and call their dog over to their side of the path causing the once clear route through to be suddenly filled with dog in the middle of the path! Now if the owners went over to their dog rather than call the dog over to them they would find their actions much safer so why don't they do that? If dog walkers wish to use a shared path such as this it would seem to make sense to insist that dogs be kept on a lead. One of the oddest comments I had from one of those calling their dog over was that if I had rung my bell the dog would have got out if the way!! Yes really??

Further out of town (and away from most dog walkers) the path has been poorly maintained. It used to be a good natural earthen surface but that has recently been covered with loose gravel making it more like the run off area of a Formula one circuit and difficult to maintain momentum on! The path was further worsened by digging up practically the whole length it (20 miles) to lay a CCTV cable which has subsequently sunk in places (sometimes by up to a foot!) Given one is navigating through these hazards at times in a very narrowed choice of path and past pedestrians it is surprising that there aren't more collisions or accidents. It is hard to believe that Sustrans haven't been more proactive in sorting out these dangers. I have ridden other Sustrans Rail Trail routes and these usually have had good surfaces and kept far better maintained.

 

[rosjen]

nice information there flecc, i shall print it and carry with me. I have seen too many boys in blue on bikes dishing out fines for on pavement use to any that cross their paths for what is known to be a dangerous road. the cars even have problems passing each other. it makes me sick - day after day i see them catching people on this bit of road (a308 Thames street), they just wait like vulchers looking for easy pickings. I'll get caught and educate them now!

 

[Barnowl]

and does not have segregated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.

My main bug bear on the path is dog walkers. Some have very long, near invisible leads, which could cause injuries to the dog in particular if it got caught up as I pass .

I had a near miss with one of those on my commute, last week, using a cycle track through the park. I only saw it at the last minute. As you say near invisible.

 

[Barnowl]

nice information there flecc, i shall print it and carry with me. I'll get caught and educate them now!

Mmmmhh. I admire your spirit. Isn't there someone you could complain to rather than getting caught and risking a fine or a load of hassle. Perhaps the police or the council. Our council seems to have a very cycle consious section. If this was me I'd certainly email them. Maybe some of the people that have been fined could get there money back.

 

[flecc]

It's very likely that a PC wouldn't take any notice of a printout and still issue a ticket. The best action if that happens is to promptly write to his station officer, copied to any appeal address shown on the ticket, enclosing copies of the printout, stating that one was riding with care and consideration and only on the footpath due to fear of the traffic on the road in question.

That should do the trick and get the ticket cancelled.

In the unlikely event that failed, it would need to be argued in court and that's best done by a solicitor, with a claim for costs on the basis that the police officer's action contravened his own Chief Police Officer's orders, as directed by the Secretary of State.
.

 

[Tiberius]

What about going the wrong way on a one way road?

Near where I live, there is a complicated 5 way junction. To get from one particular road on this junction to another one that is just next to it on the right, you have to go all the way round the one way system and come back to 20 yards from where you started. The loop includes a dangerous junction, a steep hill, and a downhill section with a 20 mph limit and speed bumps for two schools. (You couldn't make this up.)

Alternatives would be to cycle the 20 yards in the wrong direction on the road, or to cycle them on the pavement. Which is worse?

Nick

 

[flecc]

Clearly illegal Nick, though pavement preferable.

I have a near identical situation in a similar very short stretch, a choice of either ride the wrong way or use a pavement instead, so I use the pavement since that has a legal excuse available.
.

 

[Mussels]

What about going the wrong way on a one way road?

Near where I live, there is a complicated 5 way junction. To get from one particular road on this junction to another one that is just next to it on the right, you have to go all the way round the one way system and come back to 20 yards from where you started. The loop includes a dangerous junction, a steep hill, and a downhill section with a 20 mph limit and speed bumps for two schools. (You couldn't make this up.)

Alternatives would be to cycle the 20 yards in the wrong direction on the road, or to cycle them on the pavement. Which is worse?

Nick

You could always walk on the pavement.
There's a few junctions like that in London where special cycle cut throughs and reverse flow cycle lanes have been added, very useful especially round Aldgate.

 

[Barnowl]

What about going the wrong way on a one way road?

Near where I live, there is a complicated 5 way junction. To get from one particular road on this junction to another one that is just next to it on the right, you have to go all the way round the one way system and come back to 20 yards from where you started. The loop includes a dangerous junction, a steep hill, and a downhill section with a 20 mph limit and speed bumps for two schools. (You couldn't make this up.)

Alternatives would be to cycle the 20 yards in the wrong direction on the road, or to cycle them on the pavement. Which is worse?

Nick

Pavement everytime.

 

[Tiberius]

Actually, I agree with you that pavement is normally better than road in a case like that. But are you not then open to the charge that you are doing it not through fear of the traffic, but through laziness.

Getting off and walking sounds like the "official" answer. But do you cycle across the road and then dismount, or dismount and then cross? In this particular case, crossing the roads is two-thirds of the distance.

Nick

 

[Barnowl]

What about going the wrong way on a one way road?

The loop includes a dangerous junction, a steep hill, and a downhill section with a 20 mph limit and speed bumps for two schools. (You couldn't make this up.)Nick

Dangerous Junction and speed bumps for 2 schools. Maybe some parked cars with doors being pushed wide open just as you approach them. Would scare me I think it would make a reasonable defense.

 

[Barnowl]

Also might be worth dropping the council a line. Maybe there's room for a cycle path or some other sensible resolution. Birmingham council have a Sustainable Transport Team. They're cyclists as well and very responsive. Depends on the situation in your area.

 

[Tiberius]

Dangerous Junction and speed bumps for 2 schools. Maybe some parked cars with doors being pushed wide open just as you approach them. Would scare me I think it would make a reasonable defense.

Certainly scares me. To be honest, though, I rarely have to take that route, and whenever I have recently its been in the evening with hardly any vehicle or pedestrian traffic around.

There isn't a simple way the problem could be bypassed; it would take a major redesign of the traffic system in the town. I suspect more pressure would come from car drivers as they are just as inconvenienced by the current layout.

Nick

 

[musicbooks]

Dangerous Junction and speed bumps for 2 schools. Maybe some parked cars with doors being pushed wide open just as you approach them. Would scare me I think it would make a reasonable defense.

Never mind Hockey mums.. what about psychoschoolrunmums. I cycle past a large private school every day and the number of times some rich idiot in a gas guzzling bulldozer cuts me out or u turns or careers kamakaze-like across the road right at me to grab a space right outside little Toby's school gates, or swing open car doors without looking to let Jemima jump right into my path.. is absolutley shocking..



Come the revolution.. etc etc...

bw
musicbooks

 

[fcurran]

Never mind Hockey mums.. what about psychoschoolrunmums. I cycle past a large private school every day and the number of times some rich idiot in a gas guzzling bulldozer cuts me out or u turns or careers kamakaze-like across the road right at me to grab a space right outside little Toby's school gates, or swing open car doors without looking to let Jemima jump right into my path.. is absolutley shocking..



Come the revolution.. etc etc...

bw
musicbooks

I hope you're not referring to a certain establishment on North Road where I spent 7 years of my school days!! (good old government assisted places to help the poor kids in the community)

 

[musicbooks]

I hope you're not referring to a certain establishment on North Road where I spent 7 years of my school days!! (good old government assisted places to help the poor kids in the community)

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