advise please?

[gambatte]

+1 to filter on the offside.
The gutters full of *carp*that’ll either stick to your bike or p****** our tyres.
AFAIK Drivers are more likely to notice something in their offside mirror (i.e. strobeing front lights)
Drivers are more used to being passed on the offside in queues by motorcycles etc
In either case, this time of year, be aware of low sun. We always seem to think of it in respect to drivers driving into it. If it’s behind them/you, it may destroy their rear vision – doesn’t mean they won’t move out........

 

[Crankarm]

You shouldn't ride the pavement ever! Whether it is a wide pavement, deserted or otherwise. Filter down the middle or get off and push your bike on the pavement.

Not true.

If I see a big wide empty pavement I'm on it straight away rather than ride a long a busy road with the risk of being hit. Some one has got to use them. Pavements can be shared use as well. Roads are dangerous places.

 

[Mr Foldy]

Not true.

If I see a big wide empty pavement I'm on it straight away rather than ride a long a busy road with the risk of being hit. Some one has got to use them. Pavements can be shared use as well. Roads are dangerous places.

I'm with you there. I'm more interested in the end result - safety and speed. However, I can't them complain if I come a cropper as a result. Where I commute the pavements are not used by pedestrians at all, and some are designated shared use anyway.

 

[gaz]

If you feel that going on the pavement is quicker, then get off and walk on it!

 

[jonny jeez]

Not true.

If I see a big wide empty pavement I'm on it straight away rather than ride a long a busy road with the risk of being hit. Some one has got to use them. Pavements can be shared use as well. Roads are dangerous places.

sorry crankers but this is just straight up wrong.

as someone once said, pavements are for pedestrians and small children on bikes. Unless you are a small child or ride like one, then stick to the road.

shared use paths, are not pavements

 

[Crankarm]

sorry crankers but this is just straight up wrong.

as someone once said, pavements are for pedestrians and small children on bikes. Unless you are a small child or ride like one, then stick to the road.

shared use paths, are not pavements

No need to apologise for being wrong. You are perfectly entitled to a wrong opinion. In fact I will defend your write to be wrong. Great stuff. Go Jonny go!

 

[jonny jeez]

No need to apologise for being wrong. You are perfectly entitled to a wrong opinion. In fact I will defend your write to be wrong. Great stuff. Go Jonny go!

.

sigh...

 

[semislickstick]

I'm with you there. I'm more interested in the end result - safety and speed. However, I can't them complain if I come a cropper as a result. Where I commute the pavements are not used by pedestrians at all, and some are designated shared use anyway.

...and lets face it if you cycle along a shared use path with loads of driveway/turns you should expect some numpty to cut across it because they haven't seen you or they expect you to stop for them.

 

[Roadrider48]

Not true.

If I see a big wide empty pavement I'm on it straight away rather than ride a long a busy road with the risk of being hit. Some one has got to use them. Pavements can be shared use as well. Roads are dangerous places.

Cyclists go on and on about equal road rights and all the injustices that go with that.(myself included) but in the next breath you say it's ok to ride on the pavement when it suits you. What if a ped comes out of a house or a shop and you hit them. Or if you collide with a child in a pram, or even an immobile old person? What is that....Bad luck! If you want equal rights on the road as a cyclist you have to obey the rules. If there is traffic, either filter or wait in line. Or get off and push your bike on the pavement.

 

[skubull]

Thanks for all the answers, I agree that riding on the path is wrong however i dont feel the alternative of riding down the middle of the road is an acceptable alternative for cyclists. I certainly dont want to walk or drive as one takes too long and the other shouldnt be a option thats considered because the roads aint safe!

I would never cycle on the path going any quicker that someone running and i alwasy go very wide round people or even dismount if they cant pass me in the opposite direction with at least a meter clearance. My route to work is very busy as i work at a hospital surrounded by traffic lights so stops and starts frequently with long tail backs.Im new to this but isnt there anywhere we can request cycle lanes etc?

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm not sure that its so black and white as that. We have some faster rural and semi rural roads around here(Cranky is not far from me) with rarely a person on the pavement, the road can be narrow and busy, you'd have to be hard as nails or a fool to stay on the 50/60mph road in primary or pedal slapping the kerb. You will have someone desperate to get past at any cost. Do you walk your bike for 6 miles? There won't be a bus.
When you do meet a person you pull over and let them through with out them feeling threatened hopefully, usually its even friendly!(this is Cambridgeshire, hey they are probably a relative of some sort)
I don't like being bullied or threatened into getting out of the road and I wouldn't pass that feeling on to a pedestrian, by rights walking on a path, but really, what is going to change if I get hit on a country road, I'll just get blamed for not using "a perfectly good path" or every other excuse.

What should I do?

I can appreciate that some roads are hazardous to ride. Up until quite recently I had only ridden on roads in and around the south east and London and so had limited experience to offer you any help. However, recently I have had the wonderful experience of riding across the entire country over all types of roads in all types of conditions.

Whilst some in my group were concerned by the busy roads and others were worried by the quiet rural roads that were frequented by fast moving impatient drivers....I didn't once feel uncomfortable, bullied, threatened or unsafe.

Why?...What did I do?...I'm sorry to say that beyond the things that I talk about on these pages, and within the guide, I cant tell you. What's more, I cant see how you ride to really offer any suggestions.

Perhaps taking to the pavement IS the right thing for YOU, in these specific circumstances. But I would be concerned about confusing the message of saying that sometimes its ok and sometimes its not.

For me, its never ok

 

[Frood42]

isnt there anywhere we can request cycle lanes etc?

Your local council, but, well, good luck with that!
You will proably end up with a substandard cycle lane that is either more dangerous than being in traffic or gets used for car parking

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/March2005.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/April2013.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/August2001.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/October2001.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/February2006.htm

and one of my favourites: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/September2007.htm

Cynical, me, no....

Seriously, learn to ride with traffic, otherwise you will have to walk (where it's not a shared path), as there are some bad facilities out there (and very few good ones)...

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/commuting/article/trav20111121-Effective-Traffic-Riding-home0
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/co...Effective-Traffic-Riding-Part-2---Filtering-0

 

[Sweeney]

Thanks for all the answers, I agree that riding on the path is wrong however i dont feel the alternative of riding down the middle of the road is an acceptable alternative for cyclists. I certainly dont want to walk or drive as one takes too long and the other shouldnt be a option thats considered because the roads aint safe!

I would never cycle on the path going any quicker that someone running and i alwasy go very wide round people or even dismount if they cant pass me in the opposite direction with at least a meter clearance. My route to work is very busy as i work at a hospital surrounded by traffic lights so stops and starts frequently with long tail backs.Im new to this but isnt there anywhere we can request cycle lanes etc?

For me, a lot of it comes from having the confidence once I had been cycling in traffic for a while. I used to go down the gutter but as some drivers leave you no room to pass on the inside, even though the have only just gone past you, was driving me mad so I opted to do what motor bikes do and go down the outside.

A little nerve racking at first cycling into traffic, but do not go too fast so you can stop reasonable quickly and be aware of what vehicles are oncoming so you can ensure that, if needed, you can get out of the way.

 

[400bhp]

Cyclists go on and on about equal road rights and all the injustices that go with that.(myself included) but in the next breath you say it's ok to ride on the pavement when it suits you. What if a ped comes out of a house or a shop and you hit them. Or if you collide with a child in a pram, or even an immobile old person? What is that....Bad luck! If you want equal rights on the road as a cyclist you have to obey the rules. If there is traffic, either filter or wait in line. Or get off and push your bike on the pavement.

I'd go even further. The perception that peds have of cyclists being on the pavement means that peds are less likely to use them. Hence it's anti social and perversely might make people drive more.