Attitudes to pedestrians need to change?

[Norm]

Yes, attitudes do need to change, to eradicate the stuff I've referred to on here as "cyclist blinkers" in the past. And there is a lot of it.

I am not a cyclist. I am someone who enjoys using cycling, driving, riding motorbikes, walking and sailing as forms of transport, entertainment, exercise and enjoyment. Although not usually contemporaneously.

 

[equicyclist]

Good manners are something we are taught from an early age(well,some of us). These should be applied to all aspects of life but unfortunately this happens less and less these days. Cyclists can be forgiven(I hope) for getting a "bit cross" with some blind,arrogant and unforgiving motorists! However with pedestrains on towpaths and the like it has to be a case of sharing the space whether we like it or not! After all when you approach someone from behind on a towpath or whatever they will not hear you unless you make your presence felt by calling out and giving people time to move aside and thanking them as you pass! It is that simple! My wife and I were out on forest tracks and kept meeting horse riders on some competion. Each time a horse came in sight we stopped and let the rider pass and were thanked each time.Basic good manners will always be appreciated!

I am encouraged by your comment here. As someone who is involved in a riding club as an organiser we always tell participants to be courteous to other users. I always find cyclists riding on the tracks in the forestry , pleasant and amusing and we have a good chat if its suitable. As user groups we need to support eachother. I often supply the odd plaster for injured cyclists who come unprepared! Courteousy costs nothing.

 

[equicyclist]

The cyclists that act like that towards pedestrians, probably act like monkeys around cyclists whilst in their car.

There are d!cks in all lines of transportation. And the bad ones are far easier to remember than the good ones.

There is much truth in your post and interestingly I was on my bike on a path at Pembrey forest recently. I felt it was a cycle path and was waymarked with a bike emblem. I felt I had right of way but in reality its a multi user route and all users should be sensible and give way to each other. Do you think much conflict is caused by lack of signage and the fact that cars think they have right on the road, cyclists think they have right on cycletracks and riders on bridleways. Its all in the perception of the user. If they were waymarked as multi user routes and advertised as such, we would all be better off. Its the perception of the user.
Strangely enough when Im on my horse I give way to everyone because Im aware of the fact that some people do not like horses and Im never in a rush.

 

[equicyclist]

I agree, just because someone rides a bike doesn't meant that they are nice and courteous. I often encounter my local cycling club on my commute home and the group have atrocious road manners: RLJ, cycling on the pavement, filtering up the both sides of cars en mass... They do say that cycling is the new golf so maybe we're attracting more peanuts

I personally hate riding on shared paths and use the roads where ever possible. It's much faster, there are no dogs and best of all it makes you better at cycling in traffic - just need to remember to stay zen.

I had a report from a cyclist that 2 horse riders ran him off the road. I was a little shocked at this and keen to reprimand those responsible for bad behaviour but when I asked for a blow by blow account it turned out that the riders were 2 abreast walking in front and the cyclist came up behind and they did not move out of his way so he had to mount the pavement to get past on the inside! Im sure they would have gone single file if he had shouted from a distance that he was there.

There is always one. Im sure the majority of people are courteous. Ive always found so. I think we just need to understand each other and appreciate our issues.

 

[equicyclist]

I must say I enjoy seeing other users out and having a chat. You find out a lot about where they came from and what they enjoy about a route. And its good to talk and be nice. It leaves a good impression.They sometimes have the same gripes as you. There will always be the inconsiderate types but im sure they are few.

 

[gaz]

There is much truth in your post and interestingly I was on my bike on a path at Pembrey forest recently. I felt it was a cycle path and was waymarked with a bike emblem. I felt I had right of way but in reality its a multi user route and all users should be sensible and give way to each other. Do you think much conflict is caused by lack of signage and the fact that cars think they have right on the road, cyclists think they have right on cycletracks and riders on bridleways. Its all in the perception of the user. If they were waymarked as multi user routes and advertised as such, we would all be better off. Its the perception of the user.
Strangely enough when Im on my horse I give way to everyone because Im aware of the fact that some people do not like horses and Im never in a rush.

I just think you should gave way to members lower down on the 'food' chain.
'food' chain = peds, cyclists, motorbikes, cars, LGV's, buses, HGV's

Obviously in each case this may not be possible. and i have examples of where cars, vans and cyclists should give way to HGV's and this is just to improve the flow of traffic.

 

[on the road]

Cycling in Blackburn at night:

Doesn't look like Blackburn to me

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

and then there is the dog walker with the ipod who is totally oblivious to everything going on around him.
But cyclists need to be aware that pedestrians have right of way and behave accordingly.
Maybe more signs might help to get the message across.

I have 2 dogs (one with only 3 legs), but the thing that really gets on my tits are the owners who do not have their dog on the lead, so that it just wanders around as it wishes.
When cycling on cycle paths, I have had to brake VERY sharply more than once because their dog suddenly decides that it wants to come over and sniff the two wheeled machine and it's owner going past, or it suddenly decides it wants to see something on the other side of the path and you just about broadside the poor beast!

Of course, walking ones dogs along cycle paths makes me VERY aware of this problem so I have the on the lead at all times, and I'll try and keep my canine companion out of the way! (or if they are on a retractable lead and I cannot get to them in time, then I'll move accordingly instead combined with some commands for the dog).

Cycle paths are great things, you just have to remember that you are not the only person using them.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I personally hate riding on shared paths and use the roads where ever possible. It's much faster, there are no dogs and best of all it makes you better at cycling in traffic - just need to remember to stay zen.

Where I live, it takes me about twice as long to cover the distance from my house to the start of the cycle track than it does to cover exactly the same distance once on the track.
Once on the track, the only things that really slow me are those daft gates where you can slow down to about 1mph, ride through the bike sized gap whilst lifting your legs up out of the way so that you don't crash into the ruddy thing!
Even if I have to stop, it's only for a second really whilst I 'feed' the bike through, so it's a lot better than having to wait at traffic lights, etc.

Between Milton and Bowling, the only road is the A82, and there is NOT A CHANCE that I'm going to cycle along that as it would be suicide for sure!

I agree with the experience with cycling in traffic though.