Cycle paths - which side - ?

[oldwheels]

Round here I generally find an encounter where 2 cyclists meet on a path then they both act as if it is a road - hence both go to their left and pass with no trouble

I have had a couple in the last year who insisted on going to their right - one older guy was very indignant when I stayed left and stopped so he was forced to his left - no clue why
There have been a couple of cyclists who went to their right - but that was on a canal tow path and they were maybe less confident and so wanted to stay away from the actual canal.

Walker and joggers I generally find go to their RIGHT - so I have to pass by going to my right. I generally find that this is so common that I just expect it.

The most common reaction from dogs is generally to wait until the last minute and then stand directly across the whole path!!
Kids are just totally unpredictable.
Hence any sign of a dog or kid and I slow right down and just react to what happens

Mixed situation - e.g. walker plus approaching cyclist - who knows!

You missed out on sheep. They wait till last minute and dash across to the other side, always aiming for your front wheel.

 

[oldwheels]

Always left.

Even on normal roads, I have seen people who ride against the flow of traffic for whatever reason.

Once on the A848 heading towards Oban I passed a woman on a Brompton heading the opposite way on the right hand side. Suicidal.

 

[oldwheels]

There's a pedestrian/bike path that's about a mile long. One side is for bikes and the other for pedestrians. So one way you'll be on the left and coming the opposite direction on the right.

Nobody really seems to know which side though. The signs are only at the start of the path - not repeated.

There is a path in Forfar clearly marked in one direction towards the town centre for cyclists to keep right and peds on left. Out of the town is obviously the opposite.

 

[DaveReading]

At the risk of stating the obvious, shared pedestrian/cyclepaths come in two flavours, depending on whether or not there is a demarcation line between the cycle side and the pedestrian side (though legally pedestrians are entitled to use the whole width).

If there isn't a line, it's a free-for-all, though in either case cyclists are expected to give pedestrians priority.

I'm struggling to see where any ambiguity about who goes where has arisen.

 

[T4tomo]

TWO? You think there are that many in the masons? I guess it is just possible, but ...

Blummin loads of cyclists in the Masons judging by how many keep there right trouser leg rolled up..

 

[Lozz360]

Not that its ever happened to me, but if it did I would simply stop and let them decide how they're going to make the 19 stone man move.

Left is safer. In the event of a head on scenario a driver - or rider - is far more likely to instintively turn to the left, and thus those are the rules for aviation and maritime avoidance.

I don't know about aviation rules but maritime rules say you pass to your right a vessel travelling in the opposite direction to you.

Regarding cycle paths I always try and keep to the left which, to me, seems obvious. I say try because some cyclists and joggers seem to insist on passing to the right and just will not budge.

 

[Alex321]

So on the shared path that you're describing, how do the pedestrians know which side they are advised to keep to ?

Most of the shared paths I have come across that have such symbols also have pedestrian symbols for the part of the path they are supposed to use.

 

[Saluki]

Left for me, then I go around oncoming pedestrians, just as if I was riding on the road.

 

[BoldonLad]

I would cycle on the left, but, if walking (I don't jog) would walk on the right, ie, facing oncoming "traffic". If I did jog, I would keep right.

Find many to not observe these rod/Highway Code type rules/recommendations, I try not to get too worked up about it... life is too short IMHO

 

[GuyBoden]

On shared paths, pedestrians have the priority, because they are the most vulnerable. So slow down, keep to the opposite side of the pedestrians and say thankyou.

 

[Drago]

I second the motion that Mr @Drago is indeed talking out of his 19 stone arse on this occasion, regarding maritime rules. To quote rule 14 of The Merchant Shipping Regulations 1996:

Altering course to starboard means turning right, so that the vessels pass on each others port side (left when facing forward).

This must be why my Mum kept telling my I had two left feet.

 

[Kingfisher101]

Here I keep to the left but there are a lot of mobility vehicles that don't have a clue what they are doing. They go the wrong way on paths and roads, take the bus lane or priority on a road and I've even seen a big one trying to get a bus!
These should be taking the pavement not the cycle lane.

 

[dodgy]

Here I keep to the left but there are a lot of mobility vehicles that don't have a clue what they are doing. They go the wrong way on paths and roads, take the bus lane or priority on a road and I've even seen a big one trying to get a bus!
These should be taking the pavement not the cycle lane.

These self driving mobility vehicles 🤷‍♂️

 

[scragend]

On my recent tour I had a stint riding along the Grand Union Canal coming out of London. Whenever I saw a cyclist coming towards me I moved to my left, but I noticed that more often than not they moved to their right and we ended up going for the same side.

I wondered whether this was because they may have been from another country which drove on the right, so it was their instinct to move that way. Or maybe it was just that they were moving to the side further from the water!

 

[Baldy]

I generally ride on the left unless that part of the path is already in use, then I'll use the others side. Sometimes I've come across a group of folk walking side by side across the whole path. Ringing my bell, saying hello loudly occasionally works and they'll move aside but not always.