Cycling on pavements.
- Thread starter eldudino
- Start date
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goo_mason
Champion barbed-wire hurdler
- Location
- Leith, Edinburgh
magnatom said:
Now admit it - we all stage-managed that entire incident so that we could film it and post it on YouTube. It took us 4 months preparation, as we had to brief the thousands of other cyclists to play along too....
chap
Veteran
- Location
- London, GB
Was reading a blog about Beauty and the bike, and the comments section reminded me of this thread. http://londoncyclechic.blogspot.com/2009/12/beauty-and-bike-short-film.html So without beating a dead horse 
Dangerous roads + poor cycle facilities = less cyclists + more cyclists using the pavement.
It will be interesting to see the effect of the supercalifragilisticexpi-ultra-highways in London.
Dangerous roads + poor cycle facilities = less cyclists + more cyclists using the pavement.
It will be interesting to see the effect of the supercalifragilisticexpi-ultra-highways in London.
- Beauty and the bike
- Beauty and the bike (forum)
- London's supercyclehighways (forum)
I don't mind people cycling on the pavement slowly and where it is safe to do so.
I occasionally ride on the pavement, such as when I need to make a right-turn into a side-road 100 metres away and it would involve crossing the road through busy traffic and then riding back out into the middle of the road to get to the same junction; in that case it's just dumb to cross back onto the road.
My objection is to people who ride at speed on the pavements or bully their way through crowds. More than once I've felt tempted to clothes-line a couple of teenagers riding through packed pedestrian areas.
I do also get annoyed at some pedestrians who won't give way; in a town near where I live there is a street separated by a pedestrianized area in the town centre and it takes just 10 seconds to cycle across at walking pace but the shopping-zombies treat me as if I'm invisible, sometimes to the extent that they will almost try to walk through me!I 'm not kidding, even when I get off the bike a whole mob of them will stare straight ahead and walk towards me like a herd of hypnotized cows - and they don't stop.
I occasionally ride on the pavement, such as when I need to make a right-turn into a side-road 100 metres away and it would involve crossing the road through busy traffic and then riding back out into the middle of the road to get to the same junction; in that case it's just dumb to cross back onto the road.
My objection is to people who ride at speed on the pavements or bully their way through crowds. More than once I've felt tempted to clothes-line a couple of teenagers riding through packed pedestrian areas.
I do also get annoyed at some pedestrians who won't give way; in a town near where I live there is a street separated by a pedestrianized area in the town centre and it takes just 10 seconds to cycle across at walking pace but the shopping-zombies treat me as if I'm invisible, sometimes to the extent that they will almost try to walk through me!I 'm not kidding, even when I get off the bike a whole mob of them will stare straight ahead and walk towards me like a herd of hypnotized cows - and they don't stop.
I don't do that, def illegal. However, often when I come to a pedestrian crossing that's red, I DO hop off my bike, push it across, clear the crossing and get back on, whilst the cars still have to sit there til lights change. The other day someone said to me "that's illegal" - but is it? Would have thought not, as I'm walking, not riding? Would appreciate if anyone knows this for sure though - seen more coppers about town lately and don't want to get stopped!
slugonabike
New Member
- Location
- Bournemouth
Ok, I admit it, I sometimes cycle on the pavement - and I'm going straight to hell! 
I'm a new, slow, 'mature' cyclist and happen to live just off a busy dual carriageway. Having learnt to cycle and bought my first bike I vowed I would start using it for commuting to work (just a couple of miles each way). This necessitates navigating short stretches of the dual carriageway and another busy road, although other bits are much quieter. Initially, I cycled on the pavement for all of the busier stretches but am now gaining confidence and don't do it as much - for instance, I will use the pavement when going the wrong way up the dc but use the road when coming the other way. I will also take to the pavement to save me having to turn right twice across the other road - the pavement here is very wide with a grass verge that I use if there are any peds around (although it's unusual for me to come across any).
On occassion I have been looked at very closely by the occupants of a police car but they obviously had better things to do than stop me. Incidentally, a PCSO told me that she would always cycle on the pavement there as she considered the roads (especially the dc) too dangerous!
Of course, my ultimate aim is to gain enough confidence to cope with any road conditions but I'm afraid that will only come with practice.
I'm a new, slow, 'mature' cyclist and happen to live just off a busy dual carriageway. Having learnt to cycle and bought my first bike I vowed I would start using it for commuting to work (just a couple of miles each way). This necessitates navigating short stretches of the dual carriageway and another busy road, although other bits are much quieter. Initially, I cycled on the pavement for all of the busier stretches but am now gaining confidence and don't do it as much - for instance, I will use the pavement when going the wrong way up the dc but use the road when coming the other way. I will also take to the pavement to save me having to turn right twice across the other road - the pavement here is very wide with a grass verge that I use if there are any peds around (although it's unusual for me to come across any).
On occassion I have been looked at very closely by the occupants of a police car but they obviously had better things to do than stop me. Incidentally, a PCSO told me that she would always cycle on the pavement there as she considered the roads (especially the dc) too dangerous!
Of course, my ultimate aim is to gain enough confidence to cope with any road conditions but I'm afraid that will only come with practice.
Yes that is illegal but I doubt any copper would want to waste there time with it.
My dad cycled (on the roads, where there were roads) (and without a helmet) all his life. Now he's 89 and rather frail he can't cycle any more and finds walking difficult. When he does go out pavement cyclists are a considerable worry to him, more than cars on the road ever were when he cycled.
He still lives in the house where I grew up on the road I learned to cycle on. (Cab would probably know it, I've seen clips from nearby roads.) It's almost as traffic-free now as it was 40 years ago and there's no reason on earth why anyone would illegally use the pavement except that they always do. I would be very happy indeed to see a clampdown on pavement cycling in Cambridge just for my dad's sake.
He still lives in the house where I grew up on the road I learned to cycle on. (Cab would probably know it, I've seen clips from nearby roads.) It's almost as traffic-free now as it was 40 years ago and there's no reason on earth why anyone would illegally use the pavement except that they always do. I would be very happy indeed to see a clampdown on pavement cycling in Cambridge just for my dad's sake.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I thought it wasn't illegal ... once you are pushing your bike - you are defined as a pedestrian - for example you can take your bike past a No Cycling sign, and there was a legal case - can't remember the details where a cyclists was knocked down whilst walking their bike and I'm sure the judge didn't allow the defence to claim they were cycling. However if you are scooting the bike rather than walking with it - then you are cycling IIRC.
I do occasionally use the get off and walk option when there is a really large queue for the lights and there isn't anyway I can filter to the front or get through in a single change of lights. As motorists probably consider it cheeky I usually go a bit beyond the lights before I get back on again.
In Southampton there are various kinds of facilities all over the place. One result of this is that cyclists use the pavements where they're not supposed to as well as where they are. Another is that some motorists resent any cyclists who dare to ride on the road regardless of whether there's a legal alternative.
In my view all cyclists should be on the road and all motorists who intimidate or endanger them should be removed from the roads.
In my view all cyclists should be on the road and all motorists who intimidate or endanger them should be removed from the roads.
slugonabike
New Member
- Location
- Bournemouth
I would assume if you get off your bike, lift it onto the pavement then push it past no problems, but pushing it over the stop line is a different matter. A copper would have to be extremely bored to even bother giving you a talking to.
A pedestrian is supposed to cross in between the studs marking the crossing, they should not be on any other part of the crossing.
Then fight for it!!
