Cycling on pavements.

[Cab]

Yes, you're quite correct.

...and while it is illegal, anyone who believes it is appropriate to dissuade a four year old accompanied by an adult from riding on a quiet pavement really would need their head examined.

 

[Arch]

They're not. They merely cannot be prosecuted because they're under the age of criminal whats its name. They're still breaking the law and Plod should, technically, stop them.

Oh, ok. I have no problem with a little kid on the pavement anyway. It's the older ones and adults who ought to know better.

 

[Debian]

Oh, ok. I have no problem with a little kid on the pavement anyway. It's the older ones and adults who ought to know better.

But see post #45

 

[Cab]

Oh, ok. I have no problem with a little kid on the pavement anyway. It's the older ones and adults who ought to know better.

For the most part I agree with that. I just don't particularly get upset when I see it, because for the most part its harmless. In fact I'd say that I see a hell of a lot more bad riding on shared use facilities than I do on pavements.

 

[Debian]

I must admit that I don't see any problem with responsible pavement cycling and the Home Office advice to police seems to back up that point of view.

There are vast stretches of very fast and sometimes scary stretches of rural road near me that do have footways running alongside them. I seriously doubt that any of these footways have seen a pedestrian in years. I have no qualms at all in cycling on these but whether I do or not depends on my mood, some days I feel quite happy to ride on the road, other days the pavement feels safer.

 

[Jezston]

Oh that's okay then! So if a motor cycle did the same but "didn't do any harm" you would accept that as well?

People ride scooters on the pavement in Paris all the time. Nutters all of them those Parisians.

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

Pavement cycling [especially round blind bends] can be very dangerous - even if its young kids on BMX's.

Thirty years ago [when I was a sprog] we used to bomb around the locality on the foopaths, my mate 'Wally" managed to knock some poor old chap over a garden wall going round a corner. He could have easily killed the frail old lad who was quite shook up.

This rammed home the dangers at an early age!

If people must unlawfully cycle on footpaths [i.e. kids & people new to cycling]; then it is best done on non pedestrian areas - away from driveways, slowing right down on corners and always giving way to any pedestrians.
Have notice many 'shared paths' I see are just pavements with a bicycle painted on, but that may be another can of worms!

 

[chap]

When it comes to cycling on Pavements, this is one point I actually have some sympathy for the cyclist - given the pitiful state of affairs concerning cycling infrastructure. However, this is based solely on the condition that they are not cycling in an obnoxious and hazardous manner.

It is wrong to cycle on the pavements, this should be the domain (if not last refuge) for the pedestrian. However, the roads can be very dangerous - I thought that London can be sketchy but from the sounds of things Manchester is 10 times worse. The issue is with poor provisions for cyclists, rubbish 1m wide lanes (discontinuous, over drain pipes and a myriad of pothole), few workable cycle lanes, and some very aggressive drivers couples with dangerous junctions and careless HGV drivers, there is a lot to look out for. In order to cycle in a city one needs to be much more alert than a car driver, or probably even a bus driver would, whilst it goes with the territory of us being the most vulnerable users of the road (as in those that go along it - discounting pedestrians) few measures are taken to make it any easier for us.

I am not surprised that many people, especially women, who would otherwise cycle do not, and that there is such a rivalry between motor users and cyclists, as we are viewed as doing something akin to an extreme sport AND in many cases it feels like that, and many navigate through this with a degree of aggressiveness and arrogance (usually topped with ridiculous clothing made from Lycra.)

In short, your average cyclists who wants to save some money and get from A to B, I would not be surprised should they chose the pavement.

Perhaps this is an issue to raise with the oncoming elections...nope we'll just scapegoat and 'get tough' on immigrants

 

[JamesAC]

But the point is, someone (especially someone vulnerable like an elderly or frail person) may be frightened dozens of times, and never hurt. That doesn't make the fright any less real for them.

It's easy to be blase about fear when you're fit and healthy and active. But many people are very afraid of a fall that might break a hip, or hurt their back - I know I've been very cagey the last few weeks, with a sore back.

Actually, if people could be trusted to cycle responsibly on the pavements (slowly, no weaving in and out of people), I'd have no problem with it. As ever, it's the thoughtless few who make the rules necessary, and if there's a rule, I like to see it obeyed.

+1

The trouble is, you rarely, if ever, see a cyclist cycling slowly on the pavement (ie at or slower than walking pace) - they are always tearing about, weaving between pedestrians. And pedestrians includes young children, parents with kids in prams, visually impaired people, less able people, old folk.

Stay on the road, if you're a cyclist, where you should be.

 

[potsy]

We have a lovely wide well marked out shared path (along side Wythenshawe park) that then continues onto an existing pavement where no improvements/modifications have been made to accomodate cyclists yet is still classed as a shared use path.It is narrow,strewn with litter bins bus shelters etc whuch makes it very dangerous for peds and cyclists to safely share this space,so even though it's there I tend not to use it very often.

 

[brokenbetty]

+1

The trouble is, you rarely, if ever, see a cyclist cycling slowly on the pavement (ie at or slower than walking pace) - they are always tearing about, weaving between pedestrians. And pedestrians includes young children, parents with kids in prams, visually impaired people, less able people, old folk.

Anyway, if one is only going walking pace it would be easier and safer to get off and walk. It's pretty hard to ride a bike safely through pedestrians at walking pace because your steering and balance are compromised.

 

[Cab]

+1

The trouble is, you rarely, if ever, see a cyclist cycling slowly on the pavement (ie at or slower than walking pace) - they are always tearing about, weaving between pedestrians. And pedestrians includes young children, parents with kids in prams, visually impaired people, less able people, old folk.

Stay on the road, if you're a cyclist, where you should be.

You rarely see joggers going at less than walking pace, they're usually going much faster and often weaving in and out between pedestrians. Would you seek to bar them from using the pavements on those grounds?

Again, I find myself wondering why if it is so very dangerous there are gvanishingly few serious accidents caused by this.

I agree, it should generally be discouraged, and I don't do it. But its just not that big a deal.

 

[chap]

You rarely see joggers going at less than walking pace, they're usually going much faster and often weaving in and out between pedestrians. Would you seek to bar them from using the pavements on those grounds?

Again, I find myself wondering why if it is so very dangerous there are gvanishingly few serious accidents caused by this.

I agree, it should generally be discouraged, and I don't do it. But its just not that big a deal.

That argument doesn't work for the same reasons cars shouldn't weave around cyclists. One has far fewer degrees of freedom and flexibility on bike than on foot, stability and reaction times are worse, and breaking time is longer. Furthermore, there is less to cushion any blows which may result.

 

[Dan B]

The trouble is, you rarely, if ever, see a cyclist cycling slowly on the pavement (ie at or slower than walking pace) - they are always tearing about, weaving between pedestrians.

I see it quite often. It may be that you only notice the inconsiderate cyclists, just because they're the potential threat, and either ignore or don't remember the considerate ones (or it may just be that our experiences differ)

But then, I like to walk at a brisk pace as well and often "weave" between people if the footway is crowded, so it may also be that our notions of walking pace aren't the same

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Now that I think of it I very rarely cycle in cycle lanes, if at all.
I have no problem using a cycling lane if it is in good condition, and will let drivers behind pass me, but I prefer being further out so I have escape room, and it encourages drivers to overtake properly. I also like to flow as part of the traffic, not to the left of it, it makes manoeuvring a b*tch.

Actually screw it cycle lanes are bad.