Downed by a ped on a cycle lane

[LOGAN 5]

maybe not a commuting topic but...

there I was on the London to Brighton cycle ride (almost having been bumpted twice and having my rear wheel touched) when, hey why not I'd have an extra 20 miles to Worthing and back - bad idea.

I (rather foolishly) got on the cycle path at Lancing when I came across the expected "peds" sprawled across the cycle lane.

To explain the cycle lane is a shared path with solid white line, bike pictures and a green surface.

Back to the story.

I shouted at the peds but they very slowly registered anyting within the grey matter. I got around them awkwardly and when stamping on the gears the chain slipped and down I went.

As I picked myself up - after other people just walked past - the ped said "where's your bell". Well. I wasn't about the discuss why road bikes don't have bells and was well in to the get out of the f****g c***le lane tirade. I could have floored him.

He left the scene.

I was left with a ruined ride but no damage to the bike only some ghastly bruises and gashes to my knee and elbow.

This I PROMISE is the last time time I EVER ride my road bike on a cycle lane.

I survived to tell the tale

 

[Theseus]

Peds are perfectly entitled to walk on the cycle side of a shared use facility. You on the other hand should not be crossing over the line onto the ped only side of the line. Unfair, possibly, but that is how it is. In this case, despite your protestations, you were in the wrong.

 

[Chris Sirrus]

Is this a shared use cycle path? If so I think the ped is totally within his rights to walk wherever he wants. As far as I'm aware you have to give way to peds on a shared use cycle path.

Whats wrong with a bell on a road bike? Sounds like a sensible piece of equipment if you make a habit of using these paths.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Whats wrong with a bell on a road bike? Sounds like a sensible piece of equipment if you make a habit of using these paths.

+1

I have a bell on my hybrid for when I'm using these types of things. I don't use my road bike on shared use things.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Annoyingly I haven't got a bell on my bike - it didn't come with one and by the time the lights, computer and dual pivot brakes went on there wasn't any room left!!!

As a compromise I find myself actually saying "ding ding" as I come up behind people!!!

 

[hackbike 666]

Half the time I don't expect any favours from peds in London so it's a sofly sofly approach.

 

[Radius]

I always 'give way' to peds on these kinda paths, but it's only decent to take into account people around you and move aside if someone would like to get past and isn't hurtling down the path. What's worse are the other cyclists who don't know ride on the left so try and pass you on the right, and wobble and / or mutter / squeak / swear if you try and hold your line. There are a number of occasions where I'm certain that if I wasn't as confident / decent handling on a bike, I would have hit them or wobbled myself and ended up in a verge / puddle / whatever.

 

[jig-sore]

Is this a shared use cycle path? If so I think the ped is totally within his rights to walk wherever he wants.

i find this totally amazing if true !!!!

the very last part of my commute passes along a shared cycle path (running from the Rugby station area through to the brownsover estate). it's the type with the white line down the middle, peds on one side, bikes on the other. there is a blind corner at one point and i always go around it slow, tinging my bell as i go. last week i met a "family group" 50 yards past the blind bend who were coming along the path as a crowd, taking the full width of the path. had i met then 50 yards earlier i probably would have killed grandma and the little dog would it have been my fault if i had ???

as it was, it took them a while to clear me a path through the middle and i had to come to a stop. not really the point of a cycle path is it ??

 

[PBancroft]

last week i met a "family group" 50 yards past the blind bend who were coming along the path as a crowd, taking the full width of the path. had i met then 50 yards earlier i probably would have killed grandma and the little dog would it have been my fault if i had ???

IANAL, but I think it would be. Rule 62 of the Highway Code says you should be prepared to slow down and stop if necessary when passing pedestrians. It also says that you must keep to the cycle lane side if it is a segregated lane, but I couldn't find a corresponding section telling pedestrians to do the same (only that they should take care when crossing them).

Just another reason why fast-moving cyclists need to keep to the road, IMHO.

as it was, it took them a while to clear me a path through the middle and i had to come to a stop. not really the point of a cycle path is it ??

No, but then most cycle paths are similarly badly thought out and often worse.

 

[jig-sore]

Just another reason why fast-moving cyclists need to keep to the road, IMHO.

normaly i would agree with you, but the whole point of this path is to give peds and bikes a quick and safe way from the estate to the lower part of town. it's one of the very few cycle paths i use.

the alternative road route is 4 times longer and very dangerous.

 

[PBancroft]

normaly i would agree with you, but the whole point of this path is to give peds and bikes a quick and safe way from the estate to the lower part of town. it's one of the very few cycle paths i use.

the alternative road route is 4 times longer and very dangerous.

Then there probably isn't much you can do, except expect the unexpected ped around the next corner and ride slower than you would have done in ideal circumstances.

 

[sheddy]

Is there a clear definition twixt a cycle path and and a cycle lane ?
I sometimes get confused when reading folks incident on here

 

[jig-sore]

Then there probably isn't much you can do, except expect the unexpected ped around the next corner and ride slower than you would have done in ideal circumstances.

i think your right

 

[summerdays]

I would say cycle lane - coloured (sometimes), marked with a line (either solid or dashed) on the road, where as cycle path - not on the road, usually shared with pedestrians, and may or may not run along side a road.

If I'm going to be on a cycle path - I prefer the ones that aren't running beside the road - as then you have to do all those stupid stops for junctions etc, whereas as hopefully the cycle path is a good short cut in comparison to the road - but still with a different set of risks.

 

[Cubist]

Logan5
Yep, sorry, but you fell off because your chain slipped.

If you want to share space with peds, fit and use a bell. Expect them to be stupid, and you won't go far wrong. Learn to live with the fact you are on a bike, and they are vulnerable/young/old/hampered by dog leads but most importantly remember that they don't expect the TDF peloton screaming along the path into them, so keep your speeds down. If you want to go much over 15 mph get out on the road. As for expecting them to stay on "their side of the path" that's crackers. How many peds do you see compared with the number of cyclists? White paint is only white paint.

This forum is occasionally in danger of creating an "I'm a cyclist and therefore I hold the moral high ground and everyone else is stupid, or trying to kill me." attitude. Learn to share. It's much nicer.