Downed by a ped on a cycle lane

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Twanger

Über Member
Cubist said:
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.


Preach it!!!!
 

Bman

Guru
Location
Herts.
While I agree peds should be (and are) entitled to walk where they want. I find it highly inconsiderate when peds use a space marked out for cyclists, to walk on. They have their own bit that I’m not allowed to ride on!

Where I live there are designated cycle tracks (off road) which also have a designated pedestrian footpath alongside them, running parallel. Pedestrians use the cycle path all the time, especially when there is a group of four or five of them. If they walk on the cycletrack, they can all walk side by side (blocking the whole two lane cycletrack). Not enough room to do that on most pavements.

I want to ride above 15mph. But I dont want to ride on a dual carriageway with heavy vehicles driving past at 40mph. Especially if there is a designated 3m wide cycle track running parallel. I also don’t enjoy the pedestrian slalom. Its just, the peds make 15mph impossible, thus forcing me to ride on a more dangerous road.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
It's only really inconsiderate if they won't shift off your side... its no different from cycling on the road - sometimes we cycle side by side to chat and then drop back to single file when we realise there is a car.

I usually give a cheery good morning or day with a smile... somehow I find the bell says to me "Get out of my way I'm coming through", or if going much slower then changing gear up and down so that they can hear the little clicks makes them realise I'm there.

Basically at about 18mph they do suggest that you are cycling too fast for a shared path. Especially as they often have little paths leading onto them so that they can suddenly appear in your path.
 

Jim_Noir

New Member
You know when a cyclist says "Peds annoy me, they don't get out the way, they hold me up yada yada yada" it sounds like Car drivers saying "Cyclists annoy me, they don't get out the way, they hold me up yada yada yada".

I don't get why any fast cyclist would use a cycle path, not just the fact you can't (and shouldn't) belt along them but they also seem to be the longest way to get from a to b. Do you ever think what if a kid was to run out when you are hitting over 15mph? Same in your car, if you are in a 30 zone doing over the speed limit do you ever think what if? Cycle paths are good for familys, cyclists who are not sure of roads etc. Want to go fast then go on the road.
 

Jim_Noir

New Member
summerdays said:
somehow I find the bell says to me "Get out of my way I'm coming through

Good point. Though I think if you are not hammering along and say thankyou when you past then the bell then is just a little noise to make them aware you are there.
Another reason I don't use cyclepaths is I end up stopping and chatting to strangers, my mum said I will get stolen away one day :blush: , that I pass on the paths
 

stoatsngroats

Legendary Member
Location
South East
the anorak said:
not really the point of a cycle path is it ??

Well, the point of a cycle path is to get people onto a safer route than a road, anmd indirectly, to allow people to ride legally on the pavement. Shared use, surely mean 'Shared', not 'Reserved for cyclists'.

This is why I prefer to stay on road!
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Last week I did the Bristol's biggest bike ride ... and one cyclist obviously thought he was more important than the rest of us and basically shouted coming through as he approached us. There were kids in front of us so we were probably doing 8 mph max, he must have been doing double that and basically barged his way through expecting us all to get out of his way with his kids following thinking this is a great laugh. How he didn't cause an accident I don't know since there were presumably hundreds of riders on a path less than 2 m wide on that point.

It just annoyed me, and that's what those pedestrians are probably thinking too.
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Bongman said:
While I agree peds should be (and are) entitled to walk where they want. I find it highly inconsiderate when peds use a space marked out for cyclists, to walk on. They have their own bit that I’m not allowed to ride on!

.

Withour preaching anarchy, who the f*ck is out there enforcing who stays on what bit of the path? It's only paint, and it'll only come into play if you hit someone. Cycle in such as way as to avoid hitting people, no matter what part of the path they are on, there isn't a problem. :smile:
 
Weird,I hardly ever blow the horns on the Waterloo cycle path,dunno I just think it's forcing your way through but generally I get by alright with a bit of patience.Unfortunately there are also cyclists tearing up from the opposite direction.
 

Rhythm Thief

Legendary Member
Location
Ross on Wye
Jim_Noir said:
You know when a cyclist says "Peds annoy me, they don't get out the way, they hold me up yada yada yada" it sounds like Car drivers saying "Cyclists annoy me, they don't get out the way, they hold me up yada yada yada".

Exactly. Once again, the head of the nail takes a battering.
 

Bman

Guru
Location
Herts.
I think the term "cycletrack" (or other variations of that word) is a bit ambiguous. No-one really knows what we are talking about when we say it. The way I see it, there are three types :

Wide pavement, converted into a "shared use" cycle lane
Cycle lane painted on the gutter of a wide road.
Separate purpose-built cycletrack

I was talking about the latter in my previous post. I agree most cycletracks/paths are not designed or indeed are safe for speeds higher than about 15mph. In which case, it makes more sense to use the road.

However these tracks (link) have been designed for speeds closer to 30mph and IMO, are safe to use at that those speeds. So why should I either slow down to near walking speed to avoid peds, or ride on a more dangerous road? Just because they don’t want to use the pavement!?
 

jig-sore

Formerly the anorak
Location
Rugby
well this is the only other type of cycle path i use on my commute.... (please excuse the dog poop, the photo was taken to prove a point :smile:)

offroad001-1.jpg


it's a dis-used railway line thats been converted into a "shared" cycle path, path, bridleway thing and is also part of the national cycle network. many local dog owners use it as a place to let their dog run free and to be honest, i would do the same if i had a dog.

it's nice and flat and mainly straight, it runs right across rugby and gives me a perfect car free route out into the countryside and heading off towards Daventry.

now, it's very easy to get up some real speed along here and i have to "police myself" a bit. as you can see there are many paths coming in all the way along the route. i use the bell as i pass any paths, blind-spots or pedestrians, giving a constant "ting, ting, ting ting," until I'm sure it's clear or that anyone has seen me, and i always say "thank you" as i pass anyone.

there is no designated cycle area here and i have to admit, I'm more thoughtful of other users on this part of the route. (even though a few dogs have had a try at me :biggrin:)
 
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