Heavy handed approach to pavement cycling counterproductive?

[John the Monkey]

When I first started cycling, about 8 months ago, I used to cycle on the pavement to get around a busy-ish roundabout.
This was because I lacked the confidence to stay on the road. I would always ride slowly and give peds right of way, until I could get back onto an easier part of the road.

I used to avoid the junction at Parrs Wood (where Kingsway crosses Manchester Road) for similar reasons (because I lacked the confidence to ride through it at the time). I did, however, walk the section rather than riding it. There's a cut through I use from time to time that has an explicit prohibition on cycling (it is cycleable, i.e. no crush or bollards etc) but I walk that too.

Personally, I figure that if I'm riding slowly enough to not be a danger to pedestrians, I might as well walk. This has the added benefit of being within the law and presenting what, hopefully, is a good image of cyclists in general to the people I see on these stretches on my commute.

I'm not sure what the answer to the situation Dom outlines is - it's a shame this lady isn't cycling still, but she really shouldn't have been riding on the pavement (imho) in any case. It would be nice if the officer stopping her was able to offer a "don't do it again" or cycle training, but if the first isn't within his/her discretion, and the second unavailable... As for the Police offering advice on how to use the road, as fossy points out, if the bike mounted officers seem unqualified to do so, how likely is a beat officer to be able to?

 

[biking_fox]

Maybe Dom should offer to be this lady's "Cycle Buddy" to re-gain her confidence on that stretch of road?

 

[Tynan]

everything I see about those cycle cops tells me they're doing because they were told too or they'res some sort of incentive for them, they look thoroghly uninterested in everything, especially road users

 

[spen666]

Pity the policeman couldn't tell the difference between the cyclist who is scared by their in-experience, and the ones who routinely use the pavements cos ... actually I'm not sure why they do ... but you know the ones I mean ...
....

scared or not she may have been, but her actions are illegal and no doubt causing inconvenience/ fear amongst pedestrians.

Breakinglaws you dop not like is not the way to do it

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Sounds to me like the policeman could have handled it better, in light of the bit posted by Yorkshireman (where have you been?!) and there's probably some truth in what Bonj was getting at; one ticking off shouldn't really have been enough to put her off completely. If she really wants to cycle then she could address the problem.

Agreed though, it's a shame.

 

[Arch]

Sounds to me like the policeman could have handled it better, in light of the bit posted by Yorkshireman (where have you been?!) and there's probably some truth in what Bonj was getting at; one ticking off shouldn't really have been enough to put her off completely. If she really wants to cycle then she could address the problem.

Agreed though, it's a shame.

When I was doing the tryout roadshows a few years ago, we knew when we were talking to someone who was really unwilling to consider cycling. No matter what 'excuse' they had, we usually had an answer to it - security,safety, clothes, need to carry a bag, can't afford expensive bike... If they still had excuses after that lot, you knew that basically, they didn't want to do it, but didn't want to look stupid by saying so.

I think one ticking off could do it for some people - I think we on here are mostly quite assertive, know the law, know our rights, and even if we wouldn't argue with a policeman (I wouldn't), we'd have a measure of self confidence that told us we were doing OK really, and we just needed to learn from it. But there are still people, who may never have had any dealings with the police, for whom even a quiet word from a copper might be so frightening and intimidating that they daren't risk it again, or were so ashamed, they gave up.

 

[ufkacbln]

I would like to see the enforcement of "pavements"

What always winds me up is the inability to get anyone to deal with parked cars.

If you report a regular pavement cyclist there is a response, but report a regular pavement parker and "nothing can be done".

 

[summerdays]

I would like to see the enforcement of "pavements"

What always winds me up is the inability to get anyone to deal with parked cars.

If you report a regular pavement cyclist there is a response, but report a regular pavement parker and "nothing can be done".

I reported one - the police came out on three separate days, leaving messages warning about parking wholly on the pavement - on a junction, and the third time left a ticket. There were legal parking spaces only 50 meters futher up the road. Strangely enough I've noticed its now parked further away and legally on the road.

 

[Tynan]

come to London, ever since it became a revenue raising operation the streets are alive with wardens and tow trucks

 

[col]

come to London, ever since it became a revenue raising operation the streets are alive with wardens and tow trucks

Definitely get a ticket straight away there,they are like little hitlers sometimes#runs and hides from ??#

 

[Tynan]

I'm all for it, everyone knows the rules, and frequently they're keeping important junctions and sight lines clear

 

[Ashtrayhead]

Pity that she didn't have a copy of this with her :-


Copied from here :- http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cycling_and_the_law.php

She didn't need a copy of the letter! She was threatened with a fine so she got off with a warning. I'm presuming she's an adult and would know that she was in the wrong should she be unfortunate to get caught, so it beats me how it's the coppers fault for her now choosing the easy option and driving to work.

 

[domd1979]

Seems a very short sighted view of things, and one that doesn't help in the least bit in trying to encourage more people to cycle.

She didn't need a copy of the letter! She was threatened with a fine so she got off with a warning. I'm presuming she's an adult and would know that she was in the wrong should she be unfortunate to get caught, so it beats me how it's the coppers fault for her now choosing the easy option and driving to work.

 

[Plax]

Thankfully I've always been a fairly confident cyclist, and this site has helped me glean some extremely useful advice (didn't know about primary and secondary for example, but used to ride in secondary anyway to avoid the debris that builds up at the side of the road). But then I am the type to do "research" before I take my hand to anything. I think a lot of these pavement cyclists are just ignorant and aren't the "researching" types so therefore don't know any better and think it is fine to wander around with dark clothing, no lights and on the pavement, regardless of any confidence issues.
It makes my blood boil in Bangor when I see what I can only assume to be students (they are all young student looking types) bombing it down the pavement at night with no lights and usually a Lidl carrier bag flapping about on the handlebars.

 

[summerdays]

I started as a pavement cyclist - initially on almost any road that had traffic, and gradually built up my confidence. Luckily I wasn't stopped by the police, found C+, and Cyclecraft etc.
However it is intimidating on the roads occasionally - there is one roundabout (Eastville roundabout under the M32) that I do in primary, and that I then get beeped, cut in on etc, to the point that I'm thinking of taking the underpass rather than have that agro every time. There is no way I could have been doing that roundabout a year ago.