Is it okay to cycle on footpaths if traffic and road busy?

[MrMing]

Is it okay to cycle on footpaths if traffic and road busy? is this okay just new to cycling & England

 

[al-fresco]

No it isn't and you may be stopped and fined. (I think the fine is £35.) That said, most of us have done it at some time or another.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Is it okay to cycle on footpaths if traffic and road busy? is this okay just new to cycling & England

Technically you can get a fine, but most police will not bother.

However, the east end (ie, where you live!) is one of the few places where I regularly see cyclists pulled over by police (usually on horseback!) and fined/made to go to cycle training classes.

I would say in your case, it's probably best to stick to the roads and if you aren't confident see if there is any bikeability training near you.

 

[BikeLiker]

It must be - my local PCSO rides down the footpath opposite my house several times a week to check for rowdies in the park. The alternative of dismounting does seem a bit extreme

 

[I like Skol]

[QUOTE 1609800"]
According to the Home Office advice to police forces discretion should be shown to those cycling sensibly on the pavement as it is accepted that some cyclists may feel it safer under certain circumstances than using the road.
[/quote]


This ^^^^^^^^^^ would be my take on the situation. I think, provided you don't behave like an inconsiderate Knob you will most likely be fine. I sometimes use the pavement too, but less and less as I get fitter and faster so don't feel exposed to high speed impacts as much.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

This ^^^^^^^^^^ would be my take on the situation. I think, provided you don't behave like an inconsiderate Knob you will most likely be fine. I sometimes use the pavement too, but less and less as I get fitter and faster so don't feel exposed to high speed impacts as much.

Anywhere else, I would agree, but during the time it took me to eat my lunch on Tuesday, I saw no less than 9 cyclists getting tickets for various offences on Bishopsgate, which is where I got my fine and is in the area the OP is likely to cycle.

 

[david k]

i have done it when its really busuy

 

[Hacienda71]

I quite often cycle slowly on the pavement when out with my kids my daughter is only 4 and needs a little close supervision, even then when possible I pootle along in the gutter but can't always so make an exception and ride on the pavement when necessary. I have cycled past the police a number of times in these circumstances and they normaly smile and say hello to the kids. On my own out for a ride I wouldn't ride on the pavement.

 

[Mugshot]

I think, provided you don't behave like an inconsiderate Knob you will most likely be fine.

I got a right rollocking of a copper for riding on the pavement, it was about 7am and I was hammering round a left hand corner and he was walking the other way on the beat, I did a massively impressive skid bringing the back wheel right round so that I was right across the pavement. He told me if he caught me again he'd "do" me for it.
I was about 13, on a Grifter doing my paper round, never cycled on the pavement round that corner again though!

 

[Night Train]

Many people cycle on the pavements here and not always considerately.

The only bits of pavement I cycle on are the little 3'-6' sections that criss-cross the local cycle path as it crosses the motorway junction. It seems stupid to ride 12', get off and walk 3', get back on and ride 12'....
Mostly I just join the traffic on road that has just come from the motorway sliproad.

 

[derrick]

There is a bit of the north cicular i do ride on the pavent, it's only for about quarter of a mile, never seem to be any pedestrians around, but i do take it easy.

 

[Cal]

I wouldn't deliberately set out on a journey intending to use a pavement, but there are one or two occasions where I've thought it appropriate - would only use one if it was wide, not many folk on it and was skirting a busy junction. Wouldn't be taking it at any speed either.

Saying that, I rode back from town last week using the pavement throughout. Painfully slowly, gazing towards the road I'd just ridden into town on, looking for the keys I'd thought I'd lost on the way down. The keys I'd only discovered missing as I went to lock my bike up outside the shop I'd ridden to . The keys which I'd left in my door. (Got back home and one of the neighbours shouted me over to return them)

 

[Milemuncher]

I'll probably get a bollicking for this, but I think speed is the key to cycling on pavements. If you are cycling on a pavement you ought to be going at or about walking pace at all times. As an occasional pedestrian I get really hacked off with cyclists belting towards me at full tilt on the pavement. On a pavement, pedestrians ought to be allowed the odd dither, just as cyclists have to be allowed the odd wobble on the roads. I have no problem with inexperienced cyclists taking to the pavement when roads are really busy, but not if they think they can belt on at top speed. In truth I think cyclists ought to see themselves as vehicle riders and travel accordingly, sticking to the rules. I fear the day we will be forced to take to the pavements.

 

[Poacher]

You have a right - nay, a duty, to ride on the road. If at all possible, join forces with another cyclist and ride two abreast, if only to pee off freecyclist.

 

[gaz]

No, you should do this
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lRlijW0210[/media]