Pavement cyclists.

[brokenbetty]

Or perhaps we should not be a society of self-important laymen who think we know everything and try to impose our will on others. Report what concerns us, yes. Take further action, perhaps not (on things less obvious than say chasing someone woo you have ust witnessed snatching a bag or suchlike)

I can't think of anything worse than a society in which the only people allowed to stand up and tell someone they are out of order are the ones with badges. If that makes me self-important then so be it. I'd rather that than passively stand by while the selfish and the thoughtless degrade everyone's day to day environment.

We get the society we deserve.

 

[brokenbetty]

[QUOTE 1101426"]
I agree. I tend to leave the non-degrading pavement cyclists be though. To be honest most people don't even notice them. I wonder whether you do?
[/quote]

The under 12s? They make me smile

The adults? As you know, your ideas about what pedestrians care about and mine are very different. I see 10 or so adults on the pavement a day and I've only seen one in the last month that I thought was riding with consideration. And she would have been just as fast getting off the bike and walking.

One thing to consider - all the arguments for pavement cycling assume low numbers of cyclists. How does it work when the number of cyclists increases?

 

[brokenbetty]

[QUOTE 1101429"]
If pedestrians have a problem with cyclists on the pavement who are troubling no-one, then they need to get a life and stop choosing to be offended.
[/quote]

That's a contradiction in terms: if pedestrians have a problem then by definition the cyclists are not troubling no-one.

I think what you actually mean is that the pedestrians who complain are over sensitive to feel intimidated and invaded because the cyclists they complain about are skilled and considerate and therefore pose no danger.

Funnily enough, that's what lots of drivers say when cyclists complain about close passes, left hooks etc.

I think making peds feel unsafe in areas where they don't expect to be sharing the pavement is a good enough reason not to cycle around them no matter what I personally think about my own ability to avoid accidents.

 

[brokenbetty]

[QUOTE 1101431"]
No I don't. I mean that people get riled about things that don't affect them or anyone else in the slightest, only 'because they shouldnt!' It's in all of us, that little urge, and it's a choice whether one gets a life or writes to the local newspaper.

It has nothing to do with intimidation or making people feel unsafe, but everything to do with misplaced ownership attitude. in the same way that we experience it with some drivers on the road.
[/quote]

Sorry Paul, I still think you are telling yourself stories to justify behaviour that you know does cause distress to peds.

You say misplaced ownership, I say social responsibility. I'd rather we put energy into making roads safer rather than pavements more dangerous. But we won't agree so let's leave it here.

 

[Clandy]

[QUOTE 1101426"]
To be honest most people don't even notice them.
[/quote]

I disagree. Go onto any local newspaper website and look at any cycling related story. The comments section will be full of 'bloodycyclistsjumpingredlightsridingonpavementsnotpayingroadtaxgettinginmyway' ravings.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I'll use that phrase wherever and whenever I like, thank you.
I have a friend who is a policeman and his attitude to pavement cyclists, and apparently Northumbria Polices attitude as well is exactly the same as mine. If cyclists are using pavements in preference to busy roads and they aren't endangering people in the process then leave them be. There's a massive difference between a considerate pavement cyclist and a moron tearing along with no respect or consideration for peds.

If people want to play at policing the pavements and ridding them of all cyclists then good luck to them but they might want to consider where to draw the line between "educating" cyclists and intimidating them, because the last video of such an occurrence that I saw posted on this forum looked like borderline intimidation to me. And will people be educating the police and PCSO's who cycle on the pavement as well?

They fail to consider knock on effects, negative view on pavement cyclists, and negative view on cyclists that ride on the road when they could "just ride on the path".

Pavements are for kids on bikes, adults... the road. Stop allowing the myth that the road is as dangerous as people seem to think it is.

 

[brokenbetty]

[QUOTE 1101435"]
So, put your money where your mouth is. Come to Brum and we'll take a look around. And talk to people. Then hopefully you'll see that you're making mountains out of molehills, and can let that go and put your energy into road safety.
[/quote]

Sure, I'd be happy to spend a Saturday in Brum with a questionnaire polling people on how cyclists on pavements make them feel and whether they perceive a difference between safe cyclists and unsafe ones. Will you come to Tottenham and do the same?

 

[brokenbetty]

[QUOTE 1101438"]
No need. I can see every day that the vast proportion of pavement cyclists bother no-one. Either Tottenham has the highest proportional of disruptives in the country, or you're choosing to lump the majority of harmless riders in with the idiots.

Interesting that you accept that pavement cycling can be done without being disruptive -'they make me smile'.

I've asked this before and not had a response, but what of the pavement cyclists on shared used pavements? Are they disruptive, or does behaviour suddenly changed on these sections?
[/quote]

So I am prepared to test my assumptions but you are convinced that your observations are perfectly objective so have no need to test them. But how can what you see every day tell you what people feel?

On your other question, I have responded to that several times in the past. UTFlippingS.

Right, I'm off to risk my neck cycling the mean streets of Tottenham. Enjoy your day.

 

[MontyVeda]

What about pedestrians in cycle lanes? Menacing us cyclists with their strolling and meandering

There's one of the more recent contraflow cycle lanes in Lancaster on which I only ever see pedestrians... I have seen a couple of cyclists on it but going in the wrong direction.

I'm with MisterPaul on this one... if pavements cyclists aren't causing a problem they're not a problem

 

[Glow worm]

Sure, I'd be happy to spend a Saturday in Brum with a questionnaire polling people on how cyclists on pavements make them feel and whether they perceive a difference between safe cyclists and unsafe ones. Will you come to Tottenham and do the same?

That's maybe partly because so many people in the UK seem to be permanantly angry at one thing or another. As cyclists we see it every day on the roads. Bile and vitriole seems never far from the surface and taking a pot shot at cyclists, pavement or otherwise seems to be top of the hit list these days. Ask them about petrol prices, tax evasion, or bendy bananas and it will be the same. Take a much more forward thinking, laid back country like Holland (as someone said above) and you'll get a totally different response. A lot of British people just need to take a deep breath, light a joint and calm down a bit.

 

[PBancroft]

That's maybe partly because so many people in the UK seem to be permanantly angry at one thing or another. As cyclists we see it every day on the roads. Bile and vitriole seems never far from the surface and taking a pot shot at cyclists, pavement or otherwise seems to be top of the hit list these days. Ask them about petrol prices, tax evasion, or bendy bananas and it will be the same. Take a much more forward thinking, laid back country like Holland (as someone said above) and you'll get a totally different response. A lot of British people just need to take a deep breath, light a joint and calm down a bit.

BloodypotheadsruiningthiscountryinfringingonmyrightsandpretendingtobesocoolbloodyhippiesthelotofthemIbettheyridebikesonthepavementtooshouldbetaxedlikecarsandgetofftheroadI'vegotrightstoothey'reamenace.

 

[ManiaMuse]

Lol, someone revived my 8 month old thread.

 

[mickle]

Lol, Pbancroft broke the forum.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1

I usually register my annoyance at pavement cyclists by not yielding my position on the path, thus forcing the cyclist to either stop or to move onto the road.

 

[PBancroft]

Lol, Pbancroft broke the forum.

Finally, my plan comes together!