Pedestrians on shared/segregated cycle paths

[QuinnDexter]

On Cycle paths you should treat Peds with respect and expect them to be either

1. Deaf
2. Dumb
3. Deaf + Dumb

If I am approaching from behind, I usually use the bell or a polite "Excuse me" and slow down but get close enough to get them to move. If I'm approaching them from the front then they usually act like rabbits and either stop where they are, move in the wrong direction or just don't move and curse you.

Peds are unpredictable and 9/10 they can't hear you. Failing that, a quick slap with your glove as you go past works a treat as well.

 

[ferret fur]

Anyway. You say "but it was 22:00 in Pilton" like that explains everything. It's a cycle path in North Edinburgh. It goes through Pilton

Yes, but I think you are blaming the cyclepath for the ills of the neighbourhood. I am one who knows. I am a shift worker and used to have to travel through this area (including the cyclepath) between 10:30 & 11:00 at night. I can tell you it isn't much fun on the roads either. The traffic lights at crewe toll at that time of night was the only occasion where I broke my strict rule about RLJ. Purely because of the risk of remaining stopped for any length of time in front of a certain type of audience. I did get trouble on the path & even tried switching to the roads: Even worse I'm afraid because the inhabitants had the additional use of large metal implements with four wheels & I went back to using the path. In fact on Friday/Saturday nights in summer I would often resort to using the car rather than riding. Sure: Cyclepaths do have a risk of being in a secluded place at an unfortunate time & I certainly wouldn't use that route for pleasure at certain times of day, but then neither would I ride on those roads

 

[DrSquirrel]

Moral of the story.

Use the road.

 

[Gammerz]

I'm a runner not a cyclist. I usually run along the unsegregated Bristol->Bath cycle path: an old railway line away from the roads with a signposted policy of "left is best".

That works pretty well, until our group ran into a different segregated (by a solid white line) section on a pavement alongside a ring road. Both cyclists and pedestrians seemed to be ignoring the segregation and staying left - which was working ok.
On the segregated system, bikes are racing headlong at each other in the same lane, and riding/running on the right (depending upon your direction of travel) seems to contradict general rules of the road, to drive/ride on the left.
Having two different cycle path systems with the segregation system of riding on the right and in the same lane seems more dangerous than staying left. What do you cyclists think?

 

[Drago]

I think putting any type of vehicle with pedestrians is a stupid idea, even worse when instead of building dedicated nice wide infrastructure they simply slap a bit of paint on existing narrow footways/footpaths.

 

[tom73]

I think putting any type of vehicle with pedestrians is a stupid idea, even worse when instead of building dedicated nice wide infrastructure they simply slap a bit of paint on existing narrow footways/footpaths.

You’d love it round here then. It’s all we get and every time they do road improvements. They also like to point out it includes “cycle lanes”. The best part most of them also include cyclist dismount signs. Normally right in the middle of path. So you end up in the road anyway.

 

[Drago]

It's much the same here, with the added fun of many of the paths being completely overgrown in places.

So much for active travel being a priority!

 

[tom73]

It's much the same here, with the added fun of many of the paths being completely overgrown in places.

So much for active travel being a priority!

It is a priority , a tick box one

 

[markharry66]

I have just got back into cycling, had started to use a park shared path, I take it slow I avoid the walkers (walking dead reference) but I decided pretty quickly these are not for me, covered in dog sh*t, people walking three abreast across the path, for something that is supposedly shared there is really is no other chance of cyclists using it. Final nail in the coffin for me was one morning when I am not sure if they were a proffesional dog walker or not she had six dogs running around on a shared path some of them off lead.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just goes to show that nothing has changed in the past 14 years

 

[MontyVeda]

Just goes to show that nothing has changed in the past 14 years

and nor should it. Peds should have priority on shared paths regardless of whether there's a dividing line or not.

 

[Drago]

Mixing up vehicles with pedestrians is stupid. We got perfectly useable roads, the government should crack down on the tits that put people off riding on them.

 

[lazybloke]

and nor should it. Peds should have priority on shared paths regardless of whether there's a dividing line or not.

That peds have priority is not in dispute.

The problem is those who are unable or unwilling to show consideration to other people.

Sadly, my dynamo doesnt create enough electrical energy for my forward-facing cattle prod

 

[Maylian]

I'm a runner not a cyclist. I usually run along the unsegregated Bristol->Bath cycle path: an old railway line away from the roads with a signposted policy of "left is best".

That works pretty well, until our group ran into a different segregated (by a solid white line) section on a pavement alongside a ring road. Both cyclists and pedestrians seemed to be ignoring the segregation and staying left - which was working ok.
On the segregated system, bikes are racing headlong at each other in the same lane, and riding/running on the right (depending upon your direction of travel) seems to contradict general rules of the road, to drive/ride on the left.
Having two different cycle path systems with the segregation system of riding on the right and in the same lane seems more dangerous than staying left. What do you cyclists think?

I cycle along this stretch often, assuming you're talking about the bit which loops north after Staplehill tunnel and goes around Emersons Green / Frenchay back to the M32?

If so, like you say I 99% of the time stick to the left because there are so many contradictory signs or changing advice on that stretch of the path. The majority of proper cyclists i.e. not school kids riding bikes, also ride on the left. For me, there are parts of the ring road route that have obscured joining paths & bridges, so I'll cycle on whichever side affords me the best visibility to avoid collisions.

Unrelated to this, where do the horses come from that leave massive piles of dung between Bromley Heath Road and the Willy Wicket stretch of the cycle path during the day?! I don't enjoy having to dodge those, especially with the sun glare at this time of year

 

[Conrad_K]

The cycle paths where I ride mostly prohibit horses on pavement. But not all of them. Fortunately, it being a primarily urban environment, there aren't many horses in the area for it to be an issue.

Most experience horsemen won't ride near bicycles anyway. Even horses that are theoretically used to encountering bicycles sometimes have the slot machine in their heads comes up all lemons, and they freak out when they see a bicycle. In my state, the rider is legally and financially responsible for damage caused by their animal, even if it's borrowed or a rental.

Ducks, on the other hand, are everywhere on the bike paths, which are almost all near rivers or lakes. Ducks seem to prefer defecating on pavement, which makes swerving through duck-infested areas somewhat technical, as the trike has three tracks instead of one like a bicycle.