Peds on Pods

[Arch]

I think one issue with going round such meanderers is that no matter how carefully and slowly you go, some are so all over the place that you worry that at the moment you pass, they'll step in front of you.

Or, the path is so narrow that two or three abreast are effectively blocking it on all sides, by their meandering - I don't want to skin past anyone too closely, no matter how slowly. Not such an issue if it's just grass each side, but if there's a kerb, you don't want to have to drop off it or bunny hop up it suddenly at an oblique angle.

When I walk on a path like that, I walk clearly to one side - we had it drummed into us in the corridors at school. I guess most people don't bother. They may have the right, but a little thoughtfulness/awareness of their surroundings would sometimes be nice.

 

[marzjennings]

Want to see annoying pedestrians... try riding along southend sea front towards westcliffe.. (long way from you i know)


it has a path for pedestrians ONLY
and next to that a curb with a normal road size for cyclists going in both directions ONLY
then after that an island before the main road...

I've hit a few people from them just walking straight into the cycle path without looking to see whats coming and then they wait on the island and look for cars?
If they dont do this they just walk down the cycle path and expect you to move for them.

You sound like a driver complaining about annoying cyclists in the road. 'Ger off my cyclepath!!!' Or is it different somehow?

 

[hackbike 666]

I learnt on here how to behave around peds and generally don't really have a lot of problems with them...Just be patient with them is usually the best policy and sometimes you get nice comeback from them....The other week I received an apology from a ped but as I had already read what he was going to do it didn't cause me any problems so I was quite surprised.

If a ped is waiting for me to pass I generally acknowledge as if they are doing me a favour...(which they are)

Ok im not perfect all the time especially when I feel the way I do now but I do try and be patient with them.

On an almost connected note I cycled up to a jogger in the cycle lane on Blackfriars Bridge and deliberately gave him tons of room and the coach behind me did the same for me.(I have it on film) This just reminded me...I was trying to set an example to car drivers about how much space to give.

 

[hackbike 666]

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYq0E6Bbgo4[/media]



This is how much I have changed...I would probably have had a go at this bloke years ago but now im not like that.

 

[John the Monkey]

I learnt on here how to behave around peds and generally don't really have a lot of problems with them...Just be patient with them is usually the best policy and sometimes you get nice comeback from them....The other week I received an apology from a ped but as I had already read what he was going to do it didn't cause me any problems so I was quite surprised.

Yep, it's a skill like reading & anticipating traffic & road conditions is - it makes you a better cyclist, I think.

You can't always account for the completely unpredictable, but being careful and considerate reduces the amount of unpredictability you expose yourself to. Like your take on it re: providing an example for motorists too, that's not something that had occurred to me.

 

[hackbike 666]

Yep, it's a skill like reading & anticipating traffic & road conditions is - it makes you a better cyclist, I think.

You can't always account for the completely unpredictable, but being careful and considerate reduces the amount of unpredictability you expose yourself to. Like your take on it re: providing an example for motorists too, that's not something that had occurred to me.

That coach driver yesterday was brilliant....he had to change lanes but there was no problem at all...perhaps he had read ahead as well.

 

[Arch]

You sound like a driver complaining about annoying cyclists in the road. 'Ger off my cyclepath!!!' Or is it different somehow?

It's different if the pedestrian is meandering about or stepping out without looking. A driver would be justified in complaining about a cyclist who rode erratically or without any awareness of their surroundings - I reckon a cyclist who cycled in the same style as some pedestrians I see would deserve everything they got... (of course, I do see such cyclists, usually yoofs on BSOs or BMXs and they seem to have God on their side, since they don't seem to get killed).

Yes, one can say that a cyclist should just wait behind someone walking in their way, as a driver should wait behind a cyclist until it's safe to pass. There is a slight difference, in that a cyclist has to maintain a certain speed to keep upright - a slow amble at 3-4 mph is too slow for many people to ride in good control, whereas a cyclist moving along at 12-15 mph doesn't make it any harder for a driver to drive (unless they are the sort who are incapable of using their gears...) Also, cyclists don't generally block the entire carriageway by walking 5 abreast (something I encountered on the way home. My bell roused no reaction, so I had to call out 'excuse me!' - at which point, they all moved over, so no problem.)

The trouble is that in sensible countries, they worked out that it's nice to segregate cars and bikes, but also bikes and pedestrians - and to do both with more than a strip of paint. Over here, it's assumed that bikes and pedestrians are both 'slow' and therefore similar enough to just mix.