school kids walking out into my path

[hardwork]

Well today I had what I would call a near miss with a large group of school kids who decided on mass that they could cross a main road without any due care , the story goes like this , on my normal commute route to work I pass a local park which the secondary school kids use as a cut thought I normally get the odd kids running the road and either brake or they see me and change their mind , but not today , today I had a group of about twenty wait for a gap in the motorised traffic and then on mass stroll across the road not even aware I was seconds away from they , I did my uppermost to avoid them braking as heavy as I could on the wet road missed most of they (at this point I could here them laughing) I did get side swiped by a girl who walked into me I'd managged to slow to about 10mph by that point but still she was lucky , I'm not that small well over 17 stone , I stopped to make sure noone was hurt . but just can't believe they choose not to wait , I'm sure they did not see me as the girl had her head down as she crossed total madness the council have even put crossing in not 50 meters further up the road for them to use I don't know what to do next should I inform the school and the police ?

 

[400bhp]

Inform the school.

 

[ThePainInSpain]

I like the bit where the council have put a crossing in 'not 50 mtrs further up the road'. Why didn't they put it where people actually WANT to cross.

Typical.....................

 

[Klaus]

What I find most annoying with kids and some adults on shared bike paths, they all keep looking at their iphones, or twiddling with the ipod, or busy having a chat on the phone and/or with each other and simply not looking. Once or twice I have stopped just to avoid any nasty situation and they only look up when I say "excuse me". Often they don't hear the bell ringing, due to buttons in ears !!!

 

[mgarl10024]

Hi hardwork,

I raised a similar thing with South Glos council here in Bristol and didn't seem to get too far.

http://www.cyclechat...ren-congestion/

MG

 

[recumbentpanda]

They are entirely within their rights, although perhaps a little careless as young folk en masse are wont to be. If a group that size had to wait for a gap in the traffic they would probably never get across. They are doing no more than a large vehicle might in slowly 'forcing' its way into heavy slow moving traffic from a side road. By your own admission, you know this is an area where you can expect pedestrians, - be prepared. it is perhaps too easy to fall into the motorist's mind-set, of 'because I'm moving along the road, the world belongs to me'. Think of it as a pedestrian 'Critical Mass' if it helps

 

[crumpetman]

What I find most annoying with kids and some adults on shared bike paths, they all keep looking at their iphones, or twiddling with the ipod, or busy having a chat on the phone and/or with each other and simply not looking. Once or twice I have stopped just to avoid any nasty situation and they only look up when I say "excuse me". Often they don't hear the bell ringing, due to buttons in ears !!!

It is annoying but shared use paths are basically foot paths that allow bicycles. It is still a foot path and people walk on them feeling safe and not paying much attention. You have to be prepared to ride at a walking speed or stop often to allow pedestrians to go around you.

 

[Jezston]

Inform the school.

+1

I remember more than one assembly at my school where we were all reminded to cross the road safely after a member of the public reported something or a teacher witnessed it, often accompanied by a terrifying public information film.

 

[corshamjim]

Rightly or wrongly, this is 'normal' behaviour though. We should be riding in a way which anticipates it.

 

[hardwork]

Some great points made I think I will report it to the school as the road system has been redesigned to accommodate the crossing points for them to use after a number of collisions in this area ,and after a massive investment in the school it's only going to get worse. My going forward plan is to set off earlier to avoid the large groups of kids who do not take others safety in to account when crossing roads ( my poor kids got a road safety rant when I got home today much to their delight)

 

[fossyant]

The kids do stuff like that with cars usually, or think it funny to push a 'mate' out into traffic.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I've had similar incidents, that's why I've bought an airzound. Now I'm waiting for my excuse to blast someone!

 

[calibanzwei]

My personal favourite are those groups walking along the path AND two feet out into the road. Shouting 'GET AND THE ****ING WAY, IDIOTS' usually gets great results.

 

[Norm]

My personal favourite are those groups walking along the path AND two feet out into the road. Shouting 'GET AND THE ****ING WAY, IDIOTS' usually gets great results.

Much the same intention and result as car drivers blowing their horns at cyclists.