Shared cycle path.....everyone is OK!

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
I have the same happen to me. MP3 players are probably responsible for a lot of accidents. But on most shared use paths, I find a quick ding ding on the bell is all thats needed.

Whenever I'm a ped on the railway path, I find a cursory glance over my shoulder lets me know that a group of cyclists are approaching from 200 yards etc. I'm not suggesting that peds should do this continually, but should be done when entering the path or if you intend to cross over from left to right and vice versa. I suspect many collisions happen due to sudden changes in direction ie. people suddenly step sideways. I have had near-misses like this, even when riding slowly and giving a few dings on the bell, some people inexplicably still almost step into you.

I guess some people just have a poor sense of spatial awareness.

But if, by stepping sideways without looking, the pedestrian and the cyclist collide, then I would submit that the cyclist was passing too close and/or going to fast. Not saying that you are guilty of that, as you said almost step into you.

Without wanting to go over well trod ground, pedestrians on a path, even shared use, should not be required or expected to check their surroundings for passing cyclists. Regardless of a bit of paint and a blue sign, it's still a path, upon which cyclists are tolerated guests.
 
I noticed more of the 'peds have priority' signs on my route today, this is only a good thing as some cyclists still treat the canal path like a racetrack :rolleyes:
 
OP
OP
Thomk

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
But if, by stepping sideways without looking, the pedestrian and the cyclist collide, then I would submit that the cyclist was passing too close and/or going to fast. Not saying that you are guilty of that, as you said almost step into you.

Without wanting to go over well trod ground, pedestrians on a path, even shared use, should not be required or expected to check their surroundings for passing cyclists. Regardless of a bit of paint and a blue sign, it's still a path, upon which cyclists are tolerated guests.

This is old ground as you say and dangerous too.

However.... I agree that cyclists should always consider themselves responsible where collisions occur on a shared cycle path with ped's, as motorists should perhaps in collisions with cyclist's or ped's. This is a healthy state of affairs. It does not mean though in the real world that the cyclist could always have reasonably avoided the collision. If you check my video at the beginning of this thread you can probably see quite a few instances where quick, random, sideways movements from other path users at the last second could have caused a collision. You might therefore say that I was riding too fast or too close but I think most would agree that my riding was at least reasonable. Perhaps this is also true in the “good riding” video you trained me with from the other thread?

I agree that vulnerable pedestrians should not be expected to check their surroundings continuously but a cyclist, probably all of us, expect others on average to act in a more predictable way than “total randomness” otherwise it would be impossible to use shared paths at all.

So, to sum up, responsible yes, it's the poisoned chalice we drink from when using these less than ideal paths. Always our fault, no not really, not in the real world.
 

captain nemo1701

Space cadet. Deck 42 Main Engineering.
Location
Bristol
Hmmm...

The 'near misses' I've had on the Bristol Railway Path have been when I was riding extra slow and so far over that I'm almost in the verge and some people still almost step into you. Bizarre, but true. Like the woman in Waterloo underground last week. Picture the scene: It's 5pm in a crowded station and I'm walking with my bag over to the entrance to the 'up' escalator, a woman is walking a few feet in front of me. We get to the escalator and instead of stepping onto it, she inexplicably stops to fart around with her bag, almost causing me to walk into her. Good job I did a quick sidestep!. Now that's what I mean by poor spatial awareness. In a crowded station, someone almost causes a collision by suddenly stopping in what is almost a confined space, without realising that someone is walking behind. The correct thing to do would have been to step onto the escalator, then check your bag. Oh, and I wasn't running, just walking with my luggage bag.

A poor sense of spatial awareness is what causes obstructions in crowded areas. Like those people who insist on standing in shop doorways to muck about with bags/umbrellas/text etc. Does anyone here remember in the 1970's when the TV presenter Esther Rantzen was arrested for obstructing a pavement when she was conducting a street interview for her show, That's Life?. It is actually an offence in some circumstances.
 
A poor sense of spatial awareness is what causes obstructions in crowded areas. Like those people who insist on standing in shop doorways to muck about with bags/umbrellas/text etc. Does anyone here remember in the 1970's when the TV presenter Esther Rantzen was arrested for obstructing a pavement when she was conducting a street interview for her show, That's Life?. It is actually an offence in some circumstances.

That I do find irritating. I'm very laid back when driving or cycling, but people who do that make me want to pick them up and move them to one side while shouting "WILL you get the F**K out of my way!". Not that I've got issues or anything.:whistle:
 

jig-sore

Formerly the anorak
Location
Rugby
is that draycote water near dunchurch ???

i know you can cycle around it but i never really considered it to be a cycle path as such. it is a nice place to ride with the kids, thats why you get situations like this.

for a serious ride i go elsewhere :becool:

edit: took the photo just where the clip ends :biggrin:

tour015-1.jpg
 
OP
OP
Thomk

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
is that draycote water near dunchurch ???

i know you can cycle around it but i never really considered it to be a cycle path as such. it is a nice place to ride with the kids, thats why you get situations like this.

for a serious ride i go elsewhere :becool:

edit: took the photo just where the clip ends :biggrin:


Yes it is! It is on one of my commutes from Leamington to Dunchurch and I fancied the scenic route rather than the main roads. It is on a cycle route I found on the Sustrans site: http://www.sustrans....l-cycle-network

Very beautiful :huh:
 

Tasker

New Member
Location
stoke on trent
Personally I'm sick and tired of encountering chavs on bikes who think that wearing a 'safety' helmet and overpriced off road gear, going hell for leather when it's a shared path to be used by all.

These morons on bikes are an absolute menace and give us all a bad name. They should where possible, have their details taken, get prosecuted and be banned from ever going on shared cycle routes again - at least until they've had appropriate training on the responsibilities of riding a bicycle.
 
I'm guilty of treating canal paths like a racetrack, however only when its clear to do so!

Haha I have to admit when clear I do put the hammer down, have even (i think) had some people SCRing me which seems kinda pointless on a towpath :wacko:

Its the idiots who belt along regardless that I hate :angry:
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
But if, by stepping sideways without looking, the pedestrian and the cyclist collide, then I would submit that the cyclist was passing too close and/or going to fast. Not saying that you are guilty of that, as you said almost step into you.

Without wanting to go over well trod ground, pedestrians on a path, even shared use, should not be required or expected to check their surroundings for passing cyclists. Regardless of a bit of paint and a blue sign, it's still a path, upon which cyclists are tolerated guests.

I'm not sure why you guys keep differentiating between a path and the road on this. Shouldn't you treat pedestrians the same regardless?
 
I'm not sure why you guys keep differentiating between a path and the road on this. Shouldn't you treat pedestrians the same regardless?

Kind of.

When cycling past pedestrians that are on a footpath, but I'm on the road I trust them not to step out without looking and also that they do not to require warning that I am coming. Although I still treat them as a potential hazard to be aware of e.g. near crossings, junctions etc

When cycling past pedestrians when we are both on a footpath (shared facility ok!) I expect them to step where they bloody well like! I should warn them I am coming and we are mutual hazards to each other.

Better?

Ps I think we're splitting hairs on this BTW Most of here posting seem well aware how to cycle sensibly wether on a shared path or a road
 

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
I have the same happen to me. MP3 players are probably responsible for a lot of accidents. But on most shared use paths, I find a quick ding ding on the bell is all thats needed.

Whenever I'm a ped on the railway path, I find a cursory glance over my shoulder lets me know that a group of cyclists are approaching from 200 yards etc. I'm not suggesting that peds should do this continually, but should be done when entering the path or if you intend to cross over from left to right and vice versa. I suspect many collisions happen due to sudden changes in direction ie. people suddenly step sideways. I have had near-misses like this, even when riding slowly and giving a few dings on the bell, some people inexplicably still almost step into you.

I guess some people just have a poor sense of spatial awareness.

I've noticed the same thing myself. Sometimes when (if?) they hear the bell, they immediately swerve into your path. Oddly enough, I've noticed the same behaviour from birds (i.e. the avian kind) standing on the edge of the path - they fly directly across your path as you approach. Having made that comparison, would I be out of order if I referred to such pedestrians as bird-brains? :whistle:
 
OP
OP
Thomk

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
I've noticed the same thing myself. Sometimes when (if?) they hear the bell, they immediately swerve into your path.

This is not surprising. When a cyclist rings a bell on a shared cycle path they often mean "this is a courteous warning to beware of the cyclist who is about to pass. Don't veer suddenly to one side". What the pedestrian or even social cyclist processes is likely to be:

  1. AAAhh there is a cyclist heading for me telling me to get out of the way, I'd better move over quickly, or...
  2. Why is there a cyclist git harassing me. This is a shared path and I will completely ignore him/her and do what I like, or...
  3. Bell, what, uh, where, why, confusion, help........

What people need is more exposure to bikes and more education.
 
Top Bottom