Shared Use Paths and School Children Congestion

[Bill Gates]

When it comes to cyclists on a shared footpath one has to take account of the number and frequency of cyclists riding along that path. I walk along a shared path and during the daytime (outside rush hours) you hardly see one. Consequently if the path is narrow and there are more than one of you and there are people walking in the opposite direction as you, then inevitably you're going to be walking in the cyclist's bit. IMO shared footpaths are a nightmare for peds and cyclists alike. The danger is the cyclist who is travelling faster and carries momentum (mass and speed).

The onus is on the cyclist and should expect peds to behave as though it's a pavement. Never use them myself. Roads are for real cyclists, shared footpaths are for peds on a bike.

 

[Jaguar]

A fast(er) moving road/path user has a responsibility towards a slow(er) road/path user.

Oh, like car drivers are considerate towards cyclists? Them being slower and so on... actually shared use means you both share the path. That means cyclists prepare to slow down, and pedestrians should be prepared to move over. Except it rarely happens....

 

[Jaguar]

you both share the path. That means cyclists prepare to slow down, and pedestrians should be prepared to move over. Except it rarely happens....

The shared use paths round here are used by walkers who WILL NOT move over for cyclists, like this pair (ffwd to 0:20)

 

[ufkacbln]

This always winds me up.

Children are immature, inexperienced and easily distracted.

They do not necessarily deal well with complex situations, unless they have experience. As a result it is the accepted societal norm that we cater for this and make allowances to protect them.

Except on the roads. Here they are supposed to be able to make decisions that I certainly still find difficult. Next time you cross the road, think of the decisions you are making and how you are arriving at them. Get one wrong and it is "your fault"

This is also why bad driving such as speeding, lack of indication and the likes is a problem.... the decisions can only really be made if the subject of that decision observes the basic rues that allow that predictability

We should be making the same allowances and concessions on the road (or cycle path) as we do in any other environment.

 

[summerdays]

That paper that Origamist (I think) a week or two ago posted said pretty much that -for example it said that by 12 or 13 they were able to judge a gap correctly but were slower at making that decision than an adult would be creating more problems.

And we all know what putting a group of teenagers together with their mates does to their skills at noticing what is going on around them!!!

 

[Norm]

And we all know what putting a group of teenagers together with their mates does to their skills at noticing what is going on around them!!!

I had one yesterday, on just about the only shared use path that I do use, alongside the Albert Road from Windsor to Old Windsor. 4 chaps who were, at a guess, a few years out of their teens, chatting away on the shared path. I had stopped completely and the one on my side still had to be pulled aside by one of his mates or I'm sure he'd have walked straight into me.

 

[mgarl10024]

Hi all,
- Shared paths are indeed "shared use". I would respectfully argue that if pedestrians are in groups and are taking up the whole width, then they are not "sharing".

The highway code states that on shared use footways (unsegregated) "cyclists should give way to pedestrians". So your argument there doesn't really work.

I had one yesterday, on just about the only shared use path that I do use, alongside the Albert Road from Windsor to Old Windsor. 4 chaps who were, at a guess, a few years out of their teens, chatting away on the shared path. I had stopped completely and the one on my side still had to be pulled aside by one of his mates or I'm sure he'd have walked straight into me.

My comment here isn't addressing the legalities of who should be giving way to who, but that what the spirit of the idea is. Those in Norms or my example are not helping to (in the words of Sustrans) 'breed a culture of shared, valued space'.

MG

 

[marinyork]

My comment here isn't addressing the legalities of who should be giving way to who, but that what the spirit of the idea is. Those in Norms or my example are not helping to (in the words of Sustrans) 'breed a culture of shared, valued space'.

MG

Of course they aren't. They are teenagers on a very narrow section of path that has been labelled shared use to try and put in farcilities on the cheap. What do you expect? Even if it was a much better facility you'd get the same sorts of behaviours outlined.

The sustrans comment is beneath contempt.

 

[Norm]

... are teenagers on a very narrow section of path that has been labelled shared use to try and put in farcilities on the cheap. What do you expect? Even if it was a much better facility you'd get the same sorts of behaviours outlined.

Actually, the bit I was talking about is a decent, wide piece of tarmac with only one entrance and nice access / egress points, which is why it is, as I said, about the only bit that I do use.

But, as you say, even a wide path which has more pedal than foot traffic (that Streetmap image shows a copper on an MTB) has the same behaviours outlined.

 

[marinyork]

Actually, the bit I was talking about is a decent, wide piece of tarmac with only one entrance and nice access / egress points, which is why it is, as I said, about the only bit that I do use.

But, as you say, even a wide path which has more pedal than foot traffic (that Streetmap image shows a copper on an MTB) has the same behaviours outlined.

That's the sort of thing that there is some value being shared use imho. Links two urban centres directly where there's very little choice and a 50mph road. The same sort of thing applies though, it's just that that path is a bit wider and it's a gimme facility on the cheap.

 

[Norm]

That's the sort of thing that there is some value being shared use imho. Links two urban centres directly where there's very little choice and a 50mph road. The same sort of thing applies though, it's just that that path is a bit wider and it's a gimme facility on the cheap.

Indeed, the path from Windsor to Maidenhead is just the sort of dreadul, narrow, pot-holed facility that I avoid like the plague. Especially at that particular point, where cyclists would have come to a complete stop to check there is nothing coming out of Bray Studios.

 

[ufkacbln]

The sustrans comment is beneath contempt.

Are we reading the same one?

What is your problem with the reply?

 

[marinyork]

Are we reading the same one?

What is your problem with the reply?

I don't mind what sustrans said in their original reply. It's at least honest and acknowledges in a round about way there there's very little one can do about 'the problem'.

 

[Jaguar]

Children are immature, inexperienced and easily distracted...We should be making the same allowances and concessions on the road (or cycle path) as we do in any other environment.

I do.
I ring, I slow down, I stop. I try not to get irritated that they are walking on the segregated bike lane (separated by a hedge, ffs). Not just children, their mothers too - every day.

They do notice cyclists: in fact, they egg each other on to jump out on me, they throw bottles, they shout filthy, abusive language.


I show them a whole lot more consideration than they show me.