Should cycling be allowed on the pavement?

[MontyVeda]

I realise that this won't be a universally popular stance, but whenever I see an adult riding a bike on the pavement, my initial thought is that they are letting the side down.
Bicycles are a form of transport and should be on the road.

but since so many pavements are shared use these days... you'd be wrong.

 

[NorthernDave]

but since so many pavements are shared use these days... you'd be wrong.

Sorry, I meant pavement as in footpath (pedestrians only) - not a shared space where I'd expect to see some cyclists.

 

[mjr]

Shared use doesn’t work in my opinion. My observations of the NL is that segregation is the way forward. White lines don’t stop dogs, pedestrians, cyclists, delivery trucks etc from ignoring them. Ill discipline in endemic. As for enforcement:

Given that enforcement is , why do you expect people not to walk on the cycleway bit of a segregated cycleway/footway layout? They certainly never seem to worry in Norfolk. British behaviour seems much more anarchic about this sort of rule following than many, including Dutch, so the main effect of segregation is to reduce the available width for cycling while not reducing pedestrian volume in that width.

 

[MontyVeda]

Sorry, I meant pavement as in footpath (pedestrians only) - not a shared space where I'd expect to see some cyclists.

In my experience, from a driver's perspective*, they don't know what's shared use and what isn't. I've been told by a bloke driving along the pedestrianised part of the town centre that i'm not allowed to cycle there... yet he can drive his car . My dad moans about cyclists on the pavements, but is unaware that they're actually on a shared use path (admittedly ones with very little signage). Then there's folk like me who regularly cycles up a (often deserted) pedestrian only pavement on my way home from work. It's slightly quicker than taking the 'official' route, and it does avoid the revellers and rampant taxi drivers in the town centre at midnight... or on my way to work where the road bottlenecks. If there's no one using the pavement alongside, then i'll use it.

*I'm not a driver, but often a passenger, listening to whinging drivers.

 

[mjr]

I've even had a motorist stop their car, lean on the horn and shout at me to get on the road. I wonder if they wanted to park on the cycleway but were worried about passing bikes dinging their precious

 

[BSOh]

I have only ridden cycle paths up to now as I don't have the confidence to ride on the road. One of the cycle routes in the area goes through busy industrial estate for a section.I went for a ride earlier in the week and must admit in this section I rode on the pavement (slowly) as I was scared of the traffic. And I felt daft for doing so when other cyclists were merrily passing me by on the road.

I bit the bullet on the return journey and
got on the road. First time since I was a kid. And I was pleasantly surprised. Drivers were courteous and pleasant. Its given me the confidence to go on quiet roads. This makes a massive difference as I can start rides from home rather than driving to a start of a cycle specific route.

Pavement cycling is fine as long as you behave like the grown up you are, are sensible and consider pedestrians, getting off to walk if needed. It is also invaluable for nervous riders like me who want to ride roads but don't yet have the confidence because even going for a cycle route means road sections on occassion.

 

[petek]

Within reason - cyclists should be allowed to ride on footpaths.
I cycle along a promenade almost daily with no problems at all and no worries either because I have a loud bell plus 3rd party cyclist insurance via CyclingUK.
Prominent signage all along 'our' Parish Council's section of the prom advises.... "Cyclists and Mobility Scooter riders please note that Pedestrians have right of way."

 

[petek]

If the pedestrians have priority, what has the bell got to do with it?

Coming up behind them.
That plus a cheery "Thank you" when I pass them.

 

[Roadhump]

Within reason - cyclists should be allowed to ride on footpaths.
I cycle along a promenade almost daily with no problems at all and no worries either because I have a loud bell plus 3rd party cyclist insurance via CyclingUK.
Prominent signage all along 'our' Parish Council's section of the prom advises.... "Cyclists and Mobility Scooter riders please note that Pedestrians have right of way."

I wonder whether the insurance would try to use the fact that a cyclist was cycling somewhere where cycling was forbidden as a reason not to pay out in the event of an incident and subsequent claim....accepted that you seem to be okay here per the signage

 

[MontyVeda]

[QUOTE 5037101, member: 45"]I've done that, and frightened the life out of them when I appeared beside them.

Much better to politely ring a bell, call out a greeting, or even change up and down a gear so that they know you're behind them.[/QUOTE]
Some folk are just jumpy. I'm one of them.

A mate of mine has an annoying habit of continuously ringing his bell until the ped ahead has turned and looked. To him he's just saying "i'm here". To me it sounds like "Get out of my way". On the paths with a dividing line, i'll use my bell if the peds are on 'my' side. If they're on the ped side I won't bother (unless its a group of joggers). Sometimes the voice is more appropriate than the bell, sometimes neither are necessary... but the bell does have its uses.

 

[mjr]

Maybe, maybe not. The bell is a very restricted vocabulary, and the message conveyed is out of your control.

That's one reason it's better to have a friendly ring instead of a bleeding airzound.

 

[petek]

That's one reason it's better to have a friendly ring instead of a bleeding airzound.

Totally agree. Air horns are quite scary IMO.
The Pashley has a nice loud butbquite friendly sounding 'ding dong' bell.
If I had a pound for everytime somebody says "Ice Cream please" as I pass them then I'd have plenty of pounds.

 

[MontyVeda]

When it comes to shared use paths... the bell is the best bit of kit i've bought.

 

[petek]

[QUOTE 5037202, member: 45"]@petek?[/QUOTE]
Yep.
A good loud bell solves most issues.
It isn't a panacea though. Some pedestrians are deaf.
Those little flicky 'tiny ting' bells are next to useless IMO.

 

[MontyVeda]

Yep.
A good loud bell solves most issues.
It isn't a panacea though. Some pedestrians are deaf.
Those little flicky 'tiny ting' bells are next to useless IMO.

not in my experience.