Cycling on the pavement not to be prosecuted

[DoubleD]

Willy Nilly said:

DoubleD said:

Willy Nilly said:

sparks_E39 said:

ambuletz said:

i think cycling on the pavement or in town centres is fine if you're basically riding very slow trying to get to somewhere. cycling on it at commuting speed with the idea of using it as a shortcut probably isnt.

I agree. I however think cycling without a helmet should be illegal, and all cycles should be fitted with lights front and rear as standard. I have nothing against cyclists, I used to work for a very popular cycling events company, but a lot of them would do well to take better care of themselves and be a little more conscious of what's going on around them.

I don't wear a helmet and constantly get cut up, see mental overtakes and get overtaken while turning right. If I get knocked off and die, firstly, it's none of your business, secondly I'd rather be dead than live with life changing injuries that medicine can help me survive but with a crap quality of life.

I have also passed more driving tests than many.

I dont wear a helmet.....but your argument is flawed. A helmet could help you walk away from an accident, where as not wearing a helmet could leave you in a vegative state after an accident.

If I get run over and my spine crushed, how is wearing a helmet going to help me? I'd rather be dead than paralised.

What are you on about?!

[gforceg]

PositronicRay said:

Bikes should all have air horns.

Correct.

[deltashad]

Helmets on push bikes should not be mandatory. If you're in a street race or something fair enough. Let's be realistic though.

[motco]

Brads67 said:

It`s never been illegal to cycle on a pavement anyway.

In Scotland anyway .

Wear the fox hat?

[Downward]

benjijames28 said:

Ever since been a kid I would cycle on pavements if I felt it was safer than on the main road.

Today is no different. I value and choose to protect my own life over obeying some law, if I feel like I've got better odds of not getting hurt on the pavement then thats where I am.

On the other hand I was taught manners and to consider other people, so you move out of the way of pedestrians and keep your speed low.

Am i in the wrong? I really don't care, if the police have the time to even speak to someone riding a bike courteously on the pavement then they need a budget cut in their area cause crime must be at record lows.

Me too I'll cycle on the road as much as possible as it's quicker.
There are certain places though such as up a steep dual carriageway with a 40mph limit it's not safe. Especially when a few drivers race up there at well over 40mph.

The only other short bit of pavement I'll cycle on is near home. It's again uphill and a right turn so I just nip onto the pavement when safe.

I try to go off road as much as possible. After being hit a couple of times and another near miss Wednesday where in the fog someone without lights pulled out on me it's getting worse out there.

I have full lights on all the time and wear all the gear and helmet but you can't account for poor driving.

[VeeFource]

Willy Nilly said:

If I get run over and my spine crushed, how is wearing a helmet going to help me? I'd rather be dead than paralised.

So you voluntarily favour the outcome of being dead rather than being debilitated in a less common serious crash at the expense of being debilitated rather than fine in a more common but less serious crash??? And who said natural selection was dead...

[battered]

PositronicRay said:

ambuletz said:

battered said:

PositronicRay said:

Bikes should all have bells.

For all cyclists not equipped with a voice, you mean?

its been law for a while now that the sale of brand new bikes must have them equipped with a bell of some sort.

Trouble is they take them off, one place I walk is shared, pedestrians, bikes, horses.

I never mind a polite bell, or an excuse me, I thank the cyclist for the warning. It's ones bearing down on you, going hell for leather, shouting "get out of the f***ing way" that I object to.

Fitting a bell won't change this. You need to reduce bell ends, not increase bells.

[IroningMan]

Given that the majority of cycle lane provision comes in the form of 'shared use' pavements and footpaths anyway, with no infrastructure except paint and signs that no one ever notices, what, exactly, is the difference in permitting cycling on all pavements, as opposed to just the ones with worn-out pictures of bicycles painted on them every 50 metres?

As a fully paid-up member of the lycra-wearing, carbonfibre-riding, fk me, cycling is a brilliant way to stay fit and spend time with my mates club, I can safely confirm that you will never find me trying to set a Strava PR on the pavement, for good measure.

[hora]

Willy Nilly said:

If I get run over and my spine crushed, how is wearing a helmet going to help me? I'd rather be dead than paralised.

I cycle alot. Ever hit your head against anything? Long before your cyclist is crushed you'll have memory, coordination issues, brain damage, vision issues etc. Ive fallen off my bikes a fair few times, I've learnt to roll off road most of the time however on the road when you go down its very quick. Tarmac is a very cruel surface. My last fall on tarmac my bike washed out with no explanation, diesel? I hit the side of my head hard. Luckily after a couple of days of feeling stuff I was fine. I would have had a fractured skull.

Rethink your view on this please.

[Hoofy]

ambuletz said:

i think cycling on the pavement or in town centres is fine if you're basically riding very slow trying to get to somewhere. cycling on it at commuting speed with the idea of using it as a shortcut probably isnt.

Agreed. I don't mind as long as they don't blast past really close to pedestrians. It's about using common sense.

[DJFish]

[heebeegeetee]

hora said:

I cycle alot. Ever hit your head against anything?

Well lots of people do, according to the link I posted earlier someone visits a & e with a head injury every 90 seconds.
It's nowt to do with cycling though, as another link shows you'll really struggle to show that ordinary utility cyclists are in any greater danger than any other member of the population.

I imagine very few utility cyclists indeed have ever washed out on diesel.

[CrgT16]

The problem with a lot of cyclists is they don't accept any blame for their actions. They are self-righteous and cannot do anything wrong...

I am a cyclist too. I get baffled how in London the cyclist behave. They definitely carry way too much speed and the issue is that if they are undertaking you, no lights and come quickly out of nowhere some drivers may be unable to see them when turning left. I was stuck in traffic in SW London and the cyclist on the cycle Lane where undertaking the traffic like bullets. This in central roads with junctions every 30 yards!! How can they safely stop if a car pulls off or if a pedestrian is crossing the street? I think a lot of cyclists ride without due care and attention and disregard both pedestrians and the other road and traffic conditions. They want to get A-B quickly but their complete absence of self preservation is baffling. As a cyclist I would cycle in a busy centre but if I did it would be much slower than the "ceiterium" racing you see at rush hour. Also jumping red-light... well enough said.

I am not against cyclist but I think they need to also be accountable for their actions. And stop being prices....

[IroningMan]

CrgT16 said:

The problem with a lot of cyclists is they don't accept any blame for their actions. They are self-righteous and cannot do anything wrong...

I am a cyclist too. I get baffled how in London the cyclist behave. They definitely carry way too much speed and the issue is that if they are undertaking you, no lights and come quickly out of nowhere some drivers may be unable to see them when turning left. I was stuck in traffic in SW London and the cyclist on the cycle Lane where undertaking the traffic like bullets. This in central roads with junctions every 30 yards!! How can they safely stop if a car pulls off or if a pedestrian is crossing the street? I think a lot of cyclists ride without due care and attention and disregard both pedestrians and the other road and traffic conditions. They want to get A-B quickly but their complete absence of self preservation is baffling. As a cyclist I would cycle in a busy centre but if I did it would be much slower than the "ceiterium" racing you see at rush hour. Also jumping red-light... well enough said.

I am not against cyclist but I think they need to also be accountable for their actions. And stop being prices....

London commuter cyclists are to 'normal' cycling what London commuter drivers are to 'normal' driving.

[Sticks.]

otolith said:

Pavements are for pedestrians, roads are for traffic. Bikes are traffic.

I'm with you on this. It's bad enough with so many cars parked on the pavements. Add cyclists, some of whom will treat it as their right (of way) to a space with people who may not be able to get out of the way quickly, then there'll be clashes.

[Downward]

Sticks. said:

otolith said:

Pavements are for pedestrians, roads are for traffic. Bikes are traffic.

I'm with you on this. It's bad enough with so many cars parked on the pavements. Add cyclists, some of whom will treat it as their right (of way) to a space with people who may not be able to get out of the way quickly, then there'll be clashes.

I see more parked cars than pedestrians on pavements where I live.

[motco]

swerni said:

If you go to holland you see very few people wearing helmets.

Ah, but they are people on bicycles, not 'cyclists'!

[frisbee]

motco said:

swerni said:

If you go to holland you see very few people wearing helmets.

Ah, but they are people on bicycles, not 'cyclists'!

Cyclists, people on bikes, it doesn't matter. As long as we put so many obstacles in place that they go back to their cars, all is good!

[battered]

motco said:

swerni said:

If you go to holland you see very few people wearing helmets.

Ah, but they are people on bicycles, not 'cyclists'!

Bikes are separated from cars in Holland, with proper cycle lane provision and laws that favour their safe passage. This makes it less likely that you will be knocked off. It's similar in France. I was going down a cycle path and reached a crossing with a road, where I slowed right down preparing to stop only to find that I had ROW and the cars stopped. I was so shocked I nearly fell off.

[Downward]

frisbee said:

motco said:

swerni said:

If you go to holland you see very few people wearing helmets.

Ah, but they are people on bicycles, not 'cyclists'!

Cyclists, people on bikes, it doesn't matter. As long as we put so many obstacles in place that they go back to their cars, all is good!

Would be interesting to see how London coped if everyone abandoned bikes and started driving to work.

For me once cycling to work was quicker than driving this was all the incentive I needed.
Add in the health benefits and the cost savings it's a no brainer.