Do you ever cycle on the pavement?
Discussion
Following on from the other 'do you ever' threads, I was wondering if anyone ever cycles on the pavement?
I'm not talking about avoiding traffic lights.
On my 7 mile commute, about half way through is a 0.6 mile stretch of one way road. In the morning it's fine as I can go down that piece of road, or indeed through the park next door. But on my way home, the park is closed and the road is one way. For this part of my journey I choose to take the pavement as It would add around another 0.7ish miles on to my journey if I wanted to follow the one way road round the block. I only do this because this piece of road/pavement is very very quiet, and I hardily ever come across a pedestrian. Once a week there is a group of runners which have some kind of running group down that road, at which point I make alternate arrangements.
This is the segment of road i'm talking about. I have to get from A to B.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
Does any one else do this?
I'm not talking about avoiding traffic lights.
On my 7 mile commute, about half way through is a 0.6 mile stretch of one way road. In the morning it's fine as I can go down that piece of road, or indeed through the park next door. But on my way home, the park is closed and the road is one way. For this part of my journey I choose to take the pavement as It would add around another 0.7ish miles on to my journey if I wanted to follow the one way road round the block. I only do this because this piece of road/pavement is very very quiet, and I hardily ever come across a pedestrian. Once a week there is a group of runners which have some kind of running group down that road, at which point I make alternate arrangements.
This is the segment of road i'm talking about. I have to get from A to B.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
Does any one else do this?
Yes.
I pose far less of a risk to pedestrians on the pavement, than buses and HGV's do to me on the road.
Of course, it very much depends on the situation, type of pavement, number of people etc. I wouldnt try and ride my bike along a crowded narrow street of shoppers.
I once got stopped by the Police while riding along a huge, wide, deserted, (very safe) pavement in Sheffield.
They told me how i was supposed to be on the road (Busy A-Road, traffic going every which way, lights, junctions, lane changes, all sorts).
I said fine, I wonder if it will be you who gets the call to shovel me off the road into a bin bag and take me back to my Parents when I get flattened by a Quarry truck.
He thought about it for a minute, accepted I was right, and sent me on my way.
I pose far less of a risk to pedestrians on the pavement, than buses and HGV's do to me on the road.
Of course, it very much depends on the situation, type of pavement, number of people etc. I wouldnt try and ride my bike along a crowded narrow street of shoppers.
I once got stopped by the Police while riding along a huge, wide, deserted, (very safe) pavement in Sheffield.
They told me how i was supposed to be on the road (Busy A-Road, traffic going every which way, lights, junctions, lane changes, all sorts).
I said fine, I wonder if it will be you who gets the call to shovel me off the road into a bin bag and take me back to my Parents when I get flattened by a Quarry truck.
He thought about it for a minute, accepted I was right, and sent me on my way.
The issue I have with road layouts for cyclists is the lack of consistency, certainly in Oxford I'd rather the councils encouraged cyclists to be 'proper' road users or took the opposite approach rather than the halfway house they have at the moment.
In some places cycle lanes will appear on footpaths, these are only denoted by a white line splitting the footpath in two with the odd bike symbol, they will often appear alongside traffic lights to allow cyclists to continue through on red. There's a number of issues with this:
In some places cycle lanes will appear on footpaths, these are only denoted by a white line splitting the footpath in two with the odd bike symbol, they will often appear alongside traffic lights to allow cyclists to continue through on red. There's a number of issues with this:
- Pedestrians generally ignore the cycle lanes, the lanes outside schools are often packed with children and parents and its dangerous to use them most of the time.
- The lanes often have an array of obstacles in them, traffic lights, road signs etc. Pedestrians have to stand in the cycle lanes to wait at crossings.
- The lanes are usually heavily undulating due to the dropped kerbs, doesn't make for a comfortable ride.
- Car drivers often pull into the lanes without checking to see if they're clear, only seeing the road as the obstacle.
- The lanes often stop or disappear suddenly, leaving you unintentionally on a footpath.
- Giving cyclists the ability to skip red lights legitimately in some places just encourages poor road use elsewhere.
While out cycling on my road bike last night, I took to the pavement a number of times. First was to allow the cars behind me on a narrow hill climb to pass safely as they were beginning to bunch up, then on another hill I jumped on the pavement while the car coming towards me was able to go round the car parked on his side safely. Then to allow the following lorry to pass me safely, and finally to scoot through the rush hour traffic safely while the drivers all hugged the curb!
Feel a lot safer on the pavement than on the road at that time of day (5pm)
Feel a lot safer on the pavement than on the road at that time of day (5pm)
Stayed with freinds in Dusseldorf earlier this eyar and was reminded how the German's have (with charateristic pragmatism and efficiency) deal with the issue. Where their pavements are sufficiently wide, it is acceptable for cycles to use the part of the pavement closest to the road, whilst pedestrians use the other half. I've seen this before in Munich IIRC.
Works pretty well on the whole, I guess because cycles are far less likely to kill or seriously maim pedestrains than vehicles are to do likewise to cyclists.
Works pretty well on the whole, I guess because cycles are far less likely to kill or seriously maim pedestrains than vehicles are to do likewise to cyclists.
Edited by Digga on Friday 4th December 12:37
Occasionally if there are roadworks or similar. But I avoid it if I can, partly because it just slows you down too much. I really hate the cycle lanes on pavements because they are impossible to maintain momentum due to pedestrians forgetting it's a cycle lane.
Agree with the German / Scandi comment - they get it so right there. We have a lot to learn...
Agree with the German / Scandi comment - they get it so right there. We have a lot to learn...
Used to constantly (when I was a lot younger). One memorable moment when I was about 13, coming back from chip shop, blasting along path, lady walks out of drive trolleying suitcase behind her, stupid me on bicycle hits case, over handlebars.
She says "Oh dear, that was your fault! But are you okay?"
Stupid me replies "No, it was your fault!" and I just rode off.
Oh dear, how times have changed...
Never ride on the path anymore except when it's clear for ages and I fancy a bit of "variety"/lots of traffic is building up behind me on a hill etc.
She says "Oh dear, that was your fault! But are you okay?"
Stupid me replies "No, it was your fault!" and I just rode off.
Oh dear, how times have changed...Never ride on the path anymore except when it's clear for ages and I fancy a bit of "variety"/lots of traffic is building up behind me on a hill etc.
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