Mounting the Pavement ?
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Discussion

J4CKO

Original Poster:

45,775 posts

222 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
quotequote all
There are some shops near us that have parking on one side which makes the road not quite wide enough for two cars to pass (especially with the Cheshire preference for big off roaders), anyway, if someone comes through on the parking side and cat get in when another car is coming it seems the done thing for the car with priority, rather than let the oncoming driver through is to mounts the pavement as it is a low kerb and drive along the pavement.

Personally I was under the impression that doing this is illegal, I wont do it as if seen by a copper I could get in bother and I dont want to look like the kind of person that drives along pavements rather than wait a few seconds.

I mention this as I was walking along here with the Dog the other night and a taxi comes through meaning the soft roader thing coming the other way would have to stop, rather than that the women driving decided to mount the pavement, she expected me to squeeze into the hedge so she could pass and looked rather put out when I didnt move, she was doing a decent speed, probably 15 mph and had to anchor on, I didn't do the instinctive thing and move in, mainly as I had the Dog and I wasnt sure I could get me, and him in in time and the chances were, she was focussing on me and would have driven over the Dog had he still been at my side !

I appreciate that there may be occasions where you may have to do this but to me, doing it at speed to avoid waiting isnt on, ok, maybe if there is a downed tree in the way, at less than walking pace.


GKP

15,099 posts

263 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
quotequote all
Sounds like a bit of road needing a set of railings.

Rich_W

12,548 posts

234 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
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On my commute there's a rat run everyone uses. It's 1.5 cars wide, and because no one wants to wait and it's "blind" entry at both ends it gets congested easily. See people ALL the time on the pavement with 2 wheels. I do it. Yes it's illegal. But for whatever reason the council don't want to actually widen the road a bit. So it helps ease things.

J4CKO

Original Poster:

45,775 posts

222 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
quotequote all
Or a kerb that doesn't make it so easy, would love to see a habitual pavement driver not notice after it gets changed to a full height one !

aizvara

2,067 posts

189 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
quotequote all
I had something similar happen involving a Navara or some similar pick-up truck driving right over the pavement immediately in front of me, just so he didn't have to wait a few seconds for a car to pass. There was no attempt to slow down from 15-20mph and it forced me to jump out of the way, as I wasn't expecting the sudden appearance of cars on the pavement. Its a stupid thing to do at the best of times, but this was a fairly busy urban road with a lot of pedestrians, often kids playing, and dogs being walked.

I wonder about the thought process involved in deciding its OK to drive on the pavement, at speed, whilst there are people there? Not something I'd ever consider just to save some time (then again, my car wouldn't appreciate the bump). Only valid reason I can think of would be to get out of the way of the emergency services, or if there was no other choice.

RobM77

35,349 posts

256 months

Sunday 14th November 2010
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Cars are for roads, pedestrians are for pavements - end of story. Cars should not park on, move onto or drive onto pavements. As is said above, the only reason I'd ever mount a pavement is if it was absolutely necessary for the emergency services to get through, which, incidentally, has never happened to me in 16 years of driving.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

268 months

Monday 15th November 2010
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RobM77 said:
Cars are for roads, pedestrians are for pavements - end of story.
Ah ha! Used to be that way but no longer!

The whole purpose of a large 4x4 "off-roader" is to drive on the pavement as much as possible. This includes,

i) the forward parking manoevre into any parking space,
ii) 2 wheels up on the pavement outside the shops,
and of course
iii) the school run.

RobM77

35,349 posts

256 months

Monday 15th November 2010
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
RobM77 said:
Cars are for roads, pedestrians are for pavements - end of story.
Ah ha! Used to be that way but no longer!

The whole purpose of a large 4x4 "off-roader" is to drive on the pavement as much as possible. This includes,

i) the forward parking manoevre into any parking space,
ii) 2 wheels up on the pavement outside the shops,
and of course
iii) the school run.
hehe Every village has its idiots. wink