Cyclists on pavements, do police really care?

Amp34 · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:13

matdom said:
I've hit many people specially when they see me cycling up the road and they still cross even when there's a green light.

I cycle on pavements but at a slow pace, try to avoid people ,you can always tell when you see a knob walking thats going to cause you problems.

You can't cycle on the road as the driver just don't give a crap, i've seen buses and cars on cycle lanes in London, i seen drivers look you in the face see you coming and still pull out.

That's another good point... Especially in London.

The number of pedestrians that see a cyclist on the road but still cross, then force the cyclist to slow down or swerve is ridiculous. You wouldn't walk out in from of a car, expecting them to stop for you, so don't do it in front of a cyclist!

bitslice · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:13

Cyclists need to ride on pavements much more often, so they can run down those people standing there chatting and taking up the whole pavement, who are the exact same people that do that in supermarkets. There needs to be a cull for the sake of humanity here.

It is also stupidly dangerous to ride on a road with cars coming up fast from the rear, it is safer for everyone if they can use a pavement where possible. I don't have a problem in keeping to the left if they ring a bell to let me know they are behind me.

FortuitousFluke · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:13

Dangerous people are dangerous, I'm not sure the mode of transport has much to do it. I commute in to Cambridge five days a week by bike, eight miles each way. I also regularly drive the same route. I stay within the law, I ride on the road for ninety percent of the route but use the combined use footpath for one section because the reaction of motorists to me riding on that section of road is massively dangerous. I've had verbal abuse, close passes, and one guy cutting onto the oncoming lane on a blind bend and through traffic islands to get past me, all because there is a fifteen to twenty second stretch of road where it's not possible to overtake me.

I've also been put in danger, and seen others put in danger by, dangerous practice on behalf of cyclists.

My cycling style on the roads is reasonably aggressive, not because I'm an aggressive person, but because the roads are filled with dangerous people not paying attention from whom I need to protect myself. As such I will filter through traffic to get to the front of a queue, I will park myself in a primary position when I don't want you to be able to overtake, and I will make my presence known when you leave me inches on a pass just because you think I should be on the pavement.

I think the majority of dangerous cyclists are probably dangerous drivers, and the majority of dangerous drivers would be equaly dangerous cyclists. It's not the mode of transport that makes you a menace, it's being a self important tool.

Haggisman · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:21

Amp34 said:
...You wouldn't walk out in from of a car, expecting them to stop for you...

Based on my experience, most people do!

RyanF · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:29

Only problem I have with cyclists are the ones that run reds and then try to blame it on a driver for causing an incident. If you cycle responsibly I've got mad props for you

neil_g · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:31

FortuitousFluke said:
I think the majority of dangerous cyclists are probably dangerous drivers, and the majority of dangerous drivers would be equaly dangerous cyclists. It's not the mode of transport that makes you a menace, it's being a self important tool.

woah there fella, that's a bit too much common sense for GD..

Dis86 · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:34

Freefaller said:
It wouldn't bother me as long as they are rising slowly and carefully. Having been hit by a cyclist before it hurts, but I was okay, had I been a child or an elderly person I doubt I'd have fared as well.

Bet it hurt them a fair bit too!

I've had a few close misses with pedestrians on my bikes but it's normally idiots just stepping off a kerb without looking. Equally have the same encounters in the car. Rarely cycle on the pavement unless it's obviously clear. I'm also lucky in that my local area is full of cycle trails which are generally well maintained. The only real issue being broken glass on them or dog walkers.

grudas · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:36

drivers on mobile phones - do police care? nope.. it's kinda.. "meh, small thing until something big happens then we make a big booboo out of it"

Amp34 · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:50

Haggisman said:
Based on my experience, most people do!

Haha, true.

I try not to do it, except when I'm walking across a side street and a car seems to insist it has the right of way when turning in... No, you can wait your turn and turn in when I've finished crossing.

Amp34 · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:51

FortuitousFluke said:
Dangerous people are dangerous, I'm not sure the mode of transport has much to do it. I commute in to Cambridge five days a week by bike, eight miles each way. I also regularly drive the same route. I stay within the law, I ride on the road for ninety percent of the route but use the combined use footpath for one section because the reaction of motorists to me riding on that section of road is massively dangerous. I've had verbal abuse, close passes, and one guy cutting onto the oncoming lane on a blind bend and through traffic islands to get past me, all because there is a fifteen to twenty second stretch of road where it's not possible to overtake me.

I've also been put in danger, and seen others put in danger by, dangerous practice on behalf of cyclists.

My cycling style on the roads is reasonably aggressive, not because I'm an aggressive person, but because the roads are filled with dangerous people not paying attention from whom I need to protect myself. As such I will filter through traffic to get to the front of a queue, I will park myself in a primary position when I don't want you to be able to overtake, and I will make my presence known when you leave me inches on a pass just because you think I should be on the pavement.

I think the majority of dangerous cyclists are probably dangerous drivers, and the majority of dangerous drivers would be equaly dangerous cyclists. It's not the mode of transport that makes you a menace, it's being a self important tool.

Well said.

Burnsy2023 · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:52

grudas said:
drivers on mobile phones - do police care? nope.. it's kinda.. "meh, small thing until something big happens then we make a big booboo out of it"

Mobile phone and seatbelts are different. Many officers I know are quite hot on this, but the problem, especially with phones, is vast.

Freefaller · 6 Jul 2015 at 12:55

Dis86 said:
Bet it hurt them a fair bit too!

I've had a few close misses with pedestrians on my bikes but it's normally idiots just stepping off a kerb without looking. Equally have the same encounters in the car. Rarely cycle on the pavement unless it's obviously clear. I'm also lucky in that my local area is full of cycle trails which are generally well maintained. The only real issue being broken glass on them or dog walkers.

He flew off his bike and split his chin open and tried to blame me. :/

Steampunk · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:03

Amp34 said:
You're complaining about road users flouting the rules of the road, it's directly relevant to your post.

I take it from your non answer that you speed regularly as well...?

Driving a few miles over the limit is a straw man argument. Even road safety and police numbers show that speed is rarely a cause in accidents. No one cares if a cyclist is over the speed limit by a few mph. Driving a little over the speed limit is in no way equivalent to driving on pavements and going through red lights or pedestrian only zones - and you know it.

Dis86 · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:16

Burnsy2023 said:
Mobile phone and seatbelts are different. Many officers I know are quite hot on this, but the problem, especially with phones, is vast.

The issue is its nigh on impossible for you boys to catch someone. Round here they drive bright white cars with luminous blue and orange squares all over. As soon as anyone clocks it, belt on, phone away.

MadMouse101 · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:17

spudbynight said:
Down here in Brighton we see this a lot and police don't seem to care.

We also see people on the road who shouldn't be. People on rollerskates and skateboards quite a lot. My favourite though are people on mobility scooters who ride in the middle of the road and then go onto the pavement at full speed. (Some of them have licence plates but the majority don't )

Well said

grudas · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:19

Burnsy2023 said:
Mobile phone and seatbelts are different. Many officers I know are quite hot on this, but the problem, especially with phones, is vast.

I can say that at least 50-60% of the drivers use phone while driving, I cycle a lot around london and my riding position gives me a perfect view of it all! it even goes as far as driving instructors using phones while driving..! ridiculous. but how do you tackle this problem? it's not as easy as speed cameras for e.g....

Tombstone · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:23

Some things are just too commonplace to get a significant hold of I would imagine.

Take for instance my local motorway, the M27. I drive that motorway daily and I am sometimes convinced that I am the only person on the motorway who is driving at 70 or under. Every day I see thousands of drivers screaming along on it at 90+ mph and often at 100 (usually someone in a shiny, super clean 4x4 for some reason). Now, I would imagine a member of the police could be on that motorway and probably catch a few thousand people driving at excessive speeds every day, hell...every hour ! , but whats the point really. Its so rife along that stretch of road that they would be just addressing 0.00000001% of the problem. Better they instead spent their time stopping violent crime.

Tombstone · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:25

grudas said:
I can say that at least 50-60% of the drivers use phone while driving, I cycle a lot around london and my riding position gives me a perfect view of it all! it even goes as far as driving instructors using phones while driving..! ridiculous. but how do you tackle this problem? it's not as easy as speed cameras for e.g....

Quite true I expect, on the way home on Friday (along the M27) , I had a guy in a white audi, sat behind me at 70mph , chattering away on his phone for about 20mins. I've no doubt that given his proximity to me and his distraction , that if something had occurred he wouldn't have been able to avoid it.

jas72 · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:26

Hyburnate said:
To be honest, if they're wobbling around I prefer they're on the pavement. In my opinion it should be required by law to be wearing a helmet if you're cycling on the road.

HAHAHAHA

McBain · 6 Jul 2015 at 13:28

FoxEye said:
Just recently I watched a guy wind his window down to shout 'boo' (actually some profanity) at a cyclist he was overtaking on a busy road. He thought it was hilarious..

That's not restricted to cyclists, I get the same out running as well. Not sure why, but a group of clowns in a car always find it funny to call you a 'Masterbater' as they drive past in their souped up 106 because you're out for a run/cycle.

Never understood that one.