illegal to cycle on the pavement in london?

j00ni said:
Yeah, unless you are being dangerous you would normally just get a ticking off at worst.

Plus in South Manchester the cops on bikes always cycle on the pavements, and I have walked round a corner into one cycling the other way once, much to the guy's embarrassment after I pointed out the illegality of his actions :p
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lol, good point. ive seen a couple of local cops on the pavements in headingley recently (dont see them when its raining though)
 
Rant warning.

Gah nothing worse than bikes in London on the pavements.

Firstly they are busy enough without some buffoon running over your feet and swerving between peds.

Secondly even when on the roads they don't understand the concept of a red light. It does not mean red light only if you don't have bike mad skills to dart out in front of other traffic (seen the result of that once or twice, not nice) and it does not mean mount the curb at the pedestrain crossing to get round the corner and then rejoin the road further down.
 
I ride on and off the pavements depending where I am, last night I was on the pavement round the sea front but these pavements are really wide and there isn't an issue, you see loads of people on bikes and the police let it go.

I've never hit anyone on the pavement while on my bike and never had a bike rider hit me when passing me on the pavement. If your sensible it isn't a problem but I can see why the law exists.

I like taking my camera on bike rides it's amazing the things you see when you go a bit off the beaten track on your bike.
 
If there is a cycle lane or the road isn't too bad i'll use it. In some places though when there is lots of traffic and no space to ride on the road (unless you fancy sitting on the floor with a car on you) i'll use the pavement.
 
MookJong said:
I've never hit anyone on the pavement while on my bike and never had a bike rider hit me when passing me on the pavement.
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I've never hit a cyclist when I've been in my car and nor have I ever been hit by a car whilst cycling, consequently I think it's a good law.

I've come close to knocking cyclists over several times, mainly when they filter on the left and then wonder why they nearly get hit by me turning left. You're a vehical so overtake on the right.

Most recently I was coming up to some traffic lights on an urban dual carriage way (40 limit) when they turned green. All the traffic on the left slowly pulled away and I continued in the right at 40. I was quite suprised, when I cleared the other cars, to see a cyclist attempting to cross the junction from the left but not as suprised as him. He was fairly shifting and fell off his bike and skidded along the tarmac behind me. Good, I say.
 
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If there are no people on the path theres no harm in cycling on it, if i see people up infront ill probably switch to the path on the other side of the road, or go on the road for a bit.

I wouldn't cycle main roads though
 
I've started riding a bike into work (maily because the underground is not a pleasant experience during the summer, that and I'm starting to get a belly :p )

I ride on the roads, and don't use the pavement (not only is it illegal but dangerous) that being said a number of things do annoy me;

Cars parked in cycle lanes, all you drivers whinge that if there is a cycle lane then cyclists should use it (yes I also drive but try not to be so inconsiderate) yet most cycle lanes have cars parked in them.

Cars stuck in traffic seem to have the attitude if I'm stuck here you should be as well, and don't leave much of a gap for cyclists (or motorcyclists) to get through. It's not as if it'll make any difference to how long they spend in traffic. (Admittedly it may mean they can't accellerate and brake harshly to catch up to the car in front which has moved forwards one car length.)

Pededstrians at crossings just walikng over regardless of the lights and just expect you to stop for them (I'm talking about when the light is green for the cyclist and the pedestrians just wander into the road expecting you to wait)

All road users could do with being more considerate (that includes cyclists, who I constantly see jumping lights)
 
Pededstrians at crossings just walikng over regardless of the lights and just expect you to stop for them (I'm talking about when the light is green for the cyclist and the pedestrians just wander into the road expecting you to wait)
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Yup twice now pedastrians crossed road (not pedastrian/zebra crossing) without even looking L&R, walking slowly...coming up to them and unsure they'll see me and either run forward or step back. Idiots. :rolleyes:
 
Heh, this reminds me of when I used to cycle to work in Manc city centre. Used bus lanes predominately and a bit of kerb, but not too much.

best thing was though is when going home you find ppl trying to use the bus lane (illegally of course) and there's me cycling right in the middle as slow as I can go and annoying them soooooo much, oh the life! :D
 
When I used to cycle as a young lad, I was told to use the road from about 14 onwards and that was on a main A road, with traffic hurtling past at a right old rate of knots.

I'm fed up with these wimps using the path all the time, even first thing in the morning with no traffic about, if you can't use the road like the big boys, then stick to public transport, like what I does.

If it is illegal to ride on the pavement, then I presume it's ok for me to clothesline one when they speed past me. :)
 
squiffy said:
Yup twice now pedastrians crossed road (not pedastrian/zebra crossing) without even looking L&R, walking slowly...coming up to them and unsure they'll see me and either run forward or step back. Idiots. :rolleyes:
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Conversly there's plenty of cyclists who think traffic lights at crossings don't apply to them.
 
ArmyofHarmony said:
If there are no people on the path theres no harm in cycling on it, if i see people up infront ill probably switch to the path on the other side of the road, or go on the road for a bit
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Just because you can't see anyone on the pavement doesn't mean there aren't any round the corner, or about to come out of an alley. I've been hit by a cycle on the pavement - it hurts. Ride your friggin bike on the road and if you feel uncomfortable, dismount and walk it on the pavement ffs :mad:
 
I been crossing at zebras and bikes just keep riding sometimes between people crossing as they are (bikes) approaching the crossing.
 
I can see both sides of the arguement cycling on the road is a risky business with all sorts idiot drivers not looking for you and running you off the road (not all drivers though, theres plenty of cyclists who use there own rules of the road like riding on the pavement around red traffic lights etc)

The main point people seem to have against cyclists riding on the path is being ran into yet Skateboarders & rollerbladers with little to no sudden breaking ability can fly down the pavement as fast as they like, at least on a bike you've got breaks which can stop you on most occations.
 
Wyvern971 said:
I've started riding a bike into work (maily because the underground is not a pleasant experience during the summer, that and I'm starting to get a belly :p )

I ride on the roads, and don't use the pavement (not only is it illegal but dangerous) that being said a number of things do annoy me;

Cars parked in cycle lanes, all you drivers whinge that if there is a cycle lane then cyclists should use it (yes I also drive but try not to be so inconsiderate) yet most cycle lanes have cars parked in them.

Cars stuck in traffic seem to have the attitude if I'm stuck here you should be as well, and don't leave much of a gap for cyclists (or motorcyclists) to get through. It's not as if it'll make any difference to how long they spend in traffic. (Admittedly it may mean they can't accellerate and brake harshly to catch up to the car in front which has moved forwards one car length.)

Pededstrians at crossings just walikng over regardless of the lights and just expect you to stop for them (I'm talking about when the light is green for the cyclist and the pedestrians just wander into the road expecting you to wait)

All road users could do with being more considerate (that includes cyclists, who I constantly see jumping lights)
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NAILED IT SPOT ON MATE! :mad:
It makes me angry the kind of crap you get these days toward cyclists.
I was cruisng along with my bike on Commercial Road from Canary Wharf to the City and the traffic lights were green. Yet, some people decided to cross. I'm not in the wrong! I carried on cycling because it was green! If they get run over its their fault. I nearly did run guy over.
He had the cheek to shout out
"You **** head. Why didn't you stop?"
I stopped the bike. Got of it and walked with my bike back on the pavement toward him. I looked at him. I asked him
"What colour are those lights?"
He said "Green"
"What colour is that crossing man"
He said "red"
I said "Then when you see these signs what do you do?"
He shut up and just went away :mad:

Another thing that gets me angry is motorists parking on the ******* cycle lane.

Edit: Yes it's illegal to cycle on the pavements in London.
You might get away with it in Zone 3, but in Zone 2 and 1, you want to ride on the road anyway due to the pavement being packed.
 
Oh god does no one understand the concept of giving way! If you don't leave your bike/car in the garage until you have read your highway code.

Yes its annoying if the peds are crossing when the light is green. However the law states that if you are driving/cycling down the road and there is a person crossing the road you must slow down and be prepared to stop if they do not get out of the way in time. Saying 'its green so I was right to go on' is stupid. Imagine driving and stopping at a ped crossing, the light goes green and they're are still five or six people crossing. The 'it's green so I can go' mentality kicks in and you run them all over. You are going to last about five minutes in court.
 
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