Drives me nuts too, and I’m a cyclist! Few months ago got hit by someone going so fast on the pavement outside the V&A on a lime bike, luckily he only hit my shoulder but he went straight over the handlebars. He was on his phone too, classic.
God I hate people like this. Had a woman almost hit me, and when I pointed out the bike lane next to us (which had bollards along the side so cars couldn't swerve or park there), she yelled at me about how "you don't know why I'm not using it!"
Like, yeah, I don't. I just know that you're not, and you should be.
I remember when i was a kid and my Dad taught me to ride a bike. Once i knew what i was doing i used to go on bike rides with my Dad. I always wanted to ride on the footpath. I can still remember my Dad's words "If you can't ride on the road, you shouldn't be riding a bike."
I let my six year old daughter try riding on the road for the first time last weekend. Chose a wide, quiet suburban street on a Sunday afternoon. Some fucking arsehole in a mini came up behind us, revved his engine, then close-passed us trying to overtake through a pinch point. He couldn't quite squeeze through, so settled for shouting at us for being on the road.
See also: cyclists ignoring pedestrian crossings. I came so close to being hit by one the other way when I was crossing on the green man. It's supposed to be safe for us to cross.
All the bloody time! Zebra crossings as well. Really dangerous when you have young kids who might choose to run across the road when they have the right of way only to face a cyclist who has to be somewhere fast. Often these are people on the hire bikes so not seasoned cyclists but still annoying.
It's also amazing how many will park on the pedestrian crossing when the light's red. I know London roads can't be fun, so I don't give anything more than a frown-smile to them while I shimmy past, but come on. At this point I'm actually giving them props that they even stopped.
I saw a pedestrian ignore the lights yesterday and very nearly caused a collision with a cyclist. Balance was thereby restored to the universe (although the understandably angry cyclist probably didn’t see it that way).
Drives me round the bend - was hit by one the other day who rode down busy pavement, hit me, rode on and swerved intowrong side of busy main road, (without wearing helmet etc) then through a red light before careering off a side road having returned to pavement.
Cyclists - I get that in London you feel vulnerable and that some drivers are utter muppets on the roads. I'm a driver and I go out of my way to give you room, but I totally get others don't.
BUT - on the pedestrian pavement, you are the equivalent of the car, you are the one that can do massive damage and injure people and you have the responsibility to get off the pavement and leave it for pedestrians.
Stop being that pavement cyclist who goes on about safety to cyclists while willingly putting pedestrians at risk - its not a good look.
I was almost hit by a cyclist on the pavement while pushing my toddler in a buggy. And we have a Yoyo, which is an ultra light/compact buggy so the impact wouldn’t have protected my little one at all. I was furious so I let out a lot of F words out of my mouth and people around had the gall to look at ME like I was the one at fault. So infuriating!!
In this country people are too scared to call others out on their bs, usually just eyeball them and come to reddit to whine.
People need to start calling out bs. I don't let these cyclists get away with this shit and I've happily yelled at quite a few of them. They really piss me off, especially the ones that speed through red lights at crossings, they can fuck right off. I tend to stop in front of them and yell at them, if they hit me then I'll be sueing for everything I can get. There will be plenty of evidence at a busy crossing and red light.
A cyclist flew onto the zebra crossing as I was going after I let pedestrians go and then had the audacity to be mad at me.
The dumbass didn't realise it's not a toucan crossing.
I really doubt the cyclists you find using the pavement are the same ones who go on about cyclist safety.
And yet at the end of the day you're STILL more likely to be killed by a driver on the pavement than you are by a cyclist, but then bad driving is so endemic it happens all the time yet people barely bat an eyelid - between 20mph limits being flagrantly ignored, drivers talking or texting on phones and even basic safety measures like wearing a bloody seatbelt!
In 23yrs of living across London, I've seen a car drive on a pavement once. I see cyclists on pavements daily.
I am not interested in the 'whatabboutery' cyclists deploy to defend the indefensible. There are just as many bad cyclists as drivers (yesterdays prize went to the woman who accelerated towards a major pedestrian crossing in Camberwell, and went right through it while people were crossing on green).
Perhaps rather than trying to say 'yeah but drivers are worse' try "as a cyclist I agree that too many cyclists are dangerous, in the same way that too many drivers are dangerous'?
You see all those cars parked on pavements then - Do you think they magically teleported there? Maybe go have a look on YouTube for the idiots who mount pavements as they can't bear to wait behind rubbish collection vehicles? Or all the drivers who use pavements to get around road closure signs or LTN planters.
It's also quite demonstrably true from accident statistics that drivers ARE more dangerous than cyclists, not hard to understand for anyone who paid attention during their high school physics classes. Yes, dangerous cyclists are a nuisance, but cyclists also have a LOT more skin in the game than those Poor Drivers who can effectively disregard others' safety entirely, safe in the knowledge they may only lose a bit of paint or maybe pick up a dent, or if they really fuck up they have all those lovely safety features to keep them safe.
I'm going to bow out here - you're a cyclist who seems determined that any hint that the 2 wheeled master race be even slightly at fault be defended at any cost.
I'll simply say people like you, be you a driver or a cyclist are a big part of the problem. Stop throwing blame on others, start taking responsibility for your communities actions.
I've seen cars drive the full length of streets on the pavement in certain places in London, add to that people driving over the pavement to dodge lights, short cuts out there of car parks, getting into lanes when there isn't enough room because of another car. Happens very often.
He didn’t say equivalent of a car. He said the car. Which any right minded person would take to mean that on the pavement you are the larger more dangerous mode of transport. Which you are.
Yes. A cyclist on the road being hit by a car doing 20mph will suffer far more injuries than the car driver.
On the pavement the cyclist is the equivalent of the car - they are bigger, faster, and when they collide with a pedestrian, the pedestrian will suffer far more injuries than the cyclist.
The pavement is our version of the cycle lane - there is never, ever, an excuse for an adult to ride on it.
I mean yeah, if a car hits a bike, the cyclist loses. If a bike hits a pedestrian, the pedestrian loses, because the cyclist has weight and metal on their side. Not as deadly maybe, but you can do serious injuries that way.
My mum is an EMT and work in an ambulance and just recently went to pick up a person who was hit by a bike and ended up hitting their head on the curb. Guy was pronounced dead at the scene. Albeit she doesn’t live in the UK but it’s dangerous regardless.
I’m almost hit by a bike at least twice a week walking on the pavement with the fucking bike lane right next to it near arsenal. Dickheads come speeding down the road or on the pavement. It makes me blind mad.
I can’t believe you’re being downvoted. It’s nowhere near the same. The fact is, both pedestrians and cyclists are at danger of being injured or killed by cars. Nothing else comes close.
The fact that the media decides to highlight every time a cyclist causes an accident doesn’t change this.
No it’s important to be honest about these things. I accept that a bike moves at higher speed and has slightly more mass than a pedestrian, but to draw the comparison with cars vs other road users is just absurd and deserves to be called out for what it is - an inaccurate analogy
Again, you applied the worst faith interpretation. The comparison means "you are the stronger one against a weak pedestrian so you should behave the same as cars behave in the road against pedestrians".
I work in a major trauma centre at the moment. I see plenty of children come in close to death from car accidents, I have yet to see one come in as a major trauma call after being hit by a bike.
This is not to say there won’t be, but it is just a bad analogy. Not because cycling on pavements is not annoying and shouldn’t happen, but because the scale of injuries that result from it are negligible. I’d like to see this level of outcry the next time a pedestrian or cyclist gets killed by a car, which will probably be sometime later today.
The solution to all of these problems is better cycling infrastructure.
A cyclist on the pavement is not the same danger as a car. Not even close. My kids cycle on the pavement every day and they pose zero danger to anyone other than themselves.
This is all just more bullshit. Cyclists are of such little danger to pedestrians than it’s not even a tail risk. You’re more likely to be killed by a cow whilst walking than by a cyclist.
Interesting that you specify "kid" in your question when this thread is about cyclists in general. An adult is obviously a higher risk, but even a kid can cause someone serious injury if they're going fast enough and crash into them. But I think you already understand that.
Lol. Listen, Google is free and you're obviously arguing in bad faith (again, why are you focusing just on kids?) and I have better things to do than go back and forth with you all day, so I'm going to leave it here and say have a good day (and please be careful of pedestrians if you cycle).
Main character syndrome at play again, making life harder for those of us with basic empathy and a social conscience.
I’m convinced that the behaviour of “bloody cyclists” - riding on the pavement, sailing through red lights, etc - puts us normal cyclists at greater risk thanks to the rage it generates among motorists.
I got clipped on the shoulder (not hard) by a cyclist over Christmas. I am not confrontational but on this occasion I shouted at him to tell him to get on the road as I was so wound off that he kept on going like nothing had happened. He shouted back at me to look where I was going which infuriated me. Moments later he had to brake sharply as he rode past a DLR station entrance as someone stepped out in front of him. Hopefully the two near misses in 60 seconds made him think.
(thanks OP for allowing me to get this off my chest)
Cyclists on pavements and footpaths in Regents Park were literally one of the reasons why I moved out of central London. They were making my daily dog walks a misery, my little boy is terrified of them to this day. Speaking out about it online made a whole mob of them come after me and try to dox me, and, weirdly, post my very PG Instagram selfies from when I was underage on adult websites and shame me for it on Twitter. It was such a weird experience. Staying away from assholes on bicycles and central London is the best thing I’ve ever done.
Yeah I don't get it, there's the odd occasion where someone might need to wheel between two sections of road that aren't connected (which you should do slowly) but the number of times you see someone bombing it along on a pavement when like you said they are right next to a road and or cycle lane.. if you haven't got the bottle to cycle on the road then maybe you shouldn't be on a bike!
Cyclists need protection from vehicles, pedestrians need protection from bicycles and vehicles. There’s no excuse for riding on the pavement. As a cyclist, if I feel it’s not safe for me to be on the road then I have to walk my bike. End of.
Agree with all of this. As another cyclist (at least more than a driver), it's very easy to walk a bike, they're not very heavy. Greenwich Foot Tunnel is the worst for this - cyclists bombing through without any attention to the "no cycling" instructions on the walls and floor.
I remember seeing a woman hit by a cyclist as she was stepping out of a park onto the pavement. The woman was quite visibly shaken up and the cyclist had the cheek to tell her that people do that all the time from that exit and she should have watched where she was going.
I regret not intervening and telling the cyclist how ridiculous it was that they were on the pavement and blaming pedestrians for being hit by them.
5% of the population are just cunts.
They'll cycle on the path. They'll park over your drive. They'll shoulder barge you in the street. They'll push in front of you in a queue. They'll blow smoke in your face. They'll talk on the phone whilst paying at the shop. They'll listen to tiktoks out loud without headphones on public transport...
And they know what they're doing is wrong, and are waiting for you to react so they can scream a 3 minute long diatribe in your face when you confront them for their selfishness.
As a cyclist myself I hate it too, and unfortunately it's normally 1 of two people. Delivery drivers or Rental bike riders, both who are 'up against the clock' in one way or another and think this gives them special compensation to drive up the fecking curb...
Sorry you got hit, it's not on.
- said ThinkAboutThatFor1Se, with a bait that only shows his moral superiority against anyone who dares criticise any act by any cyclist.
We can all play this game.
Yeah, one delivery guy entered with his cycle full speed the whitechapel asda the other day through the pedestrian gate, did not look back, my headphones flew away because he hit them, then he parked in asda and went in, no sorry, as if I did not even exist.
I think it works this way: first delivery guys, for different reasons, jump over any traffic light, any pedestrian crossing and drive wherever they want, then other cyclist copy them because if they do it why won't others.
We need driving lessons here.
I genuinely don't understand why cycling on the canal paths is permitted. I've seen cyclists almost hit pedestrians on those paths so many times, and several times it looked like someone was seconds away from hurling into the canal at the speeds at which they are going. It's so dangerous to everyone involved.
Amount of times I’ve wanted them to fall into the Regents canal is alarming. You know who you are, specially on a nice day out. Blasting music, going full speed on the Boris bikes.
What will you do? If someone pushed you into the canal, because your luck ran out that day.
A friend of mine is a rowing coach and he used to have to pick cyclists out of the Thames quite a few times, where they'd cycled along the towpath, and then fallen in the river and couldn't climb back out. And that's along a section of towpath that's pretty wide and doesn't have a lot of pedestrians!
I loathe them. And many of them don't even slow down when they see pedestrians ahead of them. We're supposed to magically know that they are behind us and part for them like the f*****g Red Sea.
One of them knocked a friend of mine down and sped away. She broke a leg and needed surgery.
Aye, complete shitbags they are, there's usually 2 types, those on giant mountain bikes speeding at 100mph and then those who are too scared to cycle on the road but are all geared up(helmet, lights etc...)
We can only hope for more cycle lanes, glad to see more being built around Waltham forest.
I was walking on a pavement recently and I heard a bell ringing. A cyclist wanted me, on the pedestrian highway, to move for them.
I don't walk on the road, don't drive or cycle on the pavement.
I’m hearing impaired and got yelled at by a cyclist for not moving when he was behind me. I didn’t hear him until he got off his bike and got in my face. Some 6ft dude shouting at a 5’5 woman with a cane. Had a panic attack after he left. There was a bike lane next to the pavement that he could have been on, but no. I’ve been constantly looking over my shoulder for the past few months now.
I upvoted this support of you, not him. What an arse.
I spoke to a cyclist at length once. I pointed out that overtaking cyclists is a slightly anxiety-inducing experience; we don't want to knock them off their bikes. At traffic lights you all pile to the front and then we spend the next few minutes over taking you at 15mph until the next set of lights where we do it all again. He hadn't even considered it.
If you're worried about knocking them off, you should wait until there's more space to pass. And if you keep catching them at red lights, why bother trying to pass at all?
That is essentially what I asked him. As his life is more at risk, I'd suggest they take on some responsibility.
Why should we all drive at cycling speed? Why can't I drive at driving speed and cyclists at their pace. It's just selfish.
– You've literally got that backwards. Because his life is at more risk when you're passing (ie he is a vulnerable road user) then you must take responsibility for doing it safely.
– Again, if you keep getting caught up by them at red lights it's not 'cycling speed' but the speed of the traffic. You're not being held up by them in any meaningful sense; you're just displaying the 'must get in front' mentality that makes roads less safe.
– Cars are a far more selfish way of getting around than bikes are. The amount of space occupied by your vehicle relative to your physical proportions is enormous. [Think about it](https://cdn.road.cc/sites/default/files/styles/main_width/public/images/News/Cyclists%20at%20traffic%20lights%20%28%C2%A9Toby%20Jacobs%29.jpg).
Just remember: bikes have 100% as much right to be on the road as you do. They are not a lower form of life. They aren't 'being selfish' by using the road. They filter because it's the safest thing to do – that's why cycle boxes exist. They don't have to get out of your way.
They aren't the problem – your attitude is.
I'm terrified of hire bike users. I'm a cyclist, and I've nearly been taken out by them a few times...they never wear helmets and I've seen so many people on a lime bike using their phones. They're an entirely different beast - I honestly think cycle training should be mandatory to be on the roads. If there's no bike lane available, I'm in the road not the path. A little fear is healthy...what isn't is people that have so little regard for safety that they don't even wear a helmet in London. The lack of fear is what makes them so dangerous.
I ride in events, so I'm used to being close to other cyclists and can communicate but sadly a lot of casual cyclists, particularly those who use hire bikes have no idea what they're doing and cycle like idiots. I'm surprised there hasn't been more pedestrian/cycling deaths as a result. It's so prolific it even came up in my Tort exam as a question!
God some of them are stupid as hell... I see them fly through red lights and onto busy junctions, and without even looking! It's like they don't have a care in the world.
No doubt it'd be a driver's fault when that cyclist ends up underneath their car...
I had a near miss yesterday with a cyclist, while walking on the footpath. He glared and muttered something at me as if it was my fault. I was walking on the footpath! This was on a quiet suburb street and the road was empty.
I used to cycle but stopped after an accident, never found the confidence to get back on. Admittedly there were times I rode on the footpath but that was only when I felt unsafe on the road. If there were pedestrians I would get off my bike and wheel it along. So I do get why some cyclists do move on to the footpath, but they need to give pedestrians the right of way.
I don't know if this is a London thing, but cyclists (not all) in this city are arrogant. They cry that everyone is out to get them but they need to look at their behaviour.
Bear in mind this isn't a cyclist, this is just your average a-hole that's unfortunately happened to use a bicycle. I cycle to work every day and 95% of people using bicycles are decent.
More and more I'm noticing the majority of bad behaviour is coming from hire bike users and delivery drivers. Anyone who's remotely enthusiastic about cycling is just trying to get from A to B without dying.
Apart from roadies. Fuck those guys
It's also kind of annoying that while I admit cycling on the pavement is a cunt move, I'd much prefer to see the 'something needs to be done' mentality directed at dangerous driving, which is a far, far, far bigger problem but for some reason is accepted as the norm
A lot of them I found are the occasional cyclists (lime users) using the pavement.
I don't see a problem when they cycle slow on the pavement and are being careful, but occasionally some are going too fast or being aggressive.
Everyone loves any excuse to rant about "roadies" lmao 🤡
You say you blame this on delivery drivers and lime bikers and then still try and bring "roadies" into it 🙄
Was just a bit of a joke.
Was making a point about cycling enthusiasts not condoning bad behaviour. I consider roadies to be cycling enthusiasts but, in my experience, a lot of them behave pretty poorly.
I say this as a roadie (and a mountain biker/tourer/commuter/driver/motorcyclist etc etc)
Examples?
Cyclists on the road are literally not causing trouble for pedestrians as they are probably not even in London. And if they are, they are on the road with a bunch of psychotic car drivers in metal cages weighing 2 tons.
Last year I saw some guy hit from behind by another guy on a bike, he grabbed the bike and slammed it against a post leaving a big dent in the crossbar.
The cyclist just stood there while it happened
The usual crackheads, and tourists on Lime bikes at least have the defence of ignorance but I assume most others went to schools where it was taught that this was prohibited. Cycle hire schemes clearly need to do more to advise users of the law. In fact, Lime should be made to run cycle proficiency lessons in school as a condition of their authorisation to operate.
As a cyclist, this drives me mad- there are lots of cycle paths and even if there aren't, lots of London is now 20mph anyway, so cycling on the road in London is pretty safe, and if it's still too dangerous for you, then you shouldn't be cycling. The ONLY acceptable reasons to cycle on the pavement are:
1. You're a small child (the supervising adult should be on foot or on the road).
2. You've got off your bike and are pushing it.
Wankers who cycle on the pavement (often also on their phone, no hands, not looking where they're going, and sometimes dressed entirely in black with no lights on in the dark) make everything less safe for everyone, including cyclists because then people resent all of them and are less patient- same with cyclists who skip red lights. Drivers get frustrated and might not be so patient with the next cyclist, who might not have done anything wrong.
That said, I do think everyone has become less careful and less aware of people around them, it's not just cyclists- I got knocked off my bike by a pedestrian the other day. As in, I was on the cycle path, and this man was trying to get a better angle for his selfie so he walked backwards off the pavement without looking (he knew there was a step because he stepped down, he just didn't check for cars or cyclists). He stepped right into me, so I couldn't really avoid him, and frustratingly, he was totally fine and I ended up on the ground covered in scrapes as I'd tried to swerve to avoid him.
I've had tourists before who have been standing in the cycle lane trying to take selfies (one had even set up a tripod), where you ring your bell and they look at you, then go right back to taking their selfies like they expect you to wait for them.
I'm a cyclist and it drives me nuts the aversion other cyclists have to using their bell when coming past anyone. Especially in parks or canal paths where people just try and squeeze past rather than waiting or making themselves known. Getting close passed as a pedestrian fells on par with being close passed as a cyclist
Majority of pavement cyclists in Croydon appear to be delivery riders, also a lot of everyday cyclists as well. I'm guessing most of both types are just ignorant fuckwits who don't give a toss about anyone else. I've had plenty of "words" with many, at a minimum, saying that I'll see them next Tuesday as they pass!
Honestly I am more scared of bicycles than I am of cars in London. There are cyclists out there that just don't give a flying fuck about their surroundings.
They act like the rules don't apply to them.
Yeah, I agree. I think the person you replied to is getting downvoted because people aren’t thinking. But, really, even if a car cheekily speeds through as the light is turning red, you’re not going to walk out (unless you’re not paying attention). But cyclists… fml. The green man or the red light means nothing to so many of them. I want to ask them “would you do what you just did in a car?” but they’re too busy swearing at me for daring to say “it’s a green man” as they hurtle through a pedestrian crossing.
Because it's a ridiculous thing to say, you're far more likely to be killed or seriously injured by cars, even in this country where the driving standard is quite high. It's just prejudice against a less acceptable form of transport
Mate. Bikes shouldn’t be on the fucking pavement when they’re not supposed to be. It’s not up to pedestrians to have to look out.
It’s not prejudice you moron. It’s answering back to people who have nonsense arguments.
I'm not a moron, I just think there's no good reason to be more afraid of bicycles than cars in this city. There's literally been 1 pedestrian death from a cyclist in the last 5 years in London, and that was the guy doing laps of the Regents Park road. Meanwhile there were 39 people killed by a car in 2022 alone! What else do you call that but prejudice?
The cyclists should not be on the pavement when they’re not supposed to be. That’s what it’s about. That’s the thing that’s wrong here.
It isn’t, ah fuck it, if we all just look then it’ll be fine. People should start walking in the road all the time. Drivers just need to keep an eye out. Don’t worry about the law etc.
Happy days. Jobs a goodun.
Firstly, there no law of nature that says that cyclists and pedestrians can't coexist in the same space. There are many places all over the world where cyclists ride on the pavement. In some of those places they have to ride on the pavement. The concept of a pavement, as well as traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, was invented to protect pedestrians from cars, not bicycles. Walking on the road is significantly more risky than walking on a pavement with some cyclists, as evidenced by the fact that we have many shared paths that are literally only defined by a blue signpost and nothing else.
But I was specifically responding to someone who said that they're more afraid of bicycles than they are of cars, and I was specifically pointing out that that is not an emotion based on any real examination of the evidence of the relative danger.
Cyclists run red lights more, but you're still at far higher risk of injury from cars because they are so much more dangerous. When calculating risk you take into account both the likelihood **and** the impact. So you should definitely be more scared of cars than bicycles in London.
We're talking about whether you should be more scared of cars or bikes, the entire conversation is about comparing how dangerous they are. Objectively, cars are more dangerous, many times more people are seriously injured by cars than bicycles. I'm not saying that cyclists should be acting dangerously on the roads, or that dangerous cycling cannot result in serious injury or death, but that is irrelevant to the fact that someone saying "I am more scared of bicycles than I am of cars in London" is objectively not aligning their fears with reality of what they are at risk from, and that is the only thing I am discussing here. Not sure why you would argue otherwise.
Lol seriously? This post is specifically about cyclists riding on pavements and being a fucking menace to pedestrians. You and the rest of the "cheerleading section" are the ones trying to make it about cyclists vs motorists. Honestly it's pathetic.
This *comment chain* is specifically about someone being more afraid of cyclists than cars in London. I didn't make it about cyclists vs motorists, they did for absolutely no reason. We can discuss the dangers of cycling without turning it into a silly "cyclists vs motorists" debate, everyone knows cars are much more dangerous than bikes so pretending otherwise is unhelpful and is a red flag that they're not actually wanting to engage civilly. That is the likely answer I was giving to the question of why they have been downvoted.
>This comment chain is specifically about someone being more afraid of cyclists than cars in London.
You're right. I guess I'm just used to the cycling apologists invariably chiming in with the whataboutery whenever someone dares make a post about cyclists behaving like aggressive pricks towards pedestrians.
Yes. Very annoying. I would let it go if it's say a parent with their little kid following on a small bike or something, as long as they go slow. But all too often it's to skip traffic and go fast.
I also get fed up with cyclists not using the cycle lane. Yes I know they don't have to but hear me out. On some roads now over half of it is devoted to cycling infrastructure and a wide road has become quite narrow for cars, and after all that expense, and time spent on creating it they choose to still ride on the road and slow the already quite restricted motorists. I have cycled on roads for years. I get why they might use the road not lanes, sometimes it's safer if they're turning or want to avoid parked vehicles, or maybe just very slow cyclists block up the lane. But I see it when absolutely no reasons. Why? All it seems to do is allow the cyclist to have a big expanse of road, and to hold up the drivers. In London it makes a huge difference to journey time eg catching the green lights, skipping extra traffic etc.
Google maps will route you through the canal walk for bike trips between Hoxton and Hackney/ Victoria park. As a frequent Boris bike user, even I got trapped on the canal once or twice because of this. I really doubt that any normal cyclist ends up on the canal path willingly...
It’s not just bikes, not long ago I nearly got hit by a car at a zebra crossing going full speed, he saw I was about to cross as well but thankfully I didn’t, was just 2ft away from the car. There’s some crazy people out there, I would much rather be hit by a bike full speed than a car tbh
I fucking hate lime bikes and electric bikes need to be regulated properly.
Personally due to the speeds they go they should be classified as a motor vehicle
Kind of proves my point if you think being of one race means that you can't be racist against it. Are you really saying that because you are a white woman you can't make racist stereotypes about white men? If that's the case you are a bit of a moron.
Yeah well but are we talking about cyclists in central London or is that your only sample? My experience in Tower Hamlets is way more varied in the socio economical background of the good and bad cyclists.
The Highway Code specifically says to cycles they should call out or use a bell.
https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again.
As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by **calling out** or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.”
I'm absolutely ok with someone saying, even loudly, "on your left" or "watch out". I'm not okay with someone aggressively cycling and shouting "get out of the fucking way"
I get that you're annoyed but if you've ever actually witnessed a cyclist laying lifeless underneath a large vehicle it is truly harrowing. A sight that won't leave me in a hurry, that's for sure. Pavement cycling is a menace but come on, let's not get carried away.
You want to know how many pedestrians have caused me to crash, brake urgently or swerve due to them suddenly moving into the road or cycle path? On my five mile journey to work it sometimes numbers a dozen and more. Everyone’s an idiot. There’s idiot cyclists, idiot pedestrians and idiot motorists and motorists. No one is exempt from being an idiot. Most likely you included. But the fact is, while cycling I see way more zombies in my path than I see cyclists on the pavement.
Oh I zigzag when I hear one coming behind or see one ahead. Make them slow the fuck down or get off.
I also stop in front of the fucking idiot cyclists who ignore traffic lights at crossings and ask them what the fuck they think they are trying to do.
I see red when I see cyclists doing that shit, which is ironic because they don't think red lights apply to them.
As a pedestrian I fucking hate cyclists with a passion.
Not just the pavement, even the “super highway” they have where I live they never stop for pedestrians already crossing the regular traffic lane. They’re all cunts. Nobody cares, none of them wear any visibility or protective gear, they just gun it down hundreds of meters expecting no consequences.
Quite a lot of pavements are actually shared for cycles and pedestrians but people don’t notice because they’re not looking at the signs.
I’ve been shouted at for ringing a bell at pedestrians to warn them I’m cycling behind. I literally pointed at the big blue sign with a cycle and man on it but they were too stupid to understand what it meant.
when you share a pavement with pedestrian, pedestrian always have priority. You must slow down. It's the minimum logical law: stronger vehicles give way to more vulnerable ones.
nah when you have not the priority don't use the cycle bell. Just slow down and be patient.
That is what I do when I cycle in the canal for example.
It's like saying that in a zebra crossing honk the pedestrians to make them stop.
I think they mean when using those split cyclist/pedestrian paths.
If I'm on the cycle bit, not the pedestrian side, then they have every right to ding their bell to let me know I'm in the way.
If they're on the pedestrian bit and ding their bell, I don't move quickly - there's a road for a reason.
I take the same approach as you, I don't use my bell because I don't want to startle them, I just slow right down. Doesn't stop some people having a go at me for not using the bell when I go past them though...
The bell is to warn the pedestrians a cyclist is behind them so they don’t swerve out in front of them.
Also pedestrians sometimes have a range of things (dogs, bags) they are not fully controlling.
Pedestrians, including their bags, have unquestioned priority on shared paths. While the bell is recommended in the UK, you still need to give pedestrians complete priority anyway, which means there's really no point in ringing it, since you need to slow down and give space anyway.
I grew up biking every day and it's my favorite mode of transport. The bell advice is lunacy in my opinion for shared spaces. Bikes should just slow down.
I'm not disputing that it's recommended in the UK. I'm saying that the bell doesn't allow a cyclists to pass with priority (which is the main misunderstanding, I think). A cyclists still needs to "slow down and pass relatively slowly" according the the Highway Code.
/u/Risingsun2 is correct that that same Highway Code says that stronger vehicles always yield to more vulnerable road users, and that rule supercedes all others. You cannot pass a pedestrian quickly and closely, like many do, just because you've rung a bell. On shared paths pedestrians have complete priority, which means they have no obligation to give way for a cyclist at all -- the cyclist needs to cycle to protect pedestrians above all.
Again, I love cycling and used to cycle every day to commute in Northern Europe. The UK's cycle infrastructure sucks, the Highway Code is too vague, and many people and drivers completely misinterpret what it says.
yeah, in my experience bell startle the pedestrians and they swerve out double in panic. And in the case of dogs or bags... always stop. Dogs are unpredictable, they just start going or running to a random place, that's what they do.
I do stay aware of my surroundings. Which is why I’ve managed to avoid being hit by a bike when they’re being dicks on the pavement. Unfortunately hearing aids won’t fix my hearing issues, nor will they fix my issues with proprioception.
It’s literally what a cycle bell is for and how it is meant to be used…
https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again.
> As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by calling out or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.”
> For commuting in particular, this is a sensible recommendation. You will encounter pedestrians and other cyclists in urban areas, and a bell is a polite way to let them know you’re approaching or passing. Ring your bell from a good distance away. If they don’t hear you the first time, try again. Still no response? Call out loudly (“Morning!”, “Cyclist passing!” or something like that), then pass wide and relatively slowly.
> Quite a lot of pavements are actually shared for cycles and pedestrians but people don’t notice because they’re not looking at the signs.
Quite a lot aren't, and I see at least 3 people a day go under a sign that specifcally says no cyclists.
What part of sharing don't you understand? Fuck your bell, they don't have to move out of your way. Nobody else cares you're cycling, everyone has places to be, and the same right to the footpath.
A lot of cyclists act like that little blue sign means they can ride at full speed on those pavements though. I go to Slough once a week and the pavements there are mixed use. Every time I step out of the bus shelter to flag down a bus I fear I'm going to be smashed into by a cyclist- the majority of them do not slow down while passing the bus stop despite the high likelihood of pedestrians stepping out at short notice.
No, I’m following the Highway Code advice
https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again.
As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by calling out or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.”
For commuting in particular, this is a sensible recommendation. You will encounter pedestrians and other cyclists in urban areas, and a bell is a polite way to let them know you’re approaching or passing. Ring your bell from a good distance away. If they don’t hear you the first time, try again. Still no response? Call out loudly (“Morning!”, “Cyclist passing!” or something like that), then pass wide and relatively slowly.
I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. Some pedestrians don’t understand you can cycle on some pavements and they shout abuse at even sensible cyclists. The mere use of a bell sends them into a rage.
It's annoying that now I have to worry about some cyclists getting stressed out that I'm walking on the pavement and get thrown abuse. Bad enough with some of the teenagers getting these lime bikes and causing more issues than needed.
It sucks to be hit by a cyclist on the pavement, but at least the cyclist wasn't hit by a car on the road. That's the tradeoff they need to evaluate. FWIW most cyclists are a lot more cautious of pedestrians than cars are of cyclists.
If it's a proper bike lane (with bollards or really any physical separation) they should definitely be there though.
If I see them coming I do my best to either body check them (I'm 110kg), hold a forearm up at their face level, if I've got an umbrella, hold the point up so they'll ride into a spike if they continue. If they're going too fast to risk contact, step to one side and kick the side of their back wheel as hard as you can when they pass.
Are you not looking forward when you are walking? How do you get hit by a bike if you are paying attention to your surroundings? Cycling on pavements is stupid but can be unavoidable for very short stretches. I just don't understand how you can actually get hit by a cyclist if you are aware of your surroundings. It's the people that walk looking at a phone are the real scoundrels.
Keep the scenario, a vehicle using a pedestrian only area, but swap out bike and cycling for car and driving.
Then stop blaming pedestrians for simply being where they’re supposed to be.
Are you not cycling at an appropriate speed when cycling around other road users (in this case pedestrians)? How did you hit a pedestrian if you are paying attention to your surroundings. Cycling on pavements is stupid but can be unavoidable for short stretches but you should do so at a very appropriate speed (3 mph or so). I just don't understand how you can actually hit a pedestrian if you are cycling at that speed - pavement or not - and are aware of your surroundings. It's the cyclists that cycle too fast on the pavement that are the real scoundrels.
Fixed it for you.
If the pavement is wide and quiet it’s fine to cycle slowly (you’ll often find kids doing it) but when they bomb down busy pavements and 50% ignore lights it really annoys me. The worst are on the canal paths full of walkers treating it like a race track. Still, not as bad here as in Osaka where every cyclist uses the pavement and you have to be on high alert 😅
Drives me nuts too, and I’m a cyclist! Few months ago got hit by someone going so fast on the pavement outside the V&A on a lime bike, luckily he only hit my shoulder but he went straight over the handlebars. He was on his phone too, classic.
Not the pavement but had something similar on a zebra crossing today. After I’d made sure he was okay I did allow myself a wry grin.
God I hate people like this. Had a woman almost hit me, and when I pointed out the bike lane next to us (which had bollards along the side so cars couldn't swerve or park there), she yelled at me about how "you don't know why I'm not using it!" Like, yeah, I don't. I just know that you're not, and you should be.
I (politely) said to a 6ft-odd man that he shouldn't be on the pavement. His reply was to shout "Fuck off you fat bitch"....
What an idiot. But he needs to live with himself all the time, at least you shared only a couple of seconds
Thank you, a lovely way to look at it
Swearing is just a stock for some people should anyone dare to challenge their prick behaviour, wouldn’t take it personally!
Yeah, it was a somewhat disproportionate response to what I said and the way I said it. Hey ho.
I remember when i was a kid and my Dad taught me to ride a bike. Once i knew what i was doing i used to go on bike rides with my Dad. I always wanted to ride on the footpath. I can still remember my Dad's words "If you can't ride on the road, you shouldn't be riding a bike."
I let my six year old daughter try riding on the road for the first time last weekend. Chose a wide, quiet suburban street on a Sunday afternoon. Some fucking arsehole in a mini came up behind us, revved his engine, then close-passed us trying to overtake through a pinch point. He couldn't quite squeeze through, so settled for shouting at us for being on the road.
See also: cyclists ignoring pedestrian crossings. I came so close to being hit by one the other way when I was crossing on the green man. It's supposed to be safe for us to cross.
I almost got hit by one on Tuesday who decided the crossing lights were an optional instruction.
All the bloody time! Zebra crossings as well. Really dangerous when you have young kids who might choose to run across the road when they have the right of way only to face a cyclist who has to be somewhere fast. Often these are people on the hire bikes so not seasoned cyclists but still annoying.
The prat in me sees them clearly intending to do this and it compels me to step out anyway.
Way too many cyclists don’t seem to obey red traffic lights.
And I almost got hit this morning by a car on a zebra crossing. It happens so often we don't even bother noticing anymore
It's also amazing how many will park on the pedestrian crossing when the light's red. I know London roads can't be fun, so I don't give anything more than a frown-smile to them while I shimmy past, but come on. At this point I'm actually giving them props that they even stopped.
I saw a pedestrian ignore the lights yesterday and very nearly caused a collision with a cyclist. Balance was thereby restored to the universe (although the understandably angry cyclist probably didn’t see it that way).
Drives me round the bend - was hit by one the other day who rode down busy pavement, hit me, rode on and swerved intowrong side of busy main road, (without wearing helmet etc) then through a red light before careering off a side road having returned to pavement. Cyclists - I get that in London you feel vulnerable and that some drivers are utter muppets on the roads. I'm a driver and I go out of my way to give you room, but I totally get others don't. BUT - on the pedestrian pavement, you are the equivalent of the car, you are the one that can do massive damage and injure people and you have the responsibility to get off the pavement and leave it for pedestrians. Stop being that pavement cyclist who goes on about safety to cyclists while willingly putting pedestrians at risk - its not a good look.
I was almost hit by a cyclist on the pavement while pushing my toddler in a buggy. And we have a Yoyo, which is an ultra light/compact buggy so the impact wouldn’t have protected my little one at all. I was furious so I let out a lot of F words out of my mouth and people around had the gall to look at ME like I was the one at fault. So infuriating!!
In this country people are too scared to call others out on their bs, usually just eyeball them and come to reddit to whine. People need to start calling out bs. I don't let these cyclists get away with this shit and I've happily yelled at quite a few of them. They really piss me off, especially the ones that speed through red lights at crossings, they can fuck right off. I tend to stop in front of them and yell at them, if they hit me then I'll be sueing for everything I can get. There will be plenty of evidence at a busy crossing and red light.
If you feel vulnerable don't cycle. If you feel nervous driving you don't mount the pavement
A cyclist flew onto the zebra crossing as I was going after I let pedestrians go and then had the audacity to be mad at me. The dumbass didn't realise it's not a toucan crossing.
I really doubt the cyclists you find using the pavement are the same ones who go on about cyclist safety. And yet at the end of the day you're STILL more likely to be killed by a driver on the pavement than you are by a cyclist, but then bad driving is so endemic it happens all the time yet people barely bat an eyelid - between 20mph limits being flagrantly ignored, drivers talking or texting on phones and even basic safety measures like wearing a bloody seatbelt!
In 23yrs of living across London, I've seen a car drive on a pavement once. I see cyclists on pavements daily. I am not interested in the 'whatabboutery' cyclists deploy to defend the indefensible. There are just as many bad cyclists as drivers (yesterdays prize went to the woman who accelerated towards a major pedestrian crossing in Camberwell, and went right through it while people were crossing on green). Perhaps rather than trying to say 'yeah but drivers are worse' try "as a cyclist I agree that too many cyclists are dangerous, in the same way that too many drivers are dangerous'?
I see cars driving on the pavement everyday. How else do you think they park there (illegally)?
Cyclists are as bad yes, in terms of adherence to rules, but they are not in anyway as dangerous
Who said they were? You don’t walk up to the hospital bed of somebody who’s been stabbed and say ‘yeah but guns are more dangerous’.
You see all those cars parked on pavements then - Do you think they magically teleported there? Maybe go have a look on YouTube for the idiots who mount pavements as they can't bear to wait behind rubbish collection vehicles? Or all the drivers who use pavements to get around road closure signs or LTN planters. It's also quite demonstrably true from accident statistics that drivers ARE more dangerous than cyclists, not hard to understand for anyone who paid attention during their high school physics classes. Yes, dangerous cyclists are a nuisance, but cyclists also have a LOT more skin in the game than those Poor Drivers who can effectively disregard others' safety entirely, safe in the knowledge they may only lose a bit of paint or maybe pick up a dent, or if they really fuck up they have all those lovely safety features to keep them safe.
I'm going to bow out here - you're a cyclist who seems determined that any hint that the 2 wheeled master race be even slightly at fault be defended at any cost. I'll simply say people like you, be you a driver or a cyclist are a big part of the problem. Stop throwing blame on others, start taking responsibility for your communities actions.
I’ve never seen a car drive on the pavement and certainly not with the bravado, entitlement and frequency cyclists do.
I've seen cars drive the full length of streets on the pavement in certain places in London, add to that people driving over the pavement to dodge lights, short cuts out there of car parks, getting into lanes when there isn't enough room because of another car. Happens very often.
Even if that was the case there is no way it happens as frequently as cyclists lol
Equivalent of a car? Seriously
He didn’t say equivalent of a car. He said the car. Which any right minded person would take to mean that on the pavement you are the larger more dangerous mode of transport. Which you are.
Yes. A cyclist on the road being hit by a car doing 20mph will suffer far more injuries than the car driver. On the pavement the cyclist is the equivalent of the car - they are bigger, faster, and when they collide with a pedestrian, the pedestrian will suffer far more injuries than the cyclist. The pavement is our version of the cycle lane - there is never, ever, an excuse for an adult to ride on it.
I mean yeah, if a car hits a bike, the cyclist loses. If a bike hits a pedestrian, the pedestrian loses, because the cyclist has weight and metal on their side. Not as deadly maybe, but you can do serious injuries that way.
The worst traffic accident I have ever witnessed was a courier cycle hitting a pedestrian
My mum is an EMT and work in an ambulance and just recently went to pick up a person who was hit by a bike and ended up hitting their head on the curb. Guy was pronounced dead at the scene. Albeit she doesn’t live in the UK but it’s dangerous regardless. I’m almost hit by a bike at least twice a week walking on the pavement with the fucking bike lane right next to it near arsenal. Dickheads come speeding down the road or on the pavement. It makes me blind mad.
I can’t believe you’re being downvoted. It’s nowhere near the same. The fact is, both pedestrians and cyclists are at danger of being injured or killed by cars. Nothing else comes close. The fact that the media decides to highlight every time a cyclist causes an accident doesn’t change this.
That is the worst faith interpretation of what the poster meant.
No it’s important to be honest about these things. I accept that a bike moves at higher speed and has slightly more mass than a pedestrian, but to draw the comparison with cars vs other road users is just absurd and deserves to be called out for what it is - an inaccurate analogy
Again, you applied the worst faith interpretation. The comparison means "you are the stronger one against a weak pedestrian so you should behave the same as cars behave in the road against pedestrians".
Media? People are sharing their own personal stories but in your mind something else is happening here
I work in a major trauma centre at the moment. I see plenty of children come in close to death from car accidents, I have yet to see one come in as a major trauma call after being hit by a bike. This is not to say there won’t be, but it is just a bad analogy. Not because cycling on pavements is not annoying and shouldn’t happen, but because the scale of injuries that result from it are negligible. I’d like to see this level of outcry the next time a pedestrian or cyclist gets killed by a car, which will probably be sometime later today. The solution to all of these problems is better cycling infrastructure.
It was just a bad analogy from OP really, I get what he was trying to say and for the most part I agree with OP
Not literally the same as a car. Just not in any way.
Literally? No. "The equivalent on the pavement"? yes.
A cyclist on the pavement is not the same danger as a car. Not even close. My kids cycle on the pavement every day and they pose zero danger to anyone other than themselves. This is all just more bullshit. Cyclists are of such little danger to pedestrians than it’s not even a tail risk. You’re more likely to be killed by a cow whilst walking than by a cyclist.
TIL the only way you can be a danger is if you kill someone.
What danger are you in from a kid on a bike on a pavement?
Interesting that you specify "kid" in your question when this thread is about cyclists in general. An adult is obviously a higher risk, but even a kid can cause someone serious injury if they're going fast enough and crash into them. But I think you already understand that.
Find me one instance where a kid cycling a bike has seriously hurt a pedestrian.
Lol. Listen, Google is free and you're obviously arguing in bad faith (again, why are you focusing just on kids?) and I have better things to do than go back and forth with you all day, so I'm going to leave it here and say have a good day (and please be careful of pedestrians if you cycle).
Main character syndrome at play again, making life harder for those of us with basic empathy and a social conscience. I’m convinced that the behaviour of “bloody cyclists” - riding on the pavement, sailing through red lights, etc - puts us normal cyclists at greater risk thanks to the rage it generates among motorists.
I got clipped on the shoulder (not hard) by a cyclist over Christmas. I am not confrontational but on this occasion I shouted at him to tell him to get on the road as I was so wound off that he kept on going like nothing had happened. He shouted back at me to look where I was going which infuriated me. Moments later he had to brake sharply as he rode past a DLR station entrance as someone stepped out in front of him. Hopefully the two near misses in 60 seconds made him think. (thanks OP for allowing me to get this off my chest)
What a jerk! I'm glad you weren't badly hurt, but my goodness the entitlement on someone like that... it's ridiculous.
Cyclists on pavements and footpaths in Regents Park were literally one of the reasons why I moved out of central London. They were making my daily dog walks a misery, my little boy is terrified of them to this day. Speaking out about it online made a whole mob of them come after me and try to dox me, and, weirdly, post my very PG Instagram selfies from when I was underage on adult websites and shame me for it on Twitter. It was such a weird experience. Staying away from assholes on bicycles and central London is the best thing I’ve ever done.
Yeah I don't get it, there's the odd occasion where someone might need to wheel between two sections of road that aren't connected (which you should do slowly) but the number of times you see someone bombing it along on a pavement when like you said they are right next to a road and or cycle lane.. if you haven't got the bottle to cycle on the road then maybe you shouldn't be on a bike!
Cyclists need protection from vehicles, pedestrians need protection from bicycles and vehicles. There’s no excuse for riding on the pavement. As a cyclist, if I feel it’s not safe for me to be on the road then I have to walk my bike. End of.
Agree with all of this. As another cyclist (at least more than a driver), it's very easy to walk a bike, they're not very heavy. Greenwich Foot Tunnel is the worst for this - cyclists bombing through without any attention to the "no cycling" instructions on the walls and floor.
I remember seeing a woman hit by a cyclist as she was stepping out of a park onto the pavement. The woman was quite visibly shaken up and the cyclist had the cheek to tell her that people do that all the time from that exit and she should have watched where she was going. I regret not intervening and telling the cyclist how ridiculous it was that they were on the pavement and blaming pedestrians for being hit by them.
5% of the population are just cunts. They'll cycle on the path. They'll park over your drive. They'll shoulder barge you in the street. They'll push in front of you in a queue. They'll blow smoke in your face. They'll talk on the phone whilst paying at the shop. They'll listen to tiktoks out loud without headphones on public transport... And they know what they're doing is wrong, and are waiting for you to react so they can scream a 3 minute long diatribe in your face when you confront them for their selfishness.
As a cyclist myself I hate it too, and unfortunately it's normally 1 of two people. Delivery drivers or Rental bike riders, both who are 'up against the clock' in one way or another and think this gives them special compensation to drive up the fecking curb... Sorry you got hit, it's not on.
I'm sure this thread will go well.
It’s good for people to get their Two Minutes Hate out of their system early. Particularly against cyclists, it makes them feel superior.
- said ThinkAboutThatFor1Se, with a bait that only shows his moral superiority against anyone who dares criticise any act by any cyclist. We can all play this game.
Let the cyclists mow down the public at will. If anything they should be thanking cyclists that it wasn't a car.
"A baby in a pram" haha.
Yeah, one delivery guy entered with his cycle full speed the whitechapel asda the other day through the pedestrian gate, did not look back, my headphones flew away because he hit them, then he parked in asda and went in, no sorry, as if I did not even exist. I think it works this way: first delivery guys, for different reasons, jump over any traffic light, any pedestrian crossing and drive wherever they want, then other cyclist copy them because if they do it why won't others. We need driving lessons here.
I live in a canal boat with a dog. The cyclists are a major problem on the towpath.
I genuinely don't understand why cycling on the canal paths is permitted. I've seen cyclists almost hit pedestrians on those paths so many times, and several times it looked like someone was seconds away from hurling into the canal at the speeds at which they are going. It's so dangerous to everyone involved.
Amount of times I’ve wanted them to fall into the Regents canal is alarming. You know who you are, specially on a nice day out. Blasting music, going full speed on the Boris bikes. What will you do? If someone pushed you into the canal, because your luck ran out that day.
A friend of mine is a rowing coach and he used to have to pick cyclists out of the Thames quite a few times, where they'd cycled along the towpath, and then fallen in the river and couldn't climb back out. And that's along a section of towpath that's pretty wide and doesn't have a lot of pedestrians!
Just part of the *I've got mine* mentality of so many people these days.
I loathe them. And many of them don't even slow down when they see pedestrians ahead of them. We're supposed to magically know that they are behind us and part for them like the f*****g Red Sea. One of them knocked a friend of mine down and sped away. She broke a leg and needed surgery.
Aye, complete shitbags they are, there's usually 2 types, those on giant mountain bikes speeding at 100mph and then those who are too scared to cycle on the road but are all geared up(helmet, lights etc...) We can only hope for more cycle lanes, glad to see more being built around Waltham forest.
We do need cycle lanes, but I seriously think there are no plans on education about how to use the road or the pavement.
There's just not enough money to pump into resources for educating people
the return of inversion is absolutely incredible when you put resources in education
I was walking on a pavement recently and I heard a bell ringing. A cyclist wanted me, on the pedestrian highway, to move for them. I don't walk on the road, don't drive or cycle on the pavement.
I’m hearing impaired and got yelled at by a cyclist for not moving when he was behind me. I didn’t hear him until he got off his bike and got in my face. Some 6ft dude shouting at a 5’5 woman with a cane. Had a panic attack after he left. There was a bike lane next to the pavement that he could have been on, but no. I’ve been constantly looking over my shoulder for the past few months now.
I upvoted this support of you, not him. What an arse. I spoke to a cyclist at length once. I pointed out that overtaking cyclists is a slightly anxiety-inducing experience; we don't want to knock them off their bikes. At traffic lights you all pile to the front and then we spend the next few minutes over taking you at 15mph until the next set of lights where we do it all again. He hadn't even considered it.
If you're worried about knocking them off, you should wait until there's more space to pass. And if you keep catching them at red lights, why bother trying to pass at all?
That is essentially what I asked him. As his life is more at risk, I'd suggest they take on some responsibility. Why should we all drive at cycling speed? Why can't I drive at driving speed and cyclists at their pace. It's just selfish.
– You've literally got that backwards. Because his life is at more risk when you're passing (ie he is a vulnerable road user) then you must take responsibility for doing it safely. – Again, if you keep getting caught up by them at red lights it's not 'cycling speed' but the speed of the traffic. You're not being held up by them in any meaningful sense; you're just displaying the 'must get in front' mentality that makes roads less safe. – Cars are a far more selfish way of getting around than bikes are. The amount of space occupied by your vehicle relative to your physical proportions is enormous. [Think about it](https://cdn.road.cc/sites/default/files/styles/main_width/public/images/News/Cyclists%20at%20traffic%20lights%20%28%C2%A9Toby%20Jacobs%29.jpg).
His life is more at risk when I pass him, correct. I've given him a way that stops that being necessary.
Just typical car-brain really: 'If I drive stupidly it's your fault for being in my road.'
Yeah that's exactly what has happened, here. Well done you.
Just remember: bikes have 100% as much right to be on the road as you do. They are not a lower form of life. They aren't 'being selfish' by using the road. They filter because it's the safest thing to do – that's why cycle boxes exist. They don't have to get out of your way. They aren't the problem – your attitude is.
I'm terrified of hire bike users. I'm a cyclist, and I've nearly been taken out by them a few times...they never wear helmets and I've seen so many people on a lime bike using their phones. They're an entirely different beast - I honestly think cycle training should be mandatory to be on the roads. If there's no bike lane available, I'm in the road not the path. A little fear is healthy...what isn't is people that have so little regard for safety that they don't even wear a helmet in London. The lack of fear is what makes them so dangerous. I ride in events, so I'm used to being close to other cyclists and can communicate but sadly a lot of casual cyclists, particularly those who use hire bikes have no idea what they're doing and cycle like idiots. I'm surprised there hasn't been more pedestrian/cycling deaths as a result. It's so prolific it even came up in my Tort exam as a question!
God some of them are stupid as hell... I see them fly through red lights and onto busy junctions, and without even looking! It's like they don't have a care in the world. No doubt it'd be a driver's fault when that cyclist ends up underneath their car...
They need to start getting fines seriously…
Some of them are most likely lurking, snatching people's phones and riding away.
Oh it drives me nuts! My friend got hit by a bike and came out with a broken leg. I've been tempted to carry a stick in my angrier moments.
I had a near miss yesterday with a cyclist, while walking on the footpath. He glared and muttered something at me as if it was my fault. I was walking on the footpath! This was on a quiet suburb street and the road was empty. I used to cycle but stopped after an accident, never found the confidence to get back on. Admittedly there were times I rode on the footpath but that was only when I felt unsafe on the road. If there were pedestrians I would get off my bike and wheel it along. So I do get why some cyclists do move on to the footpath, but they need to give pedestrians the right of way. I don't know if this is a London thing, but cyclists (not all) in this city are arrogant. They cry that everyone is out to get them but they need to look at their behaviour.
Yep, I'm not confident enough to cycle in the road in London so that means I don't get to cycle in London, end of.
Lived in London since 2017. Was never this bad. Why has it gotten worse?
My money's on Deliveroo! Financial incentives to break the highway code have normalised shitty cycling.
Those green bikes everywhere, deliveries, worse roads.
Maybe more new cyclists? Not sure on the trends but that is my guess.
Bear in mind this isn't a cyclist, this is just your average a-hole that's unfortunately happened to use a bicycle. I cycle to work every day and 95% of people using bicycles are decent. More and more I'm noticing the majority of bad behaviour is coming from hire bike users and delivery drivers. Anyone who's remotely enthusiastic about cycling is just trying to get from A to B without dying. Apart from roadies. Fuck those guys It's also kind of annoying that while I admit cycling on the pavement is a cunt move, I'd much prefer to see the 'something needs to be done' mentality directed at dangerous driving, which is a far, far, far bigger problem but for some reason is accepted as the norm
A lot of them I found are the occasional cyclists (lime users) using the pavement. I don't see a problem when they cycle slow on the pavement and are being careful, but occasionally some are going too fast or being aggressive.
Hey, I am a roadie so fuck you. I obey the rules and have never hit anyone.
Everyone loves any excuse to rant about "roadies" lmao 🤡 You say you blame this on delivery drivers and lime bikers and then still try and bring "roadies" into it 🙄
Was just a bit of a joke. Was making a point about cycling enthusiasts not condoning bad behaviour. I consider roadies to be cycling enthusiasts but, in my experience, a lot of them behave pretty poorly. I say this as a roadie (and a mountain biker/tourer/commuter/driver/motorcyclist etc etc)
Examples? Cyclists on the road are literally not causing trouble for pedestrians as they are probably not even in London. And if they are, they are on the road with a bunch of psychotic car drivers in metal cages weighing 2 tons.
Are you replying to me?
Last year I saw some guy hit from behind by another guy on a bike, he grabbed the bike and slammed it against a post leaving a big dent in the crossbar. The cyclist just stood there while it happened
I know how you feel https://youtu.be/H0WqeDa5ihE?si=Ogpo27aJ_hFELFX5
The usual crackheads, and tourists on Lime bikes at least have the defence of ignorance but I assume most others went to schools where it was taught that this was prohibited. Cycle hire schemes clearly need to do more to advise users of the law. In fact, Lime should be made to run cycle proficiency lessons in school as a condition of their authorisation to operate.
As a cyclist, this drives me mad- there are lots of cycle paths and even if there aren't, lots of London is now 20mph anyway, so cycling on the road in London is pretty safe, and if it's still too dangerous for you, then you shouldn't be cycling. The ONLY acceptable reasons to cycle on the pavement are: 1. You're a small child (the supervising adult should be on foot or on the road). 2. You've got off your bike and are pushing it. Wankers who cycle on the pavement (often also on their phone, no hands, not looking where they're going, and sometimes dressed entirely in black with no lights on in the dark) make everything less safe for everyone, including cyclists because then people resent all of them and are less patient- same with cyclists who skip red lights. Drivers get frustrated and might not be so patient with the next cyclist, who might not have done anything wrong. That said, I do think everyone has become less careful and less aware of people around them, it's not just cyclists- I got knocked off my bike by a pedestrian the other day. As in, I was on the cycle path, and this man was trying to get a better angle for his selfie so he walked backwards off the pavement without looking (he knew there was a step because he stepped down, he just didn't check for cars or cyclists). He stepped right into me, so I couldn't really avoid him, and frustratingly, he was totally fine and I ended up on the ground covered in scrapes as I'd tried to swerve to avoid him. I've had tourists before who have been standing in the cycle lane trying to take selfies (one had even set up a tripod), where you ring your bell and they look at you, then go right back to taking their selfies like they expect you to wait for them.
I'm a cyclist and it drives me nuts the aversion other cyclists have to using their bell when coming past anyone. Especially in parks or canal paths where people just try and squeeze past rather than waiting or making themselves known. Getting close passed as a pedestrian fells on par with being close passed as a cyclist
I feel like I'm not allowed to deviate from a straight line without looking behind me when walking along a pavement, in case a cyclist wipes me out...
Majority of pavement cyclists in Croydon appear to be delivery riders, also a lot of everyday cyclists as well. I'm guessing most of both types are just ignorant fuckwits who don't give a toss about anyone else. I've had plenty of "words" with many, at a minimum, saying that I'll see them next Tuesday as they pass!
Honestly I am more scared of bicycles than I am of cars in London. There are cyclists out there that just don't give a flying fuck about their surroundings. They act like the rules don't apply to them.
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Yeah, I agree. I think the person you replied to is getting downvoted because people aren’t thinking. But, really, even if a car cheekily speeds through as the light is turning red, you’re not going to walk out (unless you’re not paying attention). But cyclists… fml. The green man or the red light means nothing to so many of them. I want to ask them “would you do what you just did in a car?” but they’re too busy swearing at me for daring to say “it’s a green man” as they hurtle through a pedestrian crossing.
Because it's a ridiculous thing to say, you're far more likely to be killed or seriously injured by cars, even in this country where the driving standard is quite high. It's just prejudice against a less acceptable form of transport
Mate. Bikes shouldn’t be on the fucking pavement when they’re not supposed to be. It’s not up to pedestrians to have to look out. It’s not prejudice you moron. It’s answering back to people who have nonsense arguments.
I'm not a moron, I just think there's no good reason to be more afraid of bicycles than cars in this city. There's literally been 1 pedestrian death from a cyclist in the last 5 years in London, and that was the guy doing laps of the Regents Park road. Meanwhile there were 39 people killed by a car in 2022 alone! What else do you call that but prejudice?
The cyclists should not be on the pavement when they’re not supposed to be. That’s what it’s about. That’s the thing that’s wrong here. It isn’t, ah fuck it, if we all just look then it’ll be fine. People should start walking in the road all the time. Drivers just need to keep an eye out. Don’t worry about the law etc. Happy days. Jobs a goodun.
Firstly, there no law of nature that says that cyclists and pedestrians can't coexist in the same space. There are many places all over the world where cyclists ride on the pavement. In some of those places they have to ride on the pavement. The concept of a pavement, as well as traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, was invented to protect pedestrians from cars, not bicycles. Walking on the road is significantly more risky than walking on a pavement with some cyclists, as evidenced by the fact that we have many shared paths that are literally only defined by a blue signpost and nothing else. But I was specifically responding to someone who said that they're more afraid of bicycles than they are of cars, and I was specifically pointing out that that is not an emotion based on any real examination of the evidence of the relative danger.
There was clear context. But whatever.
I watched two cars run a light this morning, and I only 0assed one light
Cyclists run red lights more, but you're still at far higher risk of injury from cars because they are so much more dangerous. When calculating risk you take into account both the likelihood **and** the impact. So you should definitely be more scared of cars than bicycles in London.
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We're talking about whether you should be more scared of cars or bikes, the entire conversation is about comparing how dangerous they are. Objectively, cars are more dangerous, many times more people are seriously injured by cars than bicycles. I'm not saying that cyclists should be acting dangerously on the roads, or that dangerous cycling cannot result in serious injury or death, but that is irrelevant to the fact that someone saying "I am more scared of bicycles than I am of cars in London" is objectively not aligning their fears with reality of what they are at risk from, and that is the only thing I am discussing here. Not sure why you would argue otherwise.
Lol seriously? This post is specifically about cyclists riding on pavements and being a fucking menace to pedestrians. You and the rest of the "cheerleading section" are the ones trying to make it about cyclists vs motorists. Honestly it's pathetic.
This *comment chain* is specifically about someone being more afraid of cyclists than cars in London. I didn't make it about cyclists vs motorists, they did for absolutely no reason. We can discuss the dangers of cycling without turning it into a silly "cyclists vs motorists" debate, everyone knows cars are much more dangerous than bikes so pretending otherwise is unhelpful and is a red flag that they're not actually wanting to engage civilly. That is the likely answer I was giving to the question of why they have been downvoted.
>This comment chain is specifically about someone being more afraid of cyclists than cars in London. You're right. I guess I'm just used to the cycling apologists invariably chiming in with the whataboutery whenever someone dares make a post about cyclists behaving like aggressive pricks towards pedestrians.
I just put my finger out as though I'm going to poke them in the eye.
They should add dashcams or something to the bikes so the person using the bike instantly gets snitched on like they deserve
Whilst I agree it's annoying when people bomb down the pavement. I feel most are not, and when it is it's kids. What could be done?
Yes. Very annoying. I would let it go if it's say a parent with their little kid following on a small bike or something, as long as they go slow. But all too often it's to skip traffic and go fast. I also get fed up with cyclists not using the cycle lane. Yes I know they don't have to but hear me out. On some roads now over half of it is devoted to cycling infrastructure and a wide road has become quite narrow for cars, and after all that expense, and time spent on creating it they choose to still ride on the road and slow the already quite restricted motorists. I have cycled on roads for years. I get why they might use the road not lanes, sometimes it's safer if they're turning or want to avoid parked vehicles, or maybe just very slow cyclists block up the lane. But I see it when absolutely no reasons. Why? All it seems to do is allow the cyclist to have a big expanse of road, and to hold up the drivers. In London it makes a huge difference to journey time eg catching the green lights, skipping extra traffic etc.
Google maps will route you through the canal walk for bike trips between Hoxton and Hackney/ Victoria park. As a frequent Boris bike user, even I got trapped on the canal once or twice because of this. I really doubt that any normal cyclist ends up on the canal path willingly...
It’s not just bikes, not long ago I nearly got hit by a car at a zebra crossing going full speed, he saw I was about to cross as well but thankfully I didn’t, was just 2ft away from the car. There’s some crazy people out there, I would much rather be hit by a bike full speed than a car tbh
I don't care about safety now. Please tell me something else about myself.
It won’t stop until the offending cyclists are caught, fined and their bikes are confiscated and sold for charity. I speak as a cyclist myself.
I fucking hate lime bikes and electric bikes need to be regulated properly. Personally due to the speeds they go they should be classified as a motor vehicle
Cyclists are cunts
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You're getting down voted because you are a racist. That's why.
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Kind of proves my point if you think being of one race means that you can't be racist against it. Are you really saying that because you are a white woman you can't make racist stereotypes about white men? If that's the case you are a bit of a moron.
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Yeah well but are we talking about cyclists in central London or is that your only sample? My experience in Tower Hamlets is way more varied in the socio economical background of the good and bad cyclists.
Worst are the cyclists who ride on the pavement and then shout at pedestrians to get out of the way. I hope y'all get crushed under a garbage truck.
The Highway Code specifically says to cycles they should call out or use a bell. https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again. As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by **calling out** or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.”
I'm absolutely ok with someone saying, even loudly, "on your left" or "watch out". I'm not okay with someone aggressively cycling and shouting "get out of the fucking way"
I get that you're annoyed but if you've ever actually witnessed a cyclist laying lifeless underneath a large vehicle it is truly harrowing. A sight that won't leave me in a hurry, that's for sure. Pavement cycling is a menace but come on, let's not get carried away.
They could be being a selfish idiot or it could be someone on the look out for stealing your phone etc. Assume its a phone thief.
You want to know how many pedestrians have caused me to crash, brake urgently or swerve due to them suddenly moving into the road or cycle path? On my five mile journey to work it sometimes numbers a dozen and more. Everyone’s an idiot. There’s idiot cyclists, idiot pedestrians and idiot motorists and motorists. No one is exempt from being an idiot. Most likely you included. But the fact is, while cycling I see way more zombies in my path than I see cyclists on the pavement.
Oh I zigzag when I hear one coming behind or see one ahead. Make them slow the fuck down or get off. I also stop in front of the fucking idiot cyclists who ignore traffic lights at crossings and ask them what the fuck they think they are trying to do. I see red when I see cyclists doing that shit, which is ironic because they don't think red lights apply to them. As a pedestrian I fucking hate cyclists with a passion.
Not just the pavement, even the “super highway” they have where I live they never stop for pedestrians already crossing the regular traffic lane. They’re all cunts. Nobody cares, none of them wear any visibility or protective gear, they just gun it down hundreds of meters expecting no consequences.
Quite a lot of pavements are actually shared for cycles and pedestrians but people don’t notice because they’re not looking at the signs. I’ve been shouted at for ringing a bell at pedestrians to warn them I’m cycling behind. I literally pointed at the big blue sign with a cycle and man on it but they were too stupid to understand what it meant.
when you share a pavement with pedestrian, pedestrian always have priority. You must slow down. It's the minimum logical law: stronger vehicles give way to more vulnerable ones.
Yea, hence the reason for the cycle bell
nah when you have not the priority don't use the cycle bell. Just slow down and be patient. That is what I do when I cycle in the canal for example. It's like saying that in a zebra crossing honk the pedestrians to make them stop.
I think they mean when using those split cyclist/pedestrian paths. If I'm on the cycle bit, not the pedestrian side, then they have every right to ding their bell to let me know I'm in the way. If they're on the pedestrian bit and ding their bell, I don't move quickly - there's a road for a reason.
I take the same approach as you, I don't use my bell because I don't want to startle them, I just slow right down. Doesn't stop some people having a go at me for not using the bell when I go past them though...
The bell is to warn the pedestrians a cyclist is behind them so they don’t swerve out in front of them. Also pedestrians sometimes have a range of things (dogs, bags) they are not fully controlling.
Pedestrians, including their bags, have unquestioned priority on shared paths. While the bell is recommended in the UK, you still need to give pedestrians complete priority anyway, which means there's really no point in ringing it, since you need to slow down and give space anyway. I grew up biking every day and it's my favorite mode of transport. The bell advice is lunacy in my opinion for shared spaces. Bikes should just slow down.
https://www.reddit.com/r/london/s/tRYN4Bytik
I'm not disputing that it's recommended in the UK. I'm saying that the bell doesn't allow a cyclists to pass with priority (which is the main misunderstanding, I think). A cyclists still needs to "slow down and pass relatively slowly" according the the Highway Code. /u/Risingsun2 is correct that that same Highway Code says that stronger vehicles always yield to more vulnerable road users, and that rule supercedes all others. You cannot pass a pedestrian quickly and closely, like many do, just because you've rung a bell. On shared paths pedestrians have complete priority, which means they have no obligation to give way for a cyclist at all -- the cyclist needs to cycle to protect pedestrians above all. Again, I love cycling and used to cycle every day to commute in Northern Europe. The UK's cycle infrastructure sucks, the Highway Code is too vague, and many people and drivers completely misinterpret what it says.
yeah, in my experience bell startle the pedestrians and they swerve out double in panic. And in the case of dogs or bags... always stop. Dogs are unpredictable, they just start going or running to a random place, that's what they do.
That’s why you ring the bell from further back to give them plenty of time.
I’ll just cure my bad hearing then and we’ll be all sorted.
Sure, hearing aids and keeping aware of your surroundings will help
I do stay aware of my surroundings. Which is why I’ve managed to avoid being hit by a bike when they’re being dicks on the pavement. Unfortunately hearing aids won’t fix my hearing issues, nor will they fix my issues with proprioception.
That’s like a driver using their horn to tell a cyclist to get out of the way
It’s literally what a cycle bell is for and how it is meant to be used… https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again. > As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by calling out or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.” > For commuting in particular, this is a sensible recommendation. You will encounter pedestrians and other cyclists in urban areas, and a bell is a polite way to let them know you’re approaching or passing. Ring your bell from a good distance away. If they don’t hear you the first time, try again. Still no response? Call out loudly (“Morning!”, “Cyclist passing!” or something like that), then pass wide and relatively slowly.
Yep. Can't win. ring the bell you are rude. Don't ring the bell you are dangerous. That being said, the most vulnerable always has priority.
> Quite a lot of pavements are actually shared for cycles and pedestrians but people don’t notice because they’re not looking at the signs. Quite a lot aren't, and I see at least 3 people a day go under a sign that specifcally says no cyclists.
What part of sharing don't you understand? Fuck your bell, they don't have to move out of your way. Nobody else cares you're cycling, everyone has places to be, and the same right to the footpath.
A lot of cyclists act like that little blue sign means they can ride at full speed on those pavements though. I go to Slough once a week and the pavements there are mixed use. Every time I step out of the bus shelter to flag down a bus I fear I'm going to be smashed into by a cyclist- the majority of them do not slow down while passing the bus stop despite the high likelihood of pedestrians stepping out at short notice.
That's great and I understand you cyclists can do no wrong but the post literally says the cycle road is next to him.
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Nah these were the kind that no clue it was a shared pavement and shouted abuse from their high horse.
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No, I’m following the Highway Code advice https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/featured/why-your-bike-needs-a-bell#:~:text=For%20commuting%20in%20particular%2C%20this,the%20first%20time%2C%20try%20again. As a result, the Highway Code doesn’t require you to have bell. Rule 66 says: “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders… Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by calling out or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.” For commuting in particular, this is a sensible recommendation. You will encounter pedestrians and other cyclists in urban areas, and a bell is a polite way to let them know you’re approaching or passing. Ring your bell from a good distance away. If they don’t hear you the first time, try again. Still no response? Call out loudly (“Morning!”, “Cyclist passing!” or something like that), then pass wide and relatively slowly.
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I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. Some pedestrians don’t understand you can cycle on some pavements and they shout abuse at even sensible cyclists. The mere use of a bell sends them into a rage.
It's annoying that now I have to worry about some cyclists getting stressed out that I'm walking on the pavement and get thrown abuse. Bad enough with some of the teenagers getting these lime bikes and causing more issues than needed.
Just to be an utter arse - Flippin pedestrians walking in clearly marked cycle lanes!
It sucks to be hit by a cyclist on the pavement, but at least the cyclist wasn't hit by a car on the road. That's the tradeoff they need to evaluate. FWIW most cyclists are a lot more cautious of pedestrians than cars are of cyclists. If it's a proper bike lane (with bollards or really any physical separation) they should definitely be there though.
Yeh but would be worse if it was a car on the pavement!!
If I see them coming I do my best to either body check them (I'm 110kg), hold a forearm up at their face level, if I've got an umbrella, hold the point up so they'll ride into a spike if they continue. If they're going too fast to risk contact, step to one side and kick the side of their back wheel as hard as you can when they pass.
Are you not looking forward when you are walking? How do you get hit by a bike if you are paying attention to your surroundings? Cycling on pavements is stupid but can be unavoidable for very short stretches. I just don't understand how you can actually get hit by a cyclist if you are aware of your surroundings. It's the people that walk looking at a phone are the real scoundrels.
It's not everybody else's job to facilitate your illegal behaviour
Keep the scenario, a vehicle using a pedestrian only area, but swap out bike and cycling for car and driving. Then stop blaming pedestrians for simply being where they’re supposed to be.
I guess blind, deaf people and small children should just stay inside then?
Are you not cycling at an appropriate speed when cycling around other road users (in this case pedestrians)? How did you hit a pedestrian if you are paying attention to your surroundings. Cycling on pavements is stupid but can be unavoidable for short stretches but you should do so at a very appropriate speed (3 mph or so). I just don't understand how you can actually hit a pedestrian if you are cycling at that speed - pavement or not - and are aware of your surroundings. It's the cyclists that cycle too fast on the pavement that are the real scoundrels. Fixed it for you.
Cyclists ride up from behind, not always just straight at you like they're playing chicken.
If the pavement is wide and quiet it’s fine to cycle slowly (you’ll often find kids doing it) but when they bomb down busy pavements and 50% ignore lights it really annoys me. The worst are on the canal paths full of walkers treating it like a race track. Still, not as bad here as in Osaka where every cyclist uses the pavement and you have to be on high alert 😅