Footpaths. Shouldn't cyclists give way to pedestrians?

gibbsy

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My wife came home from taking the very pretty Cocker Spaniel for a walk in our local country park. She was quite upset and nursing a slightly bruised arm. Walking along side a stream on a narrow gravel footpath, she heard the 'ding ding' of a bicycle bell. Naturally she turned to look but was forced to jump out of the way. She doesn't know if the bike rider made contact with her arm or if she caught it on one of the many saplings that line the non stream side of the path.

Thankfully the dog was safely in the stream. There was not a word of apology from the rider and he continued down the narrow path at a furious pace. I can think of a few choice words to throw at this idiot.
 
Just returned from a week at Centre Parks and although there are a million and 1 signs saying cyclists give way to pedestrians I found it the opposite with pedestrians having to jump out the way frequently.
 
Just returned from a week at Centre Parks and although there are a million and 1 signs saying cyclists give way to pedestrians I found it the opposite with pedestrians having to jump out the way frequently.
I would take my chances and see who came off worst ...
 
I would take my chances and see who came off worst ...

To be fair to cyclists. Certain areas had a cyclist road and then a footpath besides but pedestrians just used both.
 
To be fair to cyclists. Certain areas had a cyclist road and then a footpath besides but pedestrians just used both.
But the signs were still telling cyclists to give way in those areas?
 
Surely it's got more to do with common sense than any actual laws - the guy on the bike was a dick full stop. It's nothing to do with him being a cyclist (a proper cyclist wouldn't be seen dead with a bell for a start :D), he should have seen someone on foot and slowed sufficiently to get past safely.

I cycle on the Trans Pennine Trail a lot, sometimes there are a lot of dog walkers, pedestrians and horse riders and it's a case of being courteous and sharing the space. Unfortunately, plenty of all the above are dicks too.

It's right for your wife to be upset, but please don't blame it on a 'cyclist' -the guy will still be a bell end when he gets off his bike and walks around.
 
Once cycled past an irate pedestrian who ignored our group ringing bells and shouting excuse me. We had to squeeze past them in the end and got hurled loads of abuse for not having bells (half the group did). Some people are just dicks regardless of having a bike or not
 
We just don't co exist well do we :laugh:
 
Someone dinging their bell at me the other day riding their bike down a footpath, queue dirty look as I didn't move and he had to go on the wet grass. They think dinging their bell is a warning to move out of their way, no thanks.
 
iv noticed the same thing also around parks which are clearly pedestrian footpaths...they think they can do whatever they want.

same with the joggers, expect pedestrians to give them complete way for the marathon they are running in their heads.
 
Yes. Unless she was on a mountain bike trail, then pedestrians shouldn't be there
 
We just don't co exist well do we :laugh:
Too right. Dogs and cyclist do not mix well. I have a small commute to work cycle team. Its called dog food :laugh: I was chased once for 1km by a snarling, snapping Doberman, off its lead. Luckily I wasn't bitten becasue I was cycling quite fast; and got faster. I tired the devil dog out. Now if there is big dog ahead I am never too sure if a slow pass by or fast pass by with as wide as berth as possible is best for my safety. With an aggressive dog I feel like sitting duck when going slow.

I cycle daily along a mixed use cycle path/road next to a river. The dogs are supposed to be on lead but 50% of them are not. Which I do not mind if the dogs are well controlled but the problem is not all dogs are controlled. Even if it is on a lead its not safe. I have be garotted twice now by those long, thin, retractable leads.

Often the owners are too busy on the phone or just clueless to the dangers; I am being kind :) They see me, they hear me but they do nothing! If its a group of dog walkers then whatever consideration there was when on their own seems to disappear.


I don't expect things to change. Its just human+dog nature.
 
Why not move a couple of feet to one side, say hello and be nice..

Just_Cuz_15.gif
 
This is why...
(skip to 40secs)

Arguing over who has right of way, as far as I can tell:p

The laws of Physics mean nothing to these guys :laugh:
 
We've decided to go to the country park office tomorrow and make an official complaint. At the entrance to the park cyclists are asked to keep to the official tarmaced routes, not that this worried this guy. The wife was on a designated footpath.

To make matters worse she drove to our favourite Sunday watering hole to be confronted with dozens of lycrad clad head down arse up cyclists on an official time trial. Being a considerate person she gave way to them (rightly) although I did say 'go on Cariad, this weighs a ton and a half, get your own back'.
 
Why not move a couple of feet to one side, say hello and be nice..
Where I live the paths are narrow and moving over means me getting my shoes muddy going on the grass or diving in a hedge.

I don't mind being polite but when they start dinging their bells at you instead of, you know, talking to you like a human and when we have perfectly good cycle paths (which we have plenty of around here).
 
Maybe they should wear pyjamas..
Where I live the paths are narrow and moving over means me getting my shoes muddy going on the grass or diving in a hedge.

I don't mind being polite but when they start dinging their bells at you instead of, you know, talking to you like a human and when we have perfectly good cycle paths (which we have plenty of around here).
What do you want them to do, stop get off and push the bike around you.. A bell is a recognizable signal that a cyclist is approaching, you can respond in one of two ways, polite and well mannered and stand aside or feminine passive aggressive style and be obstructive... Potentially causing either an accident or a confrontation.. For what, I just don't get this ill feeling over cyclists..

People don't like them on the roads, don't like them in the countryside by rivers and canals and there's a big issue over how the they dress.. The whole situation perplexes me, it really does..
 
Maybe they should wear pyjamas..

What do you want them to do, stop get off and push the bike around you.. A bell is a recognizable signal that a cyclist is approaching, you can respond in one of two ways, polite and well mannered and stand aside or feminine passive aggressive style and be obstructive... Potentially causing either an accident or a confrontation.. For what, I just don't get this ill feeling over cyclists..

People don't like them on the roads, don't like them in the countryside by rivers and canals and there's a big issue over how the they dress.. The whole situation perplexes me, it really does..
It's a foot path...they aren't cycle paths, we have those on the road and down some paths around where I live which I don't mind and I stay on the right side, I don't expect someone riding at me on a piece of metal that can do some damage expecting me to disappear like I'm in the wrong.

Not my problem if you can't understand that.

FYI I don't care what they wear particularly and actually from memory the people wearing the proper safety gear tend to stick to the road, it's the ones without helmets that think they can ride everywhere and anywhere.
 

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