Hit a small child

chris_n_tj

poontang why dont you have the good grace to say this time maybe you were wrong? Maybe next time you will use your common sense and stop to let the family by, after all if could be your child thats hit next time.
So come on lifes too short to be angry, and its not good for the blood preasure now is it.

By the way have you a bell on your bike?

johnfarquhar74

Regardless of whether the OP done the right/wrong thing I have seen this happen before.
Path user(note not cyclist) heads towards a group of people, group of people don't have the decency to either go single file or narrow their profile so that both parties can pass without a brake-lever in the face.
For some reason I get it a lot as I walk along bridle paths/canal tow paths. I seem to attract ignorant types? Invariably I end up stepping off the path on to some dog mess and locking the contempt deep within until I can unleash it on the some forum on the net
A lot has been made of the unpredictable nature of the child, well as a parent I can guarantee that if I saw a wobbly cyclist come towards me I get a good grip of my daughter until the other person safely passed, no mention if that happened in this instance?

chris_n_tj

poontang wrote: »

The path is wide enough for at least two bikes, so it was not me that was causing the obstruction, it was the three people walking in a row blocking the whole path.



The mother was in the middle of the path, I didn't think it advisable to pass on the outside of the children.




I couldn't 'move aside', if they want to walk three-abreast it's not possible when anything is coming the other way. OTOH, not walking three-abreast was an option for them.

For crying out loud, pick your dummy up.
Child 1 holding mummies hand on the left, child 2 holding mummies hand on the right. Well thats how its coming across to me, but of course you will say not. Get a grip and admit in this instance you were wrong.

Gandalfthesecond

chris_n_tj wrote: »

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For crying out loud, pick your dummy up.
Child 1 holding mummies hand on the left, child 2 holding mummies hand on the right. Well thats how its coming across to me, but of course you will say not. Get a grip and admit in this instance you were wrong.

Couldn't the OP have ridden on the grass or stopped?

chris_n_tj

QUOTE=Gandalfthesecond;Couldn't the OP have ridden on the grass or stopped

lol that would have been too easy by the sounds of it. Mountains and molehills spring to mind.

naughtyjo

Absolutely barking !!!
You hit a small child with your bike and your arguing over footpaths and bike paths.
If I had been the mother and someone did that to my child the automatic maternal streak would have kicked in and I would have given you a nice punch to the face and probably a few kicks
Common sense should have prevailed and you should have said excuse me or rung your bell. SIMPLES
Your obviously feeling GUILTY!! That child will now be scarred for life and will probably have nightmares and bad dreams about the bike man !! lol

geri1965_2

I always, always give way to pedestrians, even if I have to stop, whatever kind of path it is. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable of all road users, so should have priority. Yes, it annoying sometimes, but that's life.

Likewise I think cars should give way to bikes whenever possible. It's good manners, and I appreciate those that do when I am on my bike.

custardy

geri1965 wrote: »

I always, always give way to pedestrians, even if I have to stop, whatever kind of path it is. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable of all road users, so should have priority. Yes, it annoying sometimes, but that's life.

Likewise I think cars should give way to bikes whenever possible. It's good manners, and I appreciate those that do when I am on my bike.

I know it will throw fuel on the fire,but i have to tell my story from the other day.
sitting at a busy downhill crossroads,light controlled
lights turn to green but an ambulance is coming
car in front panics and slams on the brakes midway over the crossing.
cyclist behind them stops and waits for them to sort themselves out and let the now arrived ambulance pass
as it passes the lights go to turn to red but obviously the car and bike cross over as they are halfway over
the cyclist is just over when a taxi going across the crossing starts hurling abuse at the cyclist and swerves towards them.
thats the attitudes some cyclists have to put up with.
however when you see what some folks have to deal with from cyclists like the OP,well no surprise

geri1965_2

I almost got hit by a cyclist when I was walking on the pavement the other day. There are good and bad road users of all types. I once slammed on my brakes so hard to avoid hitting a pedestrian that had stepped into my path without looking that I bruised my leg on the crossbar and my hand on the brake!

poontang

jamespir wrote: »

either way it would have been sensible to pull over

however whiich way you try to justify your actions
if you had a hit my child youd be carrying the bike home

It's regrettable that it happens, but pedestrians and cyclists pass in close proximity to each other very regularly, and I think more so in future as there will be more shared use paths because people are scared of the road.

I don't think it's realistic to believe every time you pass close to a child you get off and push your bike.

I was hit on a residential road by a car overtaking inappropriately at 30mph a couple of months ago (my son was riding on the back). Rather painful, but I didn't smash his car up, and hardly comparable to me cycling between pedestrians at walking pace.