cyclist vs pedestrian - who has right of way

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

London50 wrote: »

I do agree with you about assault but I feel that there is far more chance of them {and it is only the odd one} doing damage to me by hitting me on their bike so it works both ways.
I do not seek out people riding bikes to attack them in any way but if I am out walking and they have plenty of space to pass yet choose to try to run into me I will react in a way I think is correct.
As you get older you are not as quick on your feet and why should I risk being injured when there is plenty of room for both myself and the bike rider to pass without causing damage or conflict between us.:)

What a ridiculous tissue of lies from a ridiculous person. What you claim to have done would be hugely dangerous and criminal. You haven't done it. You are lying.

happyc84

hi - thanks for the comments, the area we were walking in an urban river landscape. plenty of space for the cyclists to avoid the pedestrians.
The problem is when they are behind you - do you stop, has anyone been hit. would like to avoid, but separation is better,

Norman_Castle

Pyxis wrote: »

I really really wish more cyclists would ring a bell. Otherwise they are so quiet, you don't hear them coming.
On certain paths, it is quite scary.

I often don't use my bell if there is room to pass safely because many pedestrians tend to move sideways when they hear it either to move out of the way or look behind them and this then puts them in my path which if I hadn't rung my bell this wouldn't happen.
With dogs and their owners the dog and owner are often on opposite sides of the path. When they hear a bell the owners often move to the nearest edge of the path to them and start calling the dog to them. Many dogs will stop walking and watch the bike approach then just at the last minute the dog will decide to join its owner and cross the path in front of me. Again, if I don't ring my bell this doesn't often happen.

Norman_Castle

London50 wrote: »

I do agree with you about assault but I feel that there is far more chance of them {and it is only the odd one} doing damage to me by hitting me on their bike so it works both ways.

I suspect you are increasing the risk to yourself by doing this as you could get a broken wrist as you put the stick through the spokes or get hit by the cyclist or bike as they crash or get punched by a cyclist who isn't amused by your method of protest.

daytona0

Fairly unrelated, but this reminds me of super competitive swimmers when they have lane swimming sessions in the training pools...

The rule is "go clockwise" but there's always one or two idiots who either swim the wrong way or overtake slower swimmers in crowded lanes.

They'll do it despite the fact that you are approaching them on your side of the lane! They are like torpedos as well; they will either hit you or you will move out of their way!

I never move out of the way if I'm in the right. But you have to protect your head by extending your arms on impact.

Maybe I'm the bad guy here :rotfl:

unholyangel

I can't say its a major problem here (at least, not in my experience). If i hear a bike approaching when I'm out with the dogs I tend to step out of the way in plenty of time and don't resent them in the slightest for it - i step off to the side if someone is pushing a buggy etc too. I'd probably refuse to move if they were shouting at me/persistently ringing the bell though. I'm stubborn like that and as a general rule, whether it be on foot, bike or car....the person/thing currently occupying the space you want to move into has more rights to it than you do. Overtaking/going around them is one thing, but actually insisting they alter their course to accommodate you is (imo) the definition of inconsiderate.

Thats what I was taught whilst learning to drive - that traffic should be like a burn/stream joining a river - seamlessly merging - and not like a rock thrown into the river - entering the flow with a splash.

IMO they should teach bike safety in schools. My local police force used to run courses for it but they stopped about 20 years ago. Gave me a head start when it came to learning to drive too, already being familiar with some rules.

Korkyb

unholyangel wrote: »

IMO they should teach bike safety in schools. My local police force used to run courses for it but they stopped about 20 years ago. Gave me a head start when it came to learning to drive too, already being familiar with some rules.

They do still teach bike safety in my local primary and others up here in sunny Scotland http://www.bikeabilityscotland.org/schools/about




If I'm on my bike & pedestrians are in front of me (usually elderly ramblers) I use the briefest of "tings" on my bell regardless of if they are blocking my path or not & while I'm a reasonably good distance from them.


Not letting them know you are there / coming could cause an accident if they step in front of you at the last second.


A bike suddenly appearing out of the blue whilst bimbling along could cause alarm resulting in a code brown...... & no-one wants that.


As for blokey mate who appears to regularly assault people and damage property - I reckon he is telling the truth but has never done it to anyone aged over 8 years old otherwise I'm sure his stick may well have been stuck somewhere inconvenient (although there may not be room there given the head that already occupies that space.).

lush_walrus

I think the two user groups are incompatible on a river path. Pedestrians use it for a slow stroll and chat with whomever they are with. They are there for leisure and do not want to walk single file. On a warm day they also want to pass each other in opposite directions still maintaining their conversation. The rules of walking are as ever keep to the left. Meaning that one set are closer to the water than the other when they pass. Often they are with children and or dogs,both of which are often roaming free enjoying the countryside

Cyclists are often on there as it is for them a safe and pretty route away from cars. They want to move faster than a pedestrian and as they are higher than a pedestrian like to avoid low branches etc by travelling along the side closest to the river bank.

As always, all is fine until it's a warm Sunday when everyone is on the river. I both cycle and walk so understand each, to me on a hot day when the river is busy the twoxare incompatible

Pennywise

Some people are inconsiderate idiots whether they're pedestrians, cyclists or drivers.

Some walkers annoy me when I'm out walking, so it's not about conflicting modes of transport. I regularly walk on a narrow canal tow path. I'm often almost tripped up by dog walkers with their dogs out of control on extended leads getting themselves wrapped around my legs, or not on a lead at all. Some walkers 2 or 3 abreast seem to think it's perfectly reasonable to expect me to walk on to the wet grassy bank to allow them to pass rather than they go down into single file so we all stay on the path.

As a cyclist, I always give a single short bell ring. Some walkers just ignore it, so I have to ring again and again, and then finally you get the accusing "look" from them. Some dog walkers make no attempt to control their dogs. Some people with young children make no attempt to control/direct their children who have a tendency of panicing and running in front of the bike at the last minute.

In any "shared" use environment, ALL users need to make themselves aware of their surroundings, be considerate, etc. Walkers don't have any greater "right" than cyclists! Walkers in groups don't have any greater right than walkers on their own.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

If you time it right, you can push the c ....