Etiquette When Cycling on Footpaths 27 November 2018 at 1:20PM in Public transport & cycling 39 replies 6K views

mtc95

Some of my cycle route to work is on shared pavement/cycle path. It is mostly quite wide so there is usually enough space to safely pass pedestrians. I generally don't ring my bell on overtaking although I do slow down. The times I do use the bell is where I am behind a group blocking the whole path or sometimes when someone is walking in the middle and you are not sure if they are going to suddenly move to the left or right.

I sometimes worry that ringing the bell may come across as aggressive but no-one has ever complained. In fact they will often apologize! (unnecessarily)

Regarding cycle path etiquette, when meeting another cyclist coming in the opposite direction I've always assume that you should keep to the left side, the same as when driving. But quite often I meet cyclists who ride on the right and seem to want me to move or give me an unfriendly look if I stand my ground. Are there any rules about that on cycle paths or is it a free for all?

elsien

I helpfully point out that pavements are for pedestrians which in
my neck of the woods generally gets me the finger. Then me and my bull terrier continue at our normal pace while smiling sweetly, and make the !!!!!!s wait. Or go on the road. Whichever they prefer.
If it's a shared path I'd rather people use their bells - I don't perceive it as aggressive, just a handy hint to pull the dog in so it doesn't shoot in front of them.

adonis

I cycle 50% on the pavement and 50% on the road, the times I go on the road are because the pavement is blocked with parked cars so even a pedestrian cannot walk on it.
When I do meet a pedestrian I give way to them.

Carrot007

Alvinism wrote: »

So, I live in an area where people often cycle on the footpath. I don't have a problem with this in itself, but I wish cyclists would bear pedestrians in mind a bit more.
I don't know how many times I have been walking my dogs on the footpath, when a bike has suddenly flown past me from behind. I have never had any idea that they were there, and had I or one of my dogs moved a foot to one side, we would have had a full-on accident. Surely there should be a rule that cyclists must announce their presence well in advance!?

Then the other day, I was walking up a steep narrow passageway (a footpath I might add) when suddenly a voice behind me tells me to keep it moving! It was a cyclist who didn't want to dismount his bike or even put his foot down on the ground to wait a second. I didn't even have a clue he was behind me. Yet he expected me to hurry on up the hill to get out of his way or pin me and my dogs against the wall so he could get past. I found this so incredibly rude and thought of all these things I should have said to him after the fact. Responsible cyclists out there, surely this guy was in the wrong??:mad:

Carry an umbrella and use as needed?

fred246

I cycle occasionally on short sections of normally empty pavement. If I meet pedestrians they are normally very friendly and we both say good morning. Occasionally you meet someone who wants an argument. What intrigues me is that it is totally the preserve of the grumpy old man. Women never argue and young men don't either. Why is the grumpy old man so intolerant?

bertiewhite

fred246 wrote: »

Women never argue

Maybe because they are worried about "picking a fight" with a male?

fred246 wrote: »

and young men don't either.

Probably because they are just as guilty

fred246 wrote: »

Why is the grumpy old man so intolerant?

Because they are the only ones that don't just turn a blind eye.

Nasqueron

Kite2010 wrote: »

You mean there are some cyclists who break the law and cycle on the pavement?


Blimey, whatever next, news that some cyclists ignore red traffic lights...


Another example where it is clear that self regulation has clearly failed and more needs to be done to rope in the rogue cyclists giving other cyclists a bad name.

It's illegal to speed, it's illegal to tailgate, it's illegal to drink drive, it's illegal to jump red lights - none of which stops drivers doing all these things

Retrogamer

RichardD1970 wrote: »

Technically unless it is a designated shared path they are breaking the law.

Cycling on a footpath doesn't appear to be breaking the law as per the extract below

We need to be clear from the start of the important difference between a footway and a footpath.

Footways are paths alongside roads set aside for pedestrians and it is an offence to cycle along them.

Footpaths, on the other hand, are stand-alone paths which include around 80% of public paths in the countryside as well as many urban paths supplementing the road network. In general it is not an offence to cycle on these, except where individual paths are subject to local bye-laws or traffic regulation orders. There do not appear to be any decided cases to suggest that cycling along a footpath is a public nuisance and hence a criminal offence

Source

beefturnmail wrote: »

It's technically against the law to cycle on a footway and any cyclist doing so could get a FPN but the Police are supposed to exercise discretion when enforcing it:

As per the above, a footway is not the same as a footpath.

Nasqueron wrote: »

Bikes are all sold with bells and are meant to be equipped with an audible warning device (includes the cyclist shouting).

Most bicycles are, but not all. My Enduro class didn't come with one as the vast majority of people won't use it where pedestrians are.

Nasqueron wrote: »

on shared spaces/canal paths etc I tend to give warning that I am approaching so they can move. I find on the shared places pedestrians don't understand the need to be aware of surroundings (they have music on loud enough they can't hear me shouting; absorbed in mobile; wandering side to side - particularly with kids or dogs out of control) so you have to be a bit slower

I get exactly this also. I bought an extra loud bell for 2 of my bikes and often when i ring it, there is no reaction as they are too distracted by something else. There's a small section of a shared path over a bridge near me with one side solely for pedestrians and one side for cyclists. The cyclists there always stay on their side however pedestrians for some reason always use both then if you point out it's dangerous to wander into the cyclist only area you'll often get an earful of abuse.

Top the OP bad cyclists can be a nuisance as can bad drivers and pad pedestrians. Hopefully it won't skew your view as most are considerate from my encounters.

When i'm walking on an area where cyclists are encountered i try and stick to the side of the path to give them as much room past as possible and be aware of my surroundings similar to how i'd be if i was walking in an area where i may encounter cars.

Nasqueron

Retrogamer wrote: »

Most bicycles are, but not all. My Enduro class didn't come with one as the vast majority of people won't use it where pedestrians are.

Bikes sold in the UK must, by law, have a bell sold with it (though that might have changed as they were thinking about scrapping this rule in 2011, not sure if this was implemented) and in Northern Ireland* (and Isle of Man) must have one equipped at all times.






*Yet another example alongside abortion, gay marriage, libel etc that NI is different from GB despite their claims over Brexit about wanting to remain the same as the mainland

Norman_Castle

fred246 wrote: »

I cycle occasionally on short sections of normally empty pavement. If I meet pedestrians they are normally very friendly and we both say good morning. Occasionally you meet someone who wants an argument. What intrigues me is that it is totally the preserve of the grumpy old man. Women never argue and young men don't either. Why is the grumpy old man so intolerant?

Its because they're old and grumpy, it gives them a purpose in life. I've had women angrily telling me to ring my bell but they are always in groups and the other group members have to explain I did ring the bell, often repeatedly but they didn't hear it.
I find the vast majority of pedestrians are as courteous to you as you are to them. There are a small proportion of people, whether walking, driving or cycling who are just miserable and are looking for something to moan about.