Walkers when you're out cycling & also filtering during busy traffic. 21 February 2021 at 8:48PM in Public transport & cycling 62 replies 2.2K views

JustAnotherSaver

I'll tackle 2 questions in the one rather than do 2 threads.

1) I'm pretty sure i'm going to be in the minority on this one. Wouldn't surprise me if i was in the minority of 1 either but i'll go with it. Does anyone else reading this get a bit annoyed by walkers walking against flow?

I suppose someone somewhere decided it was the way to walk on the road. I find it annoying when i'm out cycling and also when driving. When cycling i try to stick to the back roads as much as possible so that i hit less traffic. There are times I meet people coming at me, sometimes 2 or 3 wide. Most of the time they'll tuck in but some times you get the annoying people who wont - and wouldn't you know that a car is coming the other way right as you're about to pass, so you can't pass them in your own lane and you can't go in to the next lane because you'll get taken out. Had a near miss myself when going round a bend and nearly hit oncoming pedestrians and their prams so now I go extra cautiously which is a bit crap for trying to beat your times. On the rare occasions i've been walking on the back roads I always walk with flow not against it.

2) Tips for filtering across when traffic is busy?

I try to get out early in the morning when traffic is quieter as i'm not the most confident on A-roads. There's a certain spot on my route where the road splits in to two lanes approaching a roundabout. The limit will be 50mph building up to this. If i see clearance then i'll move over and nail it as hard as possible to make it but if there's traffic then i'll just bump up on the pavement and go the long route.

Likewise there's another portion of my route where i need to cut across what is 1 lane splitting in to 2 (from the other end of the roundabout actually). If it's quiet then I can do it easy enough and turn off to the back roads but if there's a stream of traffic then i either pull up on the pavement and wait for a gap to cross or i just re-route entirely and head through the roundabout even if i didn't initially want to.

theoretica

Walking facing oncoming traffic is according to the highway code  https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians.html

Carrot007

theoretica said:

Walking facing oncoming traffic is according to the highway code  https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians.html

Indeed.

OP, would you rather they were facing away from you and unable to move.

And given they have priority over you on the road maybe you should stop feeling entitled that they move out of your way.

I'm sure you are a pedestrian sometimes too. Are you not upset by entitled vehicles of all types (and runners)?

powerful_Rogue

As above OP, read the highway code before going on a crusade. As a walker, I always walk facing oncoming traffic.

Norman_Castle

I find walking facing oncoming traffic helps me spot cyclists trying to beat their times.

JustAnotherSaver

Carrot007 said:

I'm sure you are a pedestrian sometimes too.

Then you must have only skim read the post as I answer this in my post.

I'll admit to not knowing the highway code inside out and wasn't aware that that was the ruling. With that said, I don't know of anyone outside of MSE who knows the highway code inside out, top to bottom, back to front so I know at least while it's not ideal, i'm not alone.

When I walk I feel much safer walking with flow rather than against it, regardless of what code this breaks.

powerful_Rogue said:

 before going on a crusade.

Hardly. Though I do understand that it's the way of the forum to overreact. Could you please elaborate as to what crusade I am 'going on'?

I simply said it's not something I like or do.

I haven't accosted anyone. I haven't started any groups to take down all walkers who walk against flow.

So hardly a crusade now is it. Let's not build something out of nothing here, no matter how much you may wish for it to be so.

Carrot007 said:

OP, would you rather they were facing away from you and unable to move.

I have never been 'unable to move' when walking with flow.

Carrot007 said:

And given they have priority over you on the road maybe you should stop feeling entitled that they move out of your way.

It's basic manners.

If i'm crossing a road, I was always taught to pick my feet up. I don't slow down when I see a car just because I have priority. I don't bury my head in my phone and stupidly become oblivious to the world around me. I make sure I'm well aware of what's around and if a car is approaching then I cross quickly.

Likewise if i am walking on the backroads and a car approaches, I will tuck in. It's just basic manners.

Thanks to all for taking the time to answer the second part of the post too and not being on a 'crusade' over the first part. Very helpful.

Manxman_in_exile

JustAnotherSaver said:

...

I'll admit to not knowing the highway code inside out and wasn't aware that that was the ruling. With that said, I don't know of anyone outside of MSE who knows the highway code inside out, top to bottom, back to front so I know at least while it's not ideal, i'm not alone.

When I walk I feel much safer walking with flow rather than against it, regardless of what code this breaks.

...

I don't know the Highway Code inside out either, but surely it's common sense that when walking on "back roads" - particularly those without a pavement - you should walk facing into oncoming traffic rather than with your back towards it?  Surely it's much safer to be looking ahead and be aware of traffic directly approaching you from in front than not to be aware of traffic driving right at you from behind?

I don't know how old you are (I'm in my early 60s) but my parents taught me this when I was about five years old, along with "Look right, look left, look right again and, only if it's all clear, cross the road".  And this was reinforced at primary school as well.  It's not just an Isle of Man thing (loads of really "back" roads there!) either.  My wife was born in what was then Northern Rhodesia, but she was taught this as a child too.

I ask how old you are because I've come to the conclusion this is an age thing.  I walk, run, cycle and drive a lot on our local back roads and I have observed that the people walking in the footpathless road ahead of me with their backs towards me are invariably younger people.  Middle-aged and older people tend not to.  (Maybe that's why they've lived so long... )

When out walking on roads without footpaths I expect cars and cyclists to make room for me, unless there is traffic coming in the opposite direction, in which case I will try to make room for them if I can.  And when I'm driving or cycling, I make room for pedestrians walking towards me and make eye contact too.  If there's not enough room for me to give them room, I stop and let them walk past.  They usually smile and nod their acknowledgement.

As regards cycling round busy roundabouts etc, I pretty much do what you do.  I'd rather accept the delay of pushing a bike round a really busy roundabout than risk me coming off worse against a car or a truck.

EDIT:  When out walking or running - facing oncoming traffic - and approaching a blind bend (ie one that turns to the right ahead of me) I will consider crossing over to the other side of the road while navigating the bend, if it seems safer to do so.  As soon as I am round the bend I go back to facing oncoming traffic.  This is the only time while walking on a road without a footpath that I will not be facing oncoming traffic.

martindow

OP, I'm not sure that your first point has much logic.  If pedestrians are facing the traffic as suggested in the Highway Code aren't they more likely to move a bit to let you pass than if you are coming up behind them when they are less likely to notice you?

[Deleted User]

martindow said:

OP, I'm not sure that your first point has much logic.  If pedestrians are facing the traffic as suggested in the Highway Code aren't they more likely to move a bit to let you pass than if you are coming up behind them when they are less likely to notice you?

A great many pedestrians aren't aware of more than 6" in front of their nose, just yesterday I was out and 4 people were walking 4 abreast down a single file road and I almost had to come to a complete stop 3m or so away (rather than just slowing to a crawl) before they noticed and moved over - clear day, plenty of visibility etc

I find the issue more is that certain pedestrians (typically runners) are allergic to the pavement, such that they come out in hives if they go near it, so have to run in the road or in bike lanes for their own safety. Imagine how terrible it would be to live like that - step one foot to your left off the bike lane and onto the pavement and you risk death.

esuhl

JustAnotherSaver said:

2) Tips for filtering across when traffic is busy?

I try to get out early in the morning when traffic is quieter as i'm not the most confident on A-roads. There's a certain spot on my route where the road splits in to two lanes approaching a roundabout. The limit will be 50mph building up to this. If i see clearance then i'll move over and nail it as hard as possible to make it but if there's traffic then i'll just bump up on the pavement and go the long route.

This is what I'd do:

Cycle to the left of the lane, but away from the gutter, so that you're in the flow of traffic.  Whilst you're approaching the split to two lanes, indicate right, look for a gap, and move to the centre of the lane.  Keep indicating, and move across into the CENTRE of the new lane as it appears.  Remain in the centre of the lane. DO NOT allow traffic to squeeze past.  (Otherwise you could be squeezed into the tiny gap between two lanes of 50 mph traffic that hasn't seen you.)  Once it is safe for others to overtake again, move across to the left again.

Maybe it would help to "practice" cycling over that junction when it is very quiet?

As a cyclist, roads with 30 and 40 mph limits tend to be relatively safe.  Some 50 mph roads are dangerous or terrifying due to bad design, motorist behaviour or both.  So use your common-sense.  Some things aren't worth the risk.

rollingmoon

JustAnotherSaver said:

1) I'm pretty sure i'm going to be in the minority on this one.

I'm pretty sure you will be too. Hopefully that tells you something.