Just got a text from my 14 year old:
"When I was riding home today an old man stopped on the side of the road, stuck his head out the window and said "get off the pavement, you are breaking the law" 😆 I thought he was such a nosey weirdo. It's happened before..."
What is wrong with people?! This old ****er is in his car, not trying to use the pavement but has a go at a kid, in school uniform riding his bike?!
Kid said he wanted to say "go on arrest me" but he's too polite.
"What and share the road with idiots like you?" is the correct answer obviously.
Some people just need their noses broken! *Seethe*
an old man
He was probably 32.
As your son wasn't on the road the idiot driver felt cheated as he wasn't able to sit up your son's chuff, and execute a punishment pass.
this what you tell the old bill 😉
When I was riding home today an old man stopped on the side of the road, stuck his head out the window and said "[s]get off the pavement, you are breaking the law[/s]Do you want to come and see some puppies ?"
He was probably 32.
I'm 37, and I would do it again.
p.s They were kittens.
Technically he was correct, it is illegal to cycle on the pavement 🙂
it is illegal to cycle on the pavement
The official line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride on the footway – more commonly referred to as pavements – provided they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise discretion.
http://road.cc/content/news/108119-transport-minister-responsible-cyclists-can-ride-pavement
I was probably about the same age when a copper in a marked car pulled over and gave me a bollocking for riding on the path. Demanded to know "what my parents would say if he took me home and told them" 🙄
[i]The official line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride on the footway – more commonly referred to as pavements – provided they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise discretion.[/i]
I'll get him to quote that next time! And it's f-all to do with old bastards like you!
I did suggest we'd report him as a "puppy viewing offerer" but no reg plate was obtained.
[i]Demanded to know "what my parents would say if he took me home and told them" [/i]
I think my boy knows exactly what the answer to this would be!
As plod myself, I've personally watched an old miserable git stop a young primary school lad riding on an empty 5m wide pavement and tell him to ride on the road. In fear the boy then started riding on the road into the opposing traffic lane as that was the nearest bit of road. The boy was bricking it in fear.
Like the op, boils my blood.
I stopped the lad and told him to get back on the pavement and that it was ok. He was just about in tears of relief.
Went on to the old man, pointed out the lad riding back on the pavement and said I told him to do it. A somewhat frank chat ensued which probably left him seething.
I left smiling.
If it's appropriate and safer for a child to ride on a pavement in a sensible manner then that's all good in my books.
Thanks fisha.
So I'd be in my rights to smack the old git in the face. Jolly good 🙂
If it's appropriate and safer for a child to ride on a pavement in a sensible manner then that's all good in my books.
Yep and I would encourage them to do it (with a bit of consideration) and be happy to move to let them past. No place in hell hot enough for this git!
The official line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride on the footway – more commonly referred to as pavements – provided they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise discretion.
That's interesting. I regularly ride on the pavement along busy roads, especially if I'm having a easy-commute-day and riding up hill at 5mph.
As long as cyclists remember there's no law mandating predictable behaviour by pedestrians while walking on pavements and take caution when passing them there's no problems.
Dezb :
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"What and share the road with idiots like you?" is the correct answer obviously.
I'd have gone for "I'm only 14! ........I'm too young to pay Road Tax".
Just perhaps the older gentleman was trying to enforce his version of the law like some on here try do frequently, also the footway may well have been a shared use path in which case the older gentleman may well be in the wrong.
As a parent if you find the roads to dangerous for your children to cycle on, what are you doing about it, organising petitions, phoning police and local councillors about your concerns, and copying in the local media, and council cycling officer.
Then there is also the reason of you that should be asked if you believe the roads are dangerous and you tell your son to use the footway, that may not be shared use,why is he out cycling on his own, obviously untrained and supervised.
Roads as an entity are not usuually dangerous, its other road users who make roads dangerous, and perghaps your anger should be aimed at those people who fail to use the roads and footways with respect for other users safety.
In the risk of thowing this OT ....No one pays road tax
[i]As a parent if you find the roads to dangerous for your children to cycle on, what are you doing about it[/i]
Telling him to ride on the pavement. He's been doing it for 3 years without injuring himself or anyone else and that's good enough for me.
Making the roads safer? - do me a favour, comedian.
[i]why is he out cycling on his own, obviously untrained and supervised.[/i]
You're either a pillock or trying to be one. I rode the route with him a few times when he started at the school and decided the best way to go. Trained.
Perhaps enrol him on a bikeability course, invest in some hi viz and get him used to traffic, one day he will want a car, and we all know cars drive on the road, cycling on the road is a great way of learning road skills.
There are many groups dedicated to road safety, Brake, CTC, Sustrans, The AA, the RAC foundation etc, perhaps voice your concerns to them, not to cyclists who legally ride on the roads every day.
It's more fun riding on the path anyway, you can bunny hop off dropped kerbs and buzz young mums with prams & Play chicken with old people shouting 'out of the way grandad' as you approach.
Project is clearly having a bad day. No pudding today Project?
The official line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride on the footway – more commonly referred to as pavements – provided they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise discretion.
How would that pan out for footpaths? (The yellow arrow type)
I don't think it does zippykona, in that "footways" next to a "carriageway" form part of the "highway". "Footpaths" are not part of a highway.
It's a shame these rules regarding bikes, footways, zebra crossings etc. aren't more widely publicised. I'm sure a lot of the anger is down to ignorance.
Highway Code :
Rule 64
You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A sect 129
and from Cycling UK :
Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 made it a criminal offence to “lead or drive” a “carriage of any description” on “any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers”. In 1888, s85(1) of the Local Government Act declared that “bicycles, tricycles, velocipedes, and other similar machines are ‘carriages’ within the meaning of the Highway Acts”. The maximum court fine is £500 or the police can issue a £50 fixed penalty notice (FPN). In short, it is illegal to cycle on a pavement alongside a road, unless it has been marked as a cycle track.However, children under the age of 10 are below the age of criminal responsibility. Therefore, they cannot be prosecuted for a criminal offence. They cannot be issued with a fixed penalty notice either as they cannot be given to anyone under the age of 16.
This means that, whilst police officers can theoretically stop young children (aged under 10) who are cycling on pavements, they have no powers to arrest, fine or even caution them. This is sensible, as young children should not be expected to cycle on the road. To prepare them for this step as they get older, Cycling UK thoroughly recommends high quality cycle training.
so at age 14....
In the risk of thowing this OT ....No one pays road tax
We know. Enjoy it whilst it lasts though - that's about to change though, a chunk of VED is going to start going towards road maintenance again. Comes in next month with the new VED charges I think.
So long as you've taught him to exercise caution DezB - scares me watching kids pavement cycling then crossing junctions without so much as a glance or speed check 🙁
I'm amazed project can type so accurately using his arsehole. Clever.
[i]So long as you've taught him to exercise caution DezB[/i]
He's a clever and sensible boy. Dunno where he gets it from.
^^^^ still a very moot point overall given conflict between legal position as laid out in statute, and reinforced by cyclng bodies and the more flexible DfL email.
In the risk of thowing this OT ....No one pays road tax
I certainly don't. No point now, you don't even get a little badge for the window.
a chunk of VED is going to start going towards road maintenance again
What on Earth is the point? It's a chunk of tax that goes into a big pot out of which all sorts of things are financed. The real issue is how much gets spent on road maintenance, not where it comes from.
dez b resorting to playground insults instead of reading what mature experienced cyclists have to say, what hope have we for civilised cycling and better road/cycling infrastructure if this is the level she wants us all to descend to.
That Footway cycling is ok, as her son has never had an incident till today, or just perhaps somebody just pointed out to her son the law regarding footway cycling and both mother and son appear to not know the laws of the road or even want to obey them.
As a parent if you find the roads to dangerous for your children to cycle on, what are you doing about it, organising petitions, phoning police and local councillors about your concerns, and copying in the local media, and council cycling officer.
I've written to my councillor, written to the mayor, attended consultations and signed petitions. How far do you suppose it's got me?
Meanwhile, I'll continue to deal with the world as it is.
That Footway cycling is ok, as her son has never had an incident till today, or just perhaps somebody just pointed out to her son the law regarding footway cycling and both mother and son appear to not know the laws of the road or even want to obey them.
The government says that pavement cycling is ok, provided you don't act like a dick. Which seems like a perfectly sensible compromise.
both mother and son appear to not know the laws of the road or even want to obey them.
I think DezB is a man and the pavement isn't the road. I'd rather my child cycle on the footpath given the idiotic behaviour I see from motorists on a daily basis. All of your experienced cycling doesn't alter the driving of others does it?
[i]dez b resorting to playground insults instead of reading what mature experienced cyclists have to say[/i]
I read all of them. I am a "mature experienced cyclist".
But you said different things to everyone else. It was utterly moronic garbage. That's why you're on your own with those thoughts. That's why reasoned discussion doesn't work with internet fools who possess opinions that don't exist in the real world. (you can't even read a name). Idiot.
The government says that pavement cycling is ok, provided you don't act like a dick. Which seems like a perfectly sensible compromise.
Yet current U.K. Law says it's illegal.....
Remains a moot point.
youve lost the plot debz luv
😀 Come on Debz, calm it down 😀
Mods can you change his name to Debz.. please?
[i]youve lost the plot debz luv[/i]
You saw the thread title, yeah?
(you can't even read a name). Idiot.
LOL
I remember when you took someone calling you DeBz with a pinch of salt and a smiley.
Oh, how the years take their toll...
There's a stretch of road in my town where I'll cycle on the pavement, I don't care what anyone thinks or of I get a fixed penalty, people drive like nutters on that stretch. Close passes are guaranteed and it's not worth the risk.
Never had any issues though,as I'm as courteous as possible.
You can do all the phoning people, writing letters, signing petitions you want but you'd have to be pretty deluded to think anything that will change the behaviour of the idiots behind the wheel will ever come of it.
More enforcement is needed on the roads but police presence has virtually disappeared.
I always ride on pavements where possible as I don't want to get run over by some idiot that thinks a text message etc is more important than looking where they are going. As said above I just make sure I'm not a dick and give pedestrians priority.
There's a difference, I think, between bimbling along barely above walking pace, and hooning like you're chasing a Strava record. Same with (actual) 'shared use' areas like towpaths.
That said, I rarely if ever ride on pavements; if I do it's for like ten yards to dodge a hazard.
Whilst roads are not inherently unsafe, KSI accident rates have been steadily increasing since 2008.
Several factors contribute to this. Poor cycling infrastructure, poor education for drivers.
Central and local Govts need to do more to improve infrastructure and driver education (which is pretty basic, at best).
Until there is improvement, pavement cycling with my toddler aged son is what's happening.
There is one such project to assist cyclists and Govts. Picycle.io ... I am contributing to its development (web-side (not yet complete) and there needs to be some infrastructure investment - which is happening). In summary, it's a bike-mounted device which automatically measures rider/curb distance and then from rider/overtaking vehicle. Any vehicle passing closer than 1meter is classed as unsafe, the closer the overtaking vehicle to the rider, the greater the risk to the rider. There's also a button to press when an overtaking vehicle is perceived as unsafe e.g. a bus might pass at 1.1m and be perceived quite differently to a low sports car passing at 90cm.
All data is presented as a GPS point & heat-map.
The aim being to provide statistical data to determine 'problem' areas of road. Data which simply doesn't exist at the moment.
(Written on a phone, apologies for brevity / typo's)
[i]
I remember when you took someone calling you DeBz with a pinch of salt and a smiley..[/i]
Like all bants, depends who it is.
Thing is, I'm not annoyed at the state of the roads, that my lad can't use them, that people drive dangerously, that the infrastructures wrong... that's not what made me seethe. (Bloody obviously, I thought)
.
A day with Jedi will sort this - if your lad was performing a faultless manual down the pavement for hundreds of yards , he'd have actually received a round of applause and a piece in the local gazette.
Bet the old git in the car was kerb crawling looking for prey.
"It's more fun riding on the path anyway, you can bunny hop off dropped kerbs and buzz young mums with prams & Play chicken with old people shouting 'out of the way grandad' as you approach."
You've seen me ride, then.
Having spent quite some time in a wooden house with DezB and his punk named offspring I can confirm that said offspring is well mannered, thoroughly reasonable and a downright splendid sort. DezB on the other hand is a bloody anarchist and needs a stern talking to.
Bet the old git in the car was kerb crawling looking for prey.
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Nicely done Fisha!! Chapeau to you!
