[Closed] Kids on cycling paths are they worse than dogs 😉

Young kids have the legal right to ride on the road too.
Would you let your kid do so?
If they were killed, the driver would be at fault so its ok isn't it?

cos I would be riding on the left, I would see another cyclist approaching and would go automatically to the left edge and I will not swerve over to the right across infront of children or other riders as I don't know what they will do and I amnot putting myself at risk

Just look - 99% of all riders on the canal do this - ride on the left

TJ - not in my expereine they dont. Most of them ride down the middle and dont slow down for anyone let alone kids, hence safest place for kids to be is on the right.

Answer me this - if you were riding along a long straight part of the canal and you could see from say 400m away that someone was riding along the right handside of the path furthest away from the water would you try and force them to move left?

Left, right, whatever.

Kids and animals - they are both unpredictable. If you see them, slow down.

Yup - I will already be on the left and will always will go to the left - every time.

99% of people go to the left to pass.

Bit selfish that TJ. I'd just get the kids to stop on the right and make you look like a right tosser. 😀

sbz - its selfish to think your kids have right of way over me.

It's more selfish to think that you have right of way over them...

Especially as the riding on the left thing is only a rule in your head.

I just don't understand why anyone, ever, accuses cyclists of being selfish..

the real question is. how many on here would love to push both sbz and TJ in?

I love it when people try to rigidly apply rules to situations where a bit of anticipation and generosity work better.

When I took my two eight-year-olds on a wobble down the local towpath recently, they were firmly instructed to take the side furthest from the water whenever pedestrians or cyclists were encountered.

If I'm pedalling on a towpath and approaching a family group, or pedestrians, I'll always put myself on the canal side well in advance to make them feel more comfortable.

Canal towpaths are flat. You can see a long way ahead and position yourself in the most sensible spot well in advance. Why anyone would need to swerve to avoid a family group is beyond me.

What martinhutch just said.

martinhutch - if you did that on my local canal you would be having an altercation every hundred yards or so and annoying a significant number of cyclists on a busy multi use path where 99% of people would be riding on the left and expecting to pass that way as well

Pedestrians yes expect them anywhere but cyclists - on the left please

how many on here would love to push both sbz and TJ in?

No - but I'd pay to watch them ride towards each other on the tow path.

😆

Can I add that it would be good if they were both being chased by braying dogs?

Anyway, the way I look at it is, it's great to see kids on bikes - far better than seeing them in the back of a car. If I'm approaching an adult on a bike on a towpath or similar, I'd expect us both to pass on our lefts. If I see kids on bikes, I'd slow down and just pass so as not to scare the bejeesus out of them. Say hello, have a laugh with everyone, and hopefully ensure that I haven't made a child feel negative about being on a bike and made the parent(s) think "What an arse!".

Lets all of us be generally awesome to one another.

if you did that on my local canal you would be having an altercation every hundred yards or so and annoying a significant number of cyclists

Glad to say that every other cyclist I met for 16 miles between Skipton and Saltaire was friendly, understanding and accommodating to my two. Lots offered words of encouragement and praise, which was even better.

Must be horrible on your 'busy, multi-use path'.

Different circumstances call for different approaches. Film at 11.

Oh I would slow down, be encouraging and so on. I would like to see the parents teaching the nippers courtesy and sense which would be to ride on the left and pass on that side. Doesn't seem too much to ask does it?

The dad in this case gave me a right dirty look - to which I replied - ride on eh left please
Its good to teach your kids to ride and offroad paths are good - but FFS you ride on the left!

I don't see any reason that anyone should be forced to ride on any side off-road, often kids ride on the side farthest away from an obstacle and I'm reasonably skilled on a bike so more than happy to assume to higher "risk" and ride on the other side. Also, being an adult, I've pretty good speed and depth perception so it's not too hard for me to make that judgement fairly early on and assume the best position to let all pass happily. Of course there are some times when people both assume the same position at the last second, which can be sticky, but in general it works in the "kids have right of way, after that stick to what side you're on OR think early enough to move before the other person" wayy.

So I am on the left. kid with dad behind - kid is wobbling about using the whole path. I see them 50+ yards away and move right over to the left and slow as I normally do to allow them to pass. After I have done this and when only 20 yards away the dad says "go right" to the boy taking him directly into my path - the same line I had been on for a distance. Now if I go to the right at that point I am going to have to cross the path right in front of the child wobbling about on his bike. Not a good move - the child is not predictable.

Why at that point should I move right - away from convention, towards danger, putting myself on collision course with the child?

One of the routes on my commute follows a Sustrans trail along the side of the River Wye and through the summer months it can be chock full of families either walking or riding during my commute home. They go left, right, stop, or disperse in all directions. I ride accordingly and don't [i]assume[/i] anything; life's not long enough to stress about the rights or wrongs of trail etiquette on these occasions.

TJ, I'd like to think you are trolling? No-one can be as intransigent and lacking in altruism as you in real life, surely?

It's sensible to ride on the left.

Riding along a cycle path (not next to a canal) around a blind bend, guy coming towards me. I'm towards the left but move right over... and he moves across to his right! So smash, we both end up on the floor. He was a bit larger than me so went down a bit harder, rolled around on the floor and moaned a bit.

If we did convene to ride on the left, it wouldn't have happened, and I did say that it might be an idea to start doing so

psling - what was I supposed to do in the situation I outlined above?

As it is I came to a halt on the very left of the path.

Sustrans trail along the side of the River Wye and through the summer months it can be chock full of families either walking or riding during my commute home. They go left, right, stop, or disperse in all directions.

Likewise on the "busy multi-use" path here along the Tyne: Sustrans/NCN route (N72), heavily used by walkers as it is on the Hardian's Way, plus dog walkers, day trippers, families, kids walking to school, horses etc etc

No way I'd shout at any of them for not sticking to some invisible rule that I've just made up. I just keep my eyes open, ring my bell and slow down or pass as required.

In your situation TJ I'd have gone right as soon as the dad called "go right", said a cheery hello and thought absolutely nothing about it.

Kids, especially ones that are still learning, should be given right of way, encouragement etc. For them riding a bike is still hard and they need all their concentration to stay upright let alone worry about which side to pass on. Its really selfish IMO to expect them to move out of the way for you so you can get home 10 secs earlier.

In your situation TJ I'd have gone right as soon as the dad called "go right", said a cheery hello and thought absolutely nothing about it.

I would have probably hit the kid it was that close 0- certainly too close to make the manoeuvre safely. I was already right on the left of the path remember and the child in the middle

Its really selfish IMO to expect them to move out of the way for you so you can get home 10 secs earlier.

I didn't expect them to move out of my way - I moved out of their way completely and ended up stopping as the dad gave the kid stupid instructions to ride at me - which meant the kid altering his line to ride towards the side I was on.

If the kid had gone straight on then there would have been no issue

TandemJeremy - Member
psling - what was I supposed to do in the situation I outlined above?

As it is I came to a halt on the very left of the path.

I agree, it can be confusing / difficult but sometimes we have to concede, especially if a child is involved (and especially sometimes when that child is being further confused by a parent shouting directions at them which may or may not be making sense to the child).

In a perfect world it would make sense if everyone passed to the same side, gave way up or down hill as per the accepted norm, etc., etc. but reality is different and where animals and children are concerned it's generally best to just accept the potential unpredictability of the situation even when 'responsible adults' are with them.

I agree psling - which is why I stopped. Unpredictable child, stupid parent. I stopped.

I was not going to cross the path in front of the child

You lot must be REALLY bored....

I wonder if his dad would have pulled you out of the canal as quickly as you would have helped pull the kid out of the canal 😯 😆

which is why I stopped. Unpredictable child, stupid parent. I stopped

Well you could have chilled, and left it at that. No comments were really necessary and certainly its not something to get upset about in retrospect.

ian - the dad gave me a right dirty look and tutted - I merely asking him to ride and pass on the conventional side which will save him a lot of altercations along there.

This all reminds me of a rather humorous incident a couple of months back, where I encountered a family group on the Forth & Clyde canal - did exactly what other folk want TJ to have done, and hauled over to my right to let the more wobbly members of the oncoming family pass on the inland side of the canal. Unfortunately, for some reason, the mum decided she had to try and pass to her left, which given she was wobbling about on the bike something terrible, was never going to end well...

I was gallant enough to jump down and give her a push back up the canal, while her hubbie got on with the job of pissing himself laughing.

Whilst riding on the left is sensible for adults it's probably not the main thought going through a young kids head as they cycling. I'd say it's more reasonable than selfish to assume an on-coming adult would give a kid the right of way on a path and unless they have a big L and R written on their hands I wouldn't expect them to mover quickly/confidently in given a direction to head in either...

Dogs/Children - generally fine until the owner starts shouting at them and waving their hands about like a windmill 😐

FuzzyWuzzy - Member

Whilst riding on the left is sensible for adults it's probably not the main thought going through a young kids head as they cycling. I'd say it's more reasonable than selfish to assume an on-coming adult would give a kid the right of way on a path and unless they have a big L and R written on their hands I wouldn't expect them to mover quickly/confidently in given a direction to head in either...

In the case I quote I did give the kid right of way - I slowed, pulled to the left, then his dad told him to ride to his right so straight at me so I stopped.

I can't be bothered to enter into the bickering about how two people should pass each other on a path (my god, it's not rocket surgery), but because they don't leave turds everywhere I have to say that kids definitely are not worse than dogs.

I just don't understand why anyone, ever, accuses cyclists of being selfish..

I'm assuming this was a tongue-in-cheek comment, otherwise I'd need to write a massive 'why people accuse cyclists of being selfish' list ...

"I must admit that if I'm taking my boys along the towpath I make sure that they're on ths side furthest away from the water. Makes perfect logical safe sense to me."

I would like to see the parents teaching the nippers courtesy and sense which would be to ride on the left and pass on that side. Doesn't seem too much to ask does it?

Why at that point should I move right - away from convention, towards danger, putting myself on collision course with the child?

I oftne have to apologise for my kids wobbling on paths most people just smile and are lovely about it even the person they hit. One person actually carried my sons bike up a hill [after he hit/fell off in front of him] whilst chatting to him about how much fun cycling and the countryside was
Just encourage them and do your best there may be the odd moment with kids but they are kids what do you expect?

Junkyard - you miss the point. The dad told the son to head for his right / the bit of path I was already on when the kid was too close to me for me to ride around him without risking hitting him. If the dad had said nothing the kid would have passed me without any issues in the conventional way - instead the dad told the kid to ride straight at me forcing me to stop.

I had already taken avoiding action and slowed by going to my left - the conventional way to pass another cyclist

Junkyard - you miss the point. The dad told the son to head for his right / the bit of path I was already on when the kid was too close to me for me to ride around him without risking hitting him. If the dad had said nothing the kid would have passed me without any issues in the conventional way - instead the dad told the kid to ride straight at me forcing me to stop.

I had already taken avoiding action and slowed by going to my left - the conventional way to pass another cyclist

I still don't see the problem. If by asking him to stay right he was keeping him as far from the waters edge as possible, that's fair enough - you clearly have never attempted to teach a child to ride .. I spent a whole afternoon imploring one to keep left on his balance bike before realising he wasn't 100% sure of his right from left.. I always move to the hazardous side (if there is one) when riding with the sprogs to corrall them. I also have them ride on the right on roads where I know there is a dangerous corner ahead, if it makes them more visible. Wrong maybe, safer yes.

How about applying your own logic about car drivers - a 10 second delay to stop, smile and let the child pass isn't going to ruin your day is it?

Teh problem is he is going against the convention that you go left to pass - so he is going to be getting into altercations every 30 seconds on that route. he is also teaching his son to pass other bikes on the right side and he is expecting me to make a sudden swerve even tho I had already taken avoiding action/ he told his son to ride straight at me even tho I was right on the left hand edge of the path

If he had not said anything to his son we could have passed safely and easily - I gave the son 80% of the path, the sone would not have had to swerve at all.

his desire for his son to pass away from the side with the water will cause inconvenience to many others, will lead him to altercations and is a bad habit to get into.

you miss the point

he is going against the convention that you go left to pass

He was expecting you to extend a little courtesy to someone starting out in cycling. No wonder it's on the decrease. I wasn't there which is what you'll say next, but I really don't find it an effort to apply the brakes and even stop if I see a family approaching, especially if they don't look 100% confident.

Seriously, have you ever cycled with a 3/4/5/6 year old? Half the time you're asking them to look straight ahead instead of what ever shiny thing caught their eye, or to stop pulling wheelies, or not to just stop dead in front of you. Asking them to pass on the side with the most hazard is just asking for trouble. They might well just ride on by as you'd hope, they might well just veer off and T bone your back wheel.

his desire for his son to pass away from the side with the water will cause inconvenience to many others

Oh noes, inconvenience..

will lead him to altercations

Really? Glad I don't live there.

and is a bad habit to get into

In your opinion. On a shared cycle way I expect all sorts and ride accordingly.