rich – just practice to flick their ears as you ride past them – that’ll make them jump!

will be out on the very same cyclepath this lunchtime with my roadrat and trusty bell 😉

I CBA using cyclepaths for this reason.

Much quicker & easier on the road.

the upgraded basingstoke canal path in woking area is a real pain and there is much conflict between cyclists and peds…
to be be fair there are nob cyclists and peds that use it… peds that walk in the middle on purpose and cyclists that are discourteous…

biggest problem too many people using the same bits of earth.
I use the Basingstoke Canal towpath probably about three times a week, even when it’s busy I’ve found it fine, just got to remember to leave a bit of extra time when using it though, as you invariably can’t go too fast on it. Someone told me once that it wasn’t really designed for cyclist use above 10mph, not sure on the provenance of that though.

Two top tips – 1) Use a bell, most people react well to it, and those that don’t are wearing i-pods or are just grumpy. 2) Take some off-road lights, those who wear i-pods get a real shock when they suddenly see their own shadow in front of them! It’s great for the darker mornings and evenings too. (I recommend the Dealextreme one on full power, probably best to turn it down to low after you pass them though!)

You can zip along that path flat out the surface is very good…. and I have seen people going flat out go straight past pedestrians giving them no warning at all..

Worst bit is between arthurs bridge and St Johns… lots of pedestrians on the weekends..

in the week and at commuting times it is not an issue, but at weekends using the path to get out to pirbright etc it can get very busy..

but most people seem to respond to a bell of some clicky gripshifting and yes always slow down… gives you a chase to get some sprint training in as you speed back up!

who gives you the right to command the right of way? especially when you say it’s technical and you could be slowing, speeding up again and changing direction unexpectedly to get round stuff, how do non cyclist walkers know which way you are going? shouldn’t you give way to those climbing up when you are descending?

I think he’s got a point. Consideration and courtesy works both ways, and I don’t think he’s saying they should just get out of his way as king of the trail, rather that blocking the whole path when there are other people around when you could just as easily not is just as bad as barelling down at full speed and expecting everyone to get out of the way.

This should do the trick……although I dont know how you would bunny hop over the victims on that thing!

CP – it would be tricky to flick their ears whilst wearing lobster gloves.

I was toying with the idea of flicking the V’s at him, but thought the better of it, and he would have just got the impression that I had hideously distored fingers!

who gives you the right to command the right of way? especially when you say it’s technical and you could be slowing, speeding up again and changing direction unexpectedly to get round stuff, how do non cyclist walkers know which way you are going? shouldn’t you give way to those climbing up when you are descending?

You simply don’t read what people type do you. The various groups of walkers were walking 3 or 4 abreast and not making room for any other users of the trail. They were being as ignorant as you are being patronising.

Am I missing something here? Why not just stop and let them up, and then go freely on your way?

No matter how much you feel you are in control of your bike, it feels totally different when you’re on foot and someone is riding past you. If the going is too technical to comfortably ride at walking pace, then stopping is your only other option.

If I am walking I do expect cyclists to pass at walking pace – and yes, I probably would occupy the track as a means of insisting on that common courtesy.

I can only assume that a lot of mtb’ers don’t have any experience of walking.

There’s a busy high street that I have to ride down a few times a week at the moment, and despite buses constantly going up and down it, people for some unknown reason (maybe because its paved rather then tarmacked) don’t treat it as a road, and just step out into it with reckless abandon and walk around as they like on it. So I ride fast right past them and shout as I go past. Scares the hell out of them, so I’d assume they won’t do it again. Idiots.

Ah, the callowness of youth, Realman.

The design purpose of a shared streetspace is to ensure that pedestrians (being the most vulnerable road users) are elevated to their proper position in the traffic status. Accordingly, the reason why they move around as they do is not unknown in the slightest, but designed into the road space.

Your riding at the them while firing off a volley of abuse for having the apparent temerity for using the space as it is designed simply demonstrates your own selfishness and idiocy.

Shared Space concept

Cycling or driving, as soon as you start rolling gently through high street spaces (whether designed for shared space or not) actively looking to increase the space to the vehicle in front and actually looking out for people crossing freely – as soon as you start doing that the whole experience of town centres becomes much better for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.

Just do it – if someone is able to cross the road freely and safely, that’s a good thing! So make it so.

rape alarm

sorted.

Why do so many cyclists insist on not having a bell? I can’t understand this.

On some of the groups rides I have been on the bell less have actually encouraged me to pass them to ting my bell at people on the path

another mate I ride with a fair amount call has no bell and a good solution He calls out ” ding a ling” from a fair distance back and then as he passes says a variation on ” I’m too tight to buy a bell” or ” maybe santa will get me a bell this year”

personal choice and risk assessment TJ, thats why i dont have a bell.

phile – touche but whats the downside? Thats what I don’t understand. I broke mine and riding for a week or two without I got a lot more grumbles from people on the shared path network

I’ve read they contribute to rotational injuries 😀

Am I missing something here? Why not just stop and let them up, and then go freely on your way?

Or, how about a couple of members of the group moving over a bit so they’re not taking the entire track, and then everyone can go freely on their way?

aracer – Member
Top tip – ride with kids on your bike (tandem / bike seat). Doesn’t make them get out of your way any better,

+1. My 6 year old tings, people turn and say ‘Aaah’.

Recently here in Swansea we’ve had a women-only running group using the shared seafront path a lot. They spread out all the way across the path (about 6-8 waddlers abreast) and are completely oblivious to any other users, even when they have 100s of lumens heading straight towards them. I thought it was only going to be a hazard on that particular path, but then got forced off the pavement by them as I walked to work….

People always act like stupid sheep, whether walking, running, cycling, driving, shopping, whatever. Added together in groups makes it worse, ipods and mobile ten times worse.

MTBers are often just as bad for not being aware of their own actions, but I would ask:

and I have seen people going flat out go straight past pedestrians giving them no warning at all..

Why do they need a warning when they are on a SHARED USE path?

Because the walkers weren’t comfortable with being passed at that speed, I guess? If the terrain is awkward to ride slow then stopping is the only option, surely?

Why do they need a warning when they are on a SHARED USE path?

Because due consideration and courtesy are conditions of use of that path?

Because the walkers weren’t comfortable with being passed at that speed, I guess? If the terrain is awkward to ride slow then stopping is the only option, surely?

I’m not saying the riders don’t need to hold their end up and slow down, just that a bit of thought and consideration both ways goes a long way and can often result in everyone going happily on their way.

hehe i was jsut kidding TJ 🙂

i dont have a bell because the plastic bit that is meant to ping back and ting the bell section bent in one of my epic “i cant ride a bike” moments… thank god i was wearing a helmet eh buddy! 😆

after this i didnt replace it… where i ride its either fire-roads wide enough to not annoy walkers, single track that i’ve never seen a walker on, or in any other situation i get off my bike and give way to the walker/s 🙂 after all, we’re all equal and my little effort might be enough to encourage them to do the same for a cyclist later on 🙂

[/quote]Recently here in Swansea we’ve had a women-only running group using the shared seafront path a lot. They spread out all the way across the path (about 6-8 waddlers abreast) and are completely oblivious to any other users, even when they have 100s of lumens heading straight towards them. I thought it was only going to be a hazard on that particular path, but then got forced off the pavement by them as I walked to work….

I’ve nearly taken them out a few times….love the ‘waddlers’ bit 😆

I’m not saying the riders don’t need to hold their end up and slow down, just that a bit of thought and consideration both ways goes a long way and can often result in everyone going happily on their way.

Well that sounds fair enough, and a bit more moderately put. End of the day though, you must be ready to stop, and you need to be certain that no debris is going to get thrown up and all that – so dropping to walking pace is the minimum. Under those circumstances I much prefer just stopping.

Fair enough phil. I use a lot of shared use paths ( the north edinburgh cycleway / WOL / canal

maxlite – Member

I’ve nearly taken them out a few times….love the ‘waddlers’ bit

OT – I’m arranging a ride up Kilvey on Wednesday evening, maxlite. Are you free?

the only experiences I’ve encountered where a pedestrian or walker has felt need to comment on my use of my bell… Is to sincerely and gratefully thank me for having the common courtesy to fit and use one..

as one auld fella pointed out the other day it’s rare that modern cyclists can be bothered.. daft really when they seem to be sharing more of the same paths..

The fact that people have the time and are relaxed enough to comment is probably an indicator that I choose to pass at walking speed where terrain dictates that this would be the polite course of action..

There’s a few pillocks that ride the same trails whose philosophy is that they are the fast moving heavy object so according to the laws of physics pedestrians are contending for Darwin awards if they don’t move in time.. I wish unexpected stationary farm machinery on those lads cos they give us a bad name..

Some of the attitudes posted here are why walkers are agressive towards cyclists the “why should I stop/move to one side” statements just show up how selfish you are, a little consideration for others goes a long way and will only promote full access for bikes, but the childish way you act will just end in conflict and reduction of off road routes for cyclists which is awful for the rest if us

IdleJon….I was up there on Saturday and the week before when I tried to go up on my cross bike…which was not a good idea.

Can’t do Wed…cleaning my Schmoos kit 😉

Cheers

Steve

lol, cross bike plus Kilvey = bent rims.

give me an email Jon

roe_graphicsATbtclickDOTcom

classic – just been out on the Dee Loop this afternoon and a cyclist gave me grief for riding on the wrong side of the the cycle path!

well if your dopey wife, her pashley and utter lack of balance had not of been all over the 4m wide, flat and straight path i wouldn’t have to slow down to a walking pace and pass her on the right would I?

my response was, i admit, poor, and only consisted of two words – but you can’t win with some people

even the two hoodies on a moped I later rode past on the cycle path rode more appropriately…. and they were riding like they just stole it!

maxlite, I’ll send it through the groupsite.

My bell seems to stop working at the worst times. I think I need to have it tuned.

I live right on the C2C and it’s not unusual for me to use the road instead of the cycletrack to get in and out of the village as the combination of walkers, dog c**p, anti mx gates and glass just brings me down. Get further out of the towns and villages and it’s fine though, everyone is more courteous, they seem to be able to hear a bit of freewheel buzz, even the dogs are more sensible.

I had this today on an official route 5 cyclepath. cycling along, slowed down for bloke with 3 dogs across path on extended leads, totally taking over the path. as I approached, “excuse me” nicely. Got closer “excuse me” more forceful. closer -“excusemeeeee! as dogs are yapping and having a go at me an all over front wheel. Bloke just says “you’re supposed to have a bell”.

I did the honorable thing and rose above it with a tut and carried on my way. In the past I’dve stopped and had a heated discussion that would’ve certainly put him in his place but put a downer on things. I’m happy I enjoyed my ride without an argument, right or wrong.

it’s like an obstacle in a computer game you just have to get past to get to the end of the level.