Cyclox (Cycling in Oxford) have produced a simple your rights and responsibilities on a bike flyer which I think is pretty good and addresses some of the contentious points around cycling (with specific reference to the Highway code). I was made aware of the this on the weekend and having just seen the latest argument about bikes on the road I thought it might be a useful reminder to us all!

I did a quick search and couldn’t find this already done, but sorry if I missed it!

The second point on the flyer is interesting, I didn’t know that one.

To sum up
Rule One
Don’t be a dick
Rule 2
See Rule One

from Highway Code rule 163, http://www.highwaycode.info/rule/163 :

A favourite rant button of mine ….

I see it mentions you shouldn’t ride on the footpath.

To sum up
Rule One
Don’t be a dick
Rule 2
See Rule One

Rule 3
This applies to all road users equally – see Rule 1

A favourite rant button of mine ….

Mine, too, the last time I was a regular commuter. That was until a giant of a guy got out and wanted to throw me in the ditch to the side of the road.

A really big ****, though not as tough as he looked.

“I see it mentions you shouldn’t ride on the footpath.“

No it doesn’t.

Sundayjumper – Member

“I see it mentions you shouldn’t ride on the footpath.”

No it doesn’t.

Yes it does

No it doesn’t.

It says;

You must not cycle on a pavement. You could be fined if you do.[HC 64]

Which is both true and at times impractical. Many cycle lanes are on pavementz and some just stop. But in the main correct. Although i have a dilema as my mum told me i couldnt ride on the road until i’d got my cycling proficiency and i had to stay on the pavement. I never got it and i’m 48 now.

No it doesn’t.

Yes it does.

You must not cycle on a pavement. You could
be fined if you do. [HC 64]

Cyclox says:

• Do stick to the rules of the road; they’re for
your safety too.

Happy?

At the “careful and considerate” point I would have mentioned the duty of care to look out for the safety of all other road users.

Pavement =/= Footpath

It is odd that they use the word Pavement in the highway code, as in the Highway act they use Footway, Footpath, Causeway etc

It is always worth considering the wording of s. 72 of the Highway Act 1835, a draftspersonly masterpiece that has stood the test of time far better than most of the shite legal drafting we see today.

If any person shall wilfully ride upon any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers; or shall wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description, or any truck or sledge, upon any such footpath or causeway; or shall tether any horse, ass, mule, swine, or cattle, on any highway, so as to suffer or permit the tethered animal to be thereon;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; every person so offending in any of the cases aforesaid shall for each and every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale, over and above the damages occasioned thereby.

This illustrates the point that the Highway Code is not the law. The above words are the law.

We just need a rights and responsibilities document for life in general, then the specific stuff – regarding bikes – would probably be unnecessary.

(Getting a bit fed up of the ‘entitled’ society that we are developing into)

belugabob – Member

(Getting a bit fed up of the ‘entitled’ society that we are developing into)

You do realise this is STW?….

Pavement =/= Footpath

I know that I was a Civil Engineer. Joe Public tends to call “the footpath” “the pavement”.

It was going ok until that “be ambassador for the bike” nonsense. Lost me after that.

No-one asks any of the millions of moron drivers to be ambassadors for cars now do they.

I was fully expecting to find something to disagree with and pleasantly surprised. I’m giving them a pass on the cycling on the pavement bit – they’re right it is illegal, and to do that one properly would require more than a single bullet point on a leaflet.