What recourse is there against cyclist who disregard the highway code?

[taper]

DJKQ

That's my understanding of the law.

[Asset]

Bloody annoying in the mornings and afternoons on the school run with busy pavements including lots of small kids and a family on bikes are weaving their way through. They should get off and walk the bikes. I'm all for encouraging cycling but I don't think it's really on for adults to cycle on pavements regardless of how much 'care' they are taking and kids should be encouraged to push the bike when the pavement is busy.

'Without due care' is a bit open to argument.

[Goodliz]

Asset Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Bloody annoying in the mornings and afternoons on

> the school run with busy pavements including lots

> of small kids and a family on bikes are weaving

> their way through. They should get off and walk

> the bikes. I'm all for encouraging cycling but I

> don't think it's really on for adults to cycle on

> pavements regardless of how much 'care' they are

> taking and kids should be encouraged to push the

> bike when the pavement is busy.

> 'Without due care' is a bit open to argument.

I completely agree with this. Cycling on the pavement is a real bug bear of mine. I cannot stand it. If I'm with my kids on the bikes I'll cycle on the road really close and let them cycle on the pavement but only if it is not busy.

I can't stand it when adults cycle along the pavement (apart from allocated cycle lanes like on much of the South Circular) - there is just no need for it.

I better shut up now as I could go on for hours and hours - just like I can about 4x4s in urban areas.

[Emerson Crane]

Goodliz Wrote:

just like I can about 4x4s in urban

> areas.

Yep me too.

[henryb]

Was this along Grove Vale by any chance? Unsurprising cyclist go on the pavement there - it is particularly dangerous.

I cycle on the pavement when I feel the roads are too dangerous. I justify it to myself because I consider a major risk to my life more important then a irritation or at worst a very minor risk to pedestrians. I don't see a problem if cyclists slow right down to a jogging pace, cycle with care and attention and always give way to pedestrians.

Here some statistics compiled by the Mayor's Office a couple of years back. It puts the "cycling on pavement menace" into perspective.

?

The figures show that, in London during the period 2001-05:

There were 101 times as many reported pedestrian injuries due to collisions with motor vehicles than with pedal cycles (there were 34,791 pedestrian injuries involving motor vehicles, compared with 331 involving cycles).

Motor vehicles were involved in 126 times as many fatal and serious pedestrian injuries as cycles (there were 7,447 fatal and serious injuries involving motor vehicles compared with 59 involving cycles).

534 pedestrians were killed in collisions with motor vehicles, compared with just one killed in collision with a cycle.? That one fatal collision with a cycle occurred neither on a pavement nor a pedestrian crossing point.

Even on the pavement, there were 2,197 reported pedestrian injuries arising from collisions with motor vehicles, including 17 fatalities.? These injuries outnumbered those involving cycles by a factor of 42 to 1.

The total number of reported pedestrian injuries in London due to collisions with cyclists on pavements was just 65 in the year 2001, and 69 in 2005.? In the meantime, the figure went down, up and back down again, showing no clear overall trend.? This was despite a 72% increase in cycle use over the period.

On average just under 18% of cyclists ran red lights, whereas over a third of motorists encroached into cyclists? ?Advance Stop Lines? (cycle boxes at traffic lights).

[Pearson]

henryb Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Was this along Grove Vale by any chance?

> Unsurprising cyclist go on the pavement there - it

> is particularly dangerous.

>

> I cycle on the pavement when I feel the roads are

> too dangerous. I justify it to myself because I

> consider a major risk to my life more important

> then a irritation or at worst a very minor risk to

> pedestrians.

______________________________________________________

You sir are a menace! If you are too scared to use your

cycle on the road you should walk with it on the pavement.

Or better still, get cycle training!

You give me and many more cyclist a very bad reputation!!!

(unless of course you're 11years old, in which case carry on)

[DaveR]

I agree with Pearson. More cyclists on the road = safer cycling for all, more incentive for cycle-friendly roads etc. Cyclists on the pavement = undue risk to pedestrians and annoyance to everyone.

I would be interested to know what age people start taking their kids on the road, though.

[huncamunca]

They should be arrested and forced to live en masse in the the Blue Campervan that is menacing the good people of ED.

I have no time for those who flount the laws of this green and pleasant land. If they want "alternative lifestyles" , with their bicycles and tofu bakes, then they have to accept that they will be treated like the LAZY COMMUNIST VERMIN THEY REALLY ARE

[Pearson]

^hilarious...... :(

[Loz]

henryb Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The figures show that, in London during the period

> 2001-05:

>

> There were 101 times as many reported pedestrian

> injuries due to collisions with motor vehicles

> than with pedal cycles (there were 34,791

> pedestrian injuries involving motor vehicles,

> compared with 331 involving cycles).

Meaningless stats withput context. How many bicycles are there in London? How many cars? Do the same exercise with Ford Fiestas vs Hummers and you will show how a Fiesta is a much more dangerous car. Not.

> On average just under 18% of cyclists ran red lights, whereas over a third of motorists encroached into cyclists?

> ?Advance Stop Lines? (cycle boxes at traffic lights).

A brave attempt at not comparing like-for-like. Which is more dangerous? And how many motorists run red lights? How many cyclists encroach over the final line at a red light?

[ladyruskin]

henryb Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Was this along Grove Vale by any chance?

> Unsurprising cyclist go on the pavement there - it

> is particularly dangerous.

It was actually on Champion Park opposite Denmark Hill station. Due to the large trees growing on the pavement it is often tricky for pedestrians to get through, nevermind cyclists! The offender abviously couldn't be bothered with waiting in the traffic like all the other road users.

[Applespider]

DaveR Wrote:

> I would be interested to know what age people

> start taking their kids on the road, though.

Last autumn, I was going down Court Lane and spotted a cyclist father accompanying his son (who couldn't have been more than 7 or 8) on his bike on the road. Dad was behind and slightly further out son to 'shield' him.

On Saturday, there was a family going along Wood Vale on bikes. Mum with child in seat on rear, then boy around 6 on his bike and Dad at the rear. Interestingly, the boy started to swerve a little for fun and Dad was straight on the case reminding him it was a road. More pleasingly, kudos to the driver at the little mini roundabout who waited patiently for the family to go by (it was their right of way but still, some would have tried to push it).

Ladyruskin - I'm astonished anyone tried to cycle down that pavement. As you say, it's barely wide enough for pedestrians. And HenryB... get some cycle training. Grove Vale isn't all that bad and I hate seeing grownups using pavements as a matter of course for Pearson's point that it gives the rest of us a bad name. Not to mention that using the roads allows you to go so much faster. In fact, despite the fact that the pavement is dual use along the South Circ, I'd rather be on the road.

[Pearson]

I have been taking my eldest daughter out on the road since last summer.

She was 5, now 6yrs. I'll be the first to admit that i thought that was a bit too young.

But, she was very keen and like you mention above, I would sit behind and into the road

to shield her as best i could whilst also sticking to quiet roads only.

I would never take her onto busy roads even now. (ie Plough end of LL for eg)

Anyhow, she somehow realizes the responsibility and behaves remarkably well.

I have been very impressed.

[oilworker]

I would not advise taking any child under the age of about ten on the open road. Younger children do not have the hazard perception able to make the kind of choices which we as adults do when confronted with a potential threat. Even at the age of 10 I would say cycling on Lordship Lane would be a big challenge. British Cycling (the sports governing body) does not allow youth riders to compete on open roads until they are 16. Herne Hill Youth Cycling Club run mountain bike sessions on Saturday mornings in the safe environment of Herne Hill Stadium.

[Pearson]

oilworker Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I would not advise taking any child under the age

> of about ten on the open road. Younger children

> do not have the hazard perception able to make the

> kind of choices which we as adults do when

> confronted with a potential threat. Even at the

> age of 10 I would say cycling on Lordship Lane

> would be a big challenge. British Cycling (the

> sports governing body) does not allow youth

> riders to compete on open roads until they are

> 16. Herne Hill Youth Cycling Club run mountain

> bike sessions on Saturday mornings in the safe

> environment of Herne Hill Stadium.

__________________________________________________

Absolutely agree. I should stress i only take my

daughter on back roads where there is pretty much

no traffic.

HH Youth Cycling club is a fantastic resource, she loves it!

[rifleman harris]

My friend was runover on Barry Road a couple of saturday's go by a cyclist who went through a red light on the pedestrian crossing. In my opinion he should have been charged.

Im a cyclist and how many times Ive stopped at a red light waiting patiently while another cyclist decked out like Lance Armstrong trundles through. It makes my angry.

[rifleman harris]

By the way- I used to be a cycle courier in London and if ever a pedestrian walked out in front of us we would plough into them as braking hard suddenly would put us over the handlebars (I was hospitalised once like this) and swerving to avoid them would put us at risk of being hit by a vehcicle (two cyclists I knew died through this happening).

[Chick]

what's your point?

compared with 331 involving cycles

Thats 331 too many.

Even on the pavement, there were 2,197 reported pedestrian injuries arising from collisions with motor vehicles, including 17 fatalities. These injuries outnumbered those involving cycles by a factor of 42 to 1.

Thats 59 too many.

if you feel cycling is too dangerous walk or get a bus.

[Pearson]

rifleman harris Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My friend was runover on Barry Road a couple of

> saturday's go by a cyclist who went through a red

> light on the pedestrian crossing. In my opinion he

> should have been charged.

>

> Im a cyclist and how many times Ive stopped at a

> red light waiting patiently while another cyclist

> decked out like Lance Armstrong trundles through.

> It makes my angry.

___________________________________

And you did this when you were a courier as well?

[rifleman harris]

Pearson

No- I've never gone through a Red light (hand on heart).

Is that a doubtful look I detect?

[Pearson]

Yup :)

A Couriers very meager wage is based on the amount of parcels delivered,

you don't delivery many parcels waiting at lights all day...

Just saying.

[KalamityKel]

With all this talk about cycling on the pavement to avoid nasty parts of the road is it too difficult to dismount and actually walk the bike until it is safe to rejoin the road?

No?

[Loz]

Looks like an MP has taken the issue up. Sadly, only a 10 Minute Bill, so not a huge chance of becoming law.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/apr/01/cyclists-law

[rifleman harris]

Pearson

I'm hurt:(

[rifleman harris]

Anyway Im off home on the bike now.

Just have to insert the razor sharp swords in the wheels and I'm on my way(6)