Scooters/motorbikes being driven down cycle paths

[nbridgeman1]

I live at the northern end of the long Green Dale cycle path (which comes out at the junction of Townley Road and East Dulwich Grove), and the number of people on scooters or even small motorbikes driving down it is beyond a joke. It is particularly bad at night, but I have seen people do it even during the day, when it is frequently used by young children.

It's extremely dangerous, and something really should be done to stop it. I've reported it to the Southwark Council Anti-Social Behaviour Team, but I wondered if there might be any other channels I could explore.

[siousxiesue]

I've seen this and mentioned it to a patrolling officer once. Wonder if 'friends of' Greendale could suggest anything? There have also been instances of burnt out bikes being dumped in the big field along there.

[Charles Notice]

siousxiesue Wrote:

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

> I've seen this and mentioned it to a patrolling

> officer once. Wonder if 'friends of' Greendale

> could suggest anything? There have also been

> instances of burnt out bikes being dumped in the

> big field along there.

Who should be allowed to use it? Cyclist only.

There is a pedestrian path all the way down, why this alarmist post. People should really grow up

Thank god I am reaching 3 score and ten and do not have to worry about this rubbish

[nbridgeman1]

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> siousxiesue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I've seen this and mentioned it to a patrolling

> > officer once. Wonder if 'friends of' Greendale

> > could suggest anything? There have also been

> > instances of burnt out bikes being dumped in

> the

> > big field along there.

>

> Who should be allowed to use it? Cyclist only.

>

> There is a pedestrian path all the way down, why

> this alarmist post. People should really grow up

>

> Thank god I am reaching 3 score and ten and do not

> have to worry about this rubbish

Erm, what? Are you saying that motorbikes should be allowed to go down cycle paths?

[Charles Notice]

If pedestrians have their own designated walkway, why not?

Motorbikes, scooters pedestrians have always coexisted on green dale until now. Since when has it been designated just a cycle path only.

Just how many scooters etc vehicles use this route.

If a gnat farted these days there would be uproar in ED and surrounds.

Still the hood has changed and I suppose you must go along with the new thinking.

[actuarygi]

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> If pedestrians have their own designated walkway,

> why not?

>

> Motorbikes, scooters pedestrians have always

> coexisted on green dale until now. Since when has

> it been designated just a cycle path only.

>

> Just how many scooters etc vehicles use this

> route.

>

> If a gnat farted these days there would be uproar

> in ED and surrounds.

>

> Still the hood has changed and I suppose you must

> go along with the new thinking.

I am sure it is a bad idea to have scooters and motorbikes trotting down the cycle path together with school kids with their scooters and bikes coming out from Bessamar and schools nearby.

[nbridgeman1]

actuarygi Wrote:

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

> Charles Notice Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > If pedestrians have their own designated

> walkway,

> > why not?

> >

> > Motorbikes, scooters pedestrians have always

> > coexisted on green dale until now. Since when

> has

> > it been designated just a cycle path only.

> >

> > Just how many scooters etc vehicles use this

> > route.

> >

> > If a gnat farted these days there would be

> uproar

> > in ED and surrounds.

> >

> > Still the hood has changed and I suppose you

> must

> > go along with the new thinking.

>

>

> I am sure it is a bad idea to have scooters and

> motorbikes trotting down the cycle path together

> with school kids with their scooters and bikes

> coming out from Bessamar and schools nearby.

Exactly. It's a cycle path, not a road, and it's therefore illegal to drive motor vehicles down it. Some of these absolutely tear it down there, and it's not safe at all. Can't understand why Charles Notice could possibly condone this.

[Charles Notice]

I have never seen motor vehicles drive down agree dale for perhaps 40 years. The cycle path is wide enough to take a 40 foot articlorry.

Motorcycles/scooters have always used Greendale

Just how many scooters/motorcycles actually use this route. Would have thought Lycra people pose far more danger.

Have you just bought one of the new flats on Wanley Road? Can understand your position if this is the case.

It would seem common sense and consideration has all but disappeared these days.

The concern re Greendale/Townley Road is a classic. Been using this junction since I was a child and still managed to survive.

[nbridgeman1]

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> I have never seen motor vehicles drive down agree

> dale for perhaps 40 years. The cycle path is wide

> enough to take a 40 foot articlorry.

>

> Motorcycles/scooters have always used Greendale

>

> Just how many scooters/motorcycles actually use

> this route. Would have thought Lycra people pose

> far more danger.

>

> Have you just bought one of the new flats on

> Wanley Road? Can understand your position if this

> is the case.

>

> It would seem common sense and consideration has

> all but disappeared these days.

>

> The concern re Greendale/Townley Road is a

> classic. Been using this junction since I was a

> child and still managed to survive.

It amazes me how hostile people can be on this forum. Quite extraordinary.

Yes, I do happen to live in one of the flats at the top of the cycle path, as if that should matter. I'd say about 5 motorbikes/scooters use the route per day, some of them going flat out. Just because people have always done it doesn't make it OK.

I'm simply taking issue with something that is illegal, and poses a danger to people using the path. I can't quite comprehend how you would have a problem with that.

[Blah Blah]

Charles, scooters and motorbikes ARE motor vehicles. That's why they pay road tax and require insurance. They shouldn't be on a pedestrian/ cycle path.

[milk76]

It is crazy, illegal and dangerous behaviour. I live on the estate next to Dulwich Hamlets and regularly run in the evenings along the path next to the club then up Greendale to the village. Every other week on average I have to get out of the way of a motorbike using this path and Greendale as a rat run. Last October I was going one way, a lady walking her dog was passing me the other and a pizza gogo scooter came around the corner and both of us had to jump into the hedge or get mown down. The git just gave us a thumbs up and shouted sorry. Two kids racing next to each other overtaking on their little 125s is also not uncommon and the path cannot be more than six or seven feet wide. I often then see them parked up and playing on the astroturf afterwards. It is only five minutes longer to ride around Melbourne and past the station surely? I never listen to music whilst going that way now so I can hear them coming.

I wish the cops would just put up a discreet video camera for a couple of weeks and send them all fines. That would stop it pretty quick i am sure. It is only a matter of time until someone gets hit. Although fortunately as this seems to be an evening thing it is less likely to be a child from the school up there I suppose.

[siousxiesue]

I DON'T live anywhere along here, just a very regular user of what should be a SAFE cycle and pedestrian pathway. There is a dangerous trend for motorbikes to bomb along and it's an accident waiting to happen.

Agree with the CCTV suggestion, again-are any friends of Greendale reading this please?

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> I have never seen motor vehicles drive down agree

> dale for perhaps 40 years. The cycle path is wide

> enough to take a 40 foot articlorry.

>

> Motorcycles/scooters have always used Greendale

>

> Just how many scooters/motorcycles actually use

> this route. Would have thought Lycra people pose

> far more danger.

>

> Have you just bought one of the new flats on

> Wanley Road? Can understand your position if this

> is the case.

>

> It would seem common sense and consideration has

> all but disappeared these days.

>

> The concern re Greendale/Townley Road is a

> classic. Been using this junction since I was a

> child and still managed to survive.

[Charles Notice]

It is a very safe route. How many accidents have happened over the last 30 years?

People really should grow up.

Perhaps we are talking about a different Greendale. 95% of Greendale is like a dual carriageway.

Reminds me of Melbourne Grove just moved in let's change to make it to I want.

Appreciate the dream a country walk into Dulwich Village. House appreciation.

Why did the Council spend a vast sum of money on a pedestrian pavement just recently to give people a safe passage.

Common sense and aware as to what is going around.

5 scooters a day.? Carnage

[nbridgeman1]

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> It is a very safe route. How many accidents have

> happened over the last 30 years?

>

> People really should grow up.

>

> Perhaps we are talking about a different

> Greendale. 95% of Greendale is like a dual

> carriageway.

>

> Reminds me of Melbourne Grove just moved in let's

> change to make it to I want.

>

> Appreciate the dream a country walk into Dulwich

> Village. House appreciation.

>

> Why did the Council spend a vast sum of money on a

> pedestrian pavement just recently to give people a

> safe passage.

>

> Common sense and aware as to what is going

> around.

>

> 5 scooters a day.? Carnage

It's a CYCLE PATH. NOT a road. I'm not sure I can make it any clearer.

And I haven't 'just moved in', I lived in East Dulwich for a number of years before moving to the top of Green Dale.

You're coming across as a very bitter person indeed.

Anyway, yes CCTV sounds like a good idea.

[Charles Notice]

Bitter about what. Quite Extraordinary.

[nbridgeman1]

Charles Notice Wrote:

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

> Bitter about what. Quite Extraordinary.

You're arguing with people who have a problem with people doing something that's illegal, and you're coming across as a very crotchety, grumpy person while doing it.

[Charles Notice]

Far from grumpy but lost interest with the game now. Having lived at the top of Greendale for a greater part my life my experience of Greendale is different to yours. You might consider opening a window and count scooters instead of sheep and whilst asleep and mull over how serious this could become

Nice you are concerned

Consider how busy and dangerous it might become when mass cycling starts using it.

Think of the children

[Blah Blah]

Charles you are trolling and you know it. It's not funny, or even interesting.

First you fail to even recognise that bikes and scooters are even motor vehicles, and now you seem to think it's ok for those vehicles to use public pathways. What do you think would be the consequences for the scooter rider if they had an accident (whether at fault or not) involving a cyclist or pedestrian? Any idea?

Oh and here's what the law says on it.....

Road Traffic Act 1988

Section 34

Prohibition of driving motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle?

(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or

(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,

he is guilty of an offence.

[hpsaucey]

Same happens at the little cut-through from Solomon's Passage into Tresco Road area. V dangerous because the council put in an (admittedly a bit crap) metal railing to discorage scooters etc but they still just power through because they can't be arsed to go the long way round down Waveney Ave. The differece being that now that can't see what's coming. And the pathway is just, just wide enough for two people side-by-side.

Anyways - don't know why I'm posting here - council would be better place to email.

HP

[fizzmoll]

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. A single accident with a motor bike and a child is enough for it to be a big tragedy and a potentially life changing moment for a family. What's wrong with trying to discuss this and potentially take preventative measures?

[Earl Aelfheah]

There's just no need to race motorbikes through a pedestrian area. It's stupid, lazy and potentially dangerous.

[Earl Aelfheah]

This is the area along which motorbikes are *alledgedly* racing each other:

[edited to add the * caveat]

[Earl Aelfheah]

CCTV only works if the bikes are actually registered to the person riding them of course. A lot of these battered up scooters won't be.

[Penguin68]

Sorry - but where did 'racing' come into all this - the OP said that scooters were using it, but until rahrahrah's post this morning nobody has mentioned or reported racing (just 'overtaking' of two scooters, possibly only once).

This is the way that logs start to roll - it's just a shame that hundreds of leather clad Hell's Angels are now using this route incessantly with speeds over a 100mph in incessant midnight drag races. Something must be done!

[Earl Aelfheah]

Milk76 suggested that he had seen scooters racing each other. That's what I was referring to.