Isn't it illegal for cyclists to cycle on pavements?

Question

Anyone else find they are constantly being startled as pedestrians by people who cycle past them whilst they are innocently and correctly walking along pavements. Are these cyclists too scared to use the roads? Isn't what they're doing often against the law? Has anyone ever been hit and injured by a cyclist when they are on footpaths or pavements? What can the cyclists tell us to attempt to justify this behaviour?

Answer 1

Yes it is illegal. Personally I don't mind if they ride carefully but some cyclists tear along dodging in and out of pedestrians. What really worries me is if they injure somebody badly who pays compensation as it is very likely they don't have insurance.

Answer 2

"What can the cyclists tell us to attempt to justify this behaviour?"

The roads are getting more and more dangerous for cyclists to be on.

As a cyclist, I have been involved in too many incidents where negligent drivers have, simply put, scared the living daylights out of me. Luckily, I have not been physically harmed yet, though my nerves have suffered.

At junctions, I am never certain whether a driver will wait or pull out. Once when I was riding down a long straight road in clear daylight, a female driver waited at a junction as I approached, then pulled out just as I came level with her bonnet.

There was literally six inches between myself and a serious collision.

Many drivers do not realise that if they pass a cyclist too close or too fast, the backdraft caused by their vehicle could the cyclist to wobble and loose control momentarily. The result could be disastrous.

Often when a road is too narrow for two vehicles - a car and a cycle - to pass safely, I will wait. Rarely am I acknowledged.

Cyclists cannot trust drivers. It is no wonder that some of us ride on the pavements sometimes. However; disrespect on the roads should not lead to disrespect on the pavement and I for one will always respect the pedestrians' right of way.

Answer 3

it is against the law to cycle on the pavement, and if yo get hit and injured by a cyclist on said pavement, you would be able to sue them for a substantial amount. That's besides the point though as its never enforced these days, however what is really annoying is when cyclists use the paths, then decide to drive off the kerb onto the road because of and obstruction where they are, they should make their mind up, pavement OR road, not a mixture of the two, any cyclist would be mighty p i s s e d at getting ran over, but the driver of the car is probably more p i s s e d because the cyclist hit him, but the driver is totally liable. The police should clamp down and make cyclists obey road rules

Answer 4

OK here is my viewpoint as an auto driver & cyclist & health walker.

In the USA the laws dealing with cyclists are a maddening jumble. Cyclists are second class citizens in the Laws eyes.

Hopefully more individuals will be bicycling soon just as we saw a rise after the 70's gas wars. Bicycling is not only good exercise, it is a good alternative transportation for some people on shorter trips. Unfortunately public policy does not support cycling.

Except in some European cities & a very select few in the US, cycle lanes & paths are totally inadequate. On top of that, the whole notion of putting essentially unprotected human cyclists in the middle of a busy road with hundreds of multi-ton vehicles going at least twice as fast as the cyclists is ludicrous! For cycling to become a viable alternative transportation in the US, seperate roads should be built for them. Of course that is not financailly feasible! But any increased pathways or lanes would be a major improvement.

Many more cyclists die every year in the US than walkers killed by cyclists. A rude cyclist is still a rude cyclist. They should not use sidewalks if at all possible but in actuality many roads are simply too dangerous for them to be on! Although cyclists have a right to use all US roads except for interstate highways, the reality is it is simply too dangerous in many areas and auto drivers see cyclists on the road as either a nuisance or a target. Believe me, I have experienced both.

When you see long lines of cyclists taking up the whole lane, they do that purposefully for their own protection! And they have the legal right to do so but most auto drivers either don't know or don't care.
Most park pathways are for both walkers & cyclists as a budget cutting method for our city fathers. Both groups need to respect the other.

I will gladly give up the sidewalks when our representives build adequate safe cycling lanes. My tax dollars should be wisely used in those areas.

Answer 5

This is an international list so the pertinent laws will be different.

In the USA, many parks have paths that are for both cyclists & walkers. I used to use them for my bicylcing exercise.

Yes I startled many walkers & was always afraid I might hit one. When approaching walkers from behind, I would call out "passing on your left" as that was the most common scenario.

Even tho the paths are clearly marked as bike/walking paths & that you should walk/bike single file & to the right of the center line on the path, walkers invariably ignored those rules putting everyone in potential danger.

An auto/bicyclist collision is much more serious than a cyclist/walker collision although both can be deadly. look at the relative speeds & masses involved. I was once in an accident that required x-rays & multiple stitches caused by a walker who had his dog off his leash violating a city law & park rule.

I personally prefer to ride in the roads when feasible. However automobile drivers are even more rude to cyclists than cyclists are to walkers. I have been ran off the road several times. I know of cyclists that have been killed by drivers.

There is no excuse for rude cycling behaviour. However when walkers & cyclists share the same pathway, both groups should do their best to respect the other group.

Answer 6

In florida a cyclist is considered a pedestrian, and a motorist. Where there are no designated bike paths they are expected to use the sidewalk, or the road if there is no sidewalk.
As a driver, cyclists used to really torque my nerves. They are hard to see, slow, and you can't pass them unless there is no oncoming traffic.
As a cyclist, I found that you are completely vulnerable to everybody's road rage. If there is no bike path, I'd use the sidewalk, because I'm rather fond of living! Though, I do think that cyclists should practice good behavior when sharing the roads and sidewalks, I can see where it might be easier for some people to plow through on a cycle rather than yield to pedestrians. Which is rude, and dangerous. They are probably bad car drivers who've had their car driving priveleges revoked!
Good luck

Answer 7

54: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement. Do not leave your cycle where it would endanger or obstruct road users or pedestrians, for example, lying on the pavement. Use cycle parking facilities where provided.
Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A sect 129

That is the law according to the highway code. I can understand old ladies and small children are better off on the pavement, but anyone who cycles seriously will find "off roading" on the pavement most annoying as you have to keep giving way at every side turning.
If those too scared to mix it with the traffic and maintain our right to cycle on the road, would give way to pedestrians and cycle safely then it would not be a problem (apart from that low life Sun M)

Answer 8

Yes it's illegal to cycle on the pavement, they must use the roads unless there is a specific cycle path. I just stand in front of them and try to block the road so they have to get off the pavement. It's also illegal fro a cyclist to wheel his bike, while he walks, down a one way street the 'wrong' way. A one-way street is one way for all vehicles, whether they are under power or not.

Answer 9

Yes. Cyclists are increasingly using the pavements here in Fremont, California. I feel sorry for them, because cars treat them like roadkill, regardless of the bicycle lanes.

Walk resolutely. I find that the cyclists know they are not at home on the pavement, and they are the ones who should be careful not to hit people.

Answer 10

Unless it's a designated bike path, cyclists should use the road like autos do. They're supposed to follow the exact same "rules of the road" as motorists (at least here in the States). But, they rarely do. You see them weaving in and out of traffic and running through red lights all the time. If they're caught, they can be ticketed for not following the same "driving" rules that motorists do.