Why are mtb riders such wimps??

[lewis1641]

Fair play to you Trevor. The general standard of motorists is terrible but they generally stay off the paths. I don't think you are a wimp dude

 

[Anthony]

Not everybody knows that, but in fact Home Office guidance to Chief Constables says that, although cycling on pavements remains illegal, fixed penalty notices should apply only to irresponsible cycling.

I'd imagine hardly anyone knows that. And why or how would they? It's either illegal=risk of fine or it's legal=please continue.
It's precisely this sort of fudged bullshit that helps nobody and leads to police and judges taking all kinds of different stances on more serious matters. Like shooting burglars for example.
It's just cycling ffs, it is OK or not to ride on a pavement? If police or the Home Office can't give a straight answer to that I give up.

No, there is no more ambiguity in this than there is in driving a car on a road - safe driving is legal, dangerous driving is illegal. If that's too complicated for you, then stay indoors.

The decision as to whether your cycling is safe/considerate or dangerous/inconsiderate is down to the policeman who sees it - or a magistrate if you take it that far. That's the way the law works. If you're cycling on the road and you do something dangerous, as some do, then you could be prosecuted there too.

I think the answer is as straight as you're going to get with any law. There is always a question of interpretation, but the guidance to Chief Constables is that fixed penalty notices for cycling on a pavement should be only when the cycling was dangerous or inconsiderate. Avoid that and you should be ok.

Personally, I cycle on the road 99% of the time, but on my journey there are one or two stretches of deserted pavement that are far safer than the narrow road, and I always cycle slowly/considerately along them, so that's the safest option and seems the most sensible way to go.

 

[hydorah]

I also cycle on the road 99.5% of the time, sometimes using a crossing instead of a major road roundabout, you know those 5 lane jobbies...

The pavements are much slower and in poorer condition than the roads, but hopping the odd kerb here and there can also be a good way to circumvent red traffic lights...

 

[totti]

There is nothing wimpy about riding on the pavement as opposed to the road...
On a bike you can account for yourself on the road, but not for the actions of motorists who will either using a mobile phone, changing tracks on a cd player, texting, updating a facebook status about being stuck in traffic etc...

If I feel I need to cycle on the pavement, I will.
All the comments about "manning up" make me laugh...
Imagine beind knocked up your bike by a chav in a Corsa who drifted into a cycle lane and didn't stop, left you with a broken hand or worse?
Should man up really and do another 30 miles, after all, you've had a bit of a rest on the pavement.

 

[hydorah]

I think the pavement really belongs to pedestrians and they oughtn't to have to contend with bikes zipping about all over the place

I only ever do my bunny hopping across pavements if there are no pedestrians around - and I fully acknowledge that it is a dubious trick, but it is very cool when you have just whizzed through a queue of cars, then the light changes and you just hop a few kerbs to cross the road then get back on the road on the other side...

On the streets, the road is more suitable and faster for cycling and I think unless there are cycleways marked out, you have to be off the pavement anyway, by law

Although has anyone ever been told to get off the pavement by the cops?

 

[highlandsflyer]

Only given the odd look, never a ticket, in years of cycling mainly on pavement in London.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Haven't felt the need to ride on a pavement since I graduated from my plastic milkfloat to my first bike without stabilisers. For those in doubt, this was a long time ago.

 

[dyna-ti]

I dont think there has been any fatalities from cyclists on the pavement hitting pedestrians,possibly but the odds are astronomical :? I dont know of any cyclists killed or injured riding on the pavement.
There are plenty of incidents where cyclists were killed or seriously injured riding on the road.
To my mind given this logic is that there is no place on the road for a cyclist.To get through your cycling 'career' without death or serious injury is nothing other than complete luck.





PS
It isn't illegal to ride on the pavement

 

[peguinpower]

My son got hit riding on a sidewalk by a car coming out of an alley that was the exit of a parking lot. According to the police, my son was in the wrong.

I asked the police why this was so. The explanation that car turning right are not won't see cyclists.

Personally, Ive had about 3 close calls with cyclists and skate boarders coming from a shaded sidewalk who barrel into the pedestrian lane while I'm making a left turn.

California sidewalks are full of wheeled pedestrians Personally, I ride my cruiser on and off the sidewalk all the time. When it gets sketchy, I jump on the sidewalk. For whatever reason, the police told me that if I ride the sidewalk but with the flow of traffic, I'm more in the right than not, so I do.

As for the OP's original post, MTBers are not wussies for riding the sidewalk. Cyclist who do are stoopeeeed though if they ride so fast that they can't stop in time for a pedestrian.

 

[hydorah]

The UK Highway Code states:

Rule 64

You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.

- It even uses the shouty block caps

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_069837