Fined £550 for "riding on a broad path"???

monument

A cyclist was recently stopped by police and issued with a fine of £550 for riding on a broad path across Hampstead Heath in London. With Bike Week starting this weekend, the Saturday Guardian is planning to cover the issue of cycling bans on public paths, footpaths, tow paths, pedestrian zones etc where there is a strong argument for sensible shared use. We would like to hear your stories of being stopped and cautioned or fined for riding somewhere you feel cycling should be permitted (ie, where walkers and cyclists could easily coexist; city street pavements do not count). Please email your experiences to bike.doctor@guardian.co.uk.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2006/06/15/wanted_your_cycling_shorts.html

I know it's the UK they're talking about, but interesting all the same.

roadmanmad

As a cyclist, footpaths must be avoided. If I do cycle on a footpath, the pedestrian has right of way and due care must be taken.

On common areas, pedestrian are slower moving and often cannot hear or see a cyclist. The cyclist is the one responsible in this case and must take due care. When we (cyclists) as a group in general do not take sufficient care, we get banned from areas that we would like to traverse. We are the problem and we are the solution.

milod

roadmanmad wrote:

As a cyclist, footpaths must be avoided. If I do cycle on a footpath, the pedestrian has right of way and due care must be taken.

On common areas, pedestrian are slower moving and often cannot hear or see a cyclist. The cyclist is the one responsible in this case and must take due care. When we (cyclists) as a group in general do not take sufficient care, we get banned from areas that we would like to traverse. We are the problem and we are the solution.

True - we get enough bad press, even if we are saving the bleedin' environment! I regularly use a pathway alongside the Luas line between Suir Road and Fatima, but I have a nice tinkly bell* and signal my approach!


*bells, along with baskets really do make a bike look girlie, but you can buy very small inconcpicuous bell in most cycle shops...

ruprect

milod wrote:

*bells, along with baskets really do make a bike look girlie, but you can buy very small inconcpicuous bell in most cycle shops...

A bell and basket is cheaper than the highest security lock and will prevent theft better too! Imagine a scumbag cycling into the flats with a basket with flowers painted on it.

RainyDay

I was instructed to use the footpath by a Garda yesterday! I was going through Dundrum village, and they had a rake of Gardai stopping the traffic at the church for Niall Andrews's funeral. When I got to the top of the line, the Garda blocking the traffic caught my eye and said ' use the footpath'.

But just as I was about to blast through the pedestrians with my force-field protection of Garda permission, he roared 'Walk it, walk it', so no fun was had.

DirkVoodoo

I was coming home today at around 10, stupidly i had forgotten my lights so i was riding with reflectors only, for shame! Anyway, the road i live on aint well lit at all plus the road is in an absolute state next to the curb, where one would usually cycle. So, i took to the pavement (I didnt encounter one pedestrian) to ensure my own safety on a dodgy road.

It was either that, or sleep it out in college.

Victor

roadmanmad wrote:

As a cyclist, footpaths must be avoided.

Sure, but this was a path through a park.

monument

Random off topic talk: I won't be cycling at all for a while. I was just getting used to speeding (safely) past walkers on the cycle tracks in the Phoenix Park, and getting somewhat fit in the process, then my bike got nicked from my apartment’s underground car park. Typically, it was just in Dublin for about three weeks.

Anyway, back half on topic; do the park rangers (or whatever they are) or even the police ever stop people from walking on cycle tracks?

It’s craziness that people see it as a safe place to be with their children. Another extremely nuts example I’ve seen was people walking dogs at night on the cycle tracks. While cycling in the dark (even with lights, although some cyclists had none) it can be hard to see the poor dogs when you’re trying to avoid the people.

kinaldo

Feckin pedestrians, bunch of jaywalkers the lot of them. Try cycling up O'Connell St. and see if they have any regard for us cyclists. If there's no cars they're all too happy to run out in front of us (usually in numbers to sufficiently slow me down) when it's our green light.

/Sorry fo the off topic rant.

ronbyrne2005

when i was in san diego you were allowed cycle on path but pedestrians have right of way. also you can attach your bike to front of buses and can take your bike onto the metro train(trolley). made getting round so easy.

Bunnyhopper

A few months back I emailed the OPW about pedestrians using the cyclepaths in the Phoenix Park and they said that their rangers would be patrolling the Park by bike and that the cyclepaths would be part of their remit. I haven't been in there recently so I don't know whether that's actually happened or not.

They also said that they were working with consultants to draw up a traffic management plan for the whole Park, cycling facilities included. I assume that was the plan they announced a couple of weeks ago. Most of the press comment on it seemed to be concerned with its effects on people in cars (as per usual), and on the fact that housing estates around the Park will be turned into rat runs by people in cars.

Paschal Donohoe (FG) and Mary Fitzpatrick (FF) were suitably outraged at the plan. There was no mention of what they thought of the provisions it proposes for cyclists, but then maybe there are fewer votes on bikes.

P.S. As far as I know, you're not allowed to cycle on the towpaths of the canals, which seems a bit daft, particularly with respect to the sections that are well outside Dublin city centre. They come under the control of Waterways Ireland, I think, rather than particular councils. Anyone know what the situation actually is?

blorg

monument wrote:

It’s craziness that people see it as a safe place to be with their children. Another extremely nuts example I’ve seen was people walking dogs at night on the cycle tracks.

Yes, or along the Clontarf cycle track pushing a double children's pushchair (e.g. he was taking up a lot of the path and had no manoeuvrability whatsoever) in complete darkness, completely unlit, at a blind spot (going around corner.) I don't understand how you could put your kids in such a situation. I have stopped for a polite word with a few who were particularly dangerous, and responses typically are "but you're allowed jog on a cycle track", "it's not a cycle track, it's a running track", or "but everyone does it." (Note: the Clontarf end is _not_ mixed use, it's a cycle track; only the Sutton end is mixed use, and even then is broken into two halves.)

EDIT: I actually don't mind the joggers etc. so much on that cycle path as unlike the Phoenix Park it is generally wide enough to go around them (although they _should_ have lights now that it is dark.) But it _does_ píss me off when you have a large group of them jogging (10-15 maybe), spread right across the whole width of the path _coming towards you_ (e.g. they can see you fine) and they don't just compress in a little bit so that I can pass. More than once I have had to take to the grass to avoid them.

daymobrew

Bunnyhopper wrote:

P.S. As far as I know, you're not allowed to cycle on the towpaths of the canals, which seems a bit daft, particularly with respect to the sections that are well outside Dublin city centre. They come under the control of Waterways Ireland, I think, rather than particular councils. Anyone know what the situation actually is?

Yes, Waterways Ireland actively discourage cycling by putting up swinging gates (12th Lock in Blanchardstown, Ratoath Road in Cabra) and loose surface (between Ashtown and Ratoath Road). I used to cycle the Royal Canal tow path between Ashtown and Drumcondra.
I've spoken with their office in Ashtown a number of times about the inconvenience of the swing gates and the danger of the loose surface. For the former they told me that they do not design their tow paths with cyclists in mind. I tried to argue that it was a fantastic safe route for cyclists but I made more progress banging my head off a wall.

cyclopath2001

roadmanmad wrote:

On common areas, pedestrian are slower moving and often cannot hear or see a cyclist.

There is no such thing as a 'common area'.

The law states: "cycle track means part of a road, including part of a footway or part of a roadway, which is reserved for the use of pedal cycles and from which all mechanically propelled vehicles, other than mechanically propelled wheelchairs, are prohibited from entering except for the purpose of access;"

Note the use of the word 'part'.

When crossing a part of a footpath reserved for cyclists, pedestrians are required to exercise the same care for their own safety as they would crossing a road. Pedestrians should not use a cycle track when a footptah is available.

The 'mixed use' footpaths which have no separate part for cyclists and which are indicated by the non-standard blue coloured 'bicycle & pedestrians' sign have dubious or no legality.