Alan

I joined the A3/Roehampton lane after following a cycle path across Wimbledon Common. Since it was chucking it down and pretty dark for late morning I continued where the path joined the pavement.

I almost fell of my bike when I saw the signs - Max penalty for cycling on the pavement £500.

Now I could get less for a friday night brawl in a pub, road rage........all sorts really.

Is cycling on the pavement such a crime to society?

PS. I am always considerate to other users of the pavement when I have been "forced" to share with them.

If I get stopped, what do I give for ID? the make and model of my bike?

zoog

It is a hollow threat. they 've never prosecuted anyone nor ever will. Even if they did you'd never get the max fine.

It is a bit like the stupid adverts about TV licencing for students and the "grand" fine - sheer bollox - simply playing on middle class parents fears and vulnerablilities. No one has ever been fined £1000 for not haviong a TV licence. They just make you pay up plus a bit extra if you are unlucky or continually evasive.

Reffro

Bikes should not be on the pavement full stop. Its the law aswell as being dangerous. Living in London I have become fed up with bike riders using the pavement. They can get on their high horse when they are rightly criticising the standard of car driveers attitudes to them, but that is no excuse to mount the pavement ***** nilly to avoid traffic lights etc etc.

Stay off the pavements and you won't have any complaints from me. I always comply with the law when bikes are on the road with me, if I was do otherwise I would expect to be punished, so why should bikes be the exception to the rule?

Luke

Its not what you do ,but the way that you do it......
But the all time worse one is kids leaving bikes on the ground outside shop doors

beemerboy

Fully agree, as a mountain biker myself, its fooking dangerous....

BB

Alan

Reffro,

Now I'm a walker, cyclist, motorbiker and car driver, so I can see most views.

So the laws the law, but there has to be some balance. £500 (alright it may never happen) that is just stupid considering the offence.

This is not personal, but on the same road (dual carriageway) you would probably exceed the 30 mph limit and brake for the camera. If do did get caught say doing 39, you would expect a £60/£100 fine?

So a cyclist who gets off the dual carriage way as it is too dangerous could get £500. I will be honest and say I do use pavements if I think my safety is an issue, but I know whose right of way it is, and respect that.

GaryK

But I thought the pavement was for pedestrians, not cyclists?

It does hack me off sometimes, but hey the £500 may seem excessive but at least its an effective deterrent!

GEJL

Isn't it the case that you can get a fixed penalty notice and points on your driving licence for a push-bike offence?

Friend of mine once got a £30 fine for cycling in Kensington Gardens...

ozzy

Well here in Livingston (20miles West of Edinburgh for the uneducated) all the cycle paths use the pavements.

If you do 20mph+, then your just asking for trouble, especially with kids going to/from school, but if you take care it's perfectly safe.

Would you ban kids riding their bikes to school from the pavements?

Stefan

super_si

Bugger lol im always doing it

Reffro

Agreed £500 seems a harsh penalty, but that wouldn't be the standard fine, only the maximum fine surely?

The thing is that regardless of potential fines people continue to ride on pavements in and around central london to avoid traffic lights, make easier progress etc etc and they are risking a fatal accident. It has happened in the past though I'll admit fatal accidents occur infrequently, but there are numerous cases of broken limbs et al. The penalty has to reflect the potential injury that might be a result of your actions. I don't know what the largest possible fine is for careless driving, but whatever it is you will rarely see someone being fined the maximum amount for a road offence, but the ability to fine someone heavily for gross misconduct has to available.

On that basis the potential of a £500 fine seems reasonable to me.

Oh and on the subject of children riding on the pavements, I understood tht up to the age of 8 it is perfectly legal to ride on the pavement. After that age you would hope they will have received some form of road safety training, but maybe an increase in the maximum age to 10-11 would be in order.

[Edited by Reffro - 11/14/2002 10:29:27 AM]

astraboy

<im always doing it >
heh, me too.
25mph plus, late for the morning train then 5mph wobbling round like a dervish on the way home cos I'm sh1tfaced and cant see straight(well, at all if you want the truth ). All with no lights and no brakes either.
Been doing it every weekday for the last 5 years and not got caught.
Dont intend to get caught either, he can hardly take my registration down can they?
In other words,
Screw em.
astraboy.

super_si

i can beat most cars through the city hehehe rush hours a bit mad, que'ing traffic to on the other side the road 99% the time

Si James

I got prosecuted by the Royal Parks Police in London for cycling through Regent's Park.

I got off because I "entered" the park at an enterence where the "no cycling" sign had been defaced, and could not be read. I sent a picture of this to the beak, and the case was thrown out.

They can prosecute, but they have to be really nasty little ****s to do so.



Si

Regacy

My thought exactly

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Law aside, maybe someone can enlighten me as to why cycling on the pavement is such a bad thing?

The potential consequences of a collision between a bike and a car are obvious and serious. A collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian is far less likely to result in death or serious injury. Moreover, busy (and therefore dangerous) roads often have a completely empty pavement on either side.

I therefore suggest that it would be a lot safer to use the pavement much of the time.

Constructive comments?

A.

MATTeL

Cycling on the pavement is against the law.

What more reason do you want or need?

I do ride (mountain bike) and never consider riding on the pavements but then I also stop for red lights so I am a bit unusual for cyclist.

I would suggest you get a copy of the Highway Code and look at the section just for cyclists.

(Nearly got taken out by a cyclist this morning when I was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing. The little green man was light.)

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

MATTeL: That's exactly why I opened my post with 'Law aside...', and then proceeded to question the safety issue. Speeding is also against the law, but I don't see too many people taking your attitude there.

If we never question the law, then there can never be any progress. Is it really the case that the law is always 100% justified by the issues that should shape it?

'Because it's against the law' is a reason not to do something. I'm not debating that. What I'm asking, is whether the law is correct, or whether it should be changed.

Breaking the law is called crime. Changing it is called democracy. I was just asking who thinks the law is correct, or who feels that it ought to be changed.

A.

chiark

Kids cycling on pavements to avoid traffic = acceptable
Adults doing same = unacceptable

My little rule of thumb . Normal question when someone rides into me is "doesn't your mum let you ride on the roads yet?". I'm getting chuffed off with idiots on bikes, as is whoever decided to set the fine at that level

Nick (Walker, cyclist and motorist)

GEJL

astraboy - if you do get caught 'under the influence' on a push-bike, watch out for your driving licence!

Diesel

Seems to work fine in Amsterdam...

I think the worst is cyclists squeezing through pedsestrians crossing the road on a crossing. Had a couple of barneys with those that do it, and all from the comfort of my saddle...

It's like every law we all break in the car - it depends how and when you do it...

astraboy

you serious?
astraboy.

juan

didn't think they were allowed on pavements in Amsterdam, just roads but they get right of way over cars. Jeez its a nightmare out there sometimes as a pedestrian

Diesel

Juan - must be that byelaw that states they must be stoned to ride on the pavements, just to make them that bit more mellow...