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Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Tue 09 Jun, 2015 5:32 pm
by jasmine98
A Saturday morning visit to Hertford usually by public transport was always a pleasure to me. Visiting the few market stalls that remain and usually managing to have a chat or two with old acquaintances.

In recent months this seems to have changed - it is now a case of avoiding the cycles on the footway. Many of these riders shoot through on the footways as though they are in a cycle race, oblivious of any pedestrians.

Being 80+ it is not so easy to dodge out of the way of these inconsiderate riders or even hear them coming in many cases and thus run the risk of being knocked down, or in a few cases recently being sworn at.

I thought it was now an offence to ride cycles on the footway, but maybe the police think otherwise, as it is still happening in Hertford.

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Tue 09 Jun, 2015 6:25 pm
by Mrs T
Well I'm sorry to hear that, it happened to me today on a country footpath. I just avoided an extremely fast top notch Lycra clad man behind me today on a country FOOTpath, no bell no warning. As for the Police, have you seen one lately!
Let's hope it doesn't put you off visiting Hertford in the future.

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 8:35 am
by Joby
Sorry to hear that jasmine98. There are always going to be a few that tar the reputation of the many - please don't let it sour your opinion of all cyclists. Most of us are law-abiding, considerate and awesome :D

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 5:01 pm
by Darcy Sarto
Cyclists who ride up on the pavement to pelican crossings, press the button without dismounting and then proceed to ride across the crossing on to the opposite pavement get right on my pip I can tell you... :evil: :evil:

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 7:10 pm
by james
Maybe people are riding bikes on pavements because Hertford's roads are perceptibly dangerous. If you really want to get cyclists off pavements then have a go at the council for not building any safe cycling infrastructure, rather than the cyclists themselves who have been bullied off the roads by all the poor quality car-centric road design.

Franky though, I'm amazed cyclists are even able to ride on Hertford's pavements, what with all the f**king cars parked on them.

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 8:37 pm
by Steve
james wrote:Maybe people are riding bikes on pavements because Hertford's roads are perceptibly dangerous.
There's "cycling on the pavement" and there "cycling on the pavement at reckless speed without consideration for pedestrians".

And rather than focusing too much on antisocial cyclists, lets not forget inconsiderate motorists, skateboarders and dogwalkers.

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 9:32 pm
by Joby
james wrote:If you really want to get cyclists off pavements then have a go at the council for not building any safe cycling infrastructure,
I remain to be convinced that infrastructure is the answer. Take Stevenage (which I ride to and from each day to work), home of possibly the finest Dutch-style cycle infrastructure in the South East. You can ride for miles without having to cross or join a single road. The result?Cycleways virtually empty because everyone still bloody drives everywhere.

http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/stevenage/

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Wed 10 Jun, 2015 10:21 pm
by james
Stevenage's infrastructure was cutting edge once, but it hasn't kept up with the growth further out of town since the 70's. It might be easy to cycle around (some) of Stevenage, but it's even easier to drive. Meanwhile in The Netherlands...

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Thu 11 Jun, 2015 2:50 am
by Steve
Joby wrote:I remain to be convinced that infrastructure is the answer. Take Stevenage (which I ride to and from each day to work), home of possibly the finest Dutch-style cycle infrastructure in the South East. You can ride for miles without having to cross or join a single road. The result?Cycleways virtually empty because everyone still bloody drives everywhere.

http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/stevenage/
I wonder if this says more about the demographics of Stevenage.

Re: Inconsiderate cycling on the footways.

Posted: Thu 11 Jun, 2015 2:19 pm
by jasmine98
Steve, my previous comments were in respect of my own recent experiences in Hertford town centre, personally I had found no problems with parked cars, skateboarders or dog walkers although they possibly exist. Cyclists are a different matter, not all, but many of them just do as they selfishly like, and these are not only the younger generations but people who should know better.