[Organon]

In the summer I often go off-road on some of the gravel trails around the Mersey. There seems to be a tutting generation of passive aggressive pedestrians who seem surprised that there would ever be a cyclist on these trails, including those clearly marked as part of the National Cycling Network (although some of those are just muddy pathways.) Even though I am slowing down to pass them and they hear my freewheel, or I even say ‘excuse me’ to pass them, I get some of the most panicked responses with people jumping out of my way or even stepping in front of me like they were being chased by a lion.

And then come the comments. I was going along a nice wide alternative route to a bypass road, 4m wide Network route. I go to the left of the route and a fella grabs his Golden Retriever and pulls it the full width of the route and says ‘Your Welcome’ loudly as I pass. This wasn’t a fast process, I didn’t ask you to throttle your dog. That is even before I have to navigate the horse turds there. And then there was the family on one side of the path. Dad calls out to his dog at the last moment and instead of leaving it to safely snuffle in the bushes it runs to him directly in front of me. Not only is it off the lead on a popular cycleway shouting at it is the very last thing you should be doing.

There are 10’s of thousands of miles of mixed use pavements and routes in this country; however pedestrians always assume you are not supposed to be there no matter how slowly you approach them. Roads are for cars, paths are for pedestrians, don’t dare to ride on either or expect the wrath of the tutting classes.

Topic

[LetsBePartOfTheSolution]

Thanks both. I will use “on

Thanks both. I will use “on your right” . Achieves politeness,  but at the same time removes any latitude for them to choose to go the same way.  I should add this is not particularly a safety question – the pass is always at not much more than walking pace, and ready to stop if needed. Just an etiquette one ( me to pass considerately versus they to have default awareness that others would need to get past them with distancing )

 

[grumpyoldcyclist]

As a (2) dog owning, car

As a (2) dog owning, car driving cyclist these comments are very illuminating. Whilst we had lockdown (remember that) I went out of my way to say ‘hi’ to all the walkers, riders, joggers etc that were outside with nothing else to do, and there were LOADS of them. There are less now as some have gone back to work, but there’s still more than normal.

Why did I say hi? Two reasons, one a positive spin, so that people who’d not done this sort of thing before might be surprised / encouraged that people were so friendly outside of their cars. Secondly, the cynical approach was that it might remind the daft 4×4 drivers who don’t know the width of their modern vehicle that cyclists are actually human and can be polite.

Bigger picture folks.

[hawkinspeter]

I think it sounds a bit rude
I think it sounds a bit rude as it’s assuming that they need to be told (despite some of them needing that). Personally, I’d just go through the middle of them as it’s only a second or two and I doubt that level of exposure outside is particularly dangerous.

‘On your right’ might be a better call.

[mdavidford]

Does it actually work though?

Does it actually work though? Surely most of those people intend to move one side of the path anyway – it’s just that they both think that it’s their side that they should be moving to? I would have thought that all it’s likely to achieve is them starting to go either side, and then dithering about which way to go. A ‘Pass on your left|right please’ seems like it would be more effective?

[LetsBePartOfTheSolution]

A scenario I’m now becoming

A scenario I’m now becoming very aware of ( whether I am cycling, jogging or even walking ) is pedestrians walking side by side, who then separate themselves to both sides of the path. This means my having to pass inbetween them.  And too close for social distancing. In which case I just stop to figure something else out.

 So these days I tend to call out ahead of my approach, “single side of the path please”.  Is this a reasonable request from me – especially in our new normal; or does it sound rude to be marshalling them so, on their walk

[Dicklexic]

So if you hate shared use

So if you hate shared use paths so much, and are not able to use them properly, as clearly demonstrated in your other video, stay off them and stick to the road!

[Dicklexic]

What a fucking arrogant

What a fucking arrogant attitude on display by the cyclist in that video there! It’s a SHARED use path between cyclists and pedestrians and should be used accordingly, just like the roads are SHARED between motor vehicles and cyclists. Whilst cycling on the road you expect cars to give you room and and give benefit to the ‘vulnerable party’, yet in that video the cylist is the aggressor and not deferring to the pedestrians that are by extension the ‘vulnerable party’. How about trying to call out or ring a bell (in a POLITE fasion) well in advance of catching up with someone. Gives them plenty of time to see you and react by moving over, with no surprises and unnessecary aggro. Then you can thank them nicely when you pass. Riding up silently until you are right behind them, then getting frustrated is not the right way to behave. Did they honestly expect the mothers and children to dive into the undergrowth as they approached? Yes there are some pedestrians out there that like to be deliberately awkward no matter how accomodating we try to be on a shared use path, but honestly that video is a shocking display of cycling.

[MattieKempy]

Basically we need to

Basically we need to demonstrate the behaviour we’d like to see from drivers! What’s so hard about that?

[Organon]

It must be the loud freewheel

It must be the loud freewheel; they think I am a snake charmer leading a parade of rattlesnakes. I do go a bit over 5 though.

[giff77]

I’ve found the same reaction

I’ve found the same reaction to my use of a bell. I’ve spent sometime trying to explain to friends and colleagues that the sounding of a bell is letting them be aware of the presence of a cyclist. They don’t need to get out of the way as the cyclist has already decide from way back their course of action. All they need to do is keep their line or stop!  The bell like a car horn is not a get outta my way signal. It’s a be aware of my presence signal. There are to many bellers out there who use it as the former pretty much like motorists lean on their horn!   

[Rome73]

Oh the tut – tutters. They’re

Oh the tut – tutters. They’re the worst. They glare and stand in front of their dogs / children to shield them as if I am a machete wielding, bubonic plague infested, son of satan hurtling past on a flaming chariot rather than a middle aged bloke on a city bike pootling along  at 5mph

[Sriracha]

Oh dear. And I suppose
Oh dear. And I suppose cyclists ought never to ride two abreast lest it invoke the ire of motorists? Big fleas have little fleas upon their back to bite’em, etc

[mdavidford]

david rides wrote:

The signs tell you its not a pavement any more

It is a pavement – it’s just a pavement where cycling is permitted. Pedestrians still have priority.

[hawkinspeter]

Sorry, but pedestrians don’t
Sorry, but pedestrians don’t have to walk single file even though it’d be more convenient for others. Also, bear in mind that some might be deaf and thus not hear anything (and yes, they’re allowed to walk there or ride a bike or drive).

[Gary's bike channel]

i’ll just leave this here. 

i’ll just leave this here. 

Even with my loud ass horn, people still walk side by side then act all surprised or even hostile when they find themselves next to a bicycle. The signs tell you its not a pavement any more, its shared with bicycles- why not expect to see bicycles and keep single file? 

[Author]

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