Cyclists

[strawy]

This may sound harsh,even petty,in these present conditions,a rant maybe,  ,but...
Can you give us walkers a little space,youve got less traffic,so get on the road,dont be afraid,you wont slow the traffic down,and if you see us walking on the side of a country road,move across 6ft,dont push us into the bushes,thank you..
Stay on your legal ways,we are not expecting to avoid you on a field footpath track where you have no right of way..
Buy a map..
Check out where you can actually go..
Dont think its all open & free..
I wouldnt "snitch" on you,but wear a bell & have some common sense,occasionally..
Rant over..

[vizzavona]

Hello... I am both a cyclist and a hillwalker.  Have used the cycle on initially on the busy A 9 to get to work....was very glad when the new Road came along nearly 40 years ago and the main road old Road became a B road.
Must say I was more than pleased when off road bikes became available in the 90's.  I had endured enough of close encounters on the vehicle roads.  Now retired I actively seek out the paths, tracks and dedicated cycle trails.... Now I can travel by bike with the minimum of tarred Road surface to reach the multitude of off road stuff in the Cairngorm Park.
The most recent track is parallel to the dualled section of the A9 that I can use to reach many fine trails.
I agree that bikers do have a responsibility to be aware that the trails are shared with other non biking users....my bell is my way of letting others know that I am on the route as well as slowing down... Walkers, small children and dogs etc.
Of course in Scotland you have the right to walk, and well cycling is just an extension of your stride, to journey responsibly in open land in the countryside.

[pdstsp]

I am also both cyclist and walker, and agree with Strawy.  Lost count of the number of times I get off the pavement and onto the road to avoid people on bikes.  I suspect though that these are mainly "corona-cyclists", who have dug bikes out, rather than habitual cyclists.

[Jac]

.................but wear a bell

All cyclists, on purchasing their first bicycle, should have a bell permanently shackled to an ankle thereby ensuring that they give warning of approach - except

to deaf people

So cyclists think! Give people more warning and more space not just now. When normality returns, please cyclists - continue to keep your distance.

[Bigfoot_Mike]

I don’t think using the bell is sufficient. Cyclists need to be more aware of their own safety and that of others. On the road most cyclists seem to think they are invulnerable and that the rules of the road don’t apply to them. They cycle on the pavement, putting pedestrians at risk. At sea, power needs to give way to sail, so cyclists need to give way to pedestrians and walkers and give them enough space to stay safe. Vehicles need to give space to cyclists, but those on bikes need to act responsibly and not put themselves in danger unnecessarily and recognise that continually frustrating queues of drivers is likely to cause some to take risky manoeuvres. Footpaths are not for cyclists - they are for walkers. Stick to bridleways and roads and respect the other users of these.


Unfortunately, despite the positive press, I find a significant majority of cyclists behave irresponsibly and put themselves and others in danger. When I was commuting to work, pretty much every journey I needed to take avoiding action to prevent my car ‘collecting’ a cyclist who thought they owned the road (and pavement) and who had no awareness of what was going on around them. Cyclists on the road are very vulnerable and pedestrians are vulnerable in the presence of bikes, so they need to act accordingly. I suspect that we will have to legislate so that cyclists have the equivalent of number plates and insurance to have any chance of reasonable behaviour.

[Owen]

Are we having a "let's hate cyclists" moment?

[Marsden Moor]

Looks that way Owen, Must be nice to be perfect

[Bigfoot_Mike]

It’s not about being perfect or hating cyclists. It is about cyclists showing the courtesy to others that they demand for themselves and following the rules that walkers and drivers have to adhere to.

[Marsden Moor]

Do you think that when they get off the bike they suddenly become considerate? Same as all the rubbish that’s left on the hills by walkers do think when walkers get back into civilisation that they start putting their rubbish into bins? Same with dog walkers leaving dog bags in piles or left hanging from trees, if your lazy and inconsiderate to everyone else your going to be like that regardless of if your on a bike or not

[tonyk]

 If you get hit by a bike travelling at 15 mph there is a real chance of serious injury or death.Nobody has died from dog poo being left in trees or litter scattered around.In fact ferocious riding is a criminal offence but the police rarely enforce it.My own feeling on it is that all cyclists should be made to purchase third party insurance and also pay road tax at the same rate as motorcyclists.

[rural roamer]

As in every area there are a lot more cyclists around here now both on roads and paths. I was beginning to think
I had missed a change in legislation in that cyclists are now legally allowed to cycle on public footpaths, because most round here seem to think so. We have had to step off the path to let them pass sometimes and they shouldn’t even be there. My hubby is just dreading the day I lose my rag and have a go at one!


Edit - I realise this is still a minority and most abide by the rules

[gunwharfman]

My wife gets wound up by all of these people on pavements, She just stands there to make them move (it's worked so far) one of her friends shouts loudly at them, (that works as well) whilst I personally never use pavements in my city, I pedal along the roads as if I'm a car, I do not cower to the left and keep close to the kerb, I just brazen it out. So far I've never had a mishap and any driver, as far as I know, has not tried to treat me badly. I lived in London for eight years and I had to learn how to be confident on the road! If a car wants to pass me they have to pull out and pass, or stay behind me! I make no apologies, to cower puts cyclists in greater danger in my view.

[beefy]

I am a cyclist and Walker,
Just to be realistic, having a bell is no longer good enough, you ring your bell and get no response, so you shout a polite excuse me, still no response, a lot of people are wearing ear phones listening to music and they cant hear you, I always treat everyone with politeness and respect whatever I do, it's about the person not the activity they are doing,
Then you get the people who turn around see you, but won't move out of the way, when walking or cycling,  or deliberately walk or park their cars in a designated cycle lane,
I hate riding on the road with the way some  drivers have no respect for other road users, and only use roads to get to the nearest cycle path or canal, so if on a busy or dangerous stretch of road I ride on the pavement, but I always stop and give way to pedestrians, I know you are not supposed to, but I dont want to die,
A polite smile and thank you goes a long way, and so does a little give and take,
A selfish person will do as they please whatever the situation or activity with no regard for anyone else,
So for example, if a cyclist passes me at high speed from behind, whilst out walking, it can be startling, but I dont then have a problem with all cyclists, just the ignorant ones, this person might well later get in his or her car and not bother indicating or drive through a red light.
I was riding on the canal last week 2 lads were pushing their bikes, I stopped to see one gad a puncture, I fixed it for him, they had a long way to go and were very grateful,  one small act of kindness and these lads will be likely to stop and help someone  else in the future.
Treat each other with the respect and politeness that you would like to receive, be kind, and set an example to the selfish ignorant ones, one day they might take notice and become a better person for it.


 
Heres a short video for the cyclists
Ps this is a shared cycle path and footpath


https://youtu.be/l6MjyGUeylY

[Marsden Moor]

Well said Beefy and how you stay up on them things I will never know

[fernman]

I am known to holler "Thanks for warning me!" to a disappearing cyclist after he has unexpectedly whooshed past two feet from my shoulder. I've also yet to see one take the least bit of notice at this, though I'm always ready to defend myself with my walking poles in case one comes back to give me a fat lip.

Cyclists please note, even if you do signal your approach by a solitary little 'ping' on a bell, it is far from sufficient if the walker you are about to pass is wrapped up in their own little world and quite possibly doesn't have the best hearing either.

The day will come, I am sure, when I decide to step to one side to look at a plant or something, or maybe stretch an arm out and perhaps a pole, when a collision with an unheard cyclist will be inevitable. If it happens I can only hope they will come off worse than me.