Beginners cycling on pavements?

[Terpsikhore]

I'm a complete novice cyclist - I only started learning a few months ago, and it's proving slooooooow progress. It doesn't help that the only space available for me to learn in is a poorly-lit industrial estate at 8pm!

Up until now I've managed to avoid cycling on public highways. But I can't drive, and now I'm working full-time it's just not practical for me to spend 45 minutes walking to the gym in the evenings. I thought if I could cycle there instead, I'd improve my cycling skills AND save time.

I know cycling on pavements is illegal. But I'm not good enough to cycle on the roads - not least because I can't indicate. The roads aren't likely to be busy, but I know I'd really annoy any drivers I did meet by not indicating and cycling really slowly. Do you think it would be acceptable for me to use the pavement until I improve? Do I risk the roads? Or will I have to resign myself to wearing out my shoe leather for a few months more?

Unfortunately I suspect I already know the answer, but I just thought I'd check...

 

[HLaB]

I'm a complete novice cyclist - I only started learning a few months ago, and it's proving slooooooow progress. It doesn't help that the only space available for me to learn in is a poorly-lit industrial estate at 8pm!

Up until now I've managed to avoid cycling on public highways. But I can't drive, and now I'm working full-time it's just not practical for me to spend 45 minutes walking to the gym in the evenings. I thought if I could cycle there instead, I'd improve my cycling skills AND save time.

I know cycling on pavements is illegal. But I'm not good enough to cycle on the roads - not least because I can't indicate. The roads aren't likely to be busy, but I know I'd really annoy any drivers I did meet by not indicating and cycling really slowly. Do you think it would be acceptable for me to use the pavement until I improve? Do I risk the roads? Or will I have to resign myself to wearing out my shoe leather for a few months more?

Unfortunately I suspect I already know the answer, but I just thought I'd check...

Get hold of a copy of cyclecraft (positioning can be better than indicating sometimes anyway) and pick a nice quiet route
to the gym (www.cyclestreets.net may help) and give it a go you'll never know or learn till you give it a try. You might also investigate if there is any cycle trainers in your area.

 

[biglad]

Hiya Terpik, I am in precisely the same boat as yourself mate. A non-motorist, novice cyclist trying to stay safe for the sake of myself and others, and as such, ease myself into comfortable cycling on the road. There is a hefty thread located here, where the issue is discussed in depth, and with a degree of hyperbole and chest beating that may put you off wanting to be part of the cycling community. I also made my points (which spookily correlate with your situation very closely!) Here. There are a few guys pushing forward the debate in a very logical and respectful way, but I'm afraid to say, there are also many people saying you deserve acts of violence, and to have your cycle taken away from you permanently.

My thoughts on the matter are that safety is key. If you consider your level of cycling ability to be too low to safely use the raods, then you have two options, to stop trying to better yourself by biking, or to ease yourself into it, using quiet roads that you know well when you can, and riding on pavement when you are at busier junctions or roads.

However, with the issue of safety being paramount you also have to be aware, and respectul of pedestrians. One thing I neglected to note in my post prior to this is that in my route I encounter pedestrians every hundred yards or so, so its not very often. When I do, I give them a "hello" as I approach, and I go around them. I always give thanks or apologies as I pass (which is always slow, as I don't go very fast anyway) and I have never had a rude comment, I have been thanked back plenty of times, and had brief, plesant chats with pedestrians a couple of times too.

In short. The three points I would like to make are, 1.) Be safe. 2.) Consider road cycling a goal and actively work towards it. 3.) Don't let anyone tell you that because you are making efforts to act safely and respectfully that you shouldn't be cycling.

Best of luck with it mate, and keep me up to date with your progress. My commute at the moment, I'm at about 50% road use, up from around 25% a few days ago, so you will get there man.

 

[jnb]

... pick a nice quiet route
to the gym (www.cyclestreets.net may help)

Though depending on where you are I find transportdirect.info better, but it doesn't cover all areas.

 

[Chris S]

I cycle on the pavement when the road is busy - the police see me and say nothing.

So long as you don't ride like a lunatic and endanger public safety you should get away with it.

 

[sabian92]

The best way of getting better at riding on the road is to ride on the road! Pick a quiet road, preferably with a 30mph limit and not much heavy traffic (HGV and the like) and just trundle up and down it and get your confidence up. I'm in a similar position and it does help. Another good thing to do is get hold of a copy of the Highway Code - there's a cycle specific section in there, and read all of it barring the motorway bits, because it does help. I have a full licence and I can honestly say that it does make me feel better knowing that i've had to pass a theory test to drive, and it helps with riding too. It makes me feel less daft knowing i'm not in the wrong lane or something.

That, and cycling on the pavement pisses pedestrians off, annoys you because you constantly have to stop, and it's a £30 fine if you get caught.

 

[Tim Hall]

Have you a more experienced friend you can go cycling with? Someone who can show the ropes of riding on the road? A "bike buddy" as they're called?

You say you learnt to ride only a few months ago. Was this all off your own bat (in which case, well done. Fun isn't it) or did you have lessons? If it was the latter, can your cycle trainer give you more advice on safe and confident road use? Or look up on t'interweb to see who offers such training in your neck of the woods.

Of course the most important question is "what colour is your bike?"

 

[Panter]

Hiya Terpik, I am in precisely the same boat as yourself mate. A non-motorist, novice cyclist trying to stay safe for the sake of myself and others, and as such, ease myself into comfortable cycling on the road. There is a hefty thread located here, where the issue is discussed in depth, and with a degree of hyperbole and chest beating that may put you off wanting to be part of the cycling community. I also made my points (which spookily correlate with your situation very closely!) Here. There are a few guys pushing forward the debate in a very logical and respectful way, but I'm afraid to say, there are also many people saying you deserve acts of violence, and to have your cycle taken away from you permanently.

My thoughts on the matter are that safety is key. If you consider your level of cycling ability to be too low to safely use the raods, then you have two options, to stop trying to better yourself by biking, or to ease yourself into it, using quiet roads that you know well when you can, and riding on pavement when you are at busier junctions or roads.

However, with the issue of safety being paramount you also have to be aware, and respectul of pedestrians. One thing I neglected to note in my post prior to this is that in my route I encounter pedestrians every hundred yards or so, so its not very often. When I do, I give them a "hello" as I approach, and I go around them. I always give thanks or apologies as I pass (which is always slow, as I don't go very fast anyway) and I have never had a rude comment, I have been thanked back plenty of times, and had brief, plesant chats with pedestrians a couple of times too.

In short. The three points I would like to make are, 1.) Be safe. 2.) Consider road cycling a goal and actively work towards it. 3.) Don't let anyone tell you that because you are making efforts to act safely and respectfully that you shouldn't be cycling.

Best of luck with it mate, and keep me up to date with your progress. My commute at the moment, I'm at about 50% road use, up from around 25% a few days ago, so you will get there man.

Absolutely +1 to this.
In my opinion (and I appreciate that they're not shared by everyone,) just getting out there on your bike is the main thing.
I pass a fair few pavement cyclists on my route to work, and if they're cycling with absolute pedestrian priority in mind, I see nothing wrong with it.
A nervous beginner starting out on footpaths early morning/late evening is a far cry from a reckless lunatic hurtling down a pedestrianised high street at peak time.

Good luck

 

[summerdays]

As I said on the other thread, several years ago I started on the pavements although I would say I was able to signal fine ... it was knowing where to cycle and how to tackle junctions that I was stuck on at first. Now several years down the road, I don't regret that start, and now cycle mainly on the roads (there is the occasional cut through that I use ).

If you are having problems signalling then try making sure that you are looking ahead, not at the ground immediately in front of you, relax and sit fairly upright. Nervous cyclists have a tendency to look down and grip the bars with some kind of death grip and be all tense.

 

[henshaw11]

In some places (eg town centres) you might attract a 30 fine, but that may have been more likely when it originally came in a few (?) years ago. I'm pretty sure I saw some Police advisory info posted here or on yacf in the last week or so, that suggested ignoring it if the person's cycling sensibly.
The people you have to watch out for more a little more are the elderly - can be a bit unsteady on their feet and not hear you approaching - and similarly anyone with headphones on.

The answer is probably to find some quieter roads and get some confidence - a big part is getting road positioning right and not being bullied into the gutter by (some) drivers.

Another alternative to the Cyclecraft book is this one from the IAM - tho' it's by/in conjunction with the same author (Franklin
http://www.roadcycli...-book/5099.html
http://www.thebikeli...y-john-franklin

I keep intending to buy one or other out of curiousity, to see if I'm missing a trick, like a lot of people I've mostly found out by trial and error what works and what doesn't - plus the very occasional riding tip via forums.

It looks like the IAM also do their own training:
http://www.iam.org.u...ngtraining.html

and there's the Bikeability scheme:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/
- aimed primarily at children I believe but looking at the faq it sounds like some providers will also handle adult training - try the provider search box on the lhs.

Treat is as a fun challenge....being used to cycle in - and to some degree control, the traffic around you should be fairly liberating I'd think

Even if you adhere to all the advice in Cyclecraft, etc, you're bound to get some grief at some point from drivers from cycling in 'their' way - by and large drivers - even the courteous ones that'll give you a wide berth - I'd guess don't know a fat lot about cycling on the road other than 6" from the gutter - so don't take it to heart

>relax and sit fairly upright. Nervous cyclists have a tendency to look down and grip the bars with some kind of death grip and be all tense

+1 - I swapped from an upright to a recumbent a few years ago, took a little while to get used to signalling one-handed again !

The other thing to look out for is, drifting in the direction you're looking when you look behind.

 

[the snail]

Another option would be to see if there is a local cycle club you could go out with. My club has weekly easy rides, so you can ride with more experienced riders in front and behind, they pick nice quiet rides and you can learn by seeing how they tackle junctions etc.

 

[soulful dog]

The thing is with cycling on pavements is that you need to go a lot slower than you would normally, as you need to give way to pedestrians, avoid obstacles etc. It may make you more comfortable on your bike, but won't really do anything for improving your confidence/skill for riding on the roads.

I think the idea of either going out in a beginners group with a local club, or seeing if there's any cycling classes being run in your local area as already suggested are your best ideas. If you're pretty wary, they'll probably be the best ways of learning and then you can take it from there to progress onto quieter roads yourself to go to the gym.

 

[mark barker]

Have a chat with the CTC cycling champion in Essex (linky here) It seems that they offer free adult training sessions.

 

[david1701]

The thing is with cycling on pavements is that you need to go a lot slower than you would normally, as you need to give way to pedestrians, avoid obstacles etc. It may make you more comfortable on your bike, but won't really do anything for improving your confidence/skill for riding on the roads.

I think the idea of either going out in a beginners group with a local club, or seeing if there's any cycling classes being run in your local area as already suggested are your best ideas. If you're pretty wary, they'll probably be the best ways of learning and then you can take it from there to progress onto quieter roads yourself to go to the gym.

its not even just beginners, I go out on the slow tuesday ride with my club if I have nothing better on and its almost all retired people doing it for sociability/fitness, so you won't be too slow for them and they are generally really nice

 

[biglad]

I'd just like to make an addition, in the hope of boosting the confidence of the OP.

Today, I did my first long ride. Just over 10 miles round trip. I went from Pall Mall in Liverpool where I stored me things over to the docks where I planned to ride. I got out and in a moment of courage/insanity I thought to myself "y'know what lad... get stuck in." And I rode down to the docks along a VERY busy road through Liverpool's office district. And I was fine. I considered getting onto the pavement, but it was busy and it would have had to get off my bike. So I promised myself I would stay on the road until I got to the area I wanted to cycle. Honestly mate it was absolutely fine. I stopped at traffic lights, motorists gave me plenty of space, I actually found it much less intimidating than riding on the quiet little road near my house. The reason being that it was much busier, but also much slower.

I was mega stoked and felt like I had taken a massive step. So Terpsikhore, its doable my man, just hang in there and keep practising mate.