I ride on the pavement.

[Banjo]

At this time of year riding up a short bit of steep hill on the way home from a day shift The angle and steepness of the road puts the sun right in your face. You come round the bend at the bottom and there it is completely blinding.

No sensible alternative route and in umpteen years I have seen about 2 pedestrians here so I get on the pavement ,ride up at about 5 mph until I get back on the road after the next bend.

Rules are for the guidance of wise men etc etc

If I see a ped I dismount and walk if a policeperson were to nab me and I get a fine I wouldnt whinge about it ,far preferable to being shunted by some idiot driving blind in a car.

I could walk that bit but riding up that hill several times a week helps keep my climbing legs in shape and apart from complying with the law wouldnt achieve anything.

 

[gaz]

Lets have a look on google maps...

 

[rowan 46]

At this time of year riding up a short bit of steep hill on the way home from a day shift The angle and steepness of the road puts the sun right in your face. You come round the bend at the bottom and there it is completely blinding.

No sensible alternative route and in umpteen years I have seen about 2 pedestrians here so I get on the pavement ,ride up at about 5 mph until I get back on the road after the next bend.

Rules are for the guidance of wise men etc etc

If I see a ped I dismount and walk if a policeperson were to nab me and I get a fine I wouldnt whinge about it ,far preferable to being shunted by some idiot driving blind in a car.

I could walk that bit but riding up that hill several times a week helps keep my climbing legs in shape and apart from complying with the law wouldnt achieve anything.

I am one of those bad people who agree with you

 

[lukesdad]

Naughty Banjo

 

[MontyVeda]

I agree with you too. Although I'd be really cheesed off if i got a fine for doing so.

 

[Banjo]

Gaz ,if your thinking of a different route there really isnt one ,The map shows thje into the sun bit ,there used to be a short cut through the docks now closed for elf and safety reasons of course.

There is a dirt path usually strewn with glass or ankle deep in mud if wet.

 

[gaz]

An image of the map doesn't really show anything, i wanted to look at it on street view.
Luckily I actually know where you mean. It is a bit dodgy if the light affects the drivers then does it not also affect you?
A nice bright rear light and you should be fine

 

[gaz]

Tut Tut ... Far Too PC

Anyway, was it this bit link ? I would too, don't see anything wrong with using the pavements when peds aren't.

this bit

 

[snorri]

Banjo seems to be a bit vague on this, we need more detail, I don't trust Google, lets have a site meeting, then we could thrash out a verdict in a nearby pub. Anyone got a portable gallows they could take along? There is a pub nearby, I hope?

 

[threefingerjoe]

I don't know if I agree with Banjo in this particular case, but I certainly can sympathise with him. I have encountered circumstances where, I think, it made more sense to take to the pavement. One particular incident that I can think of at the moment, was when I was riding uphill, into a stiff headwind, and couldn't even maintain 5 mph. The road traffic was heavy, with a 45 mph speed limit (which usually means 55 to most motorists). Yes, I took to the pavement, and would do so again.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

I use the pavement to travel the short distance from this junction:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.277...d=oca8jOvbGKMdUwJf4pqA9g&cbp=12,53.09,,0,8.87

...to the next light controlled junction northeast. Frankly, I'd have to be a lunatic not to. There's no way I'm mixing it with cars doing 60+ and lorries doing 40.

 

[Banjo]

An image of the map doesn't really show anything, i wanted to look at it on street view.
Luckily I actually know where you mean. It is a bit dodgy if the light affects the drivers then does it not also affect you?
A nice bright rear light and you should be fine

Im not sure if your serious or gently pulling my leg on this . But if you really think a rear red light will save you when headed into a blinding sun then I wish you luck .

 

[gaz]

Im not sure if your serious or gently pulling my leg on this . But if you really think a rear red light will save you when headed into a blinding sun then I wish you luck .

*tug tug*
I am serious about it not also affecting you on the pavement.

 

[Banjo]

*tug tug*
I am serious about it not also affecting you on the pavement.

Fair point Gaz but crawling up the hill at sub 5 mph I dont think I would be endangering anyone. Its worse than the map looks at the top its a 2 lane one way system with cars accelerating to get up the steep bit and a solid stone wall on the left you could potentially get squeezed against.

Its not a nice part of my commute even without the sun. It only lines up for about a month.This year bright sun hasnt often been a problem .

Is life gettingback to normal in your neck of the woods now?

 

[gaz]

Is life gettingback to normal in your neck of the woods now?

No. still going to be off the bike for around a month.