What is a pavement bike!!!

[Rickshaw Phil]

If in the UK, just go on British Waterways website and download the little bit of paper which gives you permission to ride on tow paths, then wave this in the face of the angler as you shove him in !

Going on their site a few days ago, I discover that the permits are no longer required now that they have become the Canals and River Trust. Link

 

[HLaB]

The Scottish Governments take on pavement cycling, clear as mud :




Cycling on the pavement:
Most people will tell you that an adult cycling on a pavement is committing an offence. However, the issue of cycling on the pavement is more complicated than it may first appear. The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 does not use the term "pavement", as this can also mean the surface of a road. Rather, it defines five key terms:


Road:
A way over which there is a public right of passage by any means, including the road‟ verge and any associated bridges, tunnels etc.


Carriageway:
Commonly known as "the road", the carriageway is a way which can be used by any vehicle.
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 Footway:
Commonly known as "the pavement", a footway is a way, which is associated with a carriageway, where right of passage is limited to foot.


Footpath:
A way, which is not associated with a carriageway, where right of passage is limited to foot.


Cycle track:
A way where passage is limited to bikes or bikes and foot.

Generally, anyone cycling on a footway or footpath in Scotland is committing an offence under the provisions of Section 129(5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. It is not an offence to cycle across a footway or footpath to access a cycle track, driveway or other land where cycling is allowed.

The issue is complicated by access rights granted to cyclists under Section 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 ("the 2003 Act"). The 2003 Act allows cycling on most land unless access is controlled by or under another enactment. This means that land reform access rights do not normally apply to roads or footways as their use is restricted under various statutes. However, the 2003 Act does allow cycling on any path where access has not been restricted by a Traffic Regulation Order or through other legal means. In practice, this allows cyclists to use most paths in urban parks and rural areas.
To further complicate matters, Section 7(1) of the 2003 Act states that the restriction on access rights described above does not apply where land has been designated as a "core path" under the provisions of the 2003 Act

1
. This means that cyclists may be able to cycle on a footpath, or even a footway, designated as a core path without committing an offence. However, it is important to remember that access rights must be exercised responsibly and cyclists should consider cycling on the carriageway (i.e. road) even if the associated footway has been designated as a core path.

 

[Col5632]

Only in Scotland can we make things a lot more complicated than they need to be, only "pavements" i tend to use are shared ones, rest of the time i'm on the road, that's not to say that i used roads when i first started, i was on the pavement more than the road but now its the opposite

Get yourself a hybrid of some kind, usually a cross between a mountain and a road bike and get out in a group (like cyclechat) and build your confidence on the road. I've had very few incidents where i felt in danger while cycling on the road.

 

[Chris S]

The Americans refer to the road as a pavement. Presumably it's a bike designed for use on ordinary roads?

 

[byegad]

While the OP is confused, it should be pointed out that, with the exception of shared use paths, riding on the pavement is illegal in England and will possibly attract the attention of the local Police. I suspect the term 'Pavement Cycle' is an Americanism where, as as been pointed out earlier in the thread is the USAish term for a road! The advice to buy a Hybrid with lots of gears is a good one if the OP lives in a hilly area, nothing puts a new rider off than trying to struggle up a hill in a gear way too high for the hill and their level of (un)fitness. In flatter parts of England a three speed hub gear, possibly with a slightly bigger rear tooth count than normal would be a great ride!

 

[sidevalve]

FWIW 1 - Don't cycle on the footpath, apart from anything else what exactly will you learn ? How to dodge baby buggies, children and pensioners non of whom will be expecting you to be on a FOOTpath. You already know how to balance and riding on the road is simpler. As I have said before at first [and maybe later if you want] if you come to a big junction you don't like the look of then just hop off the bike and walk around it. No stress no problems and nobody gets upset.
2 - As for gears, finding a bike without them is harder than one with besides you don't have to use them if you don't want to. Just stick it in a middle-ish gear and leave it although I suspect after a few experiments you'll find using 'em no prob at all.
3 - type of bike is really up to you but MTB's tend to be heavy [the cheaper ones do] and so do some hybrids.
Don't forget YOU have to push it. If it's over about 11 kg it's getting heavy.
Towpaths are easy I've always found a polite "Scuse me mate" works fine. There are always a few "numpties" but that's true everywhere these days.
Finally cycling on the road is not dangerous, horse riding produces far more injuries per mile.
Just get out there and enjoy it cycling really is fun.
Ps . How does anybody know how big a pole a fisherman has anyway ?

 

[dorothy]

Sorry just got onto pc, and have seen all your comments and all duly noted , positive as well as some not so, I want initially to be able to go from home to local town centre just to get me used to being around these mad road users, then as time goes on maybe a little further using the canal paths maybe. Not sure I am really up for the tougher stuff like proper off road and up down hills lol, Col I initially posted this in cycle chat but the nice man Shaun migrated me to hear for beginners are there were a couple in there not very nice and certainly not very helpful.

 

[T4tomo]

Is it still legal to shoot haggis in scotland, provdng they aren't on the pavement

 

[RWright]

Pavement here in the US (to me) means any surface that is finished with some sort of asphalt, bricks, cobblestones or concrete (not gravel or grit). We call the walkways beside roads sidewalks. Sidewalks and roads are both paved. I have never heard any bike called a pavement bike but I guess it could happen but would be very rare to hear it said that way, more likely you would hear it called a bike for the pavement, but again that would be rare to hear I think. If you call the sidewalks pavements here people will look at you like you are an alien or something.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I want initially to be able to go from home to local town centre just to get me used to being around these mad road users, then as time goes on maybe a little further using the canal paths maybe.

Yes, a hybrid or a 3 speed (you say you don't like too many gears, but have you got hills on you way to town? gears would help) should suit you. Also, a more helpful partner
To get used to roads and traffic, I suggest getting out very early one weekend, do the route to town at 6am on a Sunday. This will give you confidence plus the chance to get to know your way when there's hardly anybody about.
Riding on canal paths is actually easier, no motorized traffic, you should start there, maybe walk the bike to the path first if you are not confident of riding it on the open road yet.
Read this and this and this

 

[dorothy]

Is it still legal to shoot haggis in scotland, provdng they aren't on the pavement

Tomo as long as it is in haggi season then you are welcome to go haggis shooting, season only lasts a week but you have to be very quick and excellent shot as they are hardy wee blighters and extremely fast.

 

[dorothy]

Yes, a hybrid or a 3 speed (you say you don't like too many gears, but have you got hills on you way to town? gears would help) should suit you. Also, a more helpful partner
To get used to roads and traffic, I suggest getting out very early one weekend, do the route to town at 6am on a Sunday. This will give you confidence plus the chance to get to know your way when there's hardly anybody about.
Riding on canal paths is actually easier, no motorized traffic, you should start there, maybe walk the bike to the path first if you are not confident of riding it on the open road yet.
Read this and this and this

Pat, there is a bit of an incline into town centre, but I have walked the road itself, well on the pavement that is many times and driven as well, on road that is, at the bottom of the road it turns into a ringroad, but there is an allowance of cycle path of sorts before that using underground passages, it would be same if I used the canal with the exception that there is only one short incline, and even getting onto that route I do not have to negotiate the main road but have taken on board many suggestions and have looked at decathlons as they have a range that maybe just what I need and reasonably priced, just in case I get said bike and hate it, unlike partner Pat, he knows a lot and has been helpful,just I get bamboozled as his bike cost more than I have paid for some cars in recent times lol

 

[RWright]

Tomo as long as it is in haggi season then you are welcome to go haggis shooting, season only lasts a week but you have to be very quick and excellent shot as they are hardy wee blighters and extremely fast.

I don't travel a lot and have never been outside the US but I have been given two travel tips that seem to be given consistently by many of my friends that do travel. In Mexico, don't drink the tap water and in Scotland, don't eat the haggis.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

in Scotland, don't eat the haggis.

I find that if you leave haggis meat in a Tennent's lager marinade overnight the stew comes nice and tender.

 

[AndyRM]

I find that if you leave haggis meat in a Tennent's lager marinade overnight the stew comes nice and tender.

That's barbaric by the way.

Anything involving Tennents is like shagging in a canoe. F-cking close to water.

Real Scots use McEwans Export or Buckie.