"You should be on the cyclepath!"

[Bristolian]

On cycle paths, shared and otherwise, I always cycle on the left as that's the side of the King's highway that we all have to be on, thus to me this is a logical progression.
However, very occasionally I encounter cyclists coming towards me on their right, thus my left and insisting that they're on the correct side and I should move over.
Thoughts - ?

There is a shared cycle path near where I live. It's effectively circular as it goes around a building complex. The path is divided by a painted white line and there are signs and marking in the path to show which side is for pedestrians and which is for cyclists. If going clockwise the cycle path is on the right but anti-clockwise it's on the left - confusing, or what

 

[Bristolian]

I've just remembered, there is also a light controlled Tucan crossing where the cycling and pedestrian lanes swap over as you cross

 

[Mike_P]

Find it not uncommon on a bridleway such as the NCN67 Nidderdale Way to pass another cyclist on the right after both of us have been forced to the right passing pedestrians.

 

[Seevio]

From memory, the Bristol - Bath Railway Path has a white line along some of it. The part that is controlled by Bristol has separate pedestrian and cycle sides. The South Glos parts has some lines but I cant remember any signage regarding who goes on what. The Bath part just has signs saying keep left. Most people used to use the left regardless of which part they were on.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Yes, just like a road with a white line down the middle is two roads ...

Both for cars...going in different directions.

And don't get me started on motorways!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

As pointed out before - if you come across another road user then you should be going at a speed that allows you to avoid a collision.

The new HC basically says that bikes have to do whatever they can to avoid collisions with pedestrians - even if the pedestrian is walking in the wrong place or behaving like an idiot

Basically the same as a car on a road - if some idiot is wandering down the main road then you cannot just run them over because they should be on the pavement
same applies on cycle paths if you are on a bike

 

[I like Skol]

What about BOATs?

We can all use them?

 

[grldtnr]

We can all use them?

Now ,what are you saying, are you talking about a B.O.A.T ,as Boaty Macboatface, or BOATS, byways open to all traffic ways.
Things are going to get confused.

 

[DaveReading]

The new HC basically says that bikes have to do whatever they can to avoid collisions with pedestrians - even if the pedestrian is walking in the wrong place or behaving like an idiot

AFAIK, it has always been the case that the white line only demarcates the side which cyclists are obliged to use.

Pedestrians have the right to use either side, although of course it's prudent to stay away from the side that bikes use.

 

[T4tomo]

If a cyclepath and footway / mixed use path are alongside a road, then it is usual to have the pedestrian bit extreme left, then the cycleway and then the road, which makes sense.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

AFAIK, it has always been the case that the white line only demarcates the side which cyclists are obliged to use.

Pedestrians have the right to use either side, although of course it's prudent to stay away from the side that bikes use.

yes - I agree - I would add that most non cyclist actually don't understand the difference between the 2 cyclepath signs and so have no idea that they are "supposed" to be on one side and not the other
so will walk where they like and not see why you have a problem

and some people say "Do as you will - but harm no-one"


p.s. some time ago I saw something from a senior Police Officer (I think???) saying that if you are doing in excess of 18 mph then you should not be using a cycle path
Personally I think this is way too high - if there were walker around and I was sharing a path with them I would be down to more like 12-13 - and lower when I got closer
(of course I ride an ebike - so braking and accelerating are not so much of a problem to me!!!)

 

[Alex321]

yes - I agree - I would add that most non cyclist actually don't understand the difference between the 2 cyclepath signs and so have no idea that they are "supposed" to be on one side and not the other
so will walk where they like and not see why you have a problem

and some people say "Do as you will - but harm no-one"


p.s. some time ago I saw something from a senior Police Officer (I think???) saying that if you are doing in excess of 18 mph then you should not be using a cycle path
Personally I think this is way too high - if there were walker around and I was sharing a path with them I would be down to more like 12-13 - and lower when I got closer
(of course I ride an ebike - so braking and accelerating are not so much of a problem to me!!!)

There is one shared use path I use fairly often where I get up to speeds in excess of 20mph on bits of it. But there are few pedestrians, and good long lines of sight where I do that (and I obviously slow down a lot when I do encounter pedestrians).

This is the one running more or less alongside the A473 from Llantrisant to Tonteg. I actually rode it on Saturday, and according to strava hit 30.3 mph at one point. Which was completely safe, given the lack of anybody else on the path at the time.

 

[Drago]

I was a fairly junior police officer and I always said if your waistline is bigger than your chest you should get out on your bike and ride at 18mph for as long as possible every day.

 

[grldtnr]

I was a fairly junior police officer and I always said if your waistline is bigger than your chest you should get out on your bike and ride at 18mph for as long as possible every day.

Those were the days when I could, I'm not so old, but deffo busted!

 

[Mr Celine]

On cycle paths, shared and otherwise, I always cycle on the left as that's the side of the King's highway that we all have to be on, thus to me this is a logical progression.
However, very occasionally I encounter cyclists coming towards me on their right, thus my left and insisting that they're on the correct side and I should move over.
Thoughts - ?

On the reasonable assumption that these people are forrins, say (loudly) 'conduisez a gauche, links farhren, tenere la sinistra, y'all ride on the left'.