Stop riding bikes on pavement says Cheltenham pensioner
More should be done to stop cyclists riding on pavements and pedestrianised areas in Cheltenham.
That's the view of pensioner Marina Coles who says she's been nearly mown down twice by inconsiderate bikers on the footpath.
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The 74-year-old is so fed up she is writing to Gloucestershire's police chief Dr Tim Brain to ask his force to do more.
Mrs Coles, of Devon Avenue, said: "Twice recently I've nearly been knocked over by people riding on the pavement outside my house. I have a dog and sometimes his lead stretches across the path, and if a cyclist comes along they say 'get that dog out of the way'.
"I see police cars driving past people riding on the pavement all the time and they don't do anything about it at all.
"I'm going to write to Dr Brain and ask him to make sure more is done about it, because it's not allowed and it's dangerous."
Cycling on the pavement is an offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act and could result in a £30 fixed penalty notice from police.
In extreme cases cyclists can be charged with dangerous and careless driving. The maximum fines are £2,500 for dangerous cycling and £1,000 for careless cycling.
In November 2007 a man was killed in Cornwall when a cyclist struck him at 25mph. Culprit Peter Messen was given 300 hours' community service and a 12-month suspended sentence.
Inspector Jon Roberts from the Cheltenham Town Centre Safer Community Team said, "The designated no-cycling zones in the town are there for a very good reason, and we would urge cyclists to adhere to them.
"While we have had no reports of incidents of people injured by cyclists in the area so far this year, incidents do happen and can have very serious consequences.
"Our PCSOs on patrol ask those seen cycling through these zones to get off their bikes."
John Mallows from Cycle Cheltenham, which campaigns on behalf of bike riders, said: "Cyclists shouldn't ride on the pavement. We have always advocated making the roads better for cyclists so they feel confident riding on the road.
"We would say if there is going to be a crackdown on people riding on the pavements, it should be widened to include the bad driving, such as passing too close, parking in cycle lanes and driving into stop lane boxes at lights, which encourages cyclists on to the pav- ements."
Opinion, p8
104 Comments
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by Dave, UK
Wednesday, August 05 2009, 10:53PM
“Joe K, if you need to ask that, you clearly shouldn't be on the road as you have no knowledge of the Highway Code. It's people like YOU that make cyclists cycle on the pavement (although personally I do not cycle on the pavement myself).”
by Sophie, cheltenham
Thursday, July 16 2009, 10:28AM
“we are singling out the cyclist s because this is an article about cyclists and last time I checked its not the fire starting youths pushing us off the pavement each morning and evening; interesting as that would be.”
by natalie, cheltenahm
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 6:21PM
“for thoese of you talking about kids and dogs most cyclists have thoes too and are still human yes you may get the odd idiot on a bike but then you get the odd youth causing a fight in the street and the odd car that causes an accident so why single out the cyclists!”
by natalie williamson, cheltenham
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 6:13PM
“my husband is on of the peopl e that you photoed for this article whithout his premission which i am furious about making him look like hes in the wrong. he doesnt cycle in a meaningless mannor and he alweays rides not driv es to save the world i worry about him al the time he cycles as cycling is more dangerous being on the road than the drivers if you want rules for cyclist then bring more out for cars my husband pays normal councile tax and working tax so why shouldnt he be able to use the pavements mayy be cheltenham council need to do more about cycle routes to make it safer.”
by Sophie, Cheltenham
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 6:11PM
“silly me; I forgot that cyclists rule the path ways and that dogs and children should not be able to play when bikes are around! my dog is perfectly well behave however the speed of the bikes through coxs meadow create a blink and you will miss them situation. Also last time I checked dogs and kids don't have the same reasoning as adults who should have the common sense to slow down! or shall we live in your world where all dogs are on a lead 24/7 and where cyclists do as they please. Next thing you will suggest we put our children on long leads too!”
by Steve, Cheltenham
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 11:54AM
“"Due to the lack of cycle routes in the town it is sometimes an unavoidable decision to cycle on the pavement or down the highstreet."
NO!
The unavoidable decision should be to GET OFF AND WALK!
The law is the law, and there is NO EXCUSE for breaking it.”
by gert, chelt
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 10:26AM
“The root cause is that many cyclists consider themselves to be pedestrians with wheels, not human powered vehicles and behave accordingly.
The addition of cycle lanes on pavements has only compounded the notion that cyclists don't have a rightful place on the roads with the rest of the traffic.
If people were honest about it, many drivers would confess to not understanding the rights and requirements of cyclists on the road, and likewise, many cyclists would also admit that they don't possess even rudimentary cyclecraft skills to keep them safe in traffic which is why they prefer to use the pavements.
Car drivers, give cyclists room and if they slow you at a pinch point on the road, this is so you don't squeeze them out, and cyclists who favour the pavement to the road need to get some training as you don't belong there.”
by John, Gloucestershire
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 8:17AM
“Disgruntled Cyclist, Cheltenham
Yes, you're correct there is no such thing as Road Tax.
Even if Vehicle Excise Duty was to be put on bicycles, as a "zero emissions" vehicle it would be zero rated, so therefore exempt.
Also I was thinking that as most of the council's money for roads comes from the business rates, does that mean that business vehicles should have priority over private vehicles?”
by Paul, Cheltenham
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 8:13AM
“You think it's dangerous on the pavement, try cycling on the road.
From Cycling News:
The British justice system has once again failed the family of a cyclist killed by a motor vehicle. Another driver who ran into a cyclist from behind has escaped prosecution.
Marie Vesco, a 20-year-old French student, died while cycling along the A23 at Burgess Hill near Brighton on June 4, 2008. The car, whose driver said she had seen her, nevertheless cut across in front of her to reach a slip road. The wing mirror caught her, causing her to fall.
Vesco was then struck by a following car and died from multiple injuries.
The details were released last week. The case bears comparison with another fatality that occurred a month later, in July 2008. In this tragedy, Reading CC¿s Anthony Maynard was killed by a driver near Henley. (Cycling Weekly, February 26). The driver, who had overtaken two other vehicles at 60mph, claimed not have to have seen Maynard.”
by Disgruntled Cyclist, Cheltenham
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 7:43AM
“To all of the idiots who still maintain cyclists have no rights on the road as 'we pay road tax and cyclists don't' -YOU DO NOT PAY ROAD TAX, IT WAS ABOLISHED IN 1936 -YOU ACTUALLY PAY VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY - WHICH does NOT fund the costs of road upkeep - the COUNCILS pay for road upkeep, and what a surprise, it's funded by council tax which everyone pays, cyclists and motorists alike. What's more - a cycle doesn't damage the roads, cars do - therefore maybe you selfish motorists should be paying our council tax because you're damaging the roads we cycle on!!!”