Why is there so much animosity towards cyclists in Sheffield?

[AlexAtkin]

Anyone who thinks pushing a bike is "easy" has obviously never pushed a heavy electrical assist bike with shopping on the side, or pretty much ANY bike on a hill, up or down. Especially through a crowd of pedestrians.

 

I very rarely push my bike, I will almost always ride it instead carefully on the pavement and across pedestrian crossings. Because I know I have BETTER control of my bike when sat on it so am less likely to crash into someone or knock them with it. You have far better spacial awareness when on the bike than walking at the side, where I constantly hit myself with the pedals never mind anyone else.

 

At the end of the day, the law should not get in the way of safety. I would rather be safer (for me and others around me) and "technically" breaking the law, than risk a more serious infraction of the law by causing harm to someone by hitting them with my bike.

[Squiggs]

Bicycles are simple to dismount and push; if you are not capable of that, you probably shouldn't be riding around on one, on road, or off.

 

Does that apply to the guy who drinks in my local who can't walk, so gets around on a hand-cycle?

He needs to use the same infrastructure.

Should he not be allowed out of the house because he can't get off and push?

 

Well?

[Guest sibon]

Anyone who thinks pushing a bike is "easy" has obviously never pushed a heavy electrical assist bike with shopping on the side, or pretty much ANY bike on a hill, up or down. Especially through a crowd of pedestrians.

 

I very rarely push my bike, I will almost always ride it instead carefully on the pavement and across pedestrian crossings. Because I know I have BETTER control of my bike when sat on it so am less likely to crash into someone or knock them with it. You have far better spacial awareness when on the bike than walking at the side, where I constantly hit myself with the pedals never mind anyone else.

 

At the end of the day, the law should not get in the way of safety. I would rather be safer (for me and others around me) and "technically" breaking the law, than risk a more serious infraction of the law by causing harm to someone by hitting them with my bike.

 

At the end of the day, the law is the law.

 

You can't ride your bike legally on most pavements. You can't ride them through red lights on pedestrian crossings.

 

You also have a responsibility to pedestrians under various sections of the highway code.

 

You might think that you can make up rules to suit your mindset, but you really cannot. Maybe you should leave the bike at home if you can't use it in a socially acceptable manner.

[jezzyjj]

For those who stupidly advocate cyclists push their bikes on shared paths because pedestrians also use them. Firstly it's a bike path too, so why should we?

Secondly it's pointless. If you push your bike you take up more space and blinkered pedestrians tend not notice the bike next to you and walk into it. Whereas they are aware of it if you are on it because people tend to notice people, but not bikes, wheelchairs, trolleys, suitcases etc next to said people. I've had pedestrians walk into my bike when it's next to me whilst I'm stood still and then berate me for having a bike on the pavement. Typical halfwit, who makes a mistake and blames everyone else.

 

This also reminds me of this non-joke of mine.

How can you tell the difference between a bike path and pedestrian path?

Easy, the bike path is the one with all the pedestrians walking on it.

[AlexAtkin]

Laws are only laws until enough people refuse to obey them and they get changed.

 

As has already been pointed out, there are TONS of laws not enforced as its more hassle to invalidate them and they help when prosecuting people for breaking several laws at once.

 

I'm also only referring to crossing with pedestrians, not running red lights. The only time I have ever ran a red light was when I picked up too much speed going down Gleadless Road and COULDN'T stop. That was a genuine mistake I am careful not to make again.

Edited June 3, 2015 by AlexAtkin

[Guest sibon]

Laws are only laws until enough people refuse to obey them and they get changed.

 

As has already been pointed out, there are TONS of laws not enforced as its more hassle to invalidate them and they help when prosecuting people for breaking several laws at once.

 

I'm also only referring to crossing with pedestrians, not running red lights. The only time I ran a red light was when I picked up too much speed going down Gleadless Road and COULDN'T stop. I never made that mistake again.

 

This isn't the pick and mix at Woolworths. We all know what happened to that anyway.

 

Your attitude to the "correct" use of roads goes a long way to explaining why so many people are hostile to cyclists.

 

I'm not hostile, by the way. But I do take exception to your cavalier attitude to road use.

[jezzyjj]

At the end of the day, the law is the law.

 

You can't ride your bike legally on most pavements. You can't ride them through red lights on pedestrian crossings.

 

You also have a responsibility to pedestrians under various sections of the highway code.

 

You might think that you can make up rules to suit your mindset, but you really cannot. Maybe you should leave the bike at home if you can't use it in a socially acceptable manner.

There would be bugger all cars on the road if you applied that to car drivers. Who I would say, break more rules of the road than cyclists do by a long way. Not to mention that motorised vehicles kill vast numbers of people whilst cyclists do not. Drivers will never admit to their own culpability and choose to point the fingers at those who do the least harm to others.

 

Such rank hypocrisy when drivers continually spout such nonsense. Particularly when they are the ones forcing cyclists off the road that they have every right to be on.

Cyclist do not want to cycle on pavements as a rule, because it's slower and less suitable than the road to get places/ride a bike. So being forced to do so through intimidation is an inconvenience and not a choice.

Edited June 3, 2015 by jezzyjj

[AlexAtkin]

So I should push my bike, taking up twice as much space on the pavement, potentially bashing into pedestrians and generally ******* people off? Rather than the harmless act of staying seated ON my bike, moving at the same pace as them?

 

I never ram people out of the way or even ring my bell to make them move, I have never had a single complaint either. When pedestrians realise I am there they will often let me pass. I accept that when I am on the pavement, I move at the same speed as everyone else on there. I can do that better on the bike than off due to weight distribution and spacial awareness.

 

Everyone breaks SOME laws, because nobody knows every single one and many have been abandoned but not removed. When its being done to actually be safer for myself and others, I feel no guilt in it.

 

If you were in a car approaching a red light and the person behind you was not slowing down, would you slam on your brakes and cause a crash to avoid going through a red light? Unlikely, as you would then be breaking the law anyway by causing the crash.

 

The law may seem black and white on paper, but its NEVER been that simple in reality.

Edited June 3, 2015 by AlexAtkin

[Guest sibon]

There would be bugger all cars on the road if you applied that to car drivers. Who I would say, break more rules of the road than cyclists do by a long way. Not to mention that they kill vast numbers of people whilst cyclists do not.

 

Such rank hypocrisy when drivers continually spout such nonsense. Particularly when they are the ones forcing cyclists off the road that they have every right to be on.

Cyclist do not want to cycle on pavements as a rule, because it's slower and less suitable than the road to get places/ride a bike. So being forced to do so through intimidation is an inconvenience and not a choice.

 

 

You seem very angry.

 

Perhaps we should all be glad that you ride a bike in preference to driving a car.

 

However, please remember that pedestrians are vulnerable road/path users and show them the correct (and legal) amount of respect when you share a space with them on your wheeled machine.

 

I do hope that you manage to work through your anger issues.

 

---------- Post added 03-06-2015 at 23:49 ----------

 

So I should push my bike, taking up twice as much space on the pavement, potentially bashing into pedestrians and generally ******* people off? Rather than the harmless act of staying seated ON my bike, moving at the same pace as them?

 

I.

 

You should push it. And be careful when you are pushing it.

 

Try that.

[mattleonard]

Here's some further details on that supposed 57% "study". It turns out the facts are rather different to the headlines.