Transforming Travel In The City Centre

[Martin C 85]

The "non-pedalling" (unless police are around) E-bike food delivery 'usual suspects' won't be keeping to the cycle lane.

Almost got knocked down on the pavement on Castlegate yesterday by one of the aforementioned 'usual suspects' on his E-bike - despite the more than adequate cycle lane down there. Perhaps he preferred the better river view from the pavement.

[pfifes 309]

Not so long ago, an adult cycling on a pavement, particularly in a busy area, would be told to use the road by members of the public.  Now, I don’t think this happens much.  Either because of the risk of getting physically attacked or because it’s become so common it’s not called out.

There are a lot of bad attitudes with cyclists and it’s not just delivery riders and teenagers.  Some of the cyclists using the underpass at the bottom of Ecclesall Road ride quite aggressively.  My understanding is that their bell is to warn others of their presence not for pedestrians to stop in their tracks whilst they whizz by at speed (and no this isn’t always because pedestrians are walking in the cycle lane).  They would object to motorists honking at them unnecessarily and expecting them to give way for cars to zoom past so why all the dingy, dingy, dingy bell ringing when it’s not needed at pedestrians?!

[SheffieldForum 947]

Some real generalisations going on.

 

Anyone would think it is dangerous to walk through town for all these. I’ve done so (pretty much end to end at least twice a day) every day for the past two weeks whilst working out of the city centre and not had a single issue with a cyclist or seen any issues with them.

 

I didn’t even see one of these apparent non-pedalling motorised bikes that the city is apparently swimming with.

 

I did see a number of cyclists responsibly pedalling away. About the only issue I saw was a ding from a bell when some pedestrians were blocking a cycle path, which is totally fair. They moved out of the way and the cyclist went on. No issue or malice anywhere.

[pfifes 309]

1 hour ago, SheffieldForum said:

Some real generalisations going on.

 

Anyone would think it is dangerous to walk through town for all these. I’ve done so (pretty much end to end at least twice a day) every day for the past two weeks whilst working out of the city centre and not had a single issue with a cyclist or seen any issues with them.

 

I didn’t even see one of these apparent non-pedalling motorised bikes that the city is apparently swimming with.

 

I did see a number of cyclists responsibly pedalling away. About the only issue I saw was a ding from a bell when some pedestrians were blocking a cycle path, which is totally fair. They moved out of the way and the cyclist went on. No issue or malice anywhere.

Well that’s good for you.  Perhaps the time of day you are out and about is different to mine.  I regularly see the food delivery riders weaving around pedestrians around Fargate/High St.  I have also been ‘dinged’ many times to get out of way of cyclists going far too fast on a shared cycle/pedestrian subway (and no I wasn’t blocking the cycle lane).  I don’t have a problem with cyclists per se, I just object to anti social, selfish cycling.  

[Planner1 438]

21 minutes ago, pfifes said:

 I don’t have a problem with cyclists per se, I just object to anti social, selfish cycling.  

Do you similarly object to anti social and selfish drivers?

 

I see a lot more instances of poor driver behaviour than I do from cyclists ( probably because there are more motorists)

 

I just think it’s people being people and some are selfish and inconsiderate.

 

By the way I do agree about the illegal electric bikes and poor behaviour from delivery riders.  The police could deal with it but will say they don’t have the resources and it isn’t a priority.

[SheffieldForum 947]

19 minutes ago, pfifes said:

Well that’s good for you.  Perhaps the time of day you are out and about is different to mine.  I regularly see the food delivery riders weaving around pedestrians around Fargate/High St.  I have also been ‘dinged’ many times to get out of way of cyclists going far too fast on a shared cycle/pedestrian subway (and no I wasn’t blocking the cycle lane).  I don’t have a problem with cyclists per se, I just object to anti social, selfish cycling.  

I'm in town quite often (at least twice a week) at various times, and the past two weeks have been purely working across various venues in the city centre so have been moving around at various times - not least the rush hours (morning and evening) and lunch times. I've also used the underpass at Ecclesall Road roundabout numerous times (it is on my regular route into and out of the city centre).

 

Honestly, no issues, ever.

 

Maybe I'm just lucky.

[Planner1 438]

2 hours ago, SheffieldForum said:

Some real generalisations going on.

 

Anyone would think it is dangerous to walk through town for all these. I’ve done so (pretty much end to end at least twice a day) every day for the past two weeks whilst working out of the city centre and not had a single issue with a cyclist or seen any issues with them.

 

I didn’t even see one of these apparent non-pedalling motorised bikes that the city is apparently swimming with.

 

I did see a number of cyclists responsibly pedalling away. About the only issue I saw was a ding from a bell when some pedestrians were blocking a cycle path, which is totally fair. They moved out of the way and the cyclist went on. No issue or malice anywhere.

I walk around quite a bit too. I agree with what others are saying about the illegal electric bikes, there’s quite a lot of them and they are used inconsiderately.

 

When I’m out on my bike, often on off road trails, I’ve had walkers moan at me for not using a bell. Others seem aggravated if you use one.  Can’t win really.

 

I’ve also seen examples of overly aggressive cycling, often from very experienced cyclists who it seems just want to go fast in what I’d consider unsafe circumstances.

[SheffieldForum 947]

5 minutes ago, Planner1 said:

I walk around quite a bit too. I agree with what others are saying about the illegal electric bikes, there’s quite a lot of them and they are used inconsiderately.

 

When I’m out on my bike, often on off road trails, I’ve had walkers moan at me for not using a bell. Others seem aggravated if you use one.  Can’t win really.

 

I’ve also seen examples of overly aggressive cycling, often from very experienced cyclists who it seems just want to go fast in what I’d consider unsafe circumstances.

Fair.

 

I've seen aggressive cycling myself, mainly on trails/nature reserves, etc, rather than on roads and in the city centre.

 

I just think if you read back some comments on this thread and others you'd think cycling was a blight on the city making it a no-go area for pedestrians, but it absolutely isn't from my personal and recent experiences.

[Planner1 438]

24 minutes ago, SheffieldForum said:

I just think if you read back some comments on this thread and others you'd think cycling was a blight on the city making it a no-go area for pedestrians, but it absolutely isn't from my personal and recent experiences.

I’d agree with that. Some in here appear overly dramatic.

 

I used to walk into and out of the city centre every day when I worked at SCC. I’d pass people sleeping in the subway and begging. They asked me for money, I’d say no. After a few times they got the message and just said good morning. I never, ever encountered “aggressive” begging.

 

Charity collectors / chuggers do not bother me in the slightest, just say no thanks. Quite how some people can contend that they don’t come into town because of them rather beggars belief in my view.

 

In some places, like in the subways at roundabouts, the design of the infrastructure is a problem for mixed cycle and pedestrian use. The subways were built decades ago ( I worked on some) when no one really considered cycling. The current layout is making the best of a bad job and it can’t be improved without spending huge amounts.

 

The new cycling routes do look big and wide compared to what we’ve seen before, but that is due to the national design standards changing. Change is always difficult for some.

[redruby 280]

1 hour ago, Planner1 said:

Do you similarly object to anti social and selfish drivers?

 

I see a lot more instances of poor driver behaviour than I do from cyclists ( probably because there are more motorists)

 

I just think it’s people being people and some are selfish and inconsiderate.

 

By the way I do agree about the illegal electric bikes and poor behaviour from delivery riders.  The police could deal with it but will say they don’t have the resources and it isn’t a priority.

Yes I do and I’ve said so many times. 

 

This isn’t a cyclists vs. motorists viewpoint.  I am simply raising my experiences of poor behaviour of cyclists.  On this thread it was particularly in relation to the cycle path on Fargate and concerns around this. 

 

Trying to shut down people’s concerns doesn’t make them go away.  You could apply ‘people being people’ argument to all kinds of anti social behaviour.  It doesn’t help those having to deal with it.  And getting too laissez faire about it only ever has one outcome.

[redruby 280]

23 minutes ago, Planner1 said:

I’d agree with that. Some in here appear overly dramatic.

 

I used to walk into and out of the city centre every day when I worked at SCC. I’d pass people sleeping in the subway and begging. They asked me for money, I’d say no. After a few times they got the message and just said good morning. I never, ever encountered “aggressive” begging.

 

Charity collectors / chuggers do not bother me in the slightest, just say no thanks. Quite how some people can contend that they don’t come into town because of them rather beggars belief in my view.

 

In some places, like in the subways at roundabouts, the design of the infrastructure is a problem for mixed cycle and pedestrian use. The subways were built decades ago ( I worked on some) when no one really considered cycling. The current layout is making the best of a bad job and it can’t be improved without spending huge amounts.

 

The new cycling routes do look big and wide compared to what we’ve seen before, but that is due to the national design standards changing. Change is always difficult for some.

Regarding chuggers - yes, I too have sometimes just said ‘no thanks’ and that’s it.  But I’ve also encountered the ones that are trained not to just accept no for an answer. The ones that follow you, stand in your path waving their arms or make passive aggressive replies if you politely say no thanks. I don’t think it ‘beggars belief’ that people find that off putting for shopping in town.  Granted, it isn’t the end of the world but it’s not pleasant for many people and they are quite within their rights to say so and shop elsewhere where they won’t be pestered for money.

 

With regards to aggressive beggars, I can’t say I’ve experienced this but I know others have.  It must be very distressing and I wouldn’t minimise or try to deny the issue because I hadn’t personally experienced it.  I have experienced street people fighting, staggering around under the influence of drugs/drink and covered in their own waste many times.  

[Andy C 86]

On 09/03/2024 at 22:43, Irene Swaine said:

The Derbyshire Wayfarer is an excellent ticket. It can also be used to Long Eaton, Tutbury & Hatton and can be used around Derby on the buses. Subsidy of such a ticket in Sheffield would be better use of public funds than the Sheffield Connect scheme.

We already have such tickets in South Yorkshire - https://www.sytravelmaster.com/