Near Miss of the Day 192: This time it's poor cycling, not driving

Kapelmuur wrote:

I don’t understand why anyone who wants to get a move on would ride the TPT when there are quiet roads linking the same places - Altrincham, Lymm, Warrington.

Have you ridden those roads recently? Massive potholes (although someone has painted around some of the larger ones recently) gravel and mud, and deformed / subsided shoulders.

CygnusX1 wrote:

Kapelmuur wrote:

I don’t understand why anyone who wants to get a move on would ride the TPT when there are quiet roads linking the same places - Altrincham, Lymm, Warrington.

Have you ridden those roads recently? Massive potholes (although someone has painted around some of the larger ones recently) gravel and mud, and deformed / subsided shoulders.

Once or twice a week. The surface is better than the TPT and there’s no one with dogs on extendable leads.

vonhelmet wrote:

Dogs on shared use paths are the bane of my commute. Rule 56 of the Highway Code says to keep dogs on a short lead... yeah, right. I get dogs ambling all over the shop or bounding out of the undergrowth unannounced. It’s a nightmare.

I'm a cyclist & a dog walker and on the occasions I'm out with the dog I've never heard a cyclist use their bell or call out to warn me of their approach!

It's simple courtesey & why do so many people 'fear' interaction with others....?

Cyclist's need to make their presence known, especially if approaching from behind with 15-20 mph closing speeds.

Used your heads, give the walkers a chance.....

Greeneyelevin wrote:

vonhelmet wrote:

Dogs on shared use paths are the bane of my commute. Rule 56 of the Highway Code says to keep dogs on a short lead... yeah, right. I get dogs ambling all over the shop or bounding out of the undergrowth unannounced. It’s a nightmare.

I'm a cyclist & a dog walker and on the occasions I'm out with the dog I've never heard a cyclist use their bell or call out to warn me of their approach!

It's simple courtesey & why do so many people 'fear' interaction with others....?

Cyclist's need to make their presence known, especially if approaching from behind with 15-20 mph closing speeds.

Used your heads, give the walkers a chance.....

I don’t have a bell (come at me bro), but I’m always shouting to let people know I’m there. That’s still no help if someone’s idiot dog comes bounding out of the trees straight into the path. I tend to assume that any person on the path probably has a dog, so as soon as I see someone I’m looking for the dog, but if people actually took responsibility for their animals I wouldn’t have to be quite so fearful that I’m going to get t-boned by some stupid mutt appearing from nowhere. I don’t mind dogs off leads if they have some sense. Some dogs aren’t at all phased by me and just keep on with their thing, or in a lot of cases the owners will go to their dog and keep it in place as I pass. It’s the unpredictable dogs with no brains that need to be kept on a short leash. I got chased down a path the other week by some stupid lolloping Labrador while the owner shouted “He never does this!” as though that was any help to anyone.

vonhelmet wrote:

Greeneyelevin wrote:

vonhelmet wrote:

Dogs on shared use paths are the bane of my commute. Rule 56 of the Highway Code says to keep dogs on a short lead... yeah, right. I get dogs ambling all over the shop or bounding out of the undergrowth unannounced. It’s a nightmare.

I'm a cyclist & a dog walker and on the occasions I'm out with the dog I've never heard a cyclist use their bell or call out to warn me of their approach!

It's simple courtesey & why do so many people 'fear' interaction with others....?

Cyclist's need to make their presence known, especially if approaching from behind with 15-20 mph closing speeds.

Used your heads, give the walkers a chance.....

I don’t have a bell (come at me bro), but I’m always shouting to let people know I’m there. That’s still no help if someone’s idiot dog comes bounding out of the trees straight into the path. I tend to assume that any person on the path probably has a dog, so as soon as I see someone I’m looking for the dog, but if people actually took responsibility for their animals I wouldn’t have to be quite so fearful that I’m going to get t-boned by some stupid mutt appearing from nowhere. I don’t mind dogs off leads if they have some sense. Some dogs aren’t at all phased by me and just keep on with their thing, or in a lot of cases the owners will go to their dog and keep it in place as I pass. It’s the unpredictable dogs with no brains that need to be kept on a short leash. I got chased down a path the other week by some stupid lolloping Labrador while the owner shouted “He never does this!” as though that was any help to anyone.

I really hate it when I'm out running. I've had proper rows with people who come out with stuff like 'it's OK - he's friendly' from 50 yards away, while something doing a great impression of a pet psycho charges at my ankles.

Tim K wrote:

Surely the pedestrians/riders should all keep left then there's far less chance of anything like this happening. Also the lady never looked over her shoulder before moving to the right (the lifesaver), I thought that was ingrained in every cyclist? If her or her husband had done this while approaching the pedestrians they could have signaled to the fast riders behind which might of helped the situation.

All reminds me very much of riding around the Forest of dean. Just people not thinking of anyone else or thier own safety (or even saying "hi" as they pass). Just because your not on a road dosn't mean you don't have to be aware of whats happening around you.

It’s a narrow mixed used path with a poor surface, expect dogs/peds/bikes all over the place. If there were some lane discipline on a path like this, then pedestrians are instructed to keep right so they can see oncoming traffic. So actually, everyone except the overtaking cyclists were behaving correctly.

It’s always the responsibility of the overtaking vehicle to ensure the manoeuvre is safe. On these sort of paths you have to be prepared to slow or stop if necessary.

As for the FoD, I've never come across pedestrians on the downhill runs when I’ve done an uplift day. But on the mixed trails you've just got to accept that you might have to slow down. People go there for a relaxing walk in the forest, they don’t want (nor should) feel like they've got to keep to the edge of the path like they’re walking down a motorway. A noisy free hub helps, but sometimes I have to slow to a walking pace and ask politely if I can pass (which usually has the effect of some diving to the right, some to the left and some freezing in the middle like they’re about to be hit by a train!).

HoarseMann wrote:

Tim K wrote:

Surely the pedestrians/riders should all keep left then there's far less chance of anything like this happening. Also the lady never looked over her shoulder before moving to the right (the lifesaver), I thought that was ingrained in every cyclist? If her or her husband had done this while approaching the pedestrians they could have signaled to the fast riders behind which might of helped the situation.

All reminds me very much of riding around the Forest of dean. Just people not thinking of anyone else or thier own safety (or even saying "hi" as they pass). Just because your not on a road dosn't mean you don't have to be aware of whats happening around you.

It’s a narrow mixed used path with a poor surface, expect dogs/peds/bikes all over the place. If there were some lane discipline on a path like this, then pedestrians are instructed to keep right so they can see oncoming traffic. So actually, everyone except the overtaking cyclists were behaving correctly. It’s always the responsibility of the overtaking vehicle to ensure the manoeuvre is safe. On these sort of paths you have to be prepared to slow or stop if necessary. As for the FoD, I've never come across pedestrians on the downhill runs when I’ve done an uplift day. But on the mixed trails you've just got to accept that you might have to slow down. People go there for a relaxing walk in the forest, they don’t want (nor should) feel like they've got to keep to the edge of the path like they’re walking down a motorway. A noisy free hub helps, but sometimes I have to slow to a walking pace and ask politely if I can pass (which usually has the effect of some diving to the right, some to the left and some freezing in the middle like they’re about to be hit by a train!).

I know what you mean. But people do need to be aware. If the speedy cyclists had been aware they'd have seen the gate ahead and realised there was no point overtaking (sorry, undertaking).

I'm from the forest but now live in Ireland. Over here even the car drivers put their hand up as you ride past but when I was back over the forest for a few days in the summer  it brought back to me how most people wont even make eye contact. Most locals are fine but some people seem to think they are in "the bronx" or something and will get shot if they look at you.

We were always courteous to other people and tried to have respect for everyone. Your right about the left - right - freeze, thats why I always think it easier for everyone to stay left when passing as you are used to on a road. The deer, sheep, dogs and wild boar don't seem to realise this though.

Tim K wrote:

I know what you mean. But people do need to be aware. If the speedy cyclists had been aware they'd have seen the gate ahead and realised there was no point overtaking (sorry, undertaking).

It does seem daft when they get off the bike seconds later to go through a gate.

You are right that some people seem very hostile on these mixed use paths. Most are friendly, but some do give such dirty looks and seem really put out just to be asked courteously to allow a cyclist to pass. It’s almost like they don’t expect (or want?) a bike to be there.

Such a contrast to the relaxed and orderly use of cycling infrastructure I experienced on holiday in France. I had to take a photo of this little roundabout at an intersection of cycle paths, this is how it should be...

HoarseMann wrote:

Tim K wrote:

I know what you mean. But people do need to be aware. If the speedy cyclists had been aware they'd have seen the gate ahead and realised there was no point overtaking (sorry, undertaking).

It does seem daft when they get off the bike seconds later to go through a gate.

You are right that some people seem very hostile on these mixed use paths. Most are friendly, but some do give such dirty looks and seem really put out just to be asked courteously to allow a cyclist to pass. It’s almost like they don’t expect (or want?) a bike to be there.

Such a contrast to the relaxed and orderly use of cycling infrastructure I experienced on holiday in France. I had to take a photo of this little roundabout at an intersection of cycle paths, this is how it should be...

 

Looks like Australia from that image...

dassie wrote:

Looks like Australia from that image...

Lacanau-Océan. It’s a surf resort and full of chilled out surfer dude types, so maybe that’s got something to do with it! Unnamed Road, 33680 Lacanau, France https://goo.gl/maps/RqNvfGJL3PK2

HoarseMann wrote:

Tim K wrote:

I know what you mean. But people do need to be aware. If the speedy cyclists had been aware they'd have seen the gate ahead and realised there was no point overtaking (sorry, undertaking).

It does seem daft when they get off the bike seconds later to go through a gate.

You are right that some people seem very hostile on these mixed use paths. Most are friendly, but some do give such dirty looks and seem really put out just to be asked courteously to allow a cyclist to pass. It’s almost like they don’t expect (or want?) a bike to be there.

Such a contrast to the relaxed and orderly use of cycling infrastructure I experienced on holiday in France. I had to take a photo of this little roundabout at an intersection of cycle paths, this is how it should be...

 

I didn't mean so much "hostile" towards cyclists. I was actually talking more about other cyclists seeming too ignorant to be pleasant. Everyone just needs a bit of respect towards each other. And a bit of common sense can help.