Meeting calls for action over pavement cyclists
PENSIONERS packed into a meeting to call for police officers to do more to stop cycling on pavements.
Members of Bristol Older People's Forum gathered at the Malcolm X Centre in St Paul's yesterday and showed their support for the organisation's campaign for a crackdown on pavement cycling.
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A meeting at the Malcolm X Centre discussing cycling on pavements
Speakers at the public session included Avon and Somerset Police officers and John Usher from cycling charity Sustrans.
Jim Stagg, 79, said: "They cycle on the pavement to get around quicker, avoid traffic lights, signs and everything else. The police do nothing. I have drawn their attention to this in Broadmead. The police walking the streets see these things and don't do anything about it."
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Speaking afterwards, Mr Stagg said: "Cycling is a countrywide problem. I have had some near-misses myself and have spoken to cyclists and pointed out the road where they should be."
Alan Pratley, of Ashton Vale, told police officers at the meeting: "You should be upholding the law and the law is that cyclists should not be cycling on the pavement, but the police are turning a blind eye when they see it."
Afterwards, the 64-year-old said: "One of the worst places for me is the Centre because it is shared space and cyclists are allowed on the pavements. There should be proper marked out lanes for them so everyone knows where they stand."
A member of the forum, which has 2,700 members, said that her mobile phone had been thrown to the ground after she had attempted to capture an anti-social cyclist on camera.
But John Usher of cycling charity Sustrans defended cyclists.
"There are irresponsible cyclists in the same way there are irresponsible motorists and irresponsible pedestrians," he said.
He pointed out that in all but one case, pedestrians killed on Bristol's roads were the result of incidents involving motor vehicles rather than cyclists. He admitted there was not data available for injuries suffered by pedestrians as a result of irresponsible cyclists.
"We should be working towards getting the council to put more investment into making cycling safer," Mr Usher said to the meeting.
Chris Pratley, 62, said: "We have complained about cyclists riding on the pavements in Bedminster.
"I don't think they should be spending any more money on helping cyclists when there are cuts."
Another woman said: "What we want is for irresponsible cyclists to get off their bikes and walk on the pavement."
Chairwoman of Bristol Older People's Forum, Judith Brown, said: "If it is illegal to ride on pavements, I'm old-fashioned and don't think they should be doing it.
"I think if you have to register a car it is fair to register a bike."
PC Roger Ibrahim told the meeting that cycling on pavements was considered at the discretion of officers but that if people had particular concerns they should raise them at their neighbourhood policing forums.
Comments
by redvee2002
Sunday, September 16 2012, 8:43PM
“The people of Swindon have more than cyclists to contend with on pavements :0
http://tinyurl.com/92unhtn”
by Qwertie
Monday, September 10 2012, 7:50PM
“" Pushing cycle on pavement GOOD - HOORAY!
Riding cycle on pavement BAD - BOO! "
Funnily enough this is actually the intellectual level of this debate (how sad!).”
by DM_Fishponds
Monday, September 10 2012, 6:26PM
“@Geoffone1 – ". . . people should be called on their bad behavior whatever age they are."
Ahah, I think we could be back on topic!
People who cycle on pavements are behaving badly, breaking the law, and should be made to see the error of their ways and asked not to do it again.
Are we getting to the stage where most of the people commenting agree with that most of the time?”
by katachua
Monday, September 10 2012, 6:23PM
“@geoffone1
"No, you said, "I hope you live long enough to have fragile bones and to be terrified by the danger of having them broken by Lycra louts", in response to me talking about being had a go at by old people while walking on a pavement with a bike."
And in the sentence before that, I said:
"Most pedestrians, old or young, appreciate that you're doing the right thing by pushing your bike. I do complain if you ride on the pavement, though, as is my right as a law abiding citizen."
Clearly, that was what I was referring back to. Perhaps you might try reading the WHOLE post...
Maybe I should bring it down to your level:
Pushing cycle on pavement GOOD - HOORAY!
Riding cycle on pavement BAD - BOO!
Geddit?”
by katachua
Monday, September 10 2012, 6:09PM
“@geoffone1
"If you saw an old person cycling on the pavement, would you call them a lycra lout or would that be ageist?"
I most assuredly would!”
by geoffone1
Monday, September 10 2012, 6:07PM
“@Katchua wrote Uh? I've just said that I have no problem with people pushing bikes on the pavement.
No, you said, "I hope you live long enough to have fragile bones and to be terrified by the danger of having them broken by Lycra louts", in response to me talking about being had a go at by old people while walking on a pavement with a bike.”
by geoffone1
Monday, September 10 2012, 5:58PM
“@Katchua wrote Incidentally, if "old codgers", "hunchback with a stick" and "doddering old crackled voice" aren't ageist, what is?
It has nothing to do with age, no more than saying that you are anti cyclist because you don't like pavement cycling. You call pavement cyclists "louts", I call old people who attack me for no reason "codgers". What should I call them to avoid being "ageist"? Presumably you think I should blame pavement cycling for the attitudes of these geriatric idiots but I don't. I can't wait until I'm old then I can do WHATEVER I want and people like you will defend me because "he's old, leave him be". I actually think that attitude is condesending toward old people and think that people should be called on their bad behavior whatever age they are. If you saw an old person cycling on the pavement, would you call them a lycra lout or would that be ageist?”
by katachua
Monday, September 10 2012, 5:22PM
“@geoffone1
Incidentally, if "old codgers", "hunchback with a stick" and "doddering old crackled voice" aren't ageist, what is?
I'll ignore "better educated and informed than you are", because you manifestly aren't, and I'd hate to spoil your illusions.”
by katachua
Monday, September 10 2012, 5:18PM
“@geoffone1
"I also hope that I live long enough to have fragile bones and to be terrified by the danger of having them broken by a person walking on the pavement pushing a bicycle."
Uh? I've just said that I have no problem with people pushing bikes on the pavement. I was referrring to the danger of being hit by pavement cyclists. But, of course, you knew that. And I call pavement cyclists "louts", because that's what they are. If cyclists keep to the roads and obey the traffic laws, I have no problem with them - I'm quite happy to characterise law-breakers as "louts", though. The Lycra is optional...”
by geoffone1
Monday, September 10 2012, 12:25PM
“@katchua
Why is it OK for you to refer to all lycra wearing cyclists as "louts" and yet if I comment on the antisocial behavior of "some" old people and correctly refer to them as "codgers" (look it up, it describes what I am talking about perfectly), I am compared to a racist. Also if I think back to the story with all the pictures of people cycling on the pavements (http://tinyurl.com/9sfho9j), NOT ONE is actually wearing lycra. So why is your all emcompassing term for pavement cyclists, "lycra louts"?
I also hope that I live long enough to have fragile bones and to be terrified by the danger of having them broken by a person walking on the pavement pushing a bicycle. I mean seriously, why are you defending these peoples behavior? If I walk down the pavement pushing my bike and I walk past an old person and they keep their mouth shut, I have no problem with this old person. If they start having a go at me for no reason, why the heck shouldn't I call them a codger? That's what they are!”