“Totally agree with you. I am a regular (daily commuter) cyclist, but tend to stay on the roads, as I find cyclists to be the worst offenders with regard to having any consideration for other users of roads, cycle lanes, and shared pedestrian/cycle tracks such as the Bristol to Bath path. I would like to see some policing of these tracks so that these offensive and anti-social people can be restrained (and retrained) a bit. Any cyclist found to be breaking the Highway code in any respect (and the complaint in this message can be found in Rules 62 and 68) should be subject to the same penalties as motorists (including fines and penalty points on their license - if they have one).”

“I agree too. There is a similar problem with yobs cycling on the pavement in Stokes Croft. Pavements are for pedestrians. We shouldn't have to be dodging wheeled transport.”

“The cause of all these problems is the council/police, there is no strict discipline in place for any cyclist's. just wait for the darker evenings to arrive will they wearing yellow fluorecesnt have lights front and rear as in yesteryear ? including a bell.needs to be a law put in place to make safe for all concern !!!”

“I pay no 'road tax' nor do I have any third party liability insurance - am I allowed to travel in a bus?”

“I think Paul has the right answer, if these people violate traffic laws on their bikes then they should pay for it with fines and penalty points on their motor licence or do community service by cleaning up the cycle tracks and run the gauntlet themselves of be a pedestrian on these paths.
I feel some of the lycra brigade use the cycling facilities as training tracks for cycle racing which is totally out of order when they are used by some many others. I myself recently learned to ride a bike on a cycle track and i always felt intimidated by these people racing up your backside. People who do motor sports are not allowed to train or practice on the public highway so why should cyclist.”

“Don't get your point Mr Mushroom...........think you butted in on the wrong discussion here. Or you are just being antagonistic!”

“Let me explain. You seem to suggest that because cyclists pay no road tax nor have any third party liability insurance that they somehow have less right to use roads / cycle paths than those who do. My question is, if I paid no road tax and had no insurance, by the same argument should I be allowed to use the roads in some other form of transport?

I agree with your sentiment that there is no excuse for rudeness and being impolite but I would say that I wear lycra when cycling (just a practicality of not having ordinary clothes billowing around like a sail and getting caught in the gears), I pay road tax and I have third party liability insurance. I pay income tax, council tax and I play the lottery - but I am not seeking moral justification for being allowed to use the facilities: We all have that right.

So I don't think it fair just because your Sunday walk was spoiled by some rude cyclists that you have to trot out the familiar broad brush Evening Post rant about cyclists. Just leave it at making your observation and expressing your disgust at how you were treated, and requesting a bit more consideration.”

“Antagonistic as I thought!!”

“Mrs Sears, I am agreeing with you; "there is no excuse for rudeness and being impolite". I will I leave the moral high ground to you as you paid for it and you own it.


http://tinyurl.com/6cv7c38”

“Mrs Sears, I am agreeing with you; "there is no excuse for rudeness and being impolite". I will leave the moral high ground to you as you paid for it and you own it.


http://tinyurl.com/6cv7c38”

“I regularly walk along the Bristol/Bath railway path to Bitton and appreciate your feelings about speeding and rude cyclists. In my own experience many cyclists behave correctly, ringing their bell, slowing down and taking a wide berth around walkers. However, a significant minority behave in exactly the way you describe, appearing to consider the path suitable as a training facility for races.

The path is not suitable for speeding at any point and highly dangerous in places. In my view there ought to be a speed limit but I doubt it could ever be policed. Sadly I think some cyclists simply aren't aware that this is a shared path and that walkers may use either side of the path. My very first time on the path resulted in a cyclist virtually forcing me off the path, shouting "This is a CYCLE path," as he sped by!”