Allow riding on footpaths

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il padrone
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby il padrone » Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:50 pm

GraemeL wrote:Both locations have their advantages and disadvantages, but for those inexperienced, the footpath is the safest option. I really don't understand why people are against the idea, it's not going to impact them and if it gets more people on bikes then it's all good.
Make it safer for all road users - get more bikes riding on the roads - safer for pedestrians, safer for drivers and safer for cyclists.

Lots of cyclists on the footpaths don't impact on the drivers' psyche. No need to worry about them, give way to them, care about them (at least in the Australian legal structure). Just drive faster!


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Last edited by il padrone on Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby GraemeL » Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:12 pm

I understand that, but we dont want inexperienced riders on the roads, it is safer for them to ride on the footpath. People will eventually take to the roads as they gain more experience and confidence and there will be those that just want to ride to the local park or shops via the footpath etc.

People seem to think we will all be forced onto the footpaths, I really don't think allowing people to ride on the footpath is going to impact how we are treated on the roads. It is legal in some states and I don't think it has made any difference to the way drivers treat cyclists.

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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby il padrone » Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:15 pm

I don't have your confidence about Australian drivers' attitudes to the law re cyclists and their expectations I'm afraid. Much rather have my legal position on the road very clearly stated - bicycles are road vehicles
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby GraemeL » Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:21 pm

I think we should agree to disagree :D

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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby diggler » Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:49 pm

I don't think it is either or. Why can't cyclists ride on roads and footpaths? 15 km/h on footpaths. We don't even need to change the law because it is not being enforced.
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby Mulger bill » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:37 pm

Therein lies the nub of the matter Diggler. Any law that is not enforced is not worth having.

Gentlemen, if you prefer the different safety that the footpaths offer use them. I do not endorse the practice which I have been known to do occasionally. BTW it's legal in most areas of my town. As always, use your own judgement and ride sensibly to the conditions.
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il padrone
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby il padrone » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:49 pm

GraemeL wrote:I understand that, but we dont want inexperienced riders on the roads,
Actually...... I do!

That is the best place for them to learn road skills, ideally following other more experienced cyclists. It's the way my kids learned to be good road riders. It's the way cyclists learn road sense in European cycling cities. Like I said, the more cyclists (including the inexperienced) the safer it is for everyone. Drivers learn that they need to slow down, allow more space and drive with an alert eye for cyclists.... even child cyclists.

All with a sense of judgement for the most suitable road to match the rider's experience of course.
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby Ozkaban » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:56 pm

il padrone wrote:
GraemeL wrote:I understand that, but we dont want inexperienced riders on the roads,
Actually...... I do!

That is the best place for them to learn road skills, ideally following other more experienced cyclists. It's the way my kids learned to be good road riders. It's the way cyclists learn road sense in European cycling cities. Like I said, the more cyclists (including the inexperienced) the safer it is for everyone. Drivers learn that they need to slow down, allow more space and drive with an alert eye for cyclists.... even child cyclists.

All with a sense of judgement for the most suitable road to match the rider's experience of course.
Couldn't disagree more.. We stopped teaching kids to swim by chucking em in the deepend ages ago. Ride on the road *once* you're confident with your bike and traffic. Earlier is a recipe for disaster.

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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby il padrone » Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:11 pm

Ozkaban wrote:We stopped teaching kids to swim by chucking em in the deepend ages ago.
Umm...... ?? Please read my post. That is not what I was suggesting
Ozkaban wrote:Ride on the road *once* you're confident with your bike and traffic. Earlier is a recipe for disaster.
il padrone wrote:That is the best place for them to learn road skills, ideally following other more experienced cyclists. It's the way my kids learned to be good road riders. It's the way cyclists learn road sense in European cycling cities. Like I said, the more cyclists (including the inexperienced) the safer it is for everyone. Drivers learn that they need to slow down, allow more space and drive with an alert eye for cyclists.... even child cyclists.

All with a sense of judgement for the most suitable road to match the rider's experience of course.
Essentially what I said, and what I did with my kids. Get them competent on basketball courts/car parks (much better than footpaths), then begin riding on-road - quiet residential streets, following mum or dad to begin with. A graduated approach to learning the skills. They will not learn road skills on footpaths, just learn the falsehood - that this is the 'place of cycling' in the predatory pecking order.
Last edited by il padrone on Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby damhooligan » Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:20 pm

Ozkaban wrote:
il padrone wrote:
GraemeL wrote:I understand that, but we dont want inexperienced riders on the roads,
Actually...... I do!

That is the best place for them to learn road skills, ideally following other more experienced cyclists. It's the way my kids learned to be good road riders. It's the way cyclists learn road sense in European cycling cities. Like I said, the more cyclists (including the inexperienced) the safer it is for everyone. Drivers learn that they need to slow down, allow more space and drive with an alert eye for cyclists.... even child cyclists.

All with a sense of judgement for the most suitable road to match the rider's experience of course.
Couldn't disagree more.. We stopped teaching kids to swim by chucking em in the deepend ages ago. Ride on the road *once* you're confident with your bike and traffic. Earlier is a recipe for disaster.
I agree with IP here.
However it depends on the age of the kids.

It is not a didsaster ozkaban, if you teach the kids propperly.
According to my logic, if it safe enough for me to ride on the road, it is safe enough for my kids.
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Re: Allow riding on footpaths

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:50 pm

il padrone wrote:Significant safety risks on most roads, unless you're really just pootling and yielding at every cross-street. Going by a range of overseas experience of such systems.

Image

http://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/s ... dfc173.htm


Drivers don't look, driveways are always a hazard, then there's the problems of a confined path that will need to be two-way. Poor man's orange.
I agree with your scenarios and probably like you, I would advocate against a rider using the path for general commuting.

But I suspect that the sort of rider that the OP is referring to will generally be overly cautious at intersections and even likely to walk the cycle across intersections. Though they may still not appreciate the risk from driveways.
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