People cycling on pavement

Builderfromhell

Call me a grumpy old man if you will, but are more and more people cycling on pavements in City Centre.

I regularly see young people cycling on pavement down O'Connell st. I can see that it is a convenient short cut if you are coming from O'Connell ave., However, on O'connell st., because it is a hill, they are sometimes moving fast and weave in and out of pedestrians.

I don't mind people cycling on wide footpaths where they come off road and are heading to park outside a shop or something. But some of these cyclists are dangerous. I can see pedestrians, old or very young, getting hurt.

bullets

I've seen this too and it can be very annoying!
If they are getting in peoples way or weaving in and out of crowds.

my bike is my primary transport.
I dont cycle on the footpaths in the city as there would be
crowds and too many people. I have seen scumbags cycling
all over the paths which is annoying but have not seen too many
average joe cycling on paths that would interfere with pedestrians.

I do cycle on the paths on my way to work when I can.
ie when there is nobody else on the path. When I travel to work its
about 7:30 in the morning there is rarely anyone on the paths.

Reason MY safety.

When I leave work traffic is busy very busy, lost track of the amount
of times when cars have sped by me and came too close for comfort.
I tend to cycle on the paths when I have a clear line of sight and I know
there is nobody on them. If someone does appear on the path I stop and carefully go back onto the road. The paths I travel I can see well into the distance and there are no entrances or exits
that cross the paths.

Cycling up in Raheen area near the industrial estate in the mornings and
evenings is a nightmare with all the traffic, and the sheer amount of
boy racer pimped up cars that drive way too fast is crazy they tear around
that estate and pretend speed ramps are not even there.

The Cycle paths going from Raheen/Dooradoyle Area are great for someone
on peddle power but its a nightmare once you hit punches cross.
If you've ever been on a bike trying to travel past there into town you
will know what I mean. There are cars parked on both sides of the road
so the actual traffic is nearly brushing up against you while you cycle.
Along that area the footpaths are extra wide you would not blame someone
for hopping up onto the footpath when they can. If done safely.

If a Garda pulls me over if I am cycling too fast or in not is a safe manner
while there are people on the path I got no beef with that.

If a Garda wants to pull me over for cycling on a footpath when the road is
busy and there is no pedestrians on the footpath I would have a serious issue with it. I'm safer on the path and I'm off the road so less chance and I am
not causing any harm to anyone.

The Garda bike squad I think it great. And I have seen them on Paths!!!
and also have seen them in the middle of the road holding up traffic and
sometimes messing with each other about on the roads so they are no saints either.

While were on the subject of Footpaths or Pavements what bugs me
is those Power walkers especially women power walkers that walk in groups.
If I am walking and a group of them are coming towards me they would nearly
drive you into the ditch!! You would think if there was 3-4 of them they would
switch to single file when passing you but they dont!!! they take up the entire width of the footpath and Mow you down! Most of the time if its a buch of fellas out walking or jogging
they DO switch to single file or move a little. I'm not trying to be sexist at all
or powerwalker-ist! , but its just something I noticed.

Also all too many times
I see people Parking on along the cycle lanes or walking on them which to me is the same as me on the normal paths.

What also bugs me is the amount of people I see that live locally driving to work on days where the weather is OK when they may only live 10-20 mins walk away.

~B

Stark

I see this quite a bit, but usually it doesn't bother me. If someone was doing 30-50km/hr on a racer on a footpath with pedestrians, then that would be crazy dangerous. But this isn't something that I actually see happening. Most of the people I see cycling on the footpaths are people on cheap "mountain bikes" barely cycling above walking speed (I'll often overtake them if I'm out for a jog) so they're not particularly dangerous imo.

RPGGAMER

step right up to them that always works for me. most will steer clear. noones taking MY footpath.

gaf1983

OP did you have a grumpily-worded letter in the Leader recently?

I'm sometimes guilty myself of cycling on the pavement, mainly for the safety reasons pointed out by Bullets.=, especially when there's no room on the road when there are parked cars. I actually have a friend who when he was a learner driver preferred when cyclists went up on the pavement, but that's neither here nor there.

I took a shortcut up the pedestrianised section of Thomas St the other day and was told by a guard to get off the bike. Proper order really. When I do cycle on the pavement I always go at walking pace anyway, so it doesn't really bother me if I have to get off the bike and push it.

Builderfromhell

I didn't have 'Grumpy letter in Leader', although I do confess to being a grumpy old man.
I drive, cycle and walk around Limerick myself. I have been known to cycle across the Bridge on the pavement and along the Dock rd. (incoming) as practical sense and safety would dictate that that is the wise, although illegal, thing to do.
My issue is with people flying down O'Connell st. (and similarly busy streets) on the pavement weaving in and out of pedestrians.

Stark

gaf1983 wrote: »

I actually have a friend who when he was a learner driver preferred when cyclists went up on the pavement, but that's neither here nor there.

I'm sure there are drivers who would prefer if all traffic went up on the footpath leaving the roads clear.