Which side of a path?
 

"Geoff Pearson" wrote in message
...
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right
as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and
dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

If you value your safety stick to the road.

Which side of a path?
 

Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right
as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and
dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

Which side of a path?
 

"Geoff Pearson" wrote in message
...
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right
as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and
dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

Well if everyone stuck to the well known convention of staying to the left
except when overtaking 1 I think things would run more smoothly and
safely.
When our daughter was small we used to shout "keep left" to her but it was
really aimed at the dolts coming the other way.
1 Except when riding technical off-road trails when consideration for what
the on-coming rider is doing comes into it.

Pete

Which side of a path?
 

"Geoff Pearson" wrote in message
...
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right
as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and
dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

Surely there is a _convention_, which is the same as on the roads - keep
left. The problem is some people who ride bikes on cycle tracks etc. seem
not to have noticed... They are probably people who have never grown up, in
cycling terms, since they were children riding on the pavement without being
aware of custom and practice.

Rich

Which side of a path?
 

"Richard Goodman" wrote in message
...
"Geoff Pearson" wrote in message
...
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right
as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and
dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

Surely there is a _convention_, which is the same as on the roads - keep
left. The problem is some people who ride bikes on cycle tracks etc. seem
not to have noticed... They are probably people who have never grown up,
in
cycling terms, since they were children riding on the pavement without
being
aware of custom and practice.

Rich



Well you'd have thought it would be left in this country. Could have fooled
me round here though.

Wobbling about on the pavement towards oncoming traffic seems to be another
local convention. Quite worrying when you are riding up the road correctly
towards them.....

Which side of a path?
 

On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 15:56:35 -0000, "Geoff Pearson"
wrote:

Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists?

The far side of the kerb, the bit where the vehicles go

HTH ;-)

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

Which side of a path?
 

Geoff Pearson wrote:
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on
when facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the
right as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks
and dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

My wife dragged me around Bluewater the other day christmas shopping. Whilst
she shopped I lurked out on the walkways and observed the flow of pedestrian
movements. It quickly became clear that most - but not all - pedestrians
choose to pass to the right. I assume this is to do with right handedness
being more prevalent. Where pedestrians passed to the left there was often
more eye contact and clearer body language showing intent as the less usual
movement was 'negotiated'.

I think that many cyclists using paths where they are encountering
pedestrians have adopted pedestrian conventions which then brings them into
conflict with cyclists who are using road conventions.

regards

Malcolm

Which side of a path?
 

how about you apply a little common sense and try to answer the question
yourself. here's a hint - if you ride on the right hand side of the road
what's going to eventually happen to you?



--

Which side of a path?
 

"Jinx" wrote in message ...
Geoff Pearson wrote:
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on
when facing oncoming cyclists?

My wife dragged me around Bluewater the other day christmas shopping. ...I lurked out on the walkways and observed the flow of pedestrian
movements. It quickly became clear that most - but not all - pedestrians
choose to pass to the right. I assume this is to do with right handedness
being more prevalent. ...

I would imagine that this could also be to do with the convention that
pedestrians walk on the right hand side of a road with no pavement so
that they face (and see) oncoming traffic.

best wishes
james

Which side of a path?
 

On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 15:56:35 -0000, "Geoff Pearson"
wrote:

Is there any convention on which side of a path or track
to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists?


I do find it extremely rare to come across an approaching
rider. However I have noticed that whatever the width of
the path, I tend to ride about a half metre from the left
hand edge (i.e. where I normally ride relative to the road
edge). This still applies when the path is only 60cm wide
or even 52cm wide! Just 10 days ago I did come across an
on-coming rider, like me he was riding 50cm from his left
hand edge. The path being just 60cm wide we both moved
slightly right. What position do you adopt on narrowest
paths?
--
IanB


n.b. as I subscribe to two large newsgroups it may be
several days before I see a newsgroup response

Which side of a path?
 

"waffle" wrote in message
...
how about you apply a little common sense and try to answer the question
yourself. here's a hint - if you ride on the right hand side of the road
what's going to eventually happen to you?

When I am cycling along on the left of a cyclepath and someone approaches on
the same side as me I shout to them "A gauche m'sieur!" When they say
"Pardon?" I say, "oh sorry, thought you must be a foreigner. We ride on the
left in this country y'see!" :-)

Simon

Which side of a path?
 

"Jinx" wrote in message
...

[snip]

My wife dragged me around Bluewater the other day christmas
shopping. Whilst
she shopped I lurked out on the walkways and observed the flow of
pedestrian
movements. It quickly became clear that most - but not all -
pedestrians
choose to pass to the right.

[snip]

Pedestrians used to walk on the left. I have a Punch cartoon about
it, dating from the 1940s. In other countries where they drive on
the left, such as Japan and Australia, they walk on the left. I've
often had foreigners comment to me about how odd it is that people
don't walk on the left here.

I think the changeover took place in the 1970s, when Brit's started
going on package tours abroad. All those arrogant German tourists
not getting out of people's way subliminally converted the Brit's
without their even noticing. The odd thing is, when you ask anyone
about it, most people will deny choosing any particular side at all,
fiercely defending the right of free born Englishmen to walk any way
they want to

The London Underground standard is to keep left on the flat, and
right on stairs and escalators. The Highway Code - it's the very
first rule - says keep left on pavements, except on one way streets.
Rule 2 gives the rule for pedestrians on bike paths.

Jeremy Parker

Which side of a path?
 

Geoff Pearson wrote:
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on when
facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the right as
much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks and dual-use
pavements with regular opportunity for collision.



i think part of the problem, certainly round my area, is the quality of
the cycle path- i dont actually use em there that bad but when i have to
during rush our there very lumpy and im often moving over sides to avoid
debris on the path. theres a white line down the middle suggesting a 2
lane thing but one side theres just room for 1 bike and on the other
theres room for 2, also it doesnt help that the emergency phones are
actually on the path. but as a rule i think we should stay on the left
when passing and when its totally clear take the side with least
potholes and debris



--

Which side of a path?
 

Geoff Pearson wrote:
Is there any convention on which side of a path or track to ride on
when facing oncoming cyclists? Round here people seem to ride on the
right as much as the left - annoying. There are lots of cycle tracks
and dual-use pavements with regular opportunity for collision.

Rule 136 of the Highway Code says "keep to the left"
(http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/14.shtml).

BUT: rule 48 says

When using segregated tracks you MUST keep to the side intended for
cyclists. (http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/03.shtml)

Perhaps the people you encounter are following this rule?

(This is the main reason why I avoid segregated tracks.)

--
Gareth Rees