'Cyclists do not have to dismount when passing walkers on the formerrailway routes'

QUOTE:
MAY I respectfully reply to Gillian Humble’s letter regarding user’s priority when visiting Durham’s wonderful railway walks (HAS, Nov 27)

I suggest she visits Durham County Council’s website relating to visitors’ behaviour while using any of the many miles of former railway routes. Nowhere in those rules does it mention that a cyclist has to dismount while passing a pedestrian. I’m afraid that her interpretation of giving way to pedestrians is wrong.

From the cyclist’s point of view, giving way means adjusting one’s riding to suit the situation, ie slowing down, giving adequate warning either by bell or vocally and taking great care when passing. The website also suggests that the users be courteous to each other by way of a hand wave and a thank you.

As a user of these facilities for 25 years or more, both as a cyclist and a walker, may I suggest that we treat those tracks as we would if we were using a pubic highway without paths, ie cyclists keep to the left and give ample warning when nearing pedestrians and that pedestrians walk on the right to see oncoming cyclists, leaving a space on the left for cyclists approaching from behind.

Pedestrians must also be aware that the walks are a shared facility and should not walk with music piped into one’s ears, therefore reducing spatial awareness.

R Marshall, Esh Winning.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/op...ailway-routes/

On Wednesday, 2 December 2020 at 14:56:28 UTC, wrote:
QUOTE:
MAY I respectfully reply to Gillian Humble’s letter regarding user’s priority when visiting Durham’s wonderful railway walks (HAS, Nov 27)

I suggest she visits Durham County Council’s website relating to visitors’ behaviour while using any of the many miles of former railway routes. Nowhere in those rules does it mention that a cyclist has to dismount while passing a pedestrian. I’m afraid that her interpretation of giving way to pedestrians is wrong.

From the cyclist’s point of view, giving way means adjusting one’s riding to suit the situation, ie slowing down, giving adequate warning either by bell or vocally and taking great care when passing. The website also suggests that the users be courteous to each other by way of a hand wave and a thank you.

As a user of these facilities for 25 years or more, both as a cyclist and a walker, may I suggest that we treat those tracks as we would if we were using a pubic highway without paths, ie cyclists keep to the left and give ample warning when nearing pedestrians and that pedestrians walk on the right to see oncoming cyclists, leaving a space on the left for cyclists approaching from behind.

Pedestrians must also be aware that the walks are a shared facility and should not walk with music piped into one’s ears, therefore reducing spatial awareness.

R Marshall, Esh Winning.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/op...ailway-routes/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5fhZvH6RW0

I have always wondered how this is supposed to work. Do cyclists have to dismount then sprint past pedestrians until they have enough space to remount?

On 02/12/2020 20:44, Mike Collins wrote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5fhZvH6RW0

I have always wondered how this is supposed to work. Do cyclists have
to dismount then sprint past pedestrians until they have enough space
to remount?

It looks as though the pedestrian is offering to provide a convenient
bike rack.