Cyclists complain that they cant cycle on couples property

On Sat, 23 Oct 2010 12:31:04 -0700 (PDT), Marie
wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row over a
pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial cycle path.

For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside their home at
The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear where
their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the road
have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too much
and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

Streetview:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=k&z=...86.77,,1,13.45

Marie wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row over a
pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial cycle path.

For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside their home at
The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear where
their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the road
have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too much
and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

IMHO they have absolutely no right to complain "It would be no problem
whatsoever if some of the cyclists were a bit more courteous when asked
to slow down," she said.

"There is nothing there to say that it is a cycle path. You can
understand them wanting to use it, but at the end of the day it is not
legal, and very least they can do is to be civil."

In my view, the illegality of riding on the path and the apparent
arroganceof the cyclists doing so don't do any cyclists any favours and
bring us all into disrepute.

Shame too on the council who are encouraging cyclists to break the law
....


--
Paul - xxx

'96/97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
'96/97 Dyna-Tech Cro mo comp

On 24/10/2010 19:27, Tom Crispin wrote:
On Sat, 23 Oct 2010 12:31:04 -0700 (PDT), Marie
wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row over a
pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial cycle path.

For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside their home at
The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear where
their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the road
have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too much
and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

Streetview:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=k&z=...86.77,,1,13.45

The posts serve the purpose of making sure that anyone passing - whether by
legal or illegal means - stays out in the clear channel, and does not make
the mistake of trying to walk - or cycle - into the property's bay window.
And they may keep some people away from the windows, for an improvement in
privacy.

It might be a good idea for the occupant(s) to also paint the tarmac where it
is on their property.

"Paul - xxx" wrote in message
...
Marie wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row over a
pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial cycle path.

For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside their home at
The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear where
their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the road
have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too much
and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

IMHO they have absolutely no right to complain "It would be no problem
whatsoever if some of the cyclists were a bit more courteous when asked
to slow down," she said.

"There is nothing there to say that it is a cycle path. You can
understand them wanting to use it, but at the end of the day it is not
legal, and very least they can do is to be civil."

In my view, the illegality of riding on the path and the apparent
arroganceof the cyclists doing so don't do any cyclists any favours and
bring us all into disrepute.

"Bring"?
Too late for "bring".

Shame too on the council who are encouraging cyclists to break the law
...


--
Paul - xxx

'96/97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
'96/97 Dyna-Tech Cro mo comp

On 24 Oct, 19:59, "Paul - xxx" wrote:
Marie wrote:
http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row over a
pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial cycle path.

For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside their home at
The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear where
their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the road
have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too much
and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

IMHO they have absolutely no right to complain "It would be no problem
whatsoever if some of the cyclists were a bit more courteous when asked
to slow down," she said.

"There is nothing there to say that it is a cycle path. You can
understand them wanting to use it, but at the end of the day it is not
legal, and very least they can do is to be civil."

In my view, the illegality of riding on the path and the apparent
arroganceof the cyclists doing so don't do any cyclists any favours and
bring us all into disrepute.


Us all? Not me. I don't do it, and I don't defend it. They are not my
people and I have no connection with them. I would be quite happy if
the householders shoved a broomstick out the window and knocked the
cyclists off, but I expect that would just be feeding frenzy for the
lawyers.

This is a country road. I don't understand why any cyclists would do
this, even allowing for the fact that motorists drive like lemmings
out of hell on them. ("the high death toll on rural roads, where, in
2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place.")

Mr Pounder wrote:
"Paul - xxx" wrote in message
...
Marie wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/3x5q46d

TOTNES couple Rod and Angela Mears have been saddled with a row
over a pavement that bike riders are turning into an unofficial
cycle path. For years the couple have placed pots and plants outside
their home
at The Toll House on the busy Kingsbridge Hill to make it clear
where their property ends and the public footpath begins.

But now cyclists who ride on the public pavement rather than the
road have started complaining that the pots narrow the pavement too
much and don't give them enough room to ride past the couple's home.

IMHO they have absolutely no right to complain "It would be no
problem whatsoever if some of the cyclists were a bit more courteous
when asked to slow down," she said.

"There is nothing there to say that it is a cycle path. You can
understand them wanting to use it, but at the end of the day it is
not legal, and very least they can do is to be civil."

In my view, the illegality of riding on the path and the apparent
arroganceof the cyclists doing so don't do any cyclists any favours
and bring us all into disrepute.

"Bring"?
Too late for "bring".

And they wonder why the term 'lycra lout' entered the lexicon.


--
Dave - intelligent enough to realise that a push bike, like a skateboard, is
a kid's toy, not a viable form of transport.

On Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Squashme
wrote:

This is a country road. I don't understand why any cyclists would do
this, even allowing for the fact that motorists drive like lemmings
out of hell on them. ("the high death toll on rural roads, where, in
2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place.")

Looking at Google Maps, Kingsbridge Hill and "Old Road" offers a
quieter alternative to the A361 between Totnes and Harbertonford
except for a small section including that bit of footway.

I can understand that a nervous cyclist might prefer to use the
footway to the road.

"Squashme" wrote in message
...
On 24 Oct, 19:59, "Paul - xxx" wrote:

IMHO they have absolutely no right to complain "It would be no problem
whatsoever if some of the cyclists were a bit more courteous when asked
to slow down," she said.

"There is nothing there to say that it is a cycle path. You can
understand them wanting to use it, but at the end of the day it is not
legal, and very least they can do is to be civil."

In my view, the illegality of riding on the path and the apparent
arroganceof the cyclists doing so don't do any cyclists any favours and
bring us all into disrepute.


Us all? Not me. I don't do it, and I don't defend it. They are not my
people and I have no connection with them. I would be quite happy if
the householders shoved a broomstick out the window and knocked the
cyclists off, but I expect that would just be feeding frenzy for the
lawyers.

Me neither and if I was on a road which I was too frightened to cycle on I
would get off and walk. When cyclists use footpaths such as these, the
traffic will not slow down for them and they run the risk of coming off the
path and falling into the road. In that situation, you do not want 50 or 60
mph traffic passing at the time. Cyclists would be far better off riding on
the road, forcing traffic to slow down and taking more care. Footpath riding
is a cop-out to gutter riding (which also ought to be illegal).

This is a country road. I don't understand why any cyclists would do
this, even allowing for the fact that motorists drive like lemmings
out of hell on them. ("the high death toll on rural roads, where, in
2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place.")

Because the have a misplaced sense of danger and a misunderstanding of risk.

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:30:24 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

On Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Squashme
wrote:

This is a country road. I don't understand why any cyclists would do
this, even allowing for the fact that motorists drive like lemmings
out of hell on them. ("the high death toll on rural roads, where, in
2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place.")

Looking at Google Maps, Kingsbridge Hill and "Old Road" offers a
quieter alternative to the A361 between Totnes and Harbertonford
except for a small section including that bit of footway.

I can understand that a nervous cyclist might prefer to use the
footway to the road.



No doubt you can "understand" cyclists breaking other laws as well.

--

Per billion passenger kilometres

Car KSI 18
Cycle KSI 541
Pedestrian 358

(KSI : Killed or Seriously Injured)
Dft 2008 FIgures

Who says cycling is safer than walking?

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:01:03 +0100, JMS
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:30:24 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

On Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:17:22 -0700 (PDT), Squashme
wrote:

This is a country road. I don't understand why any cyclists would do
this, even allowing for the fact that motorists drive like lemmings
out of hell on them. ("the high death toll on rural roads, where, in
2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place.")

Looking at Google Maps, Kingsbridge Hill and "Old Road" offers a
quieter alternative to the A361 between Totnes and Harbertonford
except for a small section including that bit of footway.

I can understand that a nervous cyclist might prefer to use the
footway to the road.



No doubt you can "understand" cyclists breaking other laws as well.

Yes - and I have posted details of such circumstances before. Even
official guidance allows for cyclists to use the footway under certain
circumstances:
"The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible
cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of
traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing
so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement,
acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young
people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use
of police discretion is required."
Former Home Office Minister Paul Boateng