How to ride on footpaths
- Author:
- Michael Gormly
- Posted:
- Thursday, 24 September 2009
Faced with the choice of riding illegally on the footpath or tangling with herds of lurching juggernauts on the road, I often choose life. Riding on the footpath is not a problem as long as you observe some rules.
First principle is to always give way to peds, as motorboats give way to yachts. Be prepared to ride – or better scoot – at walking pace. Understand that peds always walk in the middle of available space so that two will always block any footpath. Be patient. If you dawdle along behind for a bit, most people will spot you in their peripheral vision and let you through. Always thank them so they don’t write letters to The Telegraph fomenting hatred against bike riders.
Peds also act with utter irrationality. Expect them to turn on a pin and suddenly walk at 90 degrees. Expect them to suddenly stop for no reason. Don’t expect them to be looking out for bikes, just like you don’t when on foot.
Anglo-Saxons have a sense of entitlement to at least an acre of personal space, so many feel threatened when they see a bike approaching. They assume they are invisible to you and that you are an aggressive, uncaring monster, and take absurd action to avoid a collision that wasn’t going to happen, usually walking straight into your path. To counter this, exaggerate your intended route, turning the wheel and executing a faux lean in the direction you intend to travel long before necessary. It works.
Asians don’t have the same sense of entitlement to space and maybe they are more used to bikes. They are generally very cool.
Never speed behind someone and overtake them closely. They get a fright and hate you. Never ride along the building line. Someone on a mobile will ALWAYS exit a doorway directly into your path.
When someone abuses you, smile at them and say, “have a nice day” in an American accent. If they keep it up, you should be gone by then.
by Michael Gormly
September 29th, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I live on a street that has lots of Michael Gormly’s using it’s footpath – some not as well mannered but all riding illegally on the footpath with the pedestrians rather than on the roadway with the cars.
My wife has epilepsy, if someone brushes against her or she is surprised by something she will sometimes immediately have a seizure or fling her arms out rapidly. Sometimes it is impossible for her to walk in a straight line. This unpredictability means she has not been able to drive for the last 30 years as she is likely to cause an accident. She has to use the footpath and public transport.
If this happens on the footpath then a few scrapes to her and possibly another pedestrian might be all that will result. If it is a bike coming up behind her then the the damage to both could be much more significant.
Riders should never assume that the person on the footpath will or even can act predictably. We support bicycle paths because in the same way cars and bikes do not mix well neither do bikes and pedestrians.
I admit at times we get a bit bolshie – but have not written to the Daily Telegraph about it.
We remind people the law says its illegal to ride on footpaths unless you are under 12 or accompanying a child under 12. We think council should enforce the law and appropriately stencil footpaths in high offense areas to remind people that it is illegal to ride on footpaths. We also ask if she is injured by a bike (without 3rd party insurance) who will cover her costs and raise the issue of registration so bikes can be identified in such situations.
Michael Gormly is welcome down the Lawson Street Redfern footpath any time he likes but if he has his bike with him he should be pushing it not riding it!
He should also keep a careful eye out for my wife both their safety may depend on it.