Mobile phones Pedestrians and Cyclists

[Kaybee]

As a cyclist who uses a mixed pedestrian and cycle promenade I find that almost inevitably the pedestrians walking in the same direction in which I am cycling do not pay attention to either my bell or my electronic horn. Most often this is because they are on their mobile phones either speaking or texting. The recent case in which a cyclist knocked down a pedestrian, who was reportedly using a mobile phone, causing her death, whilst awful in the extreme, surely demonstrates that the use of mobile phone whilst in motion - walking, cycling or driving should be made illegal and that all mobile phones should have motion sensors in them which ensures that they cannot be used whilst moving. A person cannot be fully aware of what is going on around them whilst concentrating on a phone call or whilst texting. So they must take some responsibility if the use of the phone contributes in any way to the accident.

[Mick F]

I agree with you on most of what you have said.

Welcome to the forum BTW.

You can't have a motion sensor to stop a mobile phone use.
Why can't a passenger in a vehicle use a mobile phone?
Why not on a train or bus?
What happens if you are running away from an attacker and you can't dial 999?

[gaz]

As a cyclist who uses a mixed pedestrian and cycle promenade I find that almost inevitably the pedestrians walking in the same direction in which I am cycling do not pay attention to either my bell or my electronic horn. Most often this is because they are on their mobile phones either speaking or texting.

Based on my own experience of pedestrian behaviour on shared use paths I don't think the use of mobiles has much to do with it.

I believe a number genuinely do not hear my bell or call, easily drowned out by adjacent road noise or carried away on the wind. A very few are so lost in their thoughts that they seem to jump out of their skin. Others hear it but don't associate it with any risk to themselves, so they ignore it. In all cases the point comes where we are both fully aware of each other, negotiate our way and pass safely.

I do find that reaction quite reassuring, I don't want people leaping aside in terror at the sound of my approach.

... all mobile phones should have motion sensors in them which ensures that they cannot be used whilst moving. ...

It's not going to happen. People moving in vehicles are not always in control of that vehicle. People travel in cars, buses, trains and even rickshaws as passengers.

Lets face it, despite the existing law saying people shouldn't drive whilst using their mobile (or even use it in the driving seat whilst stationary if the enginge is on) it remains something many of us observe multiple times on a daily basis. A significant number of people are not concerned about the proven increased risk of being involved in a collision that it brings to themselves and others.

Legislating to ban mobile use whilst walking ... it's not going to happen.

[meic]

The recent case in which a cyclist knocked down a pedestrian, who was reportedly using a mobile phone, causing her death, whilst awful in the extreme, surely demonstrates that the use of mobile phone whilst in motion - walking, cycling or driving should be made illegal

No, it was a rare and unusual occurrence and not a good reason to criminalise such behaviour.
Even though I personally am no fan of mobile phones you would just be going down the line of banning each successive thing that may distract a person, rather than getting to the root of the problem.

[Tangled Metal]

The recent case in which a cyclist knocked down a pedestrian, who was reportedly using a mobile phone, causing her death,

I edited the post for one point, the cyclist made up the using phone part. He admitted under cross examination he hadn't seen her using a mobile phone as he claimed.

However the use of mobile phones has become such a part of most people's lives that a lot are practically glued to them for one use or another. I see them texting /emailing /messaging, listening to music, making calls plus many other things. I've even seen one guy riding home from work (pretty sure a building site) watching streamed videos or something. My biggest problem is headphones. You see them wearing headphones whether making a call or listening to music. At least speakers allow for the outside to be heard.

Unfortunately you'll never get ppl to stop using phones in public. So you have to find a solution yourself as a cyclist. What could that be? How about go slow and cover your brakes? I do that on the section that goes over a pedestrian bridge that's mixed use. I use a bell too and shout out if needed. Other than that I wait and keep behind until I get a gap. Annoying but only a short section before, after and while crossing over the bridge. Then I'm free on the road again.

What is wrong with tempering your speed to ensure you are able to react to what you can see and predict? Motorists are supposed to do that why not cyclists?

One last point, phone use does not make the only risk. Pedestrians are quite able to not hear you or notice you without any distractions like phones. I cycle on a canal tow path. I've had trouble getting walkers to hear me despite a loud bell and a loud voice. Worst cases are usually a couple of women deep in conversation. There's two women (late 50s or so) in lycra sports clothing who go for a walk together frequently at about 5pm to 5:30pm. It's communal exercise which is good, a good battery but the conversation shouldn't stop them observing things around them so they let other users pass them. It does. So much so I can shout and ring my bell really loudly / frantically without being noticed. When I do get to go loads past them I tend to give one of them a real shock/surprise.

[Psamathe]

As a cyclist who uses a mixed pedestrian and cycle promenade I find that almost inevitably the pedestrians walking in the same direction in which I am cycling do not pay attention to either my bell or my electronic horn. Most often this is because they are on their mobile phones either speaking or texting.....

Whatever the reason it does demonstrate how daft the ever increasing number of shard use pavements are.

But it isn't only shared use paths; I ride mainly on single track rural country lanes and most people walking in the same direction as I'm riding often don't register my "shout" (not a rude yell, just a easily loud enough "can I squeeze past please"). Often ignored as they are in their own little isolated world ...

Ian

[Vorpal]

Welcome to the forum.

People are often distracted. Children and dogs may be unable to understand the problems with running about or wandering aimlessly, and even when people aren't distracted they may not hear your or realise a cyclist is there.

Shared use facilities are just that. Shared. And cyclists need to slow down and watch out for, or even give way to pedestrians because they have more weight and momentum, greater potential to harm, and therefor greater responsibility to avoid doing harm.

Promenades are really there for wandering and enjoying the view, sea air etc. If they weren't on their phones, pedestrians could as easily be distracted by watching a boat. Or a bird. It's not the phone that causes the problem. It's that people feel safe enough to allow themselves to be distracted.

If you don't like mixing with distracted pedestrians, use the road or find another route.

[661-Pete]

Welcome to the forum.

I would argue on slightly different, slightly more moderate lines. Introduce a jaywalking law in this country - maybe not as stringent as in other places. Make it that, while stepping into the road other than at a 'green man' pedestrian crossing is not illegal, stepping into a road with reckless disregard for approaching traffic is illegal. And using a mobile phone whilst crossing to be deemed supporting evidence of the latter offence.

I've no idea how this might be policed, though. How is jaywalking in the USA and other countries, policed?

When we come to shared-use cycle-pedestrian paths, on the other hand, I would prefer to err in the pedestrian's favour. Unless the cyclist can see the stretch ahead - on both sides of the dividing line if there is one - to be completely clear, they should drop to no more than walking pace - and expect a pedestrian to step out in front of them, any time. Which is why I think most shared-use infrastructure is - not a lot of use to many cyclists.

[Tangled Metal]

If phone use is a distraction to pedestrians then what about GPS / cycle computer use for cyclists? If a cyclist has an accident if he/she had a GPS charge them for using it. I wear a watch. If I look at it I'm distracted. Checking the gear or any number of distractions during riding could constitute a risk.

Just being devils advocate. If you effectively restrict phone use for pedestrians you should apply the same to gps use on bikes. Kill off strava segments in one fell swoop of legislation!

[squeaker]

... Which is why I think most shared-use infrastructure is - not a lot of use to many cyclists.

At busy times you may have a point, except that shared use infra may connect 2 useful, quiet roads...
As for jaywalking legislation, I totally disagree. Much as I would not drive my car out into the carriageway in front of another vehicle (even a cycle ) in such a manner as to cause it to brake sharply, I would not step out in front of it in a similar way either! Given the almost complete absence of traffic policing these days, the last thing we need is yet more legislation - or perhaps enforcement could be passed onto 'traffic wardens'

[kwackers]

Pedestrians are the main users of paths, they have no other option, cyclists do.

In that respect there shouldn't be any limitations placed on how they use those paths. If they want to walk along making a phone call then they should be allowed to do that. They're not in charge of machinery, they're not travelling very fast and so represent no threat to anyone but those who are too impatient to make allowances.

As for jaywalking, it was invented back in the 30's in the states by the motoring companies in response to the growing disquiet over increasing pedestrian deaths.
It's a standard victim blaming thing. Remove responsibility from those who do the damage onto those likely to be damaged. Its legacy is the sense of ownership drivers have on the roads and their inability to drive safely around vulnerable users whom they think have a responsibility to stay out of their way.

As a rule if a ped is proven to step out into the road whilst on a phone the driver is very unlikely to be prosecuted. Anyone who is worried about this would be advised to fit a camera to their vehicle of choice (and make sure it's road legal )

[drossall]

... the use of mobile phone whilst in motion - walking, cycling or driving should be made illegal...

Just to state the obvious, using a (hand-held) phone while driving is already illegal. There is no equivalent specific offence for cyclists but, when the motoring offence was under consideration, it was argued that it was unnecessary, because holding a phone would constitute not having proper control of one's vehicle. The same argument would presumably apply to cyclists, making it possible to prosecute for using a hand-held phone. That only leaves pedestrians and, as others have said, it's not clear that regulating walking heavily is a line down which we would want to go.

[[XAP]Bob]

There is an exception for dialling 999 where it would otherwise be unsafe to pull over.
I have used the exception in the past (only once) when there was a lorry catching fire on the other side of the A14 - explained location and that they would have to approach the scene "backwards" from the next junction.



As for how is Jaywalking enforced in the states - I don't know. I treat roads there the same as I do here, and cross them when safe and convenient...

[De Sisti]

In cases where cyclist come into conflict with pedestrians (eg; on a share path/pavement), the cyclist should
always be prepared to slow right down to walking pace if necessary. In my experience walking to work on such
a path, cyclists cans and do ride past very close, and at speed, invariably scaring the living daylights out
of me on their stealthy approach; their elbows (and handlebars) practically touching me. I kid you not!

[Psamathe]

In cases where cyclist come into conflict with pedestrians (eg; on a share path/pavement), the cyclist should
always be prepared to slow right down to walking pace if necessary. In my experience walking to work on such
a path, cyclists cans and do ride past very close, and at speed, invariably scaring the living daylights out
of me on their stealthy approach; their elbows (and handlebars) practically touching me. I kid you not!

On my local single lane rural roads it's just being there that can surprise/scare pedestrians. when approaching from behind I slow down and call out from a reasonable distance "I've got plenty of space to pass you" or "Can I squeeze past please" or something polite depending on the situation and invariable they jump and are shocked.

And sometimes, despite my polite call out warning them, they will still give me grief "you should have a bell" - at which point I'll stop, ring my bell and explain how I can call out using polite words but when somebody with drop handlebars wearing lycra shorts just rings their bell it can often be interpreted in the same manner as a car horn i.e. "get out of my way ..." where a polite call can be ... polite.

Ian