Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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Asker
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Joined: 14 Jan 2022, 9:41pm

Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Asker »

Two pedestrians and a dog were blocking this path having a chat and refused to move as I approached...even when i rung my bell on two separate occasions (I was ignored both times). I had to stop right before them to go around. The man standing right in the middle barked, "Did you know it's illegal to ride on public footpaths?! The fine is £1000."

I cycle on this path everyday recently, it connects one road to the next in a public access estate. Never been a problem before. There were no signs and its only about 40m long. There is no road beside it so I have to access it to get to my destination.

When I enter Google Maps and look-up a cycling route from home to my destination, this is the route that comes up - Google Maps recommends this footpath. Google always knows when certain roads are closed or one-way etc so I assume it would know if it was a non-cycling path or not.

Google also tells me riding on public footpaths is only prohibited if the landowner doesn't allow it and although cyclists have 'no legal right' to go on them, it's not illegal either. Is that right? Cycling on a pavement is £500 fine, not £1000 but police don't enforce it as it's a minor offence. Was I OK to cycle on this public footpath or not? Sensible replies only please.

UPDATE: Issue resolved. The council emailed me and said it was legal to cycle there.


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^ The men and dog were right in the middle where the arrow points at.
I was coming off the road between the cones.



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The men were stood right where the arrow points at. I was coming off the road between the cones.
The road goes into a car park.



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The view as I turned around to look back at the men (they stood where the arrow begins).
The car park is closed off by a chain stopping cars entering



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The exit. Just 30m-40m away.
Last edited by Asker on 17 Jan 2022, 9:03pm, edited 3 times in total.
PH
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by PH »

It's easy to get mixed up between footways and footpaths, I'm not sure which that is, it's an offence to ride on the footway:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/campa ... h-trespass

I'd have used it if I thought it appropriate to do so, I'd have done so with respect for anyone else using it (I'm not suggesting you didn't) and been conciliatory is challenged, maybe explaining why I was doing so.
Asker wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 9:12pm There is no road beside it so I have to access it to get to my destination.
OK, but you are permitted to push your bike along the footway.
Last edited by PH on 15 Jan 2022, 11:05pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Jdsk »

Welcome to the forum.

Where is this, please?

Thanks

Jonathan
Asker
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Joined: 14 Jan 2022, 9:41pm

Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Asker »

PH wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 11:04pm It's easy to get mixed up between footways and footpaths, I'm not sure which that is, it's an offence to ride on the footway:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/campa ... h-trespass
Yes, according to that link (and as I thought), "footways are paths alongside roads set aside for pedestrians. Footpaths, on the other hand, are stand-alone paths." The path I was trying to get onto didn't have a road alongside it, instead was a grass verge and a timber store car park which was closed off (there is a chain stopping cars). Point being that path was not set aside specifically for pedestrians (to avoid a road or go alongside one), the path was the sole route leading to the other side.

Yes, I was respectful. I just think he was grumpy because he didn't wanna move out the way simply out of arrogance...which is silly cos he'd still have to move even if I was on foot. Possibly he was annoyed because I dinged my bell ("at him").

Yes, I could have dismounted, but as I said I still had to access, not 'ride', the path to get to my destination. I didn't dismount because I believed humanity to simply be kind enough to move if it was blocking a route! :roll:

It's in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
Last edited by Asker on 16 Jan 2022, 12:00am, edited 4 times in total.
drossall
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by drossall »

Just to be clear, footways are different from footpaths, but footpaths and public footpaths are not the same thing either. Strictly it's not illegal to cycle on a public footpath, but you've no right to do so and it will be a trespass against the landowner. Public footpaths are normally rights of way for the public, on foot, over private land. There's thus no right of way if you're cycling, but that trespass is a civil matter.

All this stuff is the reason why you typically get a "No Cycling" sign when a path goes off away from a road, say between two houses. It's not part of the footway, so it's not covered by the law against pavement cycling. So the Council or other competent authority makes an order specifically forbidding cycling there, and a sign gets put up to show that. No such sign needed on the footway alongside the road.

None of which clarifies the status of your rather borderline-looking case. It's highly improbable, I'd think, that that is a public footpath in the strict sense. It may well not be a footway either, in so far as the highway as a whole may be on private land, and the footway is the part of a public highway dedicated to the use of pedestrians. So the view of the landowner would then prevail, I suppose. And you'd be back to it being a civil offence. But that's guesswork without knowing the status of the highway and land.
Asker
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Asker »

Thanks. I believed the landowner to be the council since it's not on private land and it is part of an estate that has public access to a timber store and trampoline center etc.

When I enter Google Maps and look-up a cycling route from home to my destination, this is the route that comes up - Google Maps recommends this footpath. Google always knows when certain roads are closed or one-way etc so I assume it would know if it was a non-cycling path or not.
pwa
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by pwa »

Google maps isn't a reliable indicator of the legal status of the path.

If the path doesn't have signs or floor paint indicating cycle use is intended, it is probably just a footway and legally you should get off and push when you use it.

But at a glance, it does look like it may have been designed for shared use (walkers and cyclists) so I can see why you might wonder what its intended uses are.

If it were me, I'd just get off and walk that short section. Or cycle it only if I could see nobody else was on it.
Carlton green
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Carlton green »

pwa wrote: 16 Jan 2022, 4:42am Google maps isn't a reliable indicator of the legal status of the path.

If the path doesn't have signs or floor paint indicating cycle use is intended, it is probably just a footway and legally you should get off and push when you use it.

But at a glance, it does look like it may have been designed for shared use (walkers and cyclists) so I can see why you might wonder what its intended uses are.

If it were me, I'd just get off and walk that short section. Or cycle it only if I could see nobody else was on it.
Plus one.

Sometimes judging who’s in the right or the wrong isn’t that helpful. When I cycle down paths and other surfaces that have pedestrians on them I don’t worry about rights but rather am concerned to just keep everyone happy and everyone safe. When I see pedestrians I always give way to them and sometimes that includes dismounting too.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
rogerzilla
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by rogerzilla »

Google Maps' routing is hopeless. They're based in the US and have no idea about UK rights of way. Anyway, click on "Steps" and it may well say 'walk with your bike" for this section.

You have no RoW on a bike except on roads, marked psyclepaths, bridlepaths and (usually) canal towpaths. Pedestrians always take priority, even when some drongo is walking on the "bike" side, as they usually do.
cyclop
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by cyclop »

Just suck it up,walk,and make sure they allow you the room to pass with your bike which,ironically,is possibly twice the width of a bike being cycled. :roll:
simonhill
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by simonhill »

Ask the Local Council. They will know the status of the path.

If it is a a safe and useful cut through which is wide enough for shared use you could even campaign to have it so assigned.

Re walking it, I agree with cyclop, when you get off your bike and walk you take up more space and the people need to move more to get out of your way. If they are particularly belligerent, I sometimes make myself even wider by holding bike a bit further away from me.
francovendee
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by francovendee »

Just ignore them, just two huff and puff idiots. If need be, ride along the road until passed.
We had this years ago when out with our two children. We'd always told them to pull over and let anyone on foot pass. Most people would smile and thank the kids but one old boy was enraged and said we should be on the road.
The road was was always very busy and there was no way we would have taken the kids on it.
Moved on after telling the chap to stop swearing in front of children!
Last edited by francovendee on 17 Jan 2022, 7:43am, edited 1 time in total.
axel_knutt
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by axel_knutt »

I think you'd have to go to the council offices and have a look at the definitive rights of way map, then when you know what it is you'll know what rights you have on it.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Bonefishblues
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Re: Cyclist-hater refuses to move and says its illegal to cycle on this path??? (PICS INSIDE)

Post by Bonefishblues »

Don't overthink it, move on with your life. You met someone with an issue, it happens. You've never had an issue before, and it's unlikely you will again. I don't think that who was right or wrong in that circumstance would have made an iota of difference to the encounter.
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