Cycling UK Forum

Just returned from 2 weeks in the Netherlands and Denmark, using hundreds of kms of shared paths. It all works beautifully, because both riders and walkers know the way it works. You ride on the right and walk on the left. Easy to overtake walkers going in the same direction because you're both in our 'own' lane. Easy to pass walkers coming towards you because you can move to the left to pass them. Occasionally walkers will be two abreast, taking up both lanes, but a short 'ting' of the bell makes them move over (or keep their dog on the correct side).
I don't know if there is 'highway code' of sorts for shared paths in these countries, but.people have learned somehow.

I think that is the big difference: where there are a lot of shared paths and people use them “all the time” it works better than where shared paths are rare things.

I live in Milton Keynes, where we have almost Netherlandish quantities of shared paths, and that all largely works very well, not perfectly, but very well for the most part, and when I go to other towns I often notice what might be called “shared path illiteracy” to varying degrees. Where places have only very short lengths of shared path is worst of all, because pedestrians genuinely don’t understand that cycling is allowed on them, and get freaked when a cyclist appears.

Norman H wrote: ↑11 Jul 2023, 10:29am This is another of those perennial discussions.

I'm one of those who sees no reason why the rules of the road shouldn't equally apply to cycle paths. Most of the cyclists I meet seem to agree and ride on the left. A small number seem to have given the matter no prior thought, and a perverse minority aggressively assert their right to enforce the opposite. I met one of the latter last year on NCN2, alongside the Royal Military Canal on Romney Marsh. He appeared ahead riding towards me and as he approached I moved to the left. He was still some distance off but quite deliberately moved to his right and it was obvious he was on a mission. I slowed to a halt on the left and at the last minute he swerved round me, uttering a stream of invective as he did so. I did wonder if it was some local convention to welcome continental visitors from the nearby channel ports.

It's difficult to imagine why anyone would think that somehow, some why, we would switch sides on a cycle lane, to the road. Makes no sense to me though. I'll stop on the left if I need to, but only pass wrong side if they're stopped or moving so slow as to be almost stopped. Then I'll shout
"We're not in America you know"
totally racist I know. bad me.

Ah.... to be fair I can think of a number of reasons why I might be on the right of a shared use path... because that's what they are. They aren't just a cycle path, but a mixed use path.

..so I may be overtaking or passing pedestrians, there may be a pot hole or surface imperfection, it could be that there's vegetation or even some brambles which have grown out into the path.

The idea that the path solely belongs to cyclists for our use isn't supported in law. Its a path not a road. It means that we get to share it with pedestrians, and even depending on the path horse riders

Nearholmer wrote: ↑10 Jul 2023, 7:46pm Are they?

Yes. There's some circular definitions to untangle between the various Highways Acts and Road Traffic Acts but cycleways really are roads.

This is really probably yet another criticism of the wording, layout etc of the HC, but I can’t find anywhere in it that says which rules of the road apply on cycle tracks. If all of them do, then it might be wise to point that out, although since there’s no competence licensing for walking or cycling, and no compulsion to read or obey the HC, it might all be a bit moot, because many cycle track users will do as they see fit (which may or may not be fit for everyone else).

I suggested it in the last consultation but it seems they consider it too obvious to state. There may be no compulsion to read the HC, but the threat of prosecution for careless cycling or various other offences does compel or at least encourage people to obey much of it.

Driving on the left is quite well buried, as if “everybody knows that already”, which may be a fair point, and is phrased very much with the motor-vehicle driver in mind.

The current law requiring driving on the left predates modern motor vehicles by some decades.

Nearholmer wrote: ↑10 Jul 2023, 7:46pm ...
Driving on the left is quite well buried, as if “everybody knows that already”, which may be a fair point, and is phrased very much with the motor-vehicle driver in mind.

The "everybody" does not include anyone who grew up in the rest of Europe, or much of the rest of the world that wasn't the British Empire or Japan. In the German road rules (STVO) the third point includes driving on the right. Come on Britain!

I know.

IMO, it possibly ought to be Rule 1.

But, there’s a lot within the HC that I think is badly structured, and badly phrased.

So just coming back to this thread, there's other reasons why the idea of keeping left without actually thinking about why, is kinda stupid...
..so there's a cycle path which runs along side my local dual carriage way, with about 8 inches of grass between. If I ride into town using it, I can ride on the left and it puts me at the distance furthest away from the turbulence of passing lorries...
But to ride back home, I'm having now to ride on the right of the cycle path again to avoid the worst of the turbulence. To make matters worse, if it rains, large puddles form along the side of the dual carriageway, so anyone riding on the duel carriage way side of the cycle path will get splashed by the puddles and very wet from the road spray. Thus to keep myself dry I'm cycling on just one side of that cycle path, which is furthest away from the dual carriage, which is either the right or left hand side depending if I'm cycling to or from town..

Yes, there's a difference between "drive on the left" and "pass on the left". But also, while cycle paths might legally be roads, they are not roads in user behaviour and expectations. Thus, while it makes sense to always pass on the left, it does not make sense to assume that anyone else – whether cyclist, horse rider, pedestrian or whatever – will think the same way. Flexibility is sometimes called for.

cycle tramp wrote: ↑27 Jul 2023, 9:56pm I'm cycling on just one side of that cycle path, which is furthest away from the dual carriage, which is either the right or left

What do you do if you are riding on the right and encounter another cyclist coming the other way riding on their left, or catch up with pedestrians going in the same direction walking on their right?

My point being that it does not matter where you ride while you are the only user around, as long as you revert to the usual rules once you are not the only one there. As long as you move over to the left for the oncoming cyclist and to pass the pedestrians, you riding on the right of an otherwise empty road harms no-one. The problems are caused by the people who seem to want to ride on the right or walk on the left and expect others to go along with that when they meet.

jgurney wrote: ↑28 Jul 2023, 6:51am

cycle tramp wrote: ↑27 Jul 2023, 9:56pm I'm cycling on just one side of that cycle path, which is furthest away from the dual carriage, which is either the right or left

What do you do if you are riding on the right and encounter another cyclist coming the other way riding on their left, or catch up with pedestrians going in the same direction walking on their right?

In the case of anyone coming towards me, I get off my bike and wait for them to pass, and in the case of overtaking foot traffic, I get off my bike and walk or jog around them... the path is quiet narrow, and there's an element of risk to both cyclists if two bikes were to try and pass each other when being ridden.

IANAL but I'm pretty sure cycle paths that are not alongside roads are not "highways" therefore it's not surprisong the HC doesn't have rules for them. I'm not sure about the status of paths (shared-use or not) that are alongside roads. But anyway it makes sense to keep left both on- and off-road, while being aware that sometimes circumstances mean this isn't the sensible option - so be prepared to move right or stop.
There will always be idiots on both roads or paths, whatever type of transport they use - you just have to put up with that, and do your best to avoid collisions.

IANAL but I'm pretty sure cycle paths that are not alongside roads are not "highways"

I double-checked this last time it came up, and they are very definitely highways, as are roads (both the carriageway and the footway), footpaths and bridleways, in accordance with common law. Cycle tracks get particular mention in the Highway Code, for instance Rule 62.

Where this seems to get muddy, like a lot of bridleways in wet weather, is that the HC keeps using the term ‘road’ when very often it really means ‘Highway’, and that, as discussed before, it is very recessive about pointing out that in the UK we ‘drive’ on the left.

The ‘Redway Code’ (which I think barely anyone reads!) applicable to our local shared path network in Milton Keynes is very explicit that the HC applies:

“As Public Highway, all legal requirements and the Highway Code are applicable to the Redways: cycles should be road worthy and able to stop in an emergency; cycle lights are required at night. (H.C. Rules for cyclists 59-82)”

I have a feeling that ours are legally bridleways, because the network was started before more recent legislation around cycle tracks came into being, certainly horse-riding is permitted on them, and that’s how the police patrol them sometimes, but that is immaterial in this context.

cycle tramp wrote: ↑28 Jul 2023, 7:17am

jgurney wrote: ↑28 Jul 2023, 6:51am

cycle tramp wrote: ↑27 Jul 2023, 9:56pm I'm cycling on just one side of that cycle path, which is furthest away from the dual carriage, which is either the right or left

What do you do if you are riding on the right and encounter another cyclist coming the other way riding on their left, or catch up with pedestrians going in the same direction walking on their right?

In the case of anyone coming towards me, I get off my bike and wait for them to pass, and in the case of overtaking foot traffic, I get off my bike and walk or jog around them... the path is quiet narrow, and there's an element of risk to both cyclists if two bikes were to try and pass each other when being ridden.

You are doing right - but that is a seriously inadequate cycle path (unless it is meant to be one -way and there is another one on the other side of that dual carriageway).

Nearholmer wrote: ↑28 Jul 2023, 3:41pm I have a feeling that ours are legally bridleways, because the network was started before more recent legislation around cycle tracks came into being, certainly horse-riding is permitted on them, and that’s how the police patrol them sometimes, but that is immaterial in this context.

I think they are full highways, with motor vehicles prohibited. If they were bridleways, there might be no expectation to keep them suitable for wheeling, as long as horses can pass.