Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

Round here the only cyclists who actually ride on the roads seem to be the lycra-clad young (and not-so-young) men who generally seem to behave OK, and the older children and young teens messing about, who are a menace. It's all the others who ride at speed on the pavements that are the real menace. Even where there's a marked cycle lane they often use the pedestrian side.

To me, anyone riding on the pavement (and that includes mobility scooter users as well as cyclists and electric or regular scooter users) should be going no faster than a brisk walking pace, and even then they should go around pedestrians (or slow down) not expect people to jump out of their way.

And don't get me started on mobility scooters being stopped side-by-side filling the whole width of the pavement while their riders have a chat, forcing pedestrians onto the road to get past.

 

Some time ago I was going to the chemist, on foot, and a woman on a mobility scooter was obviously going to the same place.
She saw me walking towards the door, speeded up, almost screeched to a halt in the doorway jumped off and got through the door before me.

She was more able than I was at the time, they seem to use these things as just a way of getting around without walking, many are not disabled just lazy.

 

The damn things are an absolute menace. I don't know about an increased number on the pavement as I rarely see them anywhere other than on the pavement. There was one woman who used to take her daughter to and from school, riding in front of her on the scooter 2 up. That's bad enough but she rode past our local police station 4 times a day, twice with her daughter on board. I'm not sure if she was finally done for it but I do see her walking her daughter now.

 

Electric bikes are becoming a major menace around here now too. Supposedly only able to go 15 mph and pedal assisted, I saw on yesterday keeping up with traffic on a 30 mph road. I also regularly see the food delivery guys on them hammering through the pedestrianised parts of town, and clearly going more than 15mph. The only thing that would make my day would be one in collision with a speeding mobility scooter.

 

We have the exact same around here. I can't remember how many times I've been dive bombed by someone on a de - restricted electric bike, when I'm on the path. I'm getting very belligerent and rufuse to move or deliberately get in their way. We also get them doing the same thing at night without lights and the problem is you just don't see them coming because they have clothing head to toe with only a small opening for their eyes (in this is true in the heat of summer). The cynic is me believes it's so they can escape any penalties.
With the batteries those bikes are blooming heavy and extremely dangerous even at the 15mph they are supposed to be limited to, although i never see anyone pedaling and they aren't even close to 15mph. I saw some poor kid almost lost face in a recent hit and run from one. I'm very surprised they aren't talked about more often or vilified because they are such a problem.

 

Maybe if you also made a weird screeching noise as they approached….

Also, aim it for their spokes. As a small child I quickly learned that bicycle spokes and sticks are not a good mix.

 

Many moons ago I was walking outside our local parade of shops when I heard a voice from behind me say "Get out of the f***** way". I half turned and saw it was a cyclist. I moved slightly to the side and gave him barely enough room to pass. Unfortunately, as he did so, I tripped and knocked him off the pavement. He ended up in a heap on the road from where he uttered a few more expletives as I went into one of the shops.

 

Cyclists regularly ignore every rule that other road users have to abide by, although many drivers are utterly abhorrent too, but I agree- these electric scooters are a huge menace. The pavements are becoming a nightmare for pedestrians. I'm scunnered with it.
One of the best things my younger daughter said was a few years ago, when we passed a cyclist who was actually using a cycle lane. 'Oh look - a cyclist in his natural habitat'.

 

Cyclists should be registered and taxed - we might see less of them up to no good.

 

And while we're on the subject of vehicles - car parking. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to get out of my car in a very full car park, because neighbouring cars are either over the white line or on the skew. I always park 'prettily' thinking of others like me, who have difficulty getting in or out of a car. Today, returning to the car, the vehicle to my right was on the line. The vehicle to the left, a Rover Discovery had been abandoned on the skew, making it nigh on impossible to get into my car. I find a high percentage of the owners of big cars are usually guilty.

 

There are cyclists and cyclists as there are car drivers and car drivers.
Since a bicycle is the most environmental and healthiest option to come from A to B, I would suggest to put everybody on a bicycle and forbid cars over the weekend.

 

I would suggest that you come and live in hilly rural France and try it for a week