FootPath Riding

I try not to ride on the footpath because of the inherent danger. Pedestrians are so unpredicatable that a crash is so very possible. But in a crash with a car, it is going to be a lot worse! So only when it is absolutely neccessary for safety's sake.

I too prefer riding on roads but at times, but it just ain't wise at times to do so in Sydney. For all small roads/majority of the time I do ride on the road.

On my commute, I am happy to ride downhill on a main road maintaining a reasonable speed, but upon a climbing in peak hours on a main road, forget it... too dangerous, too aggravating for motorists who are stuck in traffic anyway.

I do pick my paths to ride, i generally slow down to under 15km/h and not near where there are lots of driveways

It is ironic that we are not allowed to ride on footpaths in the most cycle unfriendly city. Sometimes it is really a safety issue. I have seen many cyclist police cycle on footpaths around Parra. It is hard to work out what is a shared path and not a shared path sometimes.

I have never been told off or charged by police for riding on footpaths to date. If anything, they have been courteous to us.

In fact, generally speaking, I think it is the couriers that give cyclist a bad name riding on footpaths causing mayhem. Most cyclist on footpaths do look out for peds and try to be courteous.

Why do I ride on main roads? Being sometimes it is the most direct and flatish route.

I reckon, footpaths should be all widened and for dual use, some cyclists are just not confident on roads. For the warrior and confident ones proving a point, I say go for it

mysrh said:

My sis' boyfriend, being a police and cyclist himself, he said to me, bike is considered as vehicle, hence it should be on road with other vehicles. However, he never heards any police fines any cyclists for being on pedestrian path.

Similar to wearing helmet, eventhough it's a law (i'm not sure), but the police has the attitude that it's up to the cyclists wearing helmet or not, because if they involve in an accident, it's their head, not the police.

I've seen three people stopped AND actually fined for riding on the footpath and also for not wearing helmets. Three separate occasions on separate days and nights in the Newcastle CBD. One guy who I saw stopped at around 8pm didn't have lights either.

However, I've never seen or heard of this being done in Sydney, however, that's not to say that it doesn't happen.

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n

nerdag said:

I've seen three people stopped AND actually fined for riding on the footpath and also for not wearing helmets. Three separate occasions on separate days and nights in the Newcastle CBD. One guy who I saw stopped at around 8pm didn't have lights either.

However, I've never seen or heard of this being done in Sydney, however, that's not to say that it doesn't happen.
n

I've been stopped by an RBT unit, who thought that I was motorbike with a faulty light. The officer laughed and waved me off after he realised that was on a bicycle with a bidazzling array of night lights. "You can never be too safe" I told him. "I think you've got that covered. Ride safely and don't go too fast" he replied.......Go figure?????🙄

strictly roads for me. More dangerous with pedestrians, and vehicles backing out of driveways to be riding on a footpath.