Does there have to be a serious, or possibly fatal, accident before the current practice of cycling on the pavements has a stop put to it?
Recently there was a heavy police crackdown on cycling through Cornmarket Street, which netted several offenders.
Surely if Cornmarket Street, and now Queen’s Street, are to be designated pedestrian areas, our pavements, of all places, should be the same.
Those of us who live ‘out in the sticks’ have to put up with irresponsible riders who show no regard whatsoever to the danger in which they are putting pedestrians as they ride along the pavements at considerable speed.
Often, if they are inconvenienced by having to swerve or actually go on to the road to avoid us, they direct hostile glares, because we dare to be in their way.
I am 79 now, and not as quick off the mark as I used to be. I am also partially deaf.
This means that cyclists approaching me from behind are unheard. The first startled awareness comes as they pass close by.
I have been brushed hard against by a young ‘gentleman’ (resplendent in his academy uniform) who swore, and told me, over his shoulder, to “get out of the way,” as he continued on his journey.
I have been actually ridden directly into by a young ‘lady’ who, just as she came up to me, had turned her head to scream a torrent of abuse at a group of people she had, only seconds ago, cycled past.
I reproached her angrily, which earned me the reply (from a safe distance) “and you can keep out of the way and all”.
My wife and I were walking our two dogs along St Nicholas Road, when another young lady rode up, unheard, from behind to complain: “Oi! I’m trying to get through here”.
It seemed that we had the utter cheek to inconvenience her by using the pavement to walk on.
The houses on the road in which I live are fronted by a covenant protected stone wall, which is over six feet high. This makes it impossible to see who, or what, may be approaching before emerging on to the pavement.
This is no real problem if someone is walking by. But so many times I see riders going past my gate at speed, with no thought as to the real danger they are causing.
In the case of a young child or elderly person walking out, it could mean a collision with resulting serious or fatal injuries.
While the majority of these pavement cyclists appear to be either children or teenagers, others are old enough to know better.
Not so very long ago, most of them would never have dreamed of using the pavement as they do now.
I see that the Highway Code still states that cyclists “must not use the pavements”.
Therefore, must we pedestrians accept that we are second-class users now, as we go about perilous daily business?
PETER GIBBS, St Nicholas Road, Littlemore,Oxford
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