Plenty of room on towpath for cyclists and pedestrians
Published: 23 July, 2010
• I WONDER if Howard Piper and I use the same canal (Cyclists have made canal a ‘no-go’ zone, July 16)? I regularly cycle along the canal, morning and evening.
There are plenty of cyclists and pedestrians and while both can occasionally be irresponsible or rude, mostly I see a model of cooperation and people sharing this lovely space.
Two tings of the bell is a polite way of letting pedestrians know we’re passing. Pedestrians routinely leave space and those few that don’t need to understand that this is a shared space.
I don’t want to cycle along busy main roads, any more than Mr Piper wants to walk along them.
But, please Mr Piper, being passed by bikes really isn’t a big problem, is it? Just leave a bit of space for us to pass and keep your eyes open and everybody’s happy.
MATTHEW HOMER
Eleanor Road, E8
• IN your article last week I was described as “believing” that “walkers and cyclists are as bad as each other”.
I feel I should clarify the point I was making, which is that it is unhelpful to attribute selfish behaviour to any one transport mode.
Car drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians are capable of anti-social and thoughtless behaviour, but reducing the debate to mud-slinging between pedestrians and cyclists just undermines the efforts of those seeking a constructive resolution to the issue of sharing limited towpath and road space.
However, as chair of Islington Living Streets, a pedestrians’ association, I must reiterate that pedestrians are the more vulnerable group and the towpath code of conduct asks for pedestrians to be given priority.
CAROLINE RUSSELL
Chair, Islington Living Streets
q during my half-hour ride to work this morning this particular cyclist – one who does not ride on the pavement or go through red lights – had to avoid more than a dozen pedestrians stepping into the road without looking, or otherwise wandering around like zombies, plus six pedestrians walking on the cycle path.
I believe the incidence of cyclists on the pavement is massively overstated.
After all, it is not uncommon for a pedestrian to shout “Get off the pavement!” at me when I’m on a cycle path.
If it is green and has a picture of a bicycle on the ground then it is not a footpath.
I agree there are far too many inconsiderate cyclists out there, but the correspondence pages of this and other newspapers, not to mention radio phone-in shows, are so one-sided, so heavily biased against cyclists it is ridiculous.
All of us, all of you, need to be more considerate to one another, less selfish, and more patient with one another.
MURRAY ABISCH
Eyre Street Hill, EC1
Comments
Riversdale Road CCTV
Submitted by David B on Fri, 2010-07-30 10:30.I am demanding enquiry by Islington Council whom I believe may be breaking the law, at least sailing very close to the wind with regard to democratic and legal processes.
I paid two Penalty Charge Notices due to their very threatening nature and fear of reprisals or escalating costs if I did not do so..The council seem to think that payment under threat is acceptance of guilt but that is not the case.
The controversy surrounds Penalty Charge Notices issued from CCTV camera 31 situated in Riversdale Road, Islington, N5 just off the junction with Green Lane whilst my car was being driven in London.
The driver, unfamiliar with the area and using sat nav, turned into Riversdale Road from Green lane and was immediately faced with a situation where he believed collision with bollards was inevitable had he taken the designated route so he slowly and cautiously drove through the central gap since stopping for any length of time or attempting to turn would have been dangerous. This happened again 2 days later when the driver suddenly found himself again in the same position. I visited the site on Sunday and in my opinion this is a trap for unfamiliar motorists, you are immediately confronted by bollards that do not look negotiable, the signage is very confusing, there is not a no entry in the centre gap which is very wide and inviting, a broken cross hatch indicates you may enter only if it is safe to do so and blue keep left is a positive instruction that obviously should be adhered too under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances. I have obtained from freedom of information, Islington, camera records that show 2389 contraventions 38jl (Failing to comply with a sign indicating that vehicular traffic must pass to the specified side of the sign in Riversdale Road, N5.) Since 2/1/2010. I am awaiting response from Islington Council who are looking into the matter and have also requested further information from freedom of information regarding successful appeals from this site. My initial representations to the council have been rejected and the grounds of appeal on the PATAS form are very limited.
Kind Regards..David Burr, East Sussex
Cyclists and pedestrians
Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2010-07-24 19:30.I was walking along Danbury street at about 7pm last Tuesday when I was approached , at high speed, by a cyclist riding on the pavement, head down and with her MP3 player plugged into her ears.
When I shouted for her to watch out and pointed out politely that riding on the pavement was illegal she replied "the traffic light at the road works on the bridge was red so what did I expect her to do?"
I then was foolish enough to point out that riding through a red light was also illegal when I was to to "f**k off".
I often cycle, but these days it seems that my fellow cyclist have a zeal and righteousness about them that makes it it very difficult to support them in their admittedly vulnerable position with regard to busses and lorries.
Who is going to be the first to be considerate?
Thane Prince
St Peter's Street N1
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