Answer: when you can't walk down it for fear of being run into by a cyclist. Honestly, I'm starting to think that the money and time spent by local boroughs creating cycle lanes and special routes is completely wasted. I can't remember the last time that I saw a cyclist using a cycle lane - scratch that, I can't remember the last time I saw a cyclist on the road. Last week I repeatedly saw cyclists coming towards me on the pavement, apparently unable to see the cycle lane that was on the road beside them - and when I continue walking instead of jumping out of their way, I get sworn at.
Surely I'm not the only one who finds that unreasonable, or am I? As far as I'm aware, it's not permissible to cycle on pavements unless one is seeking to directly gain access to a property - basically, people can cycle across the pavement to reach their front door. Not a problem, that makes sense, but it's the ones who go careering down a busy high street on their bicycles and then proceed to glare at any pedestrians that dare to get in their way - that really ticks me off. There are also many cyclists that believe that cycling the wrong way up a one-way street is acceptable if they're on the pavement... drivers reversing out of driveways check for pedestrians, and they check for cars which are coming the right way. These drivers have no way of checking if an idiot on a bike is pedalling at high speed the wrong way down the road, and so often only narrowly avoid hitting them.
I don't have anything against cyclists as a whole; I just can't abide those who give the rest a bad name. Cycling is an environmentally friendly, and often quicker, way to get from A to B, and it's a genuine shame that not more people do it.
Perhaps they should introduce a driving test for cyclists, after all if someone can't tell the difference between a pavement for pedestrians and a cycle lane then they're obviously not safe to be let out on their own...
01/03/2004 ©
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