{"id":173250,"date":"2019-04-08T11:59:42","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T11:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=173250"},"modified":"2019-04-09T11:45:33","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T11:45:33","slug":"how-dangerous-is-cycling-on-the-pavement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2019\/04\/08\/how-dangerous-is-cycling-on-the-pavement\/","title":{"rendered":"How Dangerous Is Cycling on the Pavement?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even though we love cycling, sometimes (or in some places) riding in urban traffic isn\u2019t very pleasant. The trams are ringing, the drivers are swerving\u2026 it makes you want to escape. But where to? The pavement of course! But is it really safer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019d hardly find a cyclist who has never ever ridden on the pavement, even though it\u2019s forbidden in most countries. Children cycle on the pavement because they are not allowed on the road before a certain age, and even if they were, they wouldn\u2019t dare riding in the traffic. Adults opt for the pavement because it makes them feel less at risk.<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Profimedia, Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nevertheless, riding on the pavement cuts both ways. While cyclists may feel safer, pedestrians are suddenly in great danger because they are slower than cyclists and thus more vulnerable. \u201cIt\u2019s crucial to remember what a pavement is and what purpose it serves in the first place. The law is clear on this and has quite a straightforward set of rules for the use of the pavement,\u201d says Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis from BESIP, a Czech agency that aims to improve traffic safety.<\/p>\n

According to him, it\u2019s important to take into account a significant factor known to all road users \u2013 the subjective feeling of safety. \u201cFrom the cyclist\u2019s standpoint, it\u2019s definitely safer to ride on a deserted pavement in a place with heavy and complicated traffic. On the other hand, the pavement might not always be deserted, which may result in a clash between the cyclist\u2019s and the pedestrian\u2019s feelings of safety. This subsequently leads to mutual antipathy between the individuals involved in the situation,\u201d Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis explains.<\/p>\n

He further adds that another important reason for biking on the pavement is that the cyclist intuitively calculates their energy output. They will rather go 50 metres on the pavement than ride in compliance with the rules and make a 200-metre detour.<\/p>\n

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From the cyclist\u2019s standpoint, it\u2019s definitely safer to ride on a deserted pavement in a place with heavy and complicated traffic. \u00a9 Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s against the law<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Whatever the reason for biking on the pavement, it\u2019s only legal in sections where it\u2019s explicitly allowed. In all other cases, cycling on the pavement is forbidden, and the police are entitled to fine such behaviour according to the regulations of the respective country.<\/p>\n

In early 2017, the Metropolitan Police of London took an unusual approach to this phenomenon, when they decided to find out what makes cyclists violate the ban. They stopped the offenders, but instead of fining them on the spot, they asked the cyclists why they chose to ride on the pavement. This initiative helped identify extremely dangerous road sections in London, where for example parents didn\u2019t dare to ride with their kids.<\/p>\n

Who is most endangered by cyclists on pavements? First and foremost, it\u2019s the blind and the deaf, who may have a hard time to orientate themselves among other pedestrians and who are definitely not ready to quickly react to a fast approaching vehicle, such as the bike. Forbidding cycling on the pavement is not an end in itself, it\u2019s banned because it poses significant risks. When you cycle on the pavement, you risk that somebody who doesn\u2019t expect your fast ride will get in your way, anywhere and anytime. So every metre you cycle on the pavement in a populated area may potentially result in a collision, which is definitely not worth it.<\/p>\n

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Cyclists ignore a sign warning them of a \u00a330 fine for cycling on the pavement in St james’s Street Brighton and also going the wrong way down the one way street. \u00a9 Profimedia, Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Surprising findings: It\u2019s actually not safer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even though cyclists ride on the pavement mainly because they feel safer that way, lots of research contradicts this assumption. In 1998, Professor Lisa Aultman-Hall from the University of Vermont published a study featuring the testimonies and experience of 1,600 respondents living in Ottawa, Canada. Her research explored various aspects of the behaviour of cyclists in the city, and came up with an interesting finding: the number of cyclists who sustained an injury while riding on the pavement was four times higher than of those who got injured on the road. How is this possible?<\/p>\n

There are several reasons, the main reason being that in most cases cyclists don\u2019t get hurt as a result of a collision with another road user, but because of their own doing: they fail to control the bike, lose their balance, go into a skid, underestimate their speed, collide with an obstacle, overlook a drain\u2026 simply put, they fall down. Moreover, cyclists who often ride on the pavement don\u2019t have enough experience to venture into regular traffic. Aultman-Hall says that they lack the ability to correctly estimate things and the healthy confidence to bike with cars, which is the best way to come to harm.<\/p>\n

Tolerance first<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Regardless of all the studies and regulations, cyclists will never disappear from pavements for good. But there\u2019s a big difference between aggressive cyclists who mistake the pavement for a cycle path, and those who adjust their pace to pedestrians, and don\u2019t hesitate to get off their bike if they encounter a bigger bunch of people.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\u00a9 Profimedia, Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAll in all, a solution to this situation would be mutual tolerance and respect to the law, encouraging people to respect legal standards,\u201d says Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis from BESIP, who thinks the best solution is prevention and raising public awareness. Another precaution that could be taken is related to cycling infrastructure: introducing separated lanes for cyclists that are isolated from other modes of transport, be it pedestrian or motorized traffic. \u201cHowever, the most important thing will always be mutual respect and consideration for others,\u201d Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis concludes.<\/p>\n

What do you think? Is cycling on the pavement an unacceptable hazard to you or is it a sin you commit from time to time?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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