Cambridge MP says "thoughtless cyclists" need to watch for pedestrians

Actually reading the post in question seems to be a bit complex for him, to be fair.

"It’s not entirely clear whether the specific location where the incident giving rise to the meeting took place on a shared-use path or a pedestrian-only footway."

If he fell down a bank it will be on the non shared-use side. Although this path is about to become shared-use, albeit of the segregated sort. It's part of one of the Cycle City Ambition projects.

Quote:

the man, who did not wish to be named since he is afraid of reprisals

So, we have no verifiable information that any of the above incidents have occurred? Are there police reports that Huppert is privy to that back this up?

Talking this up into a "major issue" does not pass any basic smell test without statistics of some sort. What is the actual recorded accident rate? How many cyclists are killed or injured in these collisions? How many pedestrians?

Cyclists have as much to gain from avoiding pedestrians as pedestrians do from avoiding cyclists.

What sort of reprisals can possibly be at issue here?

Something stinks about this story and Huppert's use of it.

Whilst people walking in the cycle lane is a particular bug bear of mine, I still manage to not smash them in the back.

Think again it's one where the distinction between 'cyclist' and 'person on a bike' needs to be made.

If we are going to have these kind of statements just out of anecdotal evidence considered by any member of parliament this will go out the window very quickly... Better for him to focus on studying possible solutions to actual problems instead.

So basically 'don't knock people over' is the message here, they really need to be campaigning for that for cycles and cars and I'd also like to see a general all purpose pedestrian/cyclist/motorist 'look where you're going' campaign. I don't know if segregated lanes will be enough without people just generally using common sense.

In as much that I am amazed that car drivers fail to see cyclists when driving.... never happened to me behind the wheel in 20 years of driving, I am amazed that anyone on a bike, should find themselves in these situations...

A pedestrian moves at no more than 3mph for gawds sake, how the hell can you not see them and make adjustments.

Now, I appreciate that idiots stepping into the road can catch a few out, but even then, come on, its not exactly hard.

My thoughts are that everyone needs better cycling education when they are growing up. There is a basic level of incompetence out there which is making piss poor cycling almost accepted, certainly expected.

Yes, we're all the same - by taking to a bike we automatically shed our individual values, behaviours and varying levels of consideration for others to be replaced by a homogenous mass with a hive mind.

I'm sick to death of this stupid logic that says: "I anecdotally saw a cyclist do this therefore all cyclists are responsible for him/her and all behave in the same way".

If this was a cyclist hit by a car, we'd have the usual cycling suspects frothing at the mouth and waxing lyrical.

If you're on a footpath, cyclists should look out for pedestrians and the liability should fall on them (as I think it should with a cyclist on the road and a car). We have to appreciate that pedestrians are mindless zombies with the IQ of a brick and accommodate for that if we wish to share their paths with them. I don't see why a pedestrian on a footpath should have to beware of cyclists.

Rich71:

How do you vote strongly? My understanding is MPs simply cast their vote, in binary form, or abstain.

>>>>>>>While cycling on the footway is illegal and punishable by a fixed penalty notice, official Home Office guidance, reiterated last year by transport minister Robert Goodwill, is that police should exercise discretion and only fine cyclists where they pose a risk to other users.<<<<<<

Erm……. according to Home Office advice you can actually cycle on the pavement if you feel threatened or intimidated by traffic particularly if the roads are busy or if you have good reason to i.e. been hit previously or a cyclist is a child. But again this is open to police discretion. If the pavement was busy and a cycle was causing peds to jump for their lives then no, but if a pavement is empty then yes.

But there is no excuse for riding into people which is just plain bad manners and poor bike control. I hate cyclists in Cambridge as most have no lights front or back and if you challenge them you are met with a volley of abuse or the threat of violence. And this is from just the girls ……….

I know I shouldn't but as I was reading the catalogue if incidents involving this pensioner and cyclists I kept thinking of Uncle Albert and the pub cellars episode of Only Fools and Horses.

In a less frivolous vein why is this pensioner getting hit so often? If you look on Google Streetview at Brooklands as it approaches Trumpington Lane you will see that the path is not suitable for shared use by any stretch of the imagination. It's too narrow, poorly lit and under trees which will cause deep shadows particularly in low light.

As for Dr Julian Huppert is he just going for the Grey Vote in an election year? Saying something should be done to improve cycling infrastructure is a lot cheaper and easier than actually doing something. Basically the man is slicker than owl shit. Yep he's a politician alright!

If this had been a cyclist hit by a driver and left at the scene with only an apology there would be no end of criticism and calls for action. Yet when it's a cyclist's behaviour in the spotlight there are people ready to divert attention by pointing at the sins of others. Why?

Julian Hupperts voting record-one of the good guys,yeah

Voted moderately for reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax")

Voted very strongly against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability

Voted very strongly against spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed

Voted very strongly for increasing the rate of VAT

Voted strongly against a banker’s bonus tax

Voted strongly against an annual tax on the value of expensive homes (popularly known as a mansion tax)

Voted strongly for reducing the rate of corporation tax

Voted very strongly for ending financial support for some 16-19 year olds in training and further education

Voted very strongly against slowing the rise in rail fares

Voted very strongly for selling England’s state owned forests

Voted moderately against financial incentives for low carbon emission electricity generation methods

Voted moderately against a statutory register of lobbyists

Not such a 'good guy' then
more of a self serving asshole

Julian Huppert is one of the good guys when it comes to cycling.

And he is right - we do need to watch out for pedestrians, and road planners should do their best to ensure that infrastructure keeps us apart.

Of course if that pensioner had been left injured by a car driver, and that car driver had stopped, it wouldn't have made page 17 of the local paper.

If the County had real cycleways rather than done on the cheap shared space Cycle/Foot paths.... this wouldn't happen as there would be less chance of any conflict between the 2 groups.... one caveat for me is.... Both Pedestrians and Cyclists in the City of Cambridge are as pig headed as each other..... if...and I say If...I happen to go there... I ride the roads...it's safer

timing of this is pretty bad after 6 cyclist killed in first 10 days of 2015. No calls for 'thoughtless motorists' to watch for cyclists from any MP

"However, it is clearly not acceptable for cyclists to put other people at risk in the way this man has been affected."

Replace cyclists with motorists and "other people" with cyclists and you have the scenario encountered every day, by all of us, every time we ride.

Now try telling the police to do something about THAT.