Quote Originally Posted by Griswold View Post
If you'd read my post properly you'd have seen I was talking specifically about shared foot/cycle paths and traffic free public spaces. I don't get to meet any horses or cars in these places, though I do get to meet very many joggers, walkers and cyclists on them.







Yesterday was just another typical day walking on one of our local shared foot/cycle paths. I was almost hit by this idiot who shot past me from behind extremely closely and at high speed to get between the two bollards. Of course, she gave no warning whatsoever. Then again she had no bell! Had she given warning Lynn and I would have stepped aside to let her pass.

And your 'cheery good morning' would have been no help whatsoever at the speed she was going!




There are, on this shared path, quite a number of blind bends like this one. I'm amazed at the number of cyclists who give no warning when approaching at high speed, particularly early morning/evening when they're obviously commuting to/from work. Many folk are out at those times walking their dogs and I've seen one dog hit by one of these clowns - I was walking it at the time!




Am I right in assuming, based on your replies in this thread, you don't have a bell fitted to your bike?

For the record. I'm a cyclist, I have a bell fitted to my bike and I use it.
I'm not a fan of cycle paths. I frequently hear a cry from car drivers of 'get on the fcuking cycle path!' to which I might respond 'get on the 'fcuking M4!'. I'm biased because I was hit by another cyclist on the Bristol to Bath cycle path, the original Sustrans route, aka The Psycho Path & fractured my hip, shattered my collar bone, & also 2 ribs. Subsequently I've undergone a total hip replacement which cost me £15k. I've generally commuted via the A4 ever since....it feels much safer.

Dogs are one of the main hazard on the Psycho Path. I've had several incidents....for example I was just about to reach a point on the path where it crossed a main road. On the approach I noticed a guy on a bike ahead come on to the path & then immediately release his Boxer dog from it's lead. The dog clocked me & made a beeline towards me head on. I attempted to swerve to avoid it but it dived into my front wheel. I went over the handlebars & the dog ran off. It returned looking sheepish a few minutes later with a clearly broken front leg.

Shortly after this I came up behind another cyclist who's terrier type dog was running alongside him. The Boxer dog incident was quite fresh in my mind. I called from behind that I was coming through & that he ought to be careful with his dog because I had ran over one recently. To which the rider responded that he'd been doing this for years without incident. Barely were the words out of his mouth when his little dog noticed another dog & ran across his path. He ran his own dog over (it was ok) & he ended up on the deck looking up at me as I passed. His parting words were 'I don't have any problem with this!'

Another occasion was an old lady with her Jack Russell on an extendable lead. The old lady was one side of the path & the dog was at the other sniffing at something in the undergrowth. I rode through the lead & came to a halt with the lead hooked up under my chin. The old woman exclaimed 'You STUPID dog!' The dog was unconcerned.

Finally, I was riding home from work & came upon a group of three women who were taking up the full width of the cycle path. I rang my bell. As I was about to ride through the gap between them, one of the women opened her arms wide as if to stop me. I came to a halt. Then I realised that she had opened her arms wide to encourage her loose dog to come to her. The next second the dog charged straight past her & took my bike out from under me. As I laid on the deck she said 'you never rang your bell!' As she said this a couple of other cyclists rode up to us & one of them said 'Yes he did, I heard it quite clearly'.

Regarding those ridiculous bollards & wooden posts that councils erect on cycling paths.....many a time I've nearly hit one.....& tragically a member of my cycling club did just that a year ago & is paralysed from the neck down as a result. Stick one in the middle of the M1 & see how long it lasts!