Letter: Pedestrians at risk from cyclists

It's not often I put pen to paper or finger to keyboard in this modern age but after taking my wife to bingo, I could not help but notice the antics of a local cyclist without lights this evening.

I was driving down Queens Road at around 5.45pm and a cyclist riding a white mountain bike, riding down Queens Road had no regard for stopping at a zebra crossing while a pedestrian was crossing, and a car had duly stopped coming the other way.

The cyclist a little further on mounted the pavement and continued riding onward to the town centre, not stopping at side roads, and rejoining the carriageway without checking for on coming traffic at several places before returning to the pavement along the shop fronts, weaving in and out of pedestrians rather like a skier on a slalom course.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He made good progress often matching my journey speed to the seafront just past the fountain and on to the Deluxe where I dropped my wife off, for which he still had no regard to the possibility that an unaware pedestrian could walk into his path.

Fortunately on this occasion this did not happen.

I sometimes get my trusty cycle out for a jolly into town with lights fitted and a yellow cycle helmet which offers little protection but does at least make me visible to other road users.

I was taught many years ago at my local school’s cycle proficiency scheme, not to cycle on the pavement as information in the Highway Code clearly states: “According to Laws HA 1835 section 72 & RSA 1984, section 129, cyclists must not cycle on the pavement.”

Cyclists these days have a lot to say about bad driving practices from motorists and I agree in some cases they are justified in saying that, but if cyclists such as the one I mentioned above continue to flaunt the law and put pedestrians at risk they are dicing with their own as others’ safety, which will result in serious injury on our streets being reported in your paper before too long.

Martin White

Sedlescombe Road North, St Leonards

Related topics: