[Closed] Kids on cycling paths are they worse than dogs 😉

Dogs/Children - generally fine until the owner starts shouting at them and waving their hands about like a windmill 😐

FuzzyWuzzy - Member

Whilst riding on the left is sensible for adults it's probably not the main thought going through a young kids head as they cycling. I'd say it's more reasonable than selfish to assume an on-coming adult would give a kid the right of way on a path and unless they have a big L and R written on their hands I wouldn't expect them to mover quickly/confidently in given a direction to head in either...

In the case I quote I did give the kid right of way - I slowed, pulled to the left, then his dad told him to ride to his right so straight at me so I stopped.

I can't be bothered to enter into the bickering about how two people should pass each other on a path (my god, it's not rocket surgery), but because they don't leave turds everywhere I have to say that kids definitely are not worse than dogs.

I just don't understand why anyone, ever, accuses cyclists of being selfish..

I'm assuming this was a tongue-in-cheek comment, otherwise I'd need to write a massive 'why people accuse cyclists of being selfish' list ...

"I must admit that if I'm taking my boys along the towpath I make sure that they're on ths side furthest away from the water. Makes perfect logical safe sense to me."

I would like to see the parents teaching the nippers courtesy and sense which would be to ride on the left and pass on that side. Doesn't seem too much to ask does it?

Why at that point should I move right - away from convention, towards danger, putting myself on collision course with the child?

I oftne have to apologise for my kids wobbling on paths most people just smile and are lovely about it even the person they hit. One person actually carried my sons bike up a hill [after he hit/fell off in front of him] whilst chatting to him about how much fun cycling and the countryside was
Just encourage them and do your best there may be the odd moment with kids but they are kids what do you expect?

Junkyard - you miss the point. The dad told the son to head for his right / the bit of path I was already on when the kid was too close to me for me to ride around him without risking hitting him. If the dad had said nothing the kid would have passed me without any issues in the conventional way - instead the dad told the kid to ride straight at me forcing me to stop.

I had already taken avoiding action and slowed by going to my left - the conventional way to pass another cyclist

Junkyard - you miss the point. The dad told the son to head for his right / the bit of path I was already on when the kid was too close to me for me to ride around him without risking hitting him. If the dad had said nothing the kid would have passed me without any issues in the conventional way - instead the dad told the kid to ride straight at me forcing me to stop.

I had already taken avoiding action and slowed by going to my left - the conventional way to pass another cyclist

I still don't see the problem. If by asking him to stay right he was keeping him as far from the waters edge as possible, that's fair enough - you clearly have never attempted to teach a child to ride .. I spent a whole afternoon imploring one to keep left on his balance bike before realising he wasn't 100% sure of his right from left.. I always move to the hazardous side (if there is one) when riding with the sprogs to corrall them. I also have them ride on the right on roads where I know there is a dangerous corner ahead, if it makes them more visible. Wrong maybe, safer yes.

How about applying your own logic about car drivers - a 10 second delay to stop, smile and let the child pass isn't going to ruin your day is it?

Teh problem is he is going against the convention that you go left to pass - so he is going to be getting into altercations every 30 seconds on that route. he is also teaching his son to pass other bikes on the right side and he is expecting me to make a sudden swerve even tho I had already taken avoiding action/ he told his son to ride straight at me even tho I was right on the left hand edge of the path

If he had not said anything to his son we could have passed safely and easily - I gave the son 80% of the path, the sone would not have had to swerve at all.

his desire for his son to pass away from the side with the water will cause inconvenience to many others, will lead him to altercations and is a bad habit to get into.

you miss the point

he is going against the convention that you go left to pass

He was expecting you to extend a little courtesy to someone starting out in cycling. No wonder it's on the decrease. I wasn't there which is what you'll say next, but I really don't find it an effort to apply the brakes and even stop if I see a family approaching, especially if they don't look 100% confident.

Seriously, have you ever cycled with a 3/4/5/6 year old? Half the time you're asking them to look straight ahead instead of what ever shiny thing caught their eye, or to stop pulling wheelies, or not to just stop dead in front of you. Asking them to pass on the side with the most hazard is just asking for trouble. They might well just ride on by as you'd hope, they might well just veer off and T bone your back wheel.

his desire for his son to pass away from the side with the water will cause inconvenience to many others

Oh noes, inconvenience..

will lead him to altercations

Really? Glad I don't live there.

and is a bad habit to get into

In your opinion. On a shared cycle way I expect all sorts and ride accordingly.

Remember the whole point of passing on the left is so that your right hand is free for a sword fight (which is also the reason most of the world drives on the wrong side of the road).

When your kids become teenage scrotes, they will be useless outcasts from the local gang culture, roaming around trying to look scary on their stolen bikes, but when they actually need to stab someone fumbling the knife out of their left hand because they are on the wrong side!

And in true STW style, this thread is certainly making a mountain out of a mole-hill

Does it really matter if you need to stop for a child to pass? Or anyone for that matter?

Or are some of us too self-important and self-righteous for that?

guys -

brassneck - Member

He was expecting you to extend a little courtesy to someone starting out in cycling. No wonder it's on the decrease. I wasn't there which is what you'll say next, but I really don't find it an effort to apply the brakes and even stop if I see a family approaching, especially if they don't look 100% confident.

did you read what I posted?

I saw him a long time before he saw me ( the father) I had already slowed and moved to the left hand side of the path. he told his son to go right when the son was not far from me - that put the son on a collision course with me so I stopped. Stupid instruction from the father leading to a near collision.

On that path he will be passing cyclists every 100 m or so - 99% will expect to pass on the left - passing on the right will cause friction and aI wouldn't be surprised if a collision given the numbers of cyclists

Junkyard - the father shouted "go to your right" to the kid which was straight at me the kid knew so this one clearly knew right from left.

If the kid had just carried on in a straight line there was plenty of room to pass

I am once again amazed buy the selfishness of parents. Teaching the kid bad habits, being unobservant then telling he kid to ride straight at me is the right thing to do so I have to get out of the kids way? the kid had a m of path and a m of grass before the canal - I was brushing hedge

Why at that point should I move right - away from convention, towards danger, putting myself on collision course with the child?

Because 20 yards is freaking miles unless you're tanking along (which it doesn't sound like it) so it's fairly safe to do so without risking a collision? Think about it, 20 yards is like 5 car lengths.

Pigface - Member
What is the thing to do when a kid is wobbling towards you and then its either collect him or take to the undergrowth. Dad was apologetic but it could of gotten messy if I had hit the little blighter.

Waiting for the Zoo fighter to say he would of battered me

I haven't read any of the thread apart from the above, but I can see that you've found the pleasures of the Swansea-Mumbles prom, Pigface!

😆

On that path he will be passing cyclists every 100 m or so - 99% will expect to pass on the left - passing on the right will cause friction and aI wouldn't be surprised if a collision given the numbers of cyclists

Common sense would suggest that but I have to say the opposite seems to be true on the canal paths round here, it seems "right" is the standard when off-road for some reason. Doesn't really matter, until about 2 car lengths apart a lane-change is perfectly easy to execute if the little one is confused or sticking to his guns.

Well, the rules for inland waterways is that you 'drive' on the right, rather than the left, so seeing as it's inland waterways land, their rules apply 🙂

Doesn't really matter, until about 2 car lengths apart a lane-change is perfectly easy to execute if the little one is confused or sticking to his guns.

the little one was neither - I was already right on the left - his father told him to go to his right putting him on a collision course with me. I could not trust where he would go so stopped as the kid started to turn into my path -then he ignored his stupid dad and rode past me quite safely.

If I had tried to change sides I would have been relying on him swapping sides quickly so as not to hit him

If I had tried to change sides I would have been relying on him swapping sides quickly so as not to hit him

So you did the sensible thing - that's what I said - you can comfortably leave it to the last minute and assess then instead of listening to what others tell others to do and trying to predict. What I'm trying to get at is it's hardly the end of the bloody world and everyone is going slow enough that it doesn't bloody matter, so there's a bit of confusion as to who's going where and when - who cares, if you've any sense you'll stop (as you did) and no harm is done. Ride on, enjoy the day.

Wunundred! 😀

Both kids and dogs are a nuisance, but in both cases it's the owners' fault for not controlling their animals really.

I don't mind slowing down and being considerate to others, but some people are just ignorant selfish knobs. Like the canal boat bloke who's dog suddenly ran out in front of me and another cyclist, causing me to swerve (yet stay in control cos I iz skil), and the other bloke to crash. Yet din't seem to understand that he was in the wrong for failing to have his animal under control on a public right of way....

I threatened to burn his boat with him in it, as I was a tad angry and have issues, and he was gone the very next day. 😯

the sensible thing is to pass on the left - thats what 99% of people expect and its a good thing to be teaching the kid - you know - the conventions of cycling and politeness and repect all that - instead of trying to get the kid to ride at me and then getting cross with me when I wouldn't go to teh right of the path.

thats what 99% of people expect and its a good thing to be teaching the kid - you know - the conventions of cycling and politeness and repect all that

Well I for one was completely unaware of this "convention of cycling" till you mentioned it.

I am clearly terribly rude and disrespectful for happily letting people pass me however they like. I blame my parents 😀

In the future I'll endeavour to get all irate, shout at them for not following invisible rules and then rant about it on internet forums.

Is that the polite and respectful thing to do? 😉

I threatened to burn his boat with him in it, as I was a tad angry and have issues,

I'm just going to pause and savour that mental image for a little bit. 8)

In the future I'll endeavour to get all irate, shout at them for not following invisible rules and then rant about it on internet forums.

Is that the polite and respectful thing to do?

I did not shout at him, he got angry with me first and I politely asked him to kept left

Nor have I ranted about it here - just defended my point of view

Graham

I was riding along on the left, I ad slowed and moved further left before this kids dad saw me - he then instructed his kid to ride straight at me instead of keep on on the line he was taking forcing me to stop

Of course like all Parents you sudden get so selfish that everyone else has to get out of the way of yo and your kid as they are so precious.

what grahamS said but with a bit more bite

I am once again amazed buy the selfishness of parents

Junkyard - this kid was not that small - he realised his dads instruction was stupid and passed on my right / his left.

this is the point = the dads instruction to go right increases the kids danger not decreases it and wil continue to do so as most people will react as I did on that bit of canal

Clearly, TJ emerged from the womb replete with all of the cycling skills the rest of us had to learn when we were kids.

I am once again amazed buy the selfishness of parents. Teaching the kid bad habits, being unobservant then telling he kid to ride straight at me is the right thing to do so I have to get out of the kids way? the kid had a m of path and a m of grass before the canal - I was brushing hedge

Kids - let your kids ride in front of me I will give way 100%, regardless of how rubbish a parent you are, because its not the kids fault.

Dogs - let your dog run around in front of me uncontrolled and I will run it over rather than risk crashing.

Motorbikers - dont get me started

"Of course like all Parents you sudden get so selfish that everyone else has to get out of the way of yo and your kid as they are so precious."
I regularly take my kids (6 and 7) on the trans pennine trail, and am always, always mindful of them getting in the way of other trail users, and drawing their attention to this if and when it happens. However, they are just kids at the end of the day, and at times, are more intent on having fun than developing an awareness of cycle path etiquette.
While admiring your tenacity in attempting to make your point, when you make statements like the one quoted, you do yourself no favours.

Oooh lovely long thread, with some daft comments!! My favourite, so for my first visit...

Is there one single ballsack left intact on this forum?
I weep for humanity. Then I weep more

Having kids with the sense to not fall in the first bit of water they are within an inch of would make even more 'perfect logical safe sense'.
Natural selection my friend! Maybe your little fetishes just aren't meant to make it to sexual maturity for the good of us all

the dad gave the kid stupid instructions to ride at me

meh! too slow, it's been said

I gave the son 80% of the path, the sone would not have had to swerve at all.

- I was brushing hedge

Well why didn't you say this in the first place!! Now I have every sympathy! If you were brushing hedge, the father should have respected your privacy until you were done. In fact it wouldn't have been a nice sight for children anyway.

the sensible thing is to pass on the left - thats what 99% of people expect

Really? It would seem from this thread that far less than 99% of people would have expected of that child, in fact in this respect, you seem to be in the minority

most people will react as I did on that bit of canal

The point here is that whilst TJ did nothing wrong and the father was a nob, there is no right of way nor convention for cycling on a canal path.

However as a parent I would make sure my child rode furthest away from the canal for obvious reasons.

I tend to ride on the LHS most of the time, but the number of people coming towards you that cross to your left when you approach them (they they were already on your right, thus needing to do nothing to avoid you) on paths etc would seem to suggest that most people dont share this convention!

I understand the scenario TJ - but look at from his point of view:

Happily riding along by the canal with his young son in front. He sees a [i]serious[/i] cyclist approaching ahead. Worried that his son, a novice cyclist, might wobble a bit close to the edge of the canal if he goes left, he tells him to go right.

His son doesn't seem to respond. Looking up from his son, he sees that the cyclist has moved into his left in a [i]seemingly[/i] deliberate ploy to force his son to disobey him and wobble towards the canal.

Worse than that the cyclist looks peeved off and chastises him for trying to protect his child, rather than following an unwritten rule.

If you really didn't have time to move over and let the kid go to your left then fair enough, stopping was probably the right thing. But getting a bbe in your bonnet about it seems very odd and curtly advising the guy to keep to the left in future is exactly the kind of thing that pisses people off about cyclists.

I'm just going to pause and savour that mental image for a little bit.

No I went too far with that tbh. It's not good to go round threatening to burn people alive. But he just pissed me right off, just sort of shrugged as if to say 'so what?'. Really selfish inconsiderate attitude. There are a few canal boat dwellers who seem to think the towpath is their own private property, and anyone actually using it is a trespasser. Like the dick who had a saw horse with plank right [i]across[/i] the path! And then seemed to think I was being unreasonable when I politely asked him to move it, so that I and others could actually get by. 😆 Huffed and puffed a bit about 'not being able to get any work done'. What a tosser. Lucky I din't just chuck the lot into the canal.

Good thing with people like that is that you can remind them that [i]you know where they live[/i]*, if they do get all arsey...

*It would have to be something very extreme to actually motivate me to commit horrific murder. Like being a fixie rider maybe....

Most canal boat dwellers are fine. As are most travelling folk. 🙂

On that bit of canal its a very heavily used path - lots of commuters and so on and the vast majority ride on teh left adn pass on the left - so doing the other will cause grief

What about pedestrians? Aren't they supposed to walk on the side facing the traffic?

so doing the other will cause grief

It certainly seems to have done so

Oh - and the kid was already on this left when I first saw him =- his dad tried to get him to cross the track to teh side I was on after i had alraedy taken action by slowing and moving right to teh left

Next, time you encounter a kid, go to the canal side early and allow him to pass on the safe side. I think you underestimate how wobbly a kid can get passing someone, even if there is plenty of room,

Next, time you encounter a kid, go to the canal side early and allow him to pass on the safe side

100% agree.. whether you're a parent or not surely it's human instinct to protect the squishy from the watery peril..?

Didn't see any kids on my route home tonight - but why do some cyclists think they need their lights on full power all the time? It's a ****in smooth tarmac path, and not even fully dark! Hope my eyesight recovers before the morning!

whether you're a parent or not surely it's human instinct to protect the squishy from the watery peril..?

Was that tj or gollum?

Idle John yes that is it exactly and look at the bunfight it started 😆

Pigface - I thought so. I had similar problems yesterday myself, riding back from Clyne.

It is [u]very[/u] amusing reading the replies above and trying to apply them to the situation on the prom......

GrahamS

His son doesn't seem to respond. Looking up from his son, he sees that the cyclist has moved into his left in a seemingly deliberate ploy to force his son to disobey him and wobble towards the canal.

Nope - I was already there before he spoke to his son. I had already seen the kid, slowed and moved over before either the kid or the dad had seen me. when the dad first saw me I was right on the left hand edge of the path and so were they on their left. all the kid had to do was carry on in a straight line - I had already got out of the way before they had seen me