SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

This is why cyclists should not be allowed on the pavement in any city.

A woman has been left scarred for life after being knocked down by a cyclist who was riding on the pavement.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ement.html

From the article:

I'm now scarred for life. It was as bad as being hit by a car.

although interesting the injuries quoted are

two three-inch gashes to the middle of her forehead, as well as other facial and hand injuries

I'm not sure she's got a very realistic view of what being hit by a car can do you then.

On a serious note, I'm not sure why this is posted on "secret leeds" when it's a story from South London other than an "obvious troll" ?

Since I've bitten, I might as well furnish some stats that perhaps demonstrate that, Daily Mail hyperbole aside, the real danger to pedestrians out there is not from bicycles (including on pavements, see the final figure below):

Around 98% of serious or fatal pedestrian injuries in urban areas (i.e. where pedestrians are
most likely to be) - are due to collisions with motor vehicles.

 Per mile travelled, pedal cycles are less likely than cars to injure a pedestrian, and far less
likely to kill them. In Great Britain, from 2009 to 2013:
o Cycles accounted for about 2% of all urban, non-motorway vehicular traffic and were
involved in 0.82% of pedestrian fatalities and 1.6% of serious injuries to pedestrians;
o Mile-for-mile in urban areas, motor vehicles were about 1.2 times more likely than a
cycle to seriously injure a pedestrian, and almost 2.5 times as likely to kill them;
o There was one pedestrian death involving a cycle on the pavement or verge, whereas
altogether, 34 pedestrians were killed on average each year by vehicles on
pavements/verges

Figures from here

http://www.ctc.org.uk/sites/default/fil ... s4rrv2.pdf

It is still an illegal and reportable offence to ride a bike on any "footway" (the legal term for a roadside footpath) that is not officially declared and signposted as for use by cyclists. Cyclists have ever mounting problems from motorists antagonism and carelessness towards them, but this must not mean that it is in order for them to transfer their problems to legitimate footpath users - who are increasingly barged and in some cases threatened by bike riders using the techniques that motorists use to them.

I have actually been "hit by a car". The soft bumper and the fact the person responsible for it was upset at hitting me meant a policeman was called.
I've had to jump out of the way of several bycycles on the footway at the side of the road, however.
But! Let's admit our cycling or non preferences and try to work this out?

Long gone are the days when sturdy old men in flat caps would shake their walking sticks and angrily shout at young Chopper riding rogues like myself to "get back on the road". During the nights of autumn and winter these same old gentlemen would bellow "where's your bloody lights?" as we frantically pedalled off into the darkness. It almost seemed like a rite of passage.

Closing this thread as it's off topic, with no relevance to Leeds.