Not Allowed to Bike on Footpath?

orangetrain on 19/06/2019 - 16:54
Last edited 19/06/2019 - 16:56

My partner was going to bike to work and we wanted to ride in the area. After we both bought a bike and spoke to coworkers, apparently it's illegal for people to bike on footpath with exceptions for children. They say you must ride on road. My partner doesn't want to risk being run over by a car and now back to driving instead.

We're slow riders that always never bother people.

Why can't we ride on the empty footpaths?

Have anyone got in trouble for riding on footpath? Do you bike to work?

Edit: We're in NSW

Sports & Outdoors Bicycle

Comments

  • tebbybabes on 19/06/2019 - 17:04
    +5

    Yep, different states have different rules. As you're in NSW and an adult, you're only legally allowed to ride on the footpath when accompanying a child under 12 years of age.

    That being said, I often ride on the footpath and make it a point to be respectful to all other users on the foot path and I've never had an issue. In the ACT however, I believe that restriction does not exist.

    • orangetrain on 19/06/2019 - 17:11

      I haven't encountered any issues too. I'm surprised at how many rules prohibit bicycle people from riding comfortably. Have you rode to work?

      • tebbybabes on 19/06/2019 - 17:22
        +1

        I no longer need to as I work from home now. But have gotten around heaps of places with just a push bike. Usual errands that didn't need lots of haulage. Rode a lot more in the ACT. Appreciated the flatness and the excellent infrastructure for riding. Also loved being a first class citizen in terms of acceptance, parking is awesome too. Oh and if I get too tired from riding, I can catch the bus for free if I have my bike with me.

        Good times.

    • notme53 on 19/06/2019 - 17:37
      +3

      Wow, this seems crazy to me. Last I checked in QLD you legally can ride on a footpath where you consider it unsafe to ride on the road and I have availed myself of this on many occasions so as not to die.

    • apsilon on 19/06/2019 - 17:52

      It was actually increased to under 16 July 2018. Heaps of people get fined for it. You occasionally see news reports when police do crackdowns in the CBD but it can happen any time anywhere.

      • tebbybabes on 19/06/2019 - 22:08
        +1

        Wow. That's sad.

      • kiitos on 20/06/2019 - 08:36

        Wow, thanks for that, I didn't know the age was increased! Back to less stressful rides with my 15yo!

  • bobbified on 19/06/2019 - 18:20
    +5

    My partner doesn't want to risk being run over by a car…

    Your partner doesn't want to ride a bicycle on the road because he doesn't want to risk getting hit by a car.

    Bicycles are not wanted on the footpath so pedestrians don't risk getting hit by bicycles.

    What can be done?

    • Illian on 19/06/2019 - 18:44
      +2

      Besides the fact that there are a hell of a lot more cars than pedestrians, it's a lot more scary for both riders and drivers and the potential damage from a car is a hell of a lot worse, I'd say where there aren't bike lanes just give cyclists the side of the footpath closest to the road by default so we all know where they'll be coming from.

      • qwerty on 19/06/2019 - 18:58
        +1

        Reversing cars and bikes going 40ks+ on a footpath are also a recipe for disaster

        • kiitos on 20/06/2019 - 08:43
          +3

          40km/h on a footpath would be reckless

  • chumlee on 19/06/2019 - 19:01

    Bike lane??

  • bazingaa on 19/06/2019 - 19:24

    what about VIC ? now I'm confused, I have seen many adults are using footpath for cycling :O

    • serpserpserp on 19/06/2019 - 21:23
      +2

      Let us know what Google tells you.

  • yayrobots on 19/06/2019 - 19:36

    You can ride on shared paths but not footpaths. I believe footpaths are usually signed as such otherwise how would you know what type of path it is?

    • Euphemistic on 20/06/2019 - 06:44
      +1

      Other way around. Share paths are signed as such. If there is no sign indicating you can cycle on it, you aren’t supposed to.

      • yayrobots on 20/06/2019 - 10:27

        Did some research on this, shared paths appear to be twice as wide as footpaths with no signage for either path (at least in WA).

        • Euphemistic on 20/06/2019 - 13:23

          In NSW it is a footpath unless signed as a sharepath.

  • yellowfever on 19/06/2019 - 19:44
    +2

    Riding on a residential footpath is deemed dangerous because it is only 1m wide
    There isn’t enough space for 2way pedestrian and bike traffic.
    Also if you ride around 15-20kmh (still slow but faster than walking) a car coming out of a driveway has no chance to see you on the bike and may hit you. And who would be at fault here? In certain states the rider is.
    You will also notice shared footpaths are wider.

    Although yes it’s dangerous for inexperienced riders to be on the shared road as well.
    That’s why bike lanes are introduced but they are not everywhere.

    You are not likely to get fined riding on a footpath, unless you do it dangerously and put others at risk.
    Areas such as outside shopping centre entrance or CBD footpath is really areas you should avoid riding on footpath.

    • tranter on 19/06/2019 - 22:08

      In Qld bikes are allowed on footpaths. Riders have to give way to pedestrians at all times. Yes some paths are only 1 metre wide but usually there is a grassed verge that riders can use to overtake pedestrians. Surprisingly it works better than you might think and most riders are pretty respectful. Motorised scooters are a far bigger problem.

  • Euphemistic on 20/06/2019 - 06:50

    It’s a bit silky. Many footpaths are barely used by pedestrians, and yet in NSW you can’t use them in a bicycle if you are over 16 or riding with a child (it changed recently).

    I disagree with the law, NSW is reluctant to change it as other states have in the last few years. If you are not confident to ride on the road, the footpath is not used, you give way to pedestrians and look out for cars and driveways, and you don’t want to ride fast go ahead and use it. You are unlikely to get a fine, but there is a risk.

    I am a confident, regular cyclist and occasionally use a footpath, following the guidelines above. Once you are a confident rider you’ll find that footpaths are not suited to faster riding and (most) roads are actually more efficient and not that unsafe.

  • Cheap Steve on 20/06/2019 - 07:57

    Footpaths are dangerous too.

    As someone who rides bikes with his kids to school everyday you would be surprised how many cars charge out of their driveways without looking.

  • HeWhoKnows on 20/06/2019 - 08:02

    I wouldnt worry about it.

    Just ride carefully

  • backpaqer on 20/06/2019 - 08:22

    Ride on the naturestrip

  • tabitha731 on 20/06/2019 - 08:40
    +3

    Ride on the road!!! As a pedestrian who's always havibg to dodge both slow & fast people on their bikes, it unsafe for the pedestrians, esp in the dark.

    If you & your wife want to ride a bike to work but are slow cyclists then u just need to learn to ride faster and go with the flow of traffic. Or perhaps practice riding faster on the weekends so as not to interfere with traffic both cars & pedestrians.

    • Never Pay RRP on 20/06/2019 - 16:55
      +2

      Is it really possible to "learn" how to ride 60+km/h and accelerate as far as a car?

      • 2ndeffort on 02/07/2019 - 14:21

        Down a steep hill it is more than possible, in fact I've been stuck behind cars looking for ways to get past. Up hills maybe not so much!

  • Roll Eyes on 20/06/2019 - 09:49
    +1

    The usual reason - inconsiderate morons ruining it for everyone else.
    You can thank the irresponsible, arrogant cyclists for this one. They run into pedestrians, abuse them, throw tantrums, and can’t use their brain to consider the ramifications of riding a bike around people walking.
    Just like drivers do to them on the road. They don’t like the feeling of that, and pedestrians don’t have to put up with it either.

    Bottom line: humans are selfish, impatient and lack the ability to interact with their own species.

  • paulinspace on 20/06/2019 - 10:05
    +2

    What a stupid idea. On a footpath you don't have any chance to see cars coming out form behind fenced driveways. Its also dangerous for little kids who are taught to stay on footpaths and they are safe. How safe is a bike even at 15kmh for a 3yo. It might be "empty" on the footpath until the day its not and bam!! Dead kid.

    I have been riding a bike on Melbourne's busy roads for 20 years now and never been hit. This includes major roads without proper verge. Cars give you space if you are visible and aware.

  • dabhbl on 20/06/2019 - 10:17

    For those reading this from WA, it used to be illegal to ride on a footpath unless you were under 13 (or accompanying a child), but that was changed semi recently and you are now allowed to ride on the footpath

    https://www.rsc.wa.gov.au/Rules-Penalties/Browse/Cyclists

  • SlickMick on 20/06/2019 - 10:50
    -5

    As a pedestrian, I don't want you on the footpath. I don't trust your ability to avoid injuring me.

    As a driver, I don't want you on the road. I'm not the worst driver, but I despise riders slowing me down. If you considered how poorly skilled some drivers are, and how many hate riders, you'd have to be an idiot (imo) to ride on the road.

    If you really want to ride, campaign for bike lanes. Or drive your bike to a bike lane. (That's what I did when my daughter wanted to ride.)

    • tranter on 20/06/2019 - 11:56
      +2

      Well lucky for cyclists in Qld then what you want or don't want is irrelevant. What matters is the law, which funnily enough also allows you to drive on the road and walk on the footpath alongside cyclists.

    • Euphemistic on 20/06/2019 - 13:35
      +3

      SlickMick Your attitude to others stinks. Cyclists have every right to ride on the road and paths (in your state) get over yourself, roads and paths are made for taxpayers. We ALL need to travel with consideration for others choice of mode of transport. It is a shame that we need so many rules because courtesy has left the building.

      Cyclists on the whole ride to not injure themselves, which means not hitting anything, including pedestrians.

      Cyclists also generally do not hold up traffic for more than a few seconds that cannot be overcome by a little tiny bit extra pressure on the accelerator. As an experiment, next time you are held up so significantly, count how many seconds it takes before you are on your way again. Then, on top of that, consider the vehicle in front and how long it takes to catch up to it - you won’t be at your destination, you’ll be back in the same position in the traffic before you know it.

  • brad1-8tsi on 20/06/2019 - 13:18
    +1

    OP: Where do you live?

    There are shared bike / pedestrian paths in a lot of the City of Sydney council area.

    Personally, as a bike rider who is comfortable in traffic, it really annoys me to have other riders on the footpath when I'm a pedestrian. Get some road sense and get out in the traffic.

    note that if you ride on the footpath it's really hard for a car leaving a driveway to see you…

  • wannagrababargain on 20/06/2019 - 14:24

    Same rule in VIC. In SA they recently changed to allow adults to cycle on footpaths.

    Why would you want to ride all the way to work on footpaths anyway? It's really slow, narrow and uneven. You're no "safer" than being on the road. If you haven't ridden a bike since you were a care-free child then it's going to take time to acquire the skills needed to get around safely on two wheels. By that I mean riding defensively, being constantly vigilant, "scanning" of the environment. It definitely uses more "cognitive load" than driving a car. Where you are "allowed" to ride has no bearing on acquisition of those skills (you still need to be just as vigilant riding on paths).

    Having said that, you have almost zero chance of being fined for riding on a footpath so meh…

    PS. There's a bunch of bicycle related rules and associated fines, it's worth reading up on them.

  • jm48 on 20/06/2019 - 15:01

    The rule is only to enable the prosecution of idiots riding dangerously and endangering pedestrians.

    • Euphemistic on 20/06/2019 - 16:55

      The rule is not to enable prosecution. There are plenty of other rules for prosecuting dangerous riding. The rule is to both prevent cyclists from riding where pedestrians are, and also to protect cyclists from riding across driveways and crashing into cars entering and leaving property, despite the rule for cars to give way when crossing footpaths.

  • MA1970 on 29/07/2019 - 10:53

    you can ride on footpaths in Brisbane. Good bike tracks. We used to ride to city on bike tracks, but had to get to them & so for 1st km, we rode on footpath. No way we'd ever ride on rd. Get killed that way, fast.

    You just have to give way to pedestrians.

    But NSW is bureaucracy capital of the world. Don't you have councils on every street corner in Sydney ? In Brisbane, have 1 council & that's 1 too many.

    • Euphemistic on 30/07/2019 - 05:53

      It’s a state law in NSW, not council.

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