Cycling on the footpath

Press, 26 October 1984, Page 16

Cycling on the footpath

Sir,—As a cyclist for the last 25 years, I declare that it is safer for all people, including children, to stay on the footpath. I dare anyone who only drives a car to get on a bike and to stay on it in one piece for more than six blocks. I am a cyclist and a motor vehicle driver. I find that drivers never look before opening car doors. The only way to fix the problem is to have footpath cyclists, separate lanes, or to ban cars on the road.—Yours, etc., MRS S. ADAMS. Kaiapoi, October 22, 1984.

Sir,—l do not agree with Catherine Glue that a collision between a pedestrian and a young cyclist would cause only superficial injuries. What about disabled people who are limited in their movements, but not obviously so? I am one. Recently I was walking in the Hoon Hay area after 3 p.m. and found it quite frightening with boys and some girls in the 10 to 12 age group weaving on their bikes on the footpath. I quote from a current Accident Compensation Corporation booklet: “A Swedish study showed that children under eight performed poorly in tests of riding skills and should not be allowed to ride in traffic. It is dangerous, especially for small children and elderly people to allow bikes to be ridden on the footpath.” The road toll of child cyclists is tragic, but there must be other ways of helping the situation, other than making our footpaths unsafe for pedestrians. — Yours, etc., B. FYFE. October 24, 1984.