There has been an incident recently in Haddenham in which an older cyclist (i.e. not a youngster) cycled on the pavement round a blind corner, much too quickly and nearly collided with an elderly lady out walking her dog.
The cyclist swerved to miss her and did apologise but the woman was too startled to reply. The cyclist could easily have collided with her and caused her to fall – possibly resulting in a serious injury.
It is illegal to cycle on pavements unless there are signs to indicate that the pavement is dual use, as in the stretch up to the station. In this case, the Highway Code states that cyclists should take care when passing pedestrians, especially children, older or disabled people, allow them plenty of room and always be prepared to slow down and stop if necessary.
Angela Matthews
Secretary of Haddenham Safe Walking and Cycling Group
