Charlbury - cycle-hostile?

Sat 28 Jan 2006, 22:16

Kate: As a non-churchgoer it had never even crossed my mind that cycling through a churchyard (slowly and carefully) could be construed as sacrilegious. Presumably it is OK for people to walk, jog or run through it? However, I don't wish to cause offence and clearly if many people feel like you do then the idea is a non-starter. I was just trying to think of a logical solution to a perceived problem (it often gets me into trouble!).

As John said, there would need to be rules governing the use of such a cyclepath during weddings and funerals and also I guess on Sunday mornings when lots of people are leaving the church at the same time. I'm tempted to say that cyclists would use commonsense and not try to use the cyclepath during such busy periods but I know from experience that cyclists and commonsense are often uncomfortable bedfellows so a notice might need to be displayed indicating that the path was not available at certain times. Anyway, I don't want to be too dogmatic about this - making Market Street a cycle- and pedestrian-only zone would suit me just as well!

Igor: it sounds as if you are giving us cyclists a bad name by cycling on the pavement and I sympathize with Kate on this issue. I don't want to sound sanctimonious (and I've certainly been guilty of cycling badly in the past) but I try my damnedest these days to obey all the rules of the road and to cycle as responsibly as possible, giving respect to all other road users (even when they give little to me!). In order to earn the respect of Kate and the anti-cycling lobby in general we really do have to be seen to be whiter than white. Those few cyclists who cycle on the pavement, the wrong side of the road, the wrong way up one-way streets or without lights at night give the responsible majority a bad name. We will only shed our tabloid image of "lycra-clad Nazis" and be taken seriously when we obey the laws of the land and do not unduly inconvenience other road (or pavement) users.