Cycling - Thames path Neckinger to London Bridge

OK here we go again but after my experience this evening I'm in full rant mode about this.

This otherwise pleasant area is plagued by large numbers of people on two wheels behaving irresponsibly and they are ruining it for everyone else. I've just tried to point out to yet another cycling fascist this evening that - actually - no it's not safe (!) to ride through Hays Galleria and then through the walkway by the Horniman in between all the people and the poor bar staff that are trying to get through to the tables by the river to serve drinks. That's because it's a pedestrian shopping area with lots of people eating and drinking and serving, Doh! He didn't get this needless to say. He's not on his own - I walk through there twice a day and regularly get passed, often at high speed, by stupid people doing exactly the same thing. Respect? They've never heard of the word.

The same crackpot tried to claim that the no cycling signs in the More London area don't exist. Of course there are several - although in the wider open spaces by City Hall (for instance) cycling ought to be safe if it is conducted responsibiy. It isn't by a large number of people who do this. I lost count of the number of occasions during the summer, a period when the area was packed with tourists, when I saw madheads on two wheels going through there at high speed, frequently missing small children by tiny margins and terrifying little old ladies.

There's a similar issue with the small area of the Thames Path that starts at Mill Street and ends by Brown's bar once you've crossed the little bridge over the Neckinger. The walkway is barely wide enough for one person, contains a number of tight bends, has a little dark tunnel which ends in a blind corner and the bridge itself is manifestly not suitable for cyclists. Hordes of them pedal through this area - often at high speed and this activity is obviously dangerous to pedestrians. And rude and inconsiderate and stupid and ridiculous ....

I could go on. At least half the cyclists that use the Tower Bridge Road and Tooley Street junction never observe the traffic lights. Consequently crossing the junction at the pedestrian crossings is frequently hazardous even when the signals are in your favour. Ditto for every pedestrian crossing in the area.

It's about time someone stood up for the pedestrians in Southwark and reclaimed some of these areas from the people that are making them dangerous. Here endeth the sermon!!!

I agree that people shouldn't be riding bikes around More London, and find it hard to believe that 'hordes' can cycle at speed on the little foot bridge over the Neckinger, but I'll take your word for that.

I've cycled along the stretch of Tooley St that runs roughly parallel with the area of the Thames Path you are describing, and would also like to Balance the argument by mentioning the large number of irresponsible people travelling on foot who try to cross between traffic, step in to the cycle lane to skip past slower pedestrians without looking first, and in particular crossing at the top of Duke St Hill outside Evans/London Bridge when traffic is turning left down the hill, and they simply step out without looking.

So yes, you're right, there are irresponsible people on bikes who cause a nuisance, but there are equally irresponsible people not on bikes who also cause a nuisance.

Can I also just point out that probably 50% (maybe more) of motorists who have the opportunity to (ie, approach the lights as they are amber) skip the lights as well. Certainly at the Tower Bridge Rd junction you talk about, and several others for that matter.

Nope pedestrians and motorists in the main pay attention to the lights. Cyclists in the main don't. They are the problem.

As a cyclist and pedestrian I have to say Tim is wrong that pedestrians in the main pay attention to the lights. They are a bit better in large groups but even then once a few start the whole lot march out. I don't think I've ever cycled the short journey from Snowsfields to County Hall without some dope flinging themselves without warning into the road, usually on the phone. If there's a car coming up behind me I might end up under it if my left hadlebar hit the dope. For this reason I aim directly for the dope. My breaks almost allways stop me in time. Same for the cars. The dope usually crosses the road oblivious to the whole thing.
Motorists mainly do obey the lights but it's still a huge number that doesn't. There is no penalty for anyone so it will continue.
I think I see more boris bikes on the pavement than the road. Tim is right about the idiots cycling fast past little kids. I suppose it's going to take a fatality for anything to be done.

The cyclist/pedestrian/motorist argument is one that will rage on forever, so can we please leave that one at the door and stick to the original post please?

Tim is right - the Thames path is frequently used by cyclists. I walk over the Neckinger twice a day and am on most days confronted by cyclists coming from the direction of Bermondsey. I do not walk alone - I have a six-year-old boy and a newborn baby to protect too.

I don't think anything could be done to make this stretch of the path safer (of course it could, but that would involve money) but More London and Hays Galleria? There are plenty of security guards who could make things safer for all of us. So why don't they?

And one from my album:

Tim Purcell wrote:

Nope pedestrians and motorists in the main pay attention to the lights. Cyclists in the main don't. They are the problem.

You're just plain wrong here, and have no evidence to back up what you're saying. I have seen with my own eyes all sorts of people ignoring traffic lights, sometimes clearly intentionally, sometimes ignorantly while in a world of their own. This morning I saw a chap in a car blaze straight through a red light (it was already red as he approached for a good 50 metres) at 30mph. I can only assume he just didn't see the light, and thankfully at 7:45 this morning that particular crossing wasn't littered with young children crossing on their way to school.

Some cyclists are a problem. Cyclists are not the problem. Until all road users take a more open mind rather than just labelling one group as the problem, then we'll never improve road safety.

Well to be honest I'm not interested in what's going on the roads. I just want that stretch of the river walk to be a pleasant space for everyone to use. It's not because of the cyclists and someone should do something about it.

Tim Purcell wrote:

Well to be honest I'm not interested in what's going on the roads. I just want that stretch of the river walk to be a pleasant space for everyone to use. It's not because of the cyclists and someone should do something about it.

Perhaps you can stand there with a sandwich board or something?

Tim,could you if possible post a video clip,I am having trouble visualizing the area affected