Geologist Richard Barrett, 62, who launched an online petition with his daughter Jo, said cyclists were now forced to use congested roads around the park.
He told the Standard: “Unfortunately cyclists are having to ride on busy roads including this well-known cycling accident blackspot which is a big concern.
“The safest way to cycle between Kingston and Teddington is through the park, there are lots of schools around it.
“Putting this ban in place is outrageous and we feel the Royal Parks has unthinkingly closed the path without any real understanding of its safety.”
What these two-wheeled narcissists fail to realise, however, is that
everyone's safety needs to be considered.
The Royal Parks said the ban was introduced for safety reasons.
A spokesman said: “We took the decision to ask people to dismount their bicycles on Duke Head’s Passage Way, for 450 yards, due to it being a narrow pathway which makes it unsuitable for cycling.
But to the two-wheeled Lycra louts, no such thing exists!
“We operate a liberal cycling policy in Bushy Park and this decision was ultimately taken for the welfare of both cyclists and other park users.
You're wasting your time. They brook no compromise.
“We’re not excluding anyone from using this pathway, and we feel that walking with your bike for 10 minutes (at the most) is a very small compromise that will benefit all park users.”
OUTRAGE! How very
dare you!
6 comments:
I believe I posted a comment on this article on another article you wrote in error. If you come across it I would be grateful if you placed it where it belongs.
It's the lack of self-awareness that makes this a Lycra Nazi classic. They're nervous about going on the road because they're worried that they'll be traveling along and suddenly - BAM - something rams into them from behind, but they can't see why anyone wouldn't want footpaths turned into a velodrome by a bunch of Chris Hoy wannabes.
Hey, cyclepaths can avoid the road by walking through the park. Where do OAPs and mothers of young children go to avoid the Bradley Wiggins of Suburbia?
"What these two-wheeled narcissists fail to realise, however, is that everyone's safety needs to be considered." Lots of Love, Julia.
Quite an insight into the mind of some cyclists. They are not being forced to use the road only asked to dismount for a while. Looking at the photo I would say it was unsuitable for both cyclists and pedestrians. I note that, “the passage was used by cyclists and pedestrians for more than 50 years”. But now cyclists are travelling a lot faster and seem more aggressive and expectant of others to give way. They have brought this on themselves.
I run the gauntlet of similar tossers on Tower Bridge at the moment. It's closed for traffic and is pedestrian only for the 3-4 months the repairs are going on. But most cyclists think the signs telling them to dismount doesn't apply to them and weave through the commuters and tourists yelling at us to get out their way. Cnuts.
"If you come across it I would be grateful if you placed it where it belongs."
Unfortunately, Blogger doesn't grant that level of control - I cannot move comments.
"Where do OAPs and mothers of young children go to avoid the Bradley Wiggins of Suburbia?"
I think the worst of them believe that to be a small sacrifice for the noble effort of saving us all from global warming. And by 'worst' I mean 'all'...
"But now cyclists are travelling a lot faster and seem more aggressive and expectant of others to give way. They have brought this on themselves."
Good point, they don't just stick to ordinary cycles now. The world and his dog seems to prefer racing bikes more suited to the velodrome.
"It's closed for traffic and is pedestrian only for the 3-4 months the repairs are going on. But most cyclists think the signs telling them to dismount doesn't apply to them..."
The first day or so of the closure saw a big police and TfL presence. I suppose they didn't hang around too long?
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