The entire journey is about ten metres. A couple of neighbours have taken exception, saying I should park my bike in the designated parking spot (I am not sure where my wife would park her car) and one in particular has said what I am doing is dangerous and illegal. I don’t want to fall out with my neighbours but I am a late-thirties father of two going to work in IT. I am not some kid ripping about on a stolen motocross bike. I ride cautiously and very slowly on the walkway/pavement. However, one very aggressive lady has said she has filmed me and has informed the police. I have not heard anything, and I know the video shows me paddling along at walking speed. The video has been put up on the neighbourhood WhatsApp group and it seems most people are simply asking what her problem is. Am I being unreasonable?
Answer
While there may be some scheme based on covenants which govern use of vehicles on your property, these are questions for a conveyancing solicitor and not a matter for the police. The Road Traffic Act 1988 at s34 (3) makes a specific exception to the general rule that it is illegal to take a mechanically propelled vehicle on anything other than a road. The exception is specifically to allow people to drive or ride over pavements or other public land (it doesn’t allow you to ride over anyone’s garden) to park on that land. Your garden is your land. The cut off distance is 15 yards (13.7 metres) – your travel is less than that so unless you’ve taken a lot of wide angles, you have not committed any offence. I doubt you’ll ever hear from the police, but I suggest you speak to the most amenable of the complainants, tell them no offence is being committed, confirm you’ll ride slowly and try to de-escalate the situation. Face to face is usually best for keyboard warriors. You can put exactly this on the WhatsApp group. The tone of your query indicates that you’re not the kind of person who’ll bark “I know my rights” and your wife does not want to fall out with your neighbours.
Personally, I’d sell it as you don’t want a bike out on display, potentially attracting ne’er do wells to your neighbourhood, and they all know you ride. carefully and it is legal. Falling out with neighbours is unpleasant and most people (maybe apart from video lady) are reasonable, as is evident from the overwhelmingly supportive or neutral comments on the WhatsApp group.
Andrew Dalton
RiDE– May 2025
