Pushing your bike on pavements

[SDFarsight]

Hi, I've recently completed my CBT and as someone who's used to going anywhere with a bicycle it'll be a shame to lose that advantage with a motorcycle. For example, the road ahead of me is blocked but there's a street pavement/plaza/alley which connects to a better road. Would it be a motoring offence if I got off my bike and walked it to the other road?

From what I've seen so far, my impression is that with the exception of some jobsworths most police officers would be fine with it as long as:

You're walking alongside the bike rather than 'scooting' on it.
The engine is switched off.
The bike is taxed and insured (though that would be normal anyway)
You use some common sense, like not obstructing doorways etc

What are your thoughts/experiences on it?

[DRZ4Hunned]

Technically illegal to push it on public footpath unless accessing property.

However they would have to have a personal vendetta against you to actually stop you for it, unless you look like a pikey with a nicked crosser.

EDIT: I'm an ill-informed idiot
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DRZ400-SM
FZS600

[Rogerborg]

Oh, herro.

[stinkwheel]

If you're on foot, you're a pedestrian. If you're on the bike, you're a motorist. Do fully get off and push though.

The bike needs to be road legal in either case because the footway is still part of the "Highway".

I too have got off and pushed the bike through bus-only cut-throughs, no left turns, bollards etc. Occasionally even traffic lights I know take ages to cycle through. It's one place a step-through really comes into its own.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[SDFarsight]

Thanks for the responses!

[Rogerborg]

[MahatmaAndhi]

I rang the local bobby because I was pushing a bike to an MOT centre (no tax, no insurance, no MOT) and didn't want to get it taken off me.
He said that so long as the keys weren't in the ignition and I was walking alongside it, I couldn't be classed as being in control of the vehicle.
He also recommended that I cover the number plate so it wasn't picked up by passing checkers.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[arry]

[Rogerborg]

SORN satisfies the continuous insurance requirements, and is irrelevant to using it on a road. VED isn't required on the way to or from a pre-booked MOT.

The issue is insurance, and you'd have rely on arguing that you're not using it as a "motor" vehicle. stinkwheel's magistrate / sheriff chum suggested that (belatedly) as a defence to continuous insurance for a bike that was in bits.

Covering plates is flat out an offence, no exceptions, anywhere, anywhen. Note "vehicle", not "motor vehicle"; and no reference to use or location - it's technically an offence not display one even when it's locked up on private property.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[ThatDippyTwat]

The copper that helped me push mine up a rather steep hill (I live on top of said hill) when my clutch cable snapped last year didn't see any issue with it. Emphasis on push, not ride.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[6r4h4m]

Standard practice in my neighbourhood is pause, look around thoroughly to see if anyone's looking, look again, and nip across whichever cut-through you're on. Except for pizza boys, who don't bother with the paranoid looking round.

Actually spotting a copper is an occasional random biker bonding treat, as everyone loves a good grumble about having to get off and push for a change. (And the coppers always look like they wouldn't care less anyway, as they're normally busy searching or disarming someone - but that's Peckham for you.)

[Fizzoid]

[Andy_Pagin]

Slightly off-topic, I once got lost in Hertford, I could see the place I was looking for at the end of a pedestrianised street. Lots of police about since it was ChuckingOutandPunchUp o'clock, so I asked Plod the way, he said ignore the signs and ride down the pedestrianised bit. Goes to show they're not all jobsworths.
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[Rogerborg]

[Fizzoid]

[angryjonny]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

[Andy_Pagin]

[RhynoCZ]

I've got a quite relevant question, not necessarily on topic. Do you need a motorcycle riding licence to push a motorcycle on the public/open road? In the Land of Beer, if the displacement of your motorcycle's engine exceeds 49ccm, then you have to have a proper licence to push it around.
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'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Rogerborg]

I can't see why. The UK only requires a licence to "drive on a road", and pushing is not driving.

Aside, "road", but not a public place, so technically you can drive around in a car park without a licence. However, insurance is required to "use a motor vehicle on a road or other public place". Bit of consistency would be nice.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[M.C]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

What are these "emergency access roads" you speak of...?

Am I missing a trick here?


I use this occasionally when coming off the M6 around stoke, are you talking about the same thing?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.1385437,-2.3353762,3a,75y,163.07h,84.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBhg0ZpYrINHpOu0TYE3XZQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[arry]

[Hawkeye1250FA]