‘Be Nice, Say Hi’ so cyclists, walkers and horse-riders can all enjoy outdoors - Sophie Gordon

The Countryside Code clearly states that cyclists must give way to walkers and horse-riders on bridleways, and everyone should treat each other and the natural environment with respect.

Responsible visitors to the outdoors will follow the Countryside Code but there will always be a small minority who don’t and leave gates open, drop litter or are inconsiderate – whether they are cycling, walking or riding a horse.

Education and awareness are key to tackle this. The majority of people have a good awareness of others when out in the countryside – a recent survey of all kinds of off-road cyclists found that around half of the respondents also enjoy rambling or hiking, so a “cyclist” today may be a “walker” tomorrow. On the other hand, cyclists who don’t regularly walk on rural trails may not grasp the difference in speed perception from a walking perspective.

A group of mountain bikers in South Yorkshire were troubled by the few riders they spotted being inconsiderate and wanted to do something to promote positive behaviour. Ride Sheffield, who cycle mainly on the northern and eastern moors of the Peak District, were inspired by a campaign in the United States encouraging countryside visitors to “Be Nice, Say Hi”. They thought this was a great message, and designed trail markers to act as a reminder that a little friendliness goes a long way.

The campaign was picked up by Cycling UK and the British Horse Society. The two organisations realised that many cyclists are unsure of the best way to approach horses, so produced educational videos encouraging people to drop their speed, call out hello, and then pass wide and slow when it’s safe to do so. These have had a great response.

We believe the key is recognising that we all want the same thing: to enjoy spending time in the outdoors away from everyday stresses. This includes greeting people and making them aware of your presence, whether that’s with a ring of a bike bell or a friendly “hello”.

Currently in the UK it is a legal requirement that bikes must be fitted with bells at the point of sale, but people are then free to remove them or not use them. Their use is very much damned if you don’t and damned if you do – as not everyone appreciates a “ting”! A simple “Hello” is something we can all do, and is often more welcome.

Cycling on footpaths is another topic of frequent discussion. Cycling UK agrees that cyclists should stick to trails they are permitted to ride on, but it is worth exploring why some people might cycle on footpaths in the first place. Often it is not a complete disregard of the rules as some may imagine. The disjointed nature of the bridleway and byway network presents a challenge for cyclists and horse riders.

It’s common for bridleways to abruptly stop or become a footpath at a parish boundary, and almost half of our off-road survey respondents find it difficult to put together a route. Occasionally this can, for example, force people to choose between using a short stretch of linking footpath or cycling along a 60mph A-road.

In Scotland it’s different. There is a code of conduct for responsible outdoor access which is taught on the national curriculum, and a presumption of access for all non-motorised users. Mirroring many of these changes, the Welsh government announced recently that it is reviewing its rights of way legislation with a view to upgrading suitable footpaths to multi-use. It’s only in England that we hold onto rights of way legislation that relies upon historic use rather than suitability.

That said, we recognise that there are specific situations where different trail users may not mix so well, such as on routes popular for downhill mountain biking. This is where mountain biking trail centres come into their own, and Yorkshire is lucky to have some of England’s best.

So whilst occasionally you may encounter the odd few people who don’t show courtesy to others, don’t forget the number working behind the scenes, giving up their time to maintain trails and spreading the message that, as lovers of the outdoors, we would do better to see past our differences and “Be Nice, Say Hi”.

Sophie Gordon is the off-road campaigns officer at Cycling UK.