Bikes are for Sidewalks...

[PepperElf]

same here - we have "share the road" laws. now granted i wouldn't purposefully block a car with my bike cos... they're bigger.

although the last time i was out biking, i also had people angrily honking at me even though i was on the side of the road... regardless of the law

[Engmfj]

They do this because of the modern mentality of winning the 'lawsuit lottery'. I have seen riders just dart out into traffic, not even looking for cars.

Exactly! Sounds like we have the same kind of laws, where the car/bus/lorry will always, by default, be at fault, even if the cyclist or pedestrian caused the accident themselves and the drivers didn't stand a chance of braking or swerving fast enough .. not really fair ..

[Moon]

I ONLY ride on dedicated bike paths / multi-use paths. I refuse to ride on a road. Between Moon and his bike, you have maybe 200-230 lbs. A car? 2300 lbs +. Cars hurt! I can only ride 10-15 mph. At a minimum cars are going 20-30 on city streets, and 50-60+ on roads outside the city. Cars can't stop on a dime. What happens if I hit a bump/pothole, or my chain snaps, or I'm wearing sneakers and the shoelace loop gets wrapped around a pedal, or any other freak incident? Answer -- I become horizontal. I am now road pizza as the car behind me CAN'T STOP in time. (time to realize biker fell + time to react + actual time for the brakes to stop the car < time until car reaches my position)

Bike lanes aren't much better as falls often include a sideways element.... meaning I may fall into the path of the car attempting to go around me. It's also only a white strip of paint... meaning the guy who isn't paying attention (or has a mechanical failure such as a tire blowout) may swerve right into me... again, I become part of the pavement.

Now, if I were to be on a sidewalk, it's MUCH easier for me to avoid the pedestrians (or stop if necessary) than for me to avoid a gigantic hunk of steel bearing down on me.

Luckily, trails in the Mitten are multiplying like rabbits so there are a lot more places I can ride and feel safe.

And as far as fault, if I'm 6 ft under do you think I really care it was "their fault"?

[EricKei]

That bridge scared me the most.

Check the laws where you are ^_^ -- here, bikes are not allowed on bridges AT ALL unless they have special pedestrian "sidewalks" built into them (peds are forbidden there as well, good luck enforcing that)...But they're otherwise considered the same as cars or motorcycles.

Now, if I were to be on a sidewalk, it's MUCH easier for me to avoid the pedestrians (or stop if necessary) than for me to avoid a gigantic hunk of steel bearing down on me.

Cool The thing is, many many bikers don't TRY to avoid pedestrians on the sidewalk at all, which is probably part of why the "no bikes on sidewalks" laws have become more and more common. Granted, these are the same bikers who don't think stop signs and red light apply to them >_>

[Engmfj]

Cool The thing is, many many bikers don't TRY to avoid pedestrians on the sidewalk at all, which is probably part of why the "no bikes on sidewalks" laws have become more and more common. Granted, these are the same bikers who don't think stop signs and red light apply to them >_>

Yeah, same here - bikers think they own the sidewalk or the ped crossing, and will ring their bell, gesture and/or yell at you for walking in their path - on the sidewalk!

[Pezzle]

Where I have to ride I don't even have a sidewalk as an option, not that I'd use it, and there's no breakdown lane. If I want to get to the grocery store to purchase my milk and ride back, I have to ride in the right lane to be safe, or people won't give me enough passing distance. Cars used to be a luxury, and with gas prices they feel like one now - so I'll be riding my bike, whether I'm pissing off motorists or not, perfectly legally, yielding right of way.

[Kogarashi]

Check the laws where you are ^_^ -- here, bikes are not allowed on bridges AT ALL unless they have special pedestrian "sidewalks" built into them (peds are forbidden there as well, good luck enforcing that)...But they're otherwise considered the same as cars or motorcycles.

Eh, moot point by now. This was seven years ago, and I haven't lived in that city, state, or side of the country for the past five. As it was, I never caught flak for riding on the sidewalk instead of the road for that stretch of my commute. Frankly, if any officers saw me, they would probably agree that it was much safer given the circumstances, and I did make sure to bike properly on the lesser, safer streets.