Do bicyclists belong on the roads or on the sidewalks?

[Lightnr]

WOW so many people that have obviously never ridden a bike for an extended period of time... SIDEWALKS ARE A DEATH TRAP!!!!!!!!! Cars anticipate people that walk across from side to side, you can NEVER see what is coming down a side walk. And cars who are on a side street stop higher up than the side walk. Imagine you are biking on the sidewalk on the left side, and there is a building to the left of you and the main street is on the right. You approach a side street, you have 0 visibility b/c of the building that you are basically up against. Right as you enter approach the sidewalk ramp a car comes there and stops right in front of you, trying to see traffic and turn onto the main street. You T-bone the side of the car near the front. This is a life threatening situation, and actually I have heard of fatal incidents of this nature.

When you are on the street, ALL CARS SEE YOU!! The ones behind avoid you, the ones on side streets see you because they look to see TRAFFIC and you are part of that traffic. RUNNING across a street from sidewalk to sidewalk is dangerous because it is not part of the trafic, a faster moving bike is even more dangerous from sidewalk to sidewalk.

 

[Rayne870]

Remember motorists: in most places, Bicycles are entitled to the use of a full lane when necessary.

-m

You know you posted twice in this thread with only a few replies between them, and pretty much summed up your first post? Just wondering.

and I am, for some reason, not allowed to express multiple similar (but not the same) opinions on the subject?

-m

I think all he is trying to say is that you made your point in your first post.

And at what point did it become against the rules to revisit a point?

-m

"HOLY SHIT, HE POSTED TWICE ON THE SAME SUBJECT! BURN THE WITCH!"

Do you weigh as much as a duck?

 

[Hashime]

I have two different views on this. First back to the days of being 15 and using my bike to get everywhere, i was always in fear riding my bike on the road because one mistake by you or someone else puts you six feet under. Then there is me now who can drive and thinks it is annoying to have to slow down because someone thought it would be a great idea to ride their bike really close to the lane traffic is coming from. Overall get them the fuck on the sidewalks!

So you think it is better for someone riding at 50 Km/h hour to be in the same space as pedestrians?
Not all people ride that fast, but in general a serious cyclist will average 25 at least.
Bikes are vehicles, drivers must treat us as vehicles. If you are nice to us, we will be nice to you.

 

[MagicMouse]

They belong on the bike paths. A well run city should have specific routes were the road is extended to have a bike lane.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Remember motorists: in most places, Bicycles are entitled to the use of a full lane when necessary.

-m

You know you posted twice in this thread with only a few replies between them, and pretty much summed up your first post? Just wondering.

and I am, for some reason, not allowed to express multiple similar (but not the same) opinions on the subject?

-m

I think all he is trying to say is that you made your point in your first post.

And at what point did it become against the rules to revisit a point?

-m

"HOLY SHIT, HE POSTED TWICE ON THE SAME SUBJECT! BURN THE WITCH!"

Where on earth did I say it was against the rules? :/

All I'm saying is that one post covers everything else you've said so far.

 

[Rayne870]

WOW so many people that have obviously never ridden a bike for an extended period of time... SIDEWALKS ARE A DEATH TRAP!!!!!!!!! Cars anticipate people that walk across from side to side, you can NEVER see what is coming down a side walk. And cars who are on a side street stop higher up than the side walk. Imagine you are biking on the sidewalk on the left side, and there is a building to the left of you and the main street is on the right. You approach a side street, you have 0 visibility b/c of the building that you are basically up against. Right as you enter approach the sidewalk ramp a car comes there and stops right in front of you, trying to see traffic and turn onto the main street. You T-bone the side of the car near the front. This is a life threatening situation, and actually I have heard of fatal incidents of this nature.

When you are on the street, ALL CARS SEE YOU!! The ones behind avoid you, the ones on side streets see you because they look to see TRAFFIC and you are part of that traffic. RUNNING across a street from sidewalk to sidewalk is dangerous because it is not part of the trafic, a faster moving bike is even more dangerous from sidewalk to sidewalk.

When you are on the sidewalk you should be obeying pedestrian traffic laws, IE stopping before crossing the street and only crossing during the "walk" light. Around here if riding on the sidewalk you actually have to get off your bike and walk across the crosswalk.

 

[Haydyn]

I see no right answer to this. I don't want bikes riding on my road where I drive. I shouldn't have to go 20 miles under the speed limit because some douche wants to get nut cancer rather than buy a car, and this is coming from a guy who is majoring in Environmental Studies, ie: loves the Earth and recycling and hates pollutuion and the government.

I don't want people riding bikes on the side walks where people walk. getting hit by a moving bike sounds less than enjoyable. I don't want bike lanes because they are irratating to change lanes over, and there are not bike lanes everywhere.

I can respect people wanting to be more eco friendly, but biking is not one way of helping the Earth that I support. Although impotency is always good for the Earth, so I have no strong opinion either way. Maybe people can just take the bus and keep themselfs more than warm, then everybody wins.

 

[DustyDrB]

Most city laws have cyclists stay off the sidewalks. This sucks in certain areas around where I like where you don't have much room on the road. I usually just break that law, and cops understand.

 

[Hashime]

The trick to safety on the roads, whether you're in a car or on a bike, is being predictable to others on the road, and not acting like a fucking idiot.

Riding on the sidewalk makes you less predictable, and often indicates a person riding like a fucking idiot.

-m

Agreed 100%. If I see a cyclist on the sidewalk I always do a quick check of their equipment. 9 out of 10 times it is a cheap supercycle with wd-40 on the chain (or rust) and they lack a helmet.

Now, on occasion I do use the sidewalk while riding, but that is limited to when I need to make a call, or when it is easier to use the crosswalks than to make a left turn.

 

[Dango]

Preferably on the road, next to the sidewalk.

 

[DarthFennec]

Bicyclists are too fast to be on the sidewalks and too slow to be in the streets. Bikes belong in bike lanes.

 

[Solid Reece]

A bicycle is a vehicle, and should be ridden on the road.

Riding a bike on a sidewalk you are a danger to pedestrians, and actually increase your chances of being in a crash with a vehicle as they do not expect you to be on sidewalks.

Take it from a long-time cyclist - if you ride your bike like you were driving a car, you'll be VASTLY safer than if you ride like you're a pedestrian.

-m

A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. If vehicle need too be on the road this would include scateboards, skooters, segways, carts, strollers and so on.

 

[Hashime]

WOW so many people that have obviously never ridden a bike for an extended period of time... SIDEWALKS ARE A DEATH TRAP!!!!!!!!! Cars anticipate people that walk across from side to side, you can NEVER see what is coming down a side walk. And cars who are on a side street stop higher up than the side walk. Imagine you are biking on the sidewalk on the left side, and there is a building to the left of you and the main street is on the right. You approach a side street, you have 0 visibility b/c of the building that you are basically up against. Right as you enter approach the sidewalk ramp a car comes there and stops right in front of you, trying to see traffic and turn onto the main street. You T-bone the side of the car near the front. This is a life threatening situation, and actually I have heard of fatal incidents of this nature.

When you are on the street, ALL CARS SEE YOU!! The ones behind avoid you, the ones on side streets see you because they look to see TRAFFIC and you are part of that traffic. RUNNING across a street from sidewalk to sidewalk is dangerous because it is not part of the trafic, a faster moving bike is even more dangerous from sidewalk to sidewalk.

Agreed. Plus sidewalks are narrow, usually icy in the winter, filled with children and strollers, are right next to the rear bumper of cars that are going to pull out to the road without looking, filled with pedestrians, and generally now comfortable to ride on.

This whole situation is made worse by e-zombies who have their iPods on so loud your bell or shouting will not penetrate.

 

[FoRtMinor44]

I have two different views on this. First back to the days of being 15 and using my bike to get everywhere, i was always in fear riding my bike on the road because one mistake by you or someone else puts you six feet under. Then there is me now who can drive and thinks it is annoying to have to slow down because someone thought it would be a great idea to ride their bike really close to the lane traffic is coming from. Overall get them the fuck on the sidewalks!

So you think it is better for someone riding at 50 Km/h hour to be in the same space as pedestrians?
Not all people ride that fast, but in general a serious cyclist will average 25 at least.
Bikes are vehicles, drivers must treat us as vehicles. If you are nice to us, we will be nice to you.

Your missing the point, not every person that rides a bike is trying to set the world speed record. Also on the sidewalk there is much more time to react to something than on the road where every thing can happen in the blink of an eye.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Are they a vehicle? If so, then they belong on the streets, as the streets purpose is to provide a pathway for vehicles. sideWALKS are meant for walking.

First point: Motorized wheelchairs (or gophers). They don't go on the road.
Second point: In Australia, they're called footpaths. Thus they are for foot traffic. Bicycles don't have an engine, they are literally powered by foot, so I feel they should belong on the footpath (I know that point goes against the first point, but if you're in a motorized wheelchair then presumably there's something wrong like a disability or whatever, and those things generally move about walking pace anyway).

To the first point, no they do not, because they are not considered vehicles. They're a replacement for someone who is incapable of walking. A vehicle requires the person using it for transportation, not because they're forced to use it.

To the second point, no. A bike uses his feet to accelerate the bike, same as a car driver does. Using the feet as a means to increase velocity doesn't mean you're using your feet to travel. It means you're using your feet to control the velocity of your vehicle. Footpaths are meant for Pedestrian. Not vehicles, engine or no engine.

 

[robingthehood]

As a regular cyclist i would never ride on the footpath. Unless i was going really slow, like really, really slow or if the road has a sign indicating that i shouldn't.
Dunno what its like in america, but where i ride there tends to be a fence/hedge or something similar blocking my view of whats coming out of driveways. The fence/hedge also blocks the view of the thing driving the thing coming out of the driveway. So, unless you happen to be going really slow, perhaps a little faster than walking (kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?), it gets messy. Best case scenario; you get to walk your bike home with a front wheel that only looks a little bit like a potato chip and you have most of your front teeth.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Sidewalks.

Less risk of freak accidents involving hit-and-runs.

 

[Lightnr]

WOW so many people that have obviously never ridden a bike for an extended period of time... SIDEWALKS ARE A DEATH TRAP!!!!!!!!! Cars anticipate people that walk across from side to side, you can NEVER see what is coming down a side walk. And cars who are on a side street stop higher up than the side walk. Imagine you are biking on the sidewalk on the left side, and there is a building to the left of you and the main street is on the right. You approach a side street, you have 0 visibility b/c of the building that you are basically up against. Right as you enter approach the sidewalk ramp a car comes there and stops right in front of you, trying to see traffic and turn onto the main street. You T-bone the side of the car near the front. This is a life threatening situation, and actually I have heard of fatal incidents of this nature.

When you are on the street, ALL CARS SEE YOU!! The ones behind avoid you, the ones on side streets see you because they look to see TRAFFIC and you are part of that traffic. RUNNING across a street from sidewalk to sidewalk is dangerous because it is not part of the trafic, a faster moving bike is even more dangerous from sidewalk to sidewalk.

When you are on the sidewalk you should be obeying pedestrian traffic laws, IE stopping before crossing the street and only crossing during the "walk" light. Around here if riding on the sidewalk you actually have to get off your bike and walk across the crosswalk.

Exactly - following those laws would be perfectly safe! But who obeys those on a bike?? No one, at least here in the US. Would you really stop every block??? No. I got hit by a car when I was in High school and I thought biking on sidewalks is better. Since then I bike on the street.

 

[Hashime]

I have two different views on this. First back to the days of being 15 and using my bike to get everywhere, i was always in fear riding my bike on the road because one mistake by you or someone else puts you six feet under. Then there is me now who can drive and thinks it is annoying to have to slow down because someone thought it would be a great idea to ride their bike really close to the lane traffic is coming from. Overall get them the fuck on the sidewalks!

So you think it is better for someone riding at 50 Km/h hour to be in the same space as pedestrians?
Not all people ride that fast, but in general a serious cyclist will average 25 at least.
Bikes are vehicles, drivers must treat us as vehicles. If you are nice to us, we will be nice to you.

Your missing the point, not every person that rides a bike is trying to set the world speed record. Also on the sidewalk there is much more time to react to something than on the road where every thing can happen in the blink of an eye.

I have to disagree completely. You have a much more open field of vision on the road. Cars also have a much better chance of seeing you on the road. Someone who is backing their car out will check once, maybe twice and then go, that is enough time for a cyclist to appear. From experience the sidewalk is much more dangerous than the road.

 

[Hashime]

As a regular cyclist i would never ride on the footpath. Unless i was going really slow, like really, really slow or if the road has a sign indicating that i shouldn't.
Dunno what its like in america, but where i ride there tends to be a fence/hedge or something similar blocking my view of whats coming out of driveways. The fence/hedge also blocks the view of the thing driving the thing coming out of the driveway. So, unless you happen to be going really slow, perhaps a little faster than walking (kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?), it gets messy. Best case scenario; you get to walk your bike home with a front wheel that only looks a little bit like a potato chip and you have most of your front teeth.

Oh I hate when that happens.I call it the walk of bicycle shame ending with a long session with a spoke wrench. Last time for me it was trail riding in the winter.