Originally Posted by
bawolf88
This accident was 5 miles outside of my city.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...9903?p=1&tc=pg
The basic rundown: There was a huge bike even with lots of riders from around the country. They were riding on the shoulder of a country road. I young guy in a puck-up truck veered into the shoulder and hit a biker. He died right away. Initial reports thought that the driver was distracted by his phone. Last I heard was that they checked his phone records and there was no phone activity at the time of the accident (certainly he could have still been distracted by the phone if he was going to make a call or text and didn't get to it yet...etc.).
I am not trying to be argumentative, but this type of incident is the biggest risk that is on my mind. I try to be very defensive and assume people don't see me whether I'm on the sidewalk or the road. I'm just not seeing the huge downfall (safety wise) of being on the sidewalk.
I've been commuting for about two weeks now. The only bad experience on the road I personally have had is that coming up to an intersection there was a car to my left and a curb on my right. The driver was looking left to look for cars as he approached the intersection, he was going to make a right on red. We weren't quite to the intersection yet and he started moving to the right and got real close to the curb before making his turn. I had to hit the brakes and fall in behind him.
However, riding on the sidewalk is annoying.
This could just as (if not more) easily have been "cyclist riding on sidewalk, car looking down road doesn't see him/her, pulls out in front and cyclist dies". Drivers simply do not look farther than the curb. If a pedestrian is not right there about to step out, in their mind it is safe to go. There doesn't need to be any building in the way to see, as their eyes are focused further out looking for vehicular traffic (where you would be if you were riding in the road). This doesn't even begin to consider traffic turning right that won't see you on the sidewalk, traffic turning left from the oncoming lane that wont see you... these are the type of accidents that account for almost all cycling-related accidents, and the best way to prevent them is by riding assertively (but not recklessly!) where drivers can see you, using lights and reflectors to make yourself more visible, and wearing a mirror so you can see what cars are doing around you. The once in a blue moon "hit from behind at 70mph, instant death" accident makes for some sensational reporting, but frankly doesn't happen that much.
This is like people who are afraid of flying because they fear crashing so they drive cross-country, which puts them at enormously greater risk of death. It's all about control really. By riding on the sidewalk, you feel more in control of your safety, while the careless driver from behind is out of your control. It's the same with flying/driving, your life is in the hands of the pilots, atc's and mechanics, and that's uncomfortable, while when you are driving you feel more in control. But it truly is an illusion. You are more at risk on the sidewalk of people not seeing you at driveways, parking lots and intersections than you are out on the street.
Does that mean there are never times you should be on the sidewalk? No... but I do think they are the exception to the rule. And if for some reason I am forced onto the sidewalk (shortcut down a one-way, construction, traffic, etc.), I get off an walk it. On the sidewalk, you should always be traveling at the speed of pedestrian traffic (technically the slowest of the pedestrian traffic, at least that's the way the law is written around here), and I know that my bike doesn't handle well at those speeds. So the safe course of action is to get off and walk when I must be on the sidewalk.