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eric w

sometimes the sidewalk can be your friend and only way out of an accident

yesterday within 5 minutes I had to 2 situations where i had to emergency skid and hop the curb onto the sidewalk in order to avoid a serious wreck.

so don't forget folks, sometimes there may not seem to be a way out of impending doom, but you might be able to sneak through parked cars and up onto the sidewalk

The BikeForums Team

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AndrewP

noisebeam

A sideways bunny hop onto the sidewalk is an emergency manoeuvre all cyclists should learn.

This reminds me of my first time back on a bike after 15 yrs. When younger I could bunny hop over lots of stuff, sideways, etc. Thats all I did as a kid.

First week back on a bike 15yrs older I rode like I used to and naturally went for a sideways bunny hop up the curb and completely wiped out. I learned quick ;)

Al

AndrewP

with toe clips

Chris L

A sideways bunny hop onto the sidewalk is an emergency manoeuvre all cyclists should learn.

I dunno, attempting that with my commuting load would probably be more dangerous than simply slamming on the brakes and leaving a huge skid mark on the road. In anycase, if you're close enough to the gutter to be able to pull that move off, you're probably putting yourself in increased danger through your positioning on the road.

I have to say that in over 100,000km of dealing with (by reputation) the worst drivers in this country, I have never felt the need to attempt this move. The key is to simply ride at a pace that is appropriate for the conditions (often that means riding at less then full pace), and keep your eyes open, and don't be afraid to pass judgements on others (even if you say nothing). Trouble can generally be spotted from a long way off if you follow these simple rules.

East Coast Mojo

Every situation is different, but leaving an adequate following distance is always recommended. Bunny hops have rarely been needed in my road experience, but when they are needed, nothing else will do quite as well.

Lifting the bike without clipless pedals or toeclips is possible. Try this: As you are lowering your weight and preparing for liftoff, position your feet so that your forward foot is heel down and pushing forward, and your your rearward foot is toe down pushing back and "scoop" the bike up under you when you launch...well, it takes practice :D

jlin453

I don't know if I'd want to bunny hop on thin road bike tires :)

Roughstuff

A sideways bunny hop onto the sidewalk is an emergency manoeuvre all cyclists should learn. This would be the second technique to learn after emergency counter-steering. I havent learnt it yet but there have been several times I wished I could do it.

Of course I ride in rural and small town areas...but I am always very aware of the side of the road and how/where I could 'ditch off' if I had to. I have chatted with many motorcyclists who say they do the same thing. It is a last-resort measure that I have yet to resort to.

roughstuff

fixedfiend

I bunnyhop on my track bike all the time. It really is much harder on a fixed gear bike because you can't set your pedal position. You sort of learn to bunnyhop where ever the cranks are positioned. As far as tires, I have 700 x 23c and go down curbs as well with no problem.

eric w

What made me post this was i was riding up between the cars towards a red light, being safe checking all the parked cars for movement and watching for doors opening...then about 30 feet ahead a girl got out of a car on the passenger side while the car was waiting for the light...definitely not what I was expecting or anticipating, so i skid and slide the back tire to the side (think hockey stop) and hop the curb and ride the sidewalk

I haven't needed to do that very often but its always a good trick to have

John E

Some of you folks are obviously far more coordinated than I am. I suppose I could practice first with the mountain bike. :)

Savant

What made me post this was i was riding up between the cars towards a red light ...That's illegal in my jurisdiction, and is perhaps why I haven't run into the problem you have. If the light is red I'll stop behind whatever car I happen to be behind when traffic stops. I find that doing so gets me more respect with drivers, since they feel that I'm not 'cutting ahead' by weaving through traffic.

Maybe it's just me though.

Regards,

Savant

Chris L

That's illegal in my jurisdiction, and is perhaps why I haven't run into the problem you have.

Is it? The "legality" or otherwise of this particular act seems to be something law makers generally don't bother writing anything about. Either way, I've been doing it for years and have never run into any problems either.

emilymildew

noisebeam

Not to completely derail this thread, but I firmly believe that if it's okay for a car to pass me on the left in a single lane road, it's okay for me to pass them when they are stopped. The way I see it, they're passing me to make it more convenient for them and I am doing the same.

There is a big difference. Passing on the left is generally legal. Passing on the right is generally illegal or if not illegal, at least dangerous.

Al

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