Sidewalk bicycling

[Zedoo]

For most of my life I rode sidewalks. I considered road cycling to be a more advanced level for people who could afford new bikes, helmets, lights, etc. Some of my favorite MUPs become sidewalks, so I considered them to be approximately the same thing. The differences now are my bent with 20" wheels and my sore back on sidewalk bumps, and I bought a helmet. I want a smoother ride, but in many areas both are bumpy.

[rando]

I agree completely... why would anyone want to ride their bike on a sidewalk?? Why even bother to get your bike out in the first place?

that you do not understand the utility of riding on a sidewalk where appropriate speaks volumes about your mind. open it up, you'll have more fun.

[PTStork53]

Okay, whatever, but I'm not the one with bent rims and a sore back! Have fun and watch out for grandma and the little kids on the training wheels!

[rando]

Okay, whatever, but I'm not the one with bent rims and a sore back! Have fun and watch out for grandma and the little kids on the training wheels!

in different parts of the US, cities are different, sidewalks are different, conditions are different, and grandma is actually on the bus and the little kids with training wheels rarely venture out from their driveways. Sidewalks are deserted. it's just not that big of a hassle to use them.

[PTStork53]

Okay, now I get it, what can I say I'm slow (avg. speed around 14.5 mph). I am fortuante enough to live in a very small town near open backcountry roads.
Happy trails and enjoy your bike, 'cause that's what's most important.

[Apex Carver]

I use a basic rule when ( in the rare occasion ) that I do use the sidewalk. I ride at walking speed ( under 10km/h ). That's it. If I want to go faster, I will jump to the main roadway.

[john gault]

I use a basic rule when ( in the rare occasion ) that I do use the sidewalk. I ride at walking speed ( under 10km/h ). That's it. If I want to go faster, I will jump to the main roadway.

Same here.

[cycronin]

95-99% of the time, I think it's a better to ride on the roads. But I can't emphasize enough how stupid it is to dogmatically believe that 100% of the time, no matter what the specific scenario is, the road is better than the sidewalk. Smart living requires adjustments and improvisations, not slavish devotion to a set of rules, and smart cycling is no different.

Last night after my commute home, I went out with my car to do some shopping. The way back followed the same route as my commute... there's a area turning on to the last road that curves and is very narrow. There's room for one vehicle and not much else. It's also a steep climb. Rounding the curve I suddenly realized there was a cyclist ahead, slowly lugging up the climb. Being alert enough I slowed and waited for the road to widen enough for me to pass. By the time I saw the cyclist, I was already almost on top of him. When I'm commuting on the same stretch I take the sidewalk, every time. Over my entire 10.5 mile commute there's less than 1000 feet where I ride on sidewalks, including the stretch I just mentioned. If I insisted on taking the road during that stretch, it's almost a guarantee I'd be hit by a car eventually.

[Padma]

I'm surprised so many people are against sidewalk cycling. In my area it is legal and I try to take the sidewalk whenever I can. I've rarely encountered even one pedestrian on my commute but there are plenty of adult cycling commuters taking the sidewalk. The only cyclists I see using the road are the pointy helmet spandex suit $5000 racing bike kind. Regular commuters always take the sidewalk.

[PTStork53]

Oh I agree... common sense has got to prevail sometimes, but if it's safe to ride the road, I'm taking that route.

[PTStork53]

Gotta do what's comfortable for you, I'm sticking to the road.

[manapua_man]

Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is as long as its legal, and you're riding at speeds that are reasonable for the situation at hand. Some places over here have wide, barely used sidewalks while the roads they're next to are narrow, have sharp turns with almost no visibility and traffic moving at 50-60mph. No way in hell I am getting on the road in places like that. If the road isn't dangerous I'll use it, and if I jump on a sidewalk to get over to a store or something its really not that big a deal to slow down a little and pay attention to any foot traffic.

[Stealthammer]

Last Saturday Apache and I grabbed the Opie and rode into Zionsville to checkout the Farmer's Market, and I actually broke one of my cardinal rules and rode the last three miles on a sidewalk because there is just no margin available, and because of the heavy traffic we were causing many of the drivers a great deal of trouble as they had to pass us one car at a time even though they were coming from both directions. I believe that is the first time I rode on a "sidewalk" in four years and maybe even ten years or more, although in the area that I live many of the sidewalks are being constructed as MUPs, and I do use those occasionally when there are no other users on the trail.

I will however start using that one stretch of sidewalk on weekends to avoid being a nuisance to the drivers, so I guess after nearly 20 years of saying that bicycles don't belong on sidewalks, I have re-considered my opinion and will now state that there may very well be times when a bicycle should opt for using the side walk to avoid being a nuisance to the drivers using very narrow roads.

[ryanmm]

I'm very selective about riding sidewalks, along my usual routes there's only one area where I ever ride them. It's suburban-bordering-rural, a high speed road, with no pedestrians and next to no curb cuts. Drivers aren't used to and aren't looking for cyclists either. But there are nice, wide sidewalks that are in good condition. If I ever do come across a pedestrian around there I will dismount and walk the bike...I actually walk more than I ride and am annoyed when cyclists don't do so (which is pretty much all the time).

[northernlights]

Are there really that many people riding regularly on the sidewalk instead of the road? I've been riding an awfully long time & the only people I see on the sidewalk are kids.
I think most adults realize that sidewalks were made for pedestians not bicyclists.

and the street was made for cars, not bicycles.

of the dozens of bicycle related deaths I have read about thru the years, in virtually all cases the cyclist who died or was severely maimed was riding on the street in traffic. how come I never hear about cyclists who get killed while riding on the sidewalk?

[Dodgensince74]

and the street was made for cars, not bicycles.

of the dozens of bicycle related deaths I have read about thru the years, in virtually all cases the cyclist who died or was severely maimed was riding on the street in traffic. how come I never hear about cyclists who get killed while riding on the sidewalk?

That may be because majority of the time while riding on a sidewalk the cyclist are doing the hitting and not getting hit, how often do you hear of auto driver being killed or injured when they hit a cyclist?

[northernlights]

I never hit anyone on the sidewalk. that's because I ride at a moderate pace not full speed. and I slow down when I see a pedestrian to safely pass them. if the sidewalk is too narrow to safely pass I will ride on the grass around them or get off my bike. all that's just common sense. if you want to ride at full speed then get off the sidewalk and ride on the street. that's what I will tell some of the jackasses when I see them flying by on the sidewalk at top speed.

[cderalow]

When riding alone, I'm in the road.

When owing my kids or one is riding on the back seat, it's sidewalks on roads with 35+mph speed limits and roads in residential areas 25mph limits)

[gpolly1]

When I commute to work, it's five-thirty in the morning, so I ride on the road with lights and helmet. But on my way home, it would be a death wish (literally a fellow co-worker died commuting to work a few years ago). There is no bike lane, so I use the sidewalk. On my ride home I only pass about 1 or 2 people on the sidewalk and I pass in the grass. In my head I'm trying to think about how many driveways there are and I really can't think of any. My only obstacle is a school that is letting out around the same time and that affect me either way. If I have to ride on the sidewalk, pedestrians have the right-of-way, period. Just be safe and be an ambassador for other bicyclists everywhere.

[bandit1990]

When riding alone, I'm in the road.

When owing my kids or one is riding on the back seat, it's sidewalks on roads with 35+mph speed limits and roads in residential areas 25mph limits)

Sidewalks are great for what they are...a crutch. I'm teaching my 7-yr old and 10-yr old how to ride in the streets, how to aviod door zones, and that they need to respect cars coming up from behind. Letting people ride on the sidewalks does NOT promote good cycling, and perhaps inhibits it. You are telling motorists that bicycles need to be on the side/sidewalk in order to ride in their general direction. Being in the road, which you are entitled to, is not a bad thing. Just don't think you are bigger than any car out there.

[psi]

I live in the suburbs and I ride on the sidewalk with small wheeled folding bikes sometimes. I'm always careful passing pedestrians and I generally walk the bike across busy intersections. Overall I think it can be pretty safe for everyone involved if you keep your full attention on avoiding trouble. If I want to go fast and cover some distance I use the road and often a bigger bike, but generally it feels riskier than riding on the sidewalk. On the road there's a constant risk of getting clipped by a passing car, but on the sidewalk you generally only have to worry about cars at intersections and driveways.

[bandit1990]

I live in the suburbs and I ride on the sidewalk with small wheeled folding bikes sometimes. I'm always careful passing pedestrians and I generally walk the bike across busy intersections. Overall I think it can be pretty safe for everyone involved if you keep your full attention on avoiding trouble. If I want to go fast and cover some distance I use the road and often a bigger bike, but generally it feels riskier than riding on the sidewalk. On the road there's a constant risk of getting clipped by a passing car, but on the sidewalk you generally only have to worry about cars at intersections and driveways.

You all need to get a clue about riding in the U.S. If you are over the age of 12, get the hell of the sidewalk and start becoming part of traffic. Yes, it sucks, but do you want to be known as the idiot that rides his/her bike on the sidewalk because you don't know any bettter?

[lopek77]

You all need to get a clue about riding in the U.S. If you are over the age of 12, get the hell of the sidewalk and start becoming part of traffic. Yes, it sucks, but do you want to be known as the idiot that rides his/her bike on the sidewalk because you don't know any bettter?

You are so wrong on so many levels ... Please be more open minded...

[delcrossv]

You all need to get a clue about riding in the U.S. If you are over the age of 12, get the hell of the sidewalk and start becoming part of traffic. Yes, it sucks, but do you want to be known as the idiot that rides his/her bike on the sidewalk because you don't know any bettter?

You are so wrong on so many levels ... Please be more open minded...

+1 Lopek. Never let principle get in the way of practicality.

[lopek77]

Some videos of more or less dangerous situations on the road and couple from riding on the sidewalk...
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...ExKM10B6oCx3xp
I will always choose the safer and more convenient option. Where I live, there is many roads in a very bad shape and no shoulder. It's so bad that full suspension mountain bike with fat tires won't make it smooth or safer to ride by any means. I just can't imagine someone riding there on a hybrid or road bike. On other hand, there is many shared trails, sidewalks and bicycle routes. These are not perfect, but there is very little pedestrian traffic and most of them are smoother than roads, PLUS, you don't have to worry about someone hitting/clipping you.
I have to add that in MI cyclists are not "FULL" road users. We have to ride next to the edge of the road, and most drivers seems to think that squirrel life is more important than cyclist life. I just heard on NPR that over half of all cycling fatalities are from cars hitting cyclist from the rear... Another big chunk is for cut offs and drivers ignoring stop signs or red light... I wonder how many cyclists died on the sidewalk???
Now, cyclist from NYC is reading this and thinking WTF is wrong with this guy? Conclusion - every place will be different...
Keep biking and stay safe!