Peddle,

I am not sure where your confrontational attitude is coming from. I think it is a bit of a stretch to imply that those commenting against riding on sidewalks are the ones that are acting recklessly. Your studies do not break down how many of those accidents happened on the road vs the sidewalk.

The most dangerous part of riding on a sidewalk is crossing driveways. Like I said, drivers are not looking for a fast moving vehicle on a sidewalk, and compared to the average speed of a pedestrian, a bicycle is a fast moving vehicle. Drivers are used to pulling right out to the street and then stopping. A pedestrian can stop almost instantly, a bicycle needs time to stop, even that split second can mean you end up in the side of a car.

Here are some statistics from the Pedestrian and Bicycling Information Center and Cornell:

- Motorist turns left in front of cyclist: 42% of bicyclists were on sidewalk
- Motorist turns left into oncoming cyclist: 15% of bicyclists were on sidewalk
- Motorist turns right into bicyclist: 31% of bicyclists were on sidewalk
- Motorist drives out of driveway/alley: 48% of bicyclists were on sidewalk
- Motorist drives through intersection: 15% of bicyclists were on sidewalk
- Bicyclist rode out intersection with signal: 24% of bicyclists were on sidewalk

Here is another quote from this paper:
Furthermore, the quality of the riding surface on most sidewalks is far inferior to the parallel roadway. The vast majority of bicycle crashes that end up with the bicyclist seeking medical attention do not involve a motor vehicle and happen because a rider falls after hitting an obstacle, sliding on gravel or leaves, or loses control. Riding on the sidewalk is fraught with the kind of dangers and obstacles that may increase the chances of that happening.

By all means, ride on the sidewalk. All we are trying to do make you aware of the issues and problems of riding on a sidewalk. Good luck wherever you ride. As a bicyclist you need to be aware at all times, whether on a sidewalk, a street, or a separated bicycle path.