Originally Posted by
Sharpshin
I gonna float a WAG that we lose about a cyclist every other year that way in my city. Last one was a couple on a tandem who were actually over on the shoulder, guy in pickup wasn't paying attention, radio or phone or something. IIRC he was acquitted of negligent homicide.
Sounds unlikely, and you getting your pelvis shattered along with broke legs and permanent brain injury would be an entirely separate event from anything that happened on the sidewalk, it ain't an either/or concept we are discussing here.
You have clearly stated that traffic has to slow down to avoid hitting your body on your bike in the roadway. Sooner or later for whatever reason someone wont, and any "local hero" status you may have will be quickly forgotten. Most people out there would probably put the blame on you.
I commute every day while consciously avoiding such situations, I would imagine most bicycle commuters do, pretty much a given if they've survived any length of time.
JMHO,
Mike
If you could picture a 2 lane street, you can imagine how narrow the sidewalk would be.
Factor in the renters who don't clean the leaves like your supposed to make this a very sketchy situation. I leave before sunrise, & get home just before sunset. There's about 10'-12' of sidewalk from your front door to the boulevard.
You tell me if coming down a hill @ around 15-20kms on the brakes is a good idea over a leaf covered sidewalk rather than taking the road that clean, & follows our laws.
If you live in fear, you miss out on too much.
We have a fair amount of cycling related deaths, same for vehicular deaths.
What if we all stopped driving, or cycling because it just wasn't safe? It just wouldn't happen.
I don't get why there is so many bike Nazis here.
Clearly I don't agree with riding on sidewalks, I'm not trying to convince you to follow me, but merely trying to explain my situation. People seem to think hills are a sign to take it to the sidewalk. I happen to like climbing so I stay on the road.
If you want to take to the sidewalk, have @ it.
Never knew one had to be so "manly" to ride on the road?
To me its just common sense, second nature.
I shoulder check just like I do in my truck, if I'm in the way I'll pull over. Does this kill me momentum, yes. But it also keeps me from getting killed. I don't drive or ride like an idiot, & I tend to ride defensively.
I'm following the rules of the road, not in the wrong.
Again there's nothing heroic about it, its just common sense.
What is there to blame me for doing?
Making you pull over a bit to pass me? What might take a second or 2 out of your day? If time was an issue you could always take a street not marked for bike use.(even though most people don't) I don't see your point here Mike.
P.S: Not every truck owner is a cyclist hater, if fact most deaths here are from cars.
I love my truck, & car, but not nearly as much as my bikes.
Commute to your hearts content, leave this whole debate behind.
You do, or you don't, it a part of life.
When you live in the most congested city in North America you learn to live with traffic. Especially when riding on sidewalks is prohibited.
Cheers.