Originally Posted by
slimyfrog
Even in that doc, there is room for sidewalk cycling...
Sidewalk bikeways should be considered only under certain limited circumstances, such
as:
a. to provide bikeway continuity along high speed or heavily traveled roadways having
inadequate space for bicyclists, and uninterrupted by driveways and intersections for long
distances;
b. on long, narrow bridges. In such cases, ramps should be installed at the sidewalk
approaches. If approach bikeways are two-way, sidewalk facilities also should be two-way.
In residential areas, sidewalk riding by young children is common. With lower bicycle
speeds and lower cross street auto speeds, potential conflicts are somewhat lessened, but
still exist. Nevertheless, this type of sidewalk bicycle use is accepted. It is inappropriate to
sign these facilities as bicycle routes. In general, bicyclists should not be encouraged
through signing to ride facilities that are not designed to accommodate bicycle travel.
So if you have access to a sidewalk along a high speed road, and that sidewalk is relatively unbroken, it may be prudent to ride said sidewalk vice the road.
The other caveat is slow riding somewhat like a child... this was something I saw often along certain crowded narrow boulevards in San Diego... sidewalk riders that were moving faster than the rare pedestrians, but vastly slower than those cyclists that chose to ride the streets. Of course one has to really watch for traffic at driveways and intersections... but for rolling peds, this was apparently SOP.
The thing is, on such narrow roads with driveways and cars parked alongside... there was just about the same risk riding in the street... from door zones, left hand turning motorists, and motorists entering the roadway from shops and not looking far enough down the road to see fast moving cyclists... (or simply not seeing cyclists anyway)... intersections were generally safer for roadway riding cyclists... except when encountering right on red motorists... who often move out on the slimmest margins, and again, may not see or be aware of fast moving cyclists anyway, in fact may see the "gap" left by a lane taking cyclist as a gap in traffic to pull into... right into the cyclist.
So bottom line... tout stats all you want, but sidewalk cycling is a very situational condition... and to blanket claim that sidewalk cycling is "just too dangerous" is not taking into consideration the other hazards that may exist forcing a cyclist to make the sidewalk choice.