It doesn't just take consideration. It depends on the bicycle rider being aware, alert and not making a mistake. This is too much to expect, and pedestrians do get hit by sidewalk riders almost every day. Pedestrians on sidewalks (not bikepaths) can't be expected to look behind them to make sure they aren't being overtaken by a goofball bicycle rider before they make a move to the left or right, or step out from a storefront, etc. They aren't vehicles on a vehicle roadway. Vehicles and pedestrians don't mix, period -- anywhere, anytime. If you have to use a sidewalk, walk your bike. I'm really a very easy going guy, but this is one subject about which I'm willing to be dogmatic, and especially after a goofball cyclist ran into me on a sidewalk a few weeks ago. Another pedestrian was seriously injured this way just recently not far from where I live. The police had a very brief, mostly publicity-oriented anti-sidewalk riding campaign for a couple of days, and then everything was back to the normal bicycle-pedestrian pinball machine game.