jimrich

Hi:
I live in Tarzana, CA and am running into a disturbing issue with cyclists who do not know the laws about riding on the sidewalk nor even care about them.
Several years ago, I was run down by a speeding cyclist as I stepped out of a drug store in down town Van Nuys, CA. Both of us went sprawling onto the side walk and I felt more concern for this young guy and his bike than myself. Then the next day, my ribs began to HURT real bad (and got much worse later on) at which time I wanted to stomp that moron's bike to pieces and knock his f---king block off! It didn't occur to me to get his name and phone # or anything so we picked ourself up, dusted off and he blithely rode away!
Now, when I try to tell cyclists that it's illegal to be riding on the sidewalk, they treat me like I am a pathetic idiot and either ignore me or tell me off with a attitude of "shut the f---k up, OR ELSE!" I am never going to let another cyclist run me down again and if it ever happens, the cyclist and his bike are going to get hurt way worse than I was back in Van Nuys so I have decided to walk the streets near my home with some dog spray and an 8 inch section of lead pipe in case I am ever assaulted by one of these bike-criminals.
Meanwhile, it puzzles me why so many of these bikers are ignorant of the laws and act like they are utterly free to do whatever they like on a bike. When I was biking (I'm in my late 70s now), I learned about bike laws and rules even if only for my own safety. It's strange that these bike riders don't know nor even care about the safety of others as they blast down the sidewalk past our home. I admit that the street here (Burbank Blvd) is pretty busy while the sidewalks are usually empty but still there's times when the street is empty and the bikers don't need to be riding on the sidewalk. It's even sicker that these pathetic bikers expect us to step aside and off the sidewalk so they can ride on by! As for me, a biker will need to dismount his bike and politely WALK it past me then remount if he must continue on the sidewalk. It's only common sense to avoid hitting a pedestrian or animal with their dangerous vehicle but most of these idiots just don't care about anyone's safety!
My plan is to arm my self with a good defense and stop bugging these thugs about the law which they never even heard of. If the law can't or won't defend us pedestrians from these bullies, I will take the law into my own hands and protect myself the best I can! It's only common sense that I refuse to be a victim of these bike-criminals if my own police can't or won't do something. Someone at another forum mentioned that the city needs to put up posters informing everyone of the bike laws and rules but I've never seen such a thing anywhere! Hey, it's ok that I'm on my own and need to take care of my self. It won't be the first time that I've had to defend my rights and stand up to rotten bullies like these bike violators. I am writing this here in the hopes that some honest and law abiding cyclist might come up with a solution to HELP his fellow (ignorant) bikers do what is right so I don't have to walk around with weapons in my pockets.
If I were still a serious biker, I'd want all other bikers to know and obey the rules just to make life better for me and other bikers.
What do you think about the sidewalk laws and common sense in sidewalk use? I am not totally against riding on a side walk but I am totally against ignorant, offensive and DANGEROUS sidewalk use by cyclists. I am sure there are times when a cyclist has to get off of a busy or dangerous road but aren't they still supposed to ride safely and sensibly on the sidewalk?
Jim

Chris516

I empathize with you. The bike laws here are goofy, as to riding on the sidewalk.

State-No, But allows counties to disagree
County-Yes, But allows cities to disagree
City-No, But the neighboring city says Yes

I don't ride on the sidewalk. Because of my personal preference, and safety.

gpburdell

I'm not entirely sure if your post is serious or a put-on. Dog spray and a lead pipe*? Good way to land yourself in jail on your own assault/battery charges.


I'd recommend looking both ways before stepping out of a store onto the sidewalk. Lots of dangers other than cyclists. Some, like runners, are 100% legal on the sidewalk and would still lay out anyone dumb enough to step right in front of them with no time to react. (Edit: plus around here under-13yo is legal to ride on sidewalk and would do a number on an unwary pedestrian too)


(*) where on earth are you finding real lead piping these days?

Blue Belly

Man, you are wound up! You need to get out of that place. I did. Much better for it... Relax, go for a nice ride along Mulholland, Griffith park or GMR. so many beautiful spots to ride your bike, in your area.

rebel1916

You should write a strongly worded letter. To everybody. Either that or take a valium and drink a nice hot cup of chamomile tea.

AboutDavid

So, in 70+ years, you were accidentally struck by a bicycle on a sidewalk exactly once?

This is the biggest issue you've found to rail against? Must be nice. Hopefully you won't meet up with the guy whose biggest problem in life is unstable elderly vigilantes.

njkayaker

Some people ride their bicycles on sidewalks that very, very few runners would even consider actually running on. And runners can stop and maneuver better than bicyclists can.

I-Like-To-Bike

Maybe he can meet up with another elderly BF poster with similar vigilante postings and they can form the nucleus of an A&S sanctioned preemptive lynch mob!

jeichelberg87

+1

I can see it now...two senior citizens, black jacks at the ready, bandanas tied around the face, kneeling behind the bushes, awaiting the poor unsuspecting soul rounding the sidewalk, enjoying a leisurely 5mph ride...SUDDENLY...!!!

Honestly, I think the OP is jerking our chain...

Daniel4

Why don't you call your city councillor or appropriate representative to have police the police enforce the law especially if you know of specific locations? Goofy laws need to be clarified and if it need be, both sides of the "riding on sidewalk" or "red light running" issue will make their case in court.

BobbyG

Every area is different. Downtown with lots of pedestrians?...No. Out in the sticks, where there are no pedestrians for literally miles, and no shoulder on the road?...Yes. It takes common sense and common courtesy to make this all work for everyone, and there isn't enough sense or courtesy to go around.

badger1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygy7UDADXDg

gpburdell

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Are you suggesting people should blindly step out into the sidewalk without a care, or do you think collision-avoidance is a shared responsibility of all sidewalk users?

kickstart

Seems contrived to me, but will probably still be fodder for the VC "never do" list.

trailangel

Somebody had a little too much libation last night.
I hear if you chew on lead it calms the nerves.

njkayaker

Absolutely nothing I said should have let you imagine that I was suggesting anything at-all like that.

It seems fairly certain that the cyclist in the OP's story wasn't riding wasn't doing the "shared responsibility" thing.

While the pedestrian should have looked, that's just a simple mistake. The cyclist didn't make a simple mistake: in the presence of pedestrians, his share of the responsibilty is much greater.

Anyway, my point is that runners aren't really a practical hazard.

Sidney Porter

Bernhard Goetz of the sidewalk world.

jimrich

LOL, thanks for your "empathy" - something I didn't expect at a biking forum, LOL.
IMO, the laws are adequate IF these "who-f--king cares" cyclists even know those laws exist! The bikers I talk with could not care less about any "law" plus I have not way to enforce it anyway. Do you avoid riding the sidewalk for your own safety, the safety of others of both? If you did ride the sidewalk, how would you "safely" pass a pedestrian or animal?
When I rode a bike, I had several "safe" ways to go around peds. including dismounting and walking my bike past them. It was just common sense to me. I never expected anyone in my path to watch out for me, get out of my way or be inconvenienced by me and my bike - especially on a sidewalk.
I applaud you for having the sense to stay off of sidewalks but expect many of the other bikers here to "diss" you since this is obviously a biker's interests only forum.
thanks for your response,
jim

jimrich

[QUOTE=njkayaker;17762349]
It seems fairly certain that the cyclist in the OP's story wasn't riding wasn't doing the "shared responsibility" thing.
.... The cyclist was blasting along at about 20 MPH IN THE DARK! I doubt if shared anything was on his young mind!

While the pedestrian should have looked, that's just a simple mistake.
.... I don't generally step out of or through doorways in the dark WITHOUT looking around but even if I had looked to my left, I would have seen a "blur" 1/2 second before the cyclist slammed into me! You cyclists can jump to all the clever assumptions that you wish to make me responsible for what that biker did to me but the bottom line is that the cyclist had the TOTAL responsibility to NOT hit anyone as he wrecklessly did in this instance.

re: The cyclist didn't make a simple mistake: in the presence of pedestrians, his share of the responsibilty is much greater.
..... I wouldn't now call his actions a "mistake". I'd call his actions criminal negligence!

Anyway, my point is that runners aren't really a practical hazard.
.... If a careless runner had hit me, I doubt I would have had such painful damages to my ribs which did not show up until the next day! It must be obvious to anyone that a vehicle collision with a pedestrian is way more harmful than a collision of two pedestrians which is why vehicles (bikes, skate boards, etc.) are not wanted in pedestrian zones.
Thanks for your THOUGHTFUL response,
jim

kickstart

https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-s...edestrian.html
I though something seemed familiar about this. Interesting coincidence.

njkayaker

Its very, very unlikely that he was going that fast.

I have no idea what you "generally" do. Not expecting a cyclist in that situation is normal.

Keep in mind that I wasn't rep!ying or commenting about what you said.
"You cyclists"? Really? I basically agree with you! You clearly don't want to make friends here with insulting people who agree with you! (It's "reckless", by the way. If he hit you, it wasn't "wreckless" at all since there was a "wreck".)

The people posting here likely never really ride on sidewalks!

In the same way you shouldn't be accountable for the actions of a particular drunk driver, no one here is accountable for this one dude on a bike. It's silly that you are trying to do that.

I was expecting that people would get that my position the cyclist didn't make a mistake at all.

Clearly, subtlety is not something you have much skill dealing with.

Again, I was not commenting on anything you said.

I presume you are being sarcastic.

Again, I wasn't making a response to your original post.

daihard 

One cyclist's reckless action means all cyclists are the mindless criminals who have no respect for pedestrian safety on the sidewalk. Out-group homogeneity, anyone?

kickstart

Thee whole rant doesn't hold water.

Crashing a bicycle hurts, most of us figure that out after one or two mishaps as a kids, The whole idea that someone is encountering so many dangerous cyclists on the sidewalk they feel the need to arm themselves lacks any credibility. Its a fabrication or metal health issue that's even more outlandish than video vigilante cyclists.

Theres bad people and hyper sensitive people in all walks of life, and sometimes they cross paths. The rest of us get to deal with the fallout.

dynaryder

Ok,two questions. First,do you even own a bike? Second,what do you do about drivers who don't follow the law? I've had plenty of people try and tell me that it's somehow my responsibility to police other cyclists,yet I've never heard of drivers policing each other.

jimrich

[QUOTE=dynaryder;17766659]Ok,two questions. First,do you even own a bike?
...... Do you? If so, do you know any of the codes and laws that apply to your bike?

Second,what do you do about drivers who don't follow the law?
... I call the cops or I get their license plate number and TURN THEM IN! What do you do?

I've had plenty of people try and tell me that it's somehow my responsibility to police other cyclists,
... I'd say that is true - provided you have the guts to do it! Unlike a motor vehicle, a cyclist has no license plate to help track down the violator - plus the laws and codes for cyclists are RARELY enforced!

yet I've never heard of drivers policing each other.
... As a private citizen, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to watch out for unlawful behavior and alert the police and I also have the constitutional right to apprehend and detain a lawbreaker whenever and however possible.

If I had a bike, I would damn sure know the codes regarding it's use (just like I do as a motorist) and, unlike the cycling Thugs I have spoken to who don't even know such codes EXIST, I would be more than willing to quote those codes if questioned about my biking style. How about you? Do you know any of the codes and laws related to your bike? I BET NOT!