Idiots dancing on sidewalks
 

In Fort Collins, Colo, it's common to see "people billboards" on sidewalks (i.e. a person is paid to hold an advertisement sign and then hangs out on the corner of a busy intersection dancing, jumping, and waving the sign at traffic) .
There are occasions that I have to jump my bike onto the sidewalk (where the bike lane ends or snow is too deep on the diamond lane to ride -- note* sidewalk riding is legal in Colorado, but pedestrians have the right-of-way).
Today I almost wiped hard trying to avoid the dancing ad guy on the sidewalk on a narrow stretch between the snow and the traffic light pole which severely pissed me off.
Question: Does an idiot dancing on the sidewalk constitute a pedestrian? Or, more importantly, should next time this happens, I just elbow the sucker in the teeth at full speed and be on my way?

Yes, he or she does.

Yes, you will be wrong, and at fault if you hit him (or her).

Cyclists ride on the streets, where they're generally safe from the crazy folks on sidewalks. When the bike lane ends, you merge left to the rightmost traffic lane that goes where you need to go.

Demand that cops ticket him for impeding traffic.

AltheCyclist, get off the sidewalk.

I've ridden in Ft. Collins numerous times and all around various parts of the city. I hadn't found one part that the road wasn't safe, even where bike lanes end.

You may have something with snow banks, but how long do snow banks really stay around? I bet there's almost none left right now.

And yes, the dancing sign guy on the sidewalk has the right-of-way. You are required to yield to him.

Also, just an FYI for people reading this, it is legal to ride on sidewalks in Colorado, but illegal in Denver except for the purposes of parking your bicycle.

Legal or not, stay off the sidewalk...especially jumping onto it. .the only bikes that belong their have wheels 16" or less and mostly have training wheels

I don't mind riding on the sidewalk but would expect a sidewalk rider to hold himself to the same standard as a pedestrian, who would have no problem stepping around mr. billboard.

OK, that question is answered -- but what about the billboard-wearing cyclist?

Do you want to be known as the guy who ran over a sixteen year old in a bear suit?

Better watch out, you might meet another proactive idiot who thinks the same about you. See http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post10109763

I'm sure you've ridden in the Fort more than I have - and probably have ridden on the road where it is unlawful (e.g. US287 where cyclists are banned from road and have to ride sidewalk). I'm also going to deduce that you have a part-time job advertising M&E Painting, complete with the Michael Jackson motif.
Sarcasm aside, I probably didn't explain this well enough. Given that there's definitely sections of road where it's quite dangerous to cycle, the sidewalk is a safe option. If you saw these dancing ad-folk, it would probably be more clear that they present more of a hazard than any cyclists. My prediction is that some motorist will be distracted by one of these and crash, causing a lawsuit and city ordinance banning blocking sidewalks.

Sign up for an LAB road skills course. You won't have to worry about the whole sidewalk-cycling-billboard-pedestrian thing.

Just what we need, IRL animated pop-up ads!

Jump back onto the road.

Do you need other people to tell you how to do everything? Has society lost common sense? Yes and yes, apparently.

-Kurt

Uh oh, I agree with ILTB. Hell hath frozen over.

Sections of road that are definitely dangerous to ride on?

Name a couple. And I'll come out and ride with you.

And yes, I'm aware of the bike ban on US 287. I think that's wrong and if I lived in the city of Ft Collins, I'd work to repeal it. I may not chose to ride that road, but if I needed to, I would like to have that ability. I'm not even sure why there's a bicycle ban on that road, apart from the busy-ness of it through the Fort. I've ridden on busier though...

There is nowhere in FoCo that you need to get on the sidewalk. Nowhere.

I hope you are just trying to have a bit of fun here. If your question is serious, I strongly suggest seeking care before your life gets unhappily complicated.

I'm sure the dancer is just trying to make a $$ in a tough economy.Sure, it is annoying, but....
I occasionally hit the sidewalk when I pull onto one of the streets by my house during "rush hour" and I see a long line of cars coming.I'll hit the sidewalk rather than trust the vehicles to pass me properly.There isn't any shoulder on the street-just a slight dropoff and then grass. I also do it out of "politeness" not wanting to piss these drivers off, since I'm an easy mark, and am on the road about the same time everyday.NOLA isn't bike aware, and I'm not up for being a martyr for the cause.

OP, we understand you didn't actually mean the the elbow in the teeth, but it looks kinda' harsh in "print". l I never use the sidewalk when I can see pedestrians on it.
Charlie

Here in Cary, the city fines businesses that use sidewalk sign holders without a permit, and it is very hard to get such a permit under the town's sign ordinance. The city also considers an attention-getting costume to be a sign if it is clearly intended to attract business. Even a car with graphics on it is considered a sign, and if it is parked in a conspicuous spot in front of the corresponding business too often the city will ticket for having an unapproved sign (this has sometimes been used as a way to get around the strict sign ordinance that limits the number, size, and location of signs).

The ACLU recently took up a resident's case where the city has cited him for having too large a political sign. He had spray painted the message across the front of his house.

You can't ride your bike in front of his house on the sidewalk because of all the news reporters and photographers. Best to stay on the roadway.

Ironically, his sign is a complaint to the city about problems resulting from widening the road, a project which included - against some neighborhood opposition due to property loss - wide outside lanes.

I don't quite understand the anti-sidewalk mentality? Of course, you don't have to ride the sidewalk .. you could stay on sections of road where diamond lane ends and risk getting run over or impede traffic, making motorists angry and causing them to road-rage. Or, you could ride on sidewalk - it's basically a MUP with very little ped traffic (only with the occasional sign-dancer who's not watching where he's going, the original gripe).
This isn't Manhattan or other big city where the sidewalks are crowded with people. So, in summary, when confronted with bad road conditions, you can
Option 1: Continue on the road, impeding traffic, dodging snow drifts, and risk getting smacked by motorist.
Option 2: Jump on sidewalk, ride legally, with little ped traffic ride it like a MUP

What's the rationale for Option 1?

Option 1: You're not impeding, you are traffic. Screw the motorists. And the risk of getting smacked by motorist, that's always the case. As far as dodging snow banks, that's a problem, what? like a total of 12 days out of the year? This is Colorado. Snow isn't around for very long. Even so, snow banks should not keep you off the road.

Option 2: You put yourself at a greater risk at intersections. Read city of Ft. Collins manual on bicycling and the state's manual. They tell you right there what makes sidewalks so dangerous. If that doesn't convince you, read up on all the threads here on sidewalk riding. You do put yourself at a greater risk on the sidewalk.

Read Ft. Collins accident report from November. The two highest collisions were broadsides and right hooks. Very few were hit from behind, which is the only one you solve from being on the sidewalk. You do however increase your risk of broadsides and right hooks.

Ft Collins Analyzes Bike Accidents.

Regardless, if you chose to use the sidewalk, just be careful at intersections and yield to those dancing sign guys. As much as they annoy you, they have every right to be there, actually more right as its your responsibility to yield to them.

I just moved from FoCo after living there for nearly 30 years. There is no reason to ride any sidewalk in FoCo. If you don't like the particular road, there are more than enough options to get around it. What streets are you having trouble with?