Commuting on sidewalk
 

Hey everyone, im brand new to these boards and was trying to find some info. I searched it and found that most people say it is fine to ride on the sidewalk.

I live in orange county, california and was wondeirng if it was legal to ride on the sidewalks here?
also, i was looking at getting a tarmac expert road bike to start commuting, right now i use my old mountian bike. is this a good idea? would it damage the bike to ride it on sidewalks at all? My commute is a 32 mile round trip and it just seems like having a road bike would make it so much easier!!!

Also, what are the chances of my bike being vandalized while in the employee parking lot, i've never heard of it happening where i work (very high end resort hotel) but im just wondering if anyone ever vandalizes bikes because they're pricey.

thanks for the help!!!

check thhe thread on sidwalk riding in A&S

Yep, there's a reason why they're called sidewalks and not siderides.

One word about riding on the sidewalk --- DANGEROUS!!!

It's dangerous to ride on sidewalks for several reasons:
-- Cars entering from side streets often won't see you because they're focused on looking for traffic on the road, not the sidewalk.
-- Cars will entering from sidestreets, homes, etc, will block your path, forcing you to stop and wait all the time.
-- Many pedestrians don't expect to see bikes on sidewalks, particularly if you are approaching from behind and they are wearing an I-pod, talking on the phone, etc.
-- Cars turning into sidestreets, driveways, etc. often won't see you, again because they are focused on traffic on the road.

That said, there are occasions where riding a sidewalk is prudent. Eg, on my commute one of the streets deadends into a busy 4-lane road. I need to turn right on this busy road and then make a quick left at a traffic light. In this case, I go ahead and turn right onto the sidewalk, ride about 50 yards, and get in line at the traffic light to cross the busy street. There aren't any sidestreets or driveways during this short stretch.

Among other things, making sure to surrender ROW to anything and everything will keep you a whole lot safer.

Check your local laws on if it is legal. In some places yes, other places no.

If it is legal, then must you decide what to do. Depends on road conditions, sidewalk conditions, your tolerance for traffic, how fast you need to go.
My preference is for road. If the road is too busy for my taste (and I have a high tolerance for traffic) I look for an alternate road route. If no good alternate exists, I'm fine with riding the sidewalk as needed.
As mentioned, sidewalk riding is as dangerous as road riding, so be alert.

I don't think you'd find many people willing to admit that it's safe to ride on the sidewalks at faster than, say, 10 mph. At that rate, your round trip commute is looking over 3 hours.

Note that the issue isn't damage to the bike, it's damage to you and to others using the sidewalk. The big problem to you is going to be at intersections - cars do not expect vehicles in the crosswalk, and they won't see you. People get hit like that all the time. The most dangerous part is when you're on the sidewalk, passing a line of stopped cars in the road, and a car turns right - since you're moving faster than he is, the car turning right has never seen you, so doesn't know you're there. He turns right, and you slam into his door. Not fun.

As tarwheel says, there are times where it makes sense, generally when you go fairly slow in areas where there aren't any pedestrians, when the alternative is more dangerous. If you do it, keep it slow, and go very slow (and preferably walk the bike) at intersections.

But for 16 miles, one way? I don't think it's a really good idea.

I don't like it when my children ride on the sidewalk. (They're 11 and 14). I feel it's more dangerous. I'm always encouraging them to ride safely in the street (depending on the street, of course). I

do whatever you feel is best for you. my advice if you do ride the sidewalk, watch out for cars pulling out and DON'T ride against traffic on the sidewalk. cars pulling out will not look for you.

The sidewalks here are too rough for my road bike. The bumps will beat you up on a skinny tire. I can only do about 10-12mph vs 18-20 on the street next to it. MTB tires may not be as bad. It all deals with your personal comfort level with the road and if they enforce the no sidewalk law. Most of the time, here anyway, as long as you are going in the same direction of traffic it is okay. If the road is real busy, there is a section I will ride the sidewalk, but I hate it. It would probably cut your time in about half if you use the street only.

Sidewalks are scary. 4 out of 5 of my close calls were because I was riding on a sidewalk. I try to avoid riding there when I can, but if I have to ride there, I go SLOW.

In California it's generally illegal to ride on the sidewalk unless the local municipality has specifically authorized it.

It's also generally a bad idea for all the reasons mentioned above. There might be some short sections where your particular situation calls for hopping on the sidewalk. But unless your dad just took off your training wheels and he's running along behind you, it's a much better option to ride in the road.

I only ride on the sidewalk if traffic is packed and there's no filtering room. Once I'm on, I don't think I go much faster than 5mph because I can never judge how peds are going to react. I try and ride on the sidewalk as little as possible (probably in part because it's illegal).

:p I was wondering about that, too.

Yes it will... when you plow into a side of a car at 20 mph....

16 miles one way ON A SIDEWALK? Oh my... There are two mutually exclusive ways to ride on a sidewalk: fast or safe. Not both. Either you'll take forever to get there or you'll be putting yourself in danger at every intersection. Unless your sidewalks have almost no driveways or other intersections, do yourself a favour... ride on the road. An ancient lady on an ancient cruiser looks fine on the sidewalk. But Specialized Tarmac on a sidewalk looks way too sad.... sort of like a yacht in a swimming pool...

Even if you have to make your trip a couple of miles longer to bypass nasty roads in favour of less trafficked streets, it'll still be much faster than a sidewalk.

Here is a guide to safe road riding.

Who knows? *shrug* We don't really know your area. The fact that you've never heard about it may mean that it's not likely to happen, or that there have been no bikes there before to vandalize, or that you're misinformed. Interesting, though, that you're worried about vandalism more than theft. While vandalism does happen, theft is more prevalent, and is in general worse since it leaves you with no bike at all. Invest in a good U-lock or chain lock, be sure to lock the frame (not just a wheel!) and lock up or bring with you anything that's quick-release. Better yet, see if you can keep your bike in a safe place inside (e.g. your office).

Riding a bicycle on the sidewalks in Bowling Green, OH is illegal; there are signs all over the place indicating this. I guess there was a problem over the years, and they finally decided that this was the solution.

The way I understand it, a bicycle is considered similar to any other vehicle designed for the road, e.g. a car, and is expected to obey all the same laws...including riding in the street where you're supposed to. I also understand that in some places, if you run into a car while riding on the sidewalk it's on you, whereas if you're in the street and they pull out into you it's on them, for insurance reasons. Though I'm sure to them, either way it's *your* fault.

Ride in the street, it's so much easier.

Yep, in a few rare situations, the sidewalk is the best place to be. When I'm on the sidewalk, I ride at pedestrian speeds and look around in all directions constantly. You can hear each individual click...click...click sound from my coasting freewheel.

I have a tarmac expert and commute on it once or twice a week.
It is doable but I would recommend a more appropriate bike such as a touring bike for commuting and then add the tarmac as a second bike.