The late, great Ken Kifer discusses the dangers of sidewalk cycling and other matters of bicycle safety here: http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm.

Here's another good site: http://bicyclesafe.com/

By the laws of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, bicyclists have as much right to be on the streets as cars; actually, more, for a motorist uses the streets because he is licensed by and registered with to do so--his use is a privlidge--whereas a cyclist is exercising his common-law and constitutional right to travel--his use is an inherent right.

I would also point out that the last cyclist to be killed here in Charleston was riding on the sidewalk the wrong way on a one-way street when a car pulled out of a parking garage and creamed him. Had he been riding with traffic in the street, he'd probably be alive today.

Well,...I don't really believe sidewalks are directional.
I also believe that if you ride on a sidewalk with reckless abandon,then you're setting yourself up for pain.
Riding a bike on a sidewalk carries a responsibility to RESPECT others and ASSUME NOTHING with regards to right of way.
As I said earlier, some people are more prone to be involved in painful situations...doesn't matter what they're doing.

Ya know, you can argue this till the next millenia.......

Facts are facts...where I am..it is extremely rare to see someone using a bike lane...for good reason.
For every bike lane user there are probably 100 or more sidewalk riders.
Sidewalk bike accidents are so rare I can't remember one in recent history.
The truth is, riding on the roads is not safe. At least not here. Your area may vary.

Did you happen to see that video of a woman in her SUV come around a curve doing about 90, cross into the oncoming lane and hit the bicyclist head on splitting him into pieces and sending him flying nearly 200ft? Had he been on the sidewalk he'd be alive today.

If bike lanes are safe where you ride then go for it. Do that here and you won't live long.
Let's consider ONLY one hazard. Elderly drivers. We have TONS here.
The number of elderly drivers who can't see over the steering wheel, can't see past the steering wheel or are even sure what a steering wheel is is quite large.
These people are NOT safe to be driving at all...much less within inches of what basically is a fast moving pedestrian.

But that's just for starters. Factor in texting teens, road rage and drunken drivers and you have a bona fide recipe for disaster.

That painted line indicating a bike lane offers absolutely ZERO protection. Perhaps if they were all guard railed it would be safer.

ROADS are for MOTOR vehicles. And even then it's dangerous. It's not that I don't think bicyclists SHOULD have rights to use the road...
it's just that the reality is that it's too dangerous.

You continue to do what you feel is safe for you, and I'll do likewise.

May your Angels ride with you.

Cheers!

What you believe and what the broad based data and research say are directly opposed. Do we go with your "belief" or do we go with what has been actually measured in pretty much every state in large studies? That's pretty much what it gets down to then, right?


J.

This is actually false (for most of Cambridge, at least). Sidewalk riding IS legal in most places (major pedestrian centers like Harvard Sq and Central Sq are off limits and signed as such), however bicyclists are limited in speed to that of the slowest pedestrians, and must always yield right of way to pedestrians. There's really nowhere in Cambridge that I would consider riding the sidewalks a good idea (except when avoiding some road construction), but it is wrong to say it is illegal.

As for the OP's claims... if you've spent any time in South Florida his/her viewpoint would make more sense. There, roads between developments are primarily 4 to 6 lane boulevards that only the bravest of souls would dare try to ride on, and drivers regularly travel at 60mph. As a fairly strong supporter of VC, even I would think twice about getting on a bike and riding like I do on my commute through Boston (or other, smaller northeast and west coast cities I have ridden in). Also, sidewalks there may as well be bike lanes as they are often wide, relatively un-obstructed, and since everyone lives in a gated community, driveways are pretty much non-existent.

The problem that the OP has observed is not that bicycling on the roads is inherently dangerous, it is that the roads in South Florida are just plain dangerous (for all users). Given some proper urban planning and proper enforcement of traffic laws, it could be perfectly safe to ride (and these things would be a MUCH better solution than building an elevated bikeway, IMHO).

For the millions it would cost to implement this "elevated bikeway", if the money instead went to (a) proper urban planning, to ensure that traffic flowed in a way safer for all users; and (b) proper enforcement of traffic laws that everyone breaks and the cops always look the other way, then not only would it be safe to ride on the streets, but it would also be safer for all other road users (cars/motorcycles/construction workers/police officers... the list goes on)

+1 and don't forget Rollerbladers.

And again we go in circles, a few of you trying to explain something to a person that just does not want to listen to the reason and logic, well what do you plan on accomplishing? He's stuck in his view and it won't change, so let him be. Fear is a powerful force, making some people to do away with all logic and reasoning, letting themselves be blinded by it. So let them be so, it's after all, their problem.

completely different problem than the one initially put forth.

j.