Bike Forums - Sidewalk vs. lane

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cycronin (Post 14326316)

I'm still new enough to the world of commuting that my opinions are evolving... initially it seemed ridiculous avoid riding on sidewalks. My own safety being my primary concern (and not contradictory to the safety of pedestrians on the sidewalks since it does me no good to hit them), I want to retain the greatest amount of control over my safety. On the sidewalks I have control, and on the street, the masses of random drivers have control. I have a friend who brags about how many bikers he has hit with his massive truck and I know he's not a solitary case (our fraternal bond goes back a ways and forces me to tolerate to an extent the fact that often he is a dumb, obnoxious m*f*er). Yes, a bicycle is considered a vehicle by law... but lets be honest... a bike is not a car, and I can't see much benefit in deluding yourself into thinking it is. In my city it is technically prohibited to ride on sidewalks, but it is clearly an unenforced law as I see people riding on sidewalks constantly (I have a view of a street that has a dedicated bike lane at work and even see people riding on the sidewalks there.)t

Now, however, I do ride on the street 95% of the time. I've gotten comfortable enough with various streets to know which ones are bike friendly (either dedicated lanes or simply have enough room for cars to pass bicycles without moving into another lane). And it is far more convenient to ride on streets. Still, for small stretches I have to ride on streets that do not have room for both bikes and cars, and when it's busy, heck yeah I'll ride on the sidewalk. If I do encounter pedestrians I yield, and I don't find the situation altogether dissimilar to encountering pedestrians on bike trails, except on the trails I'm going much faster.

My opinion has changed, yet I still can't climb aboard the dogmatic POV that it's always dangerous and stupid to ride on sidewalks. To me it's dangerous and stupid to assume no other drivers exist like my stupid friend.

For the good of society, you need to report your jackhole "friend" to the authorities, so they can clear up some hit-and-run cases!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief (Post 14326476)

For the good of society, you need to report your jackhole "friend" to the authorities, so they can clear up some hit-and-run cases!

Heh, honestly the only defense I can offer ironically is that based past indicators I'm certain his boasts are at worst exaggerated, at best fabricated.

I'd ride in the right lane...but you ride wherever you feel comfortable.

In most situations the sidewalk is the wrong answer, but the thing with riding a bicycle is that essentially no roads (in the US at least) are designed with bicycles even in mind, and those that are are as often as not designed by people who don't really understand what a cyclist needs.

As a result, one of the primary requirements when riding a bicycle is the ability to judge a situation individually and do what you think is the best/safest thing to do. It's also good to just mind your own business and don't second-guess how others choose to handle a situation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycronin (Post 14326316)

I have a friend who brags about how many bikers he has hit with his massive truck and I know he's not a solitary case

Well, as more of us are riding with video (I now have front and rear facing high def video, and people like this are the reason more of us are equipping ourselves like this), hopefully we'll get dangerous idiots like this locked away for assault with a deadly weapon and maybe some of their massive trucks sold at auction, and we might start making some progress.

As for myself, I would never say the words "HAVE a friend" like that. It would be past tense. Hell, I'd probably turn him in myself. I'd turn in family that admitted to doing that, let alone a friend. If he's serious, the guy is a psychopath and WILL KILL SOMEONE EVENTUALLY, and IMO you would be complicit in anything that happens to someone after hearing such an admission.

Bikes = vehicles. Here in MA may be a liitle different than in the land of 10 gallon hats and big ass F-250's. Sidewalks are much too dangerous, too many fences, shrubs etc. for cars to see you coming out of a driveway or store exit. I run my front and rear blinkies and hold my ground. I still use my mirror a lot as well. I have 3 bike paths that I use for the last 6 miles coming into Boston, nice. Maybe some more bike advocacy needs to be done in the OP's area?

Half a mile stretch at 10 mph is only 3 minutes. One extra car in the road in front of you could slow you down 1 to 3 minutes at a traffic light depending... I don't know what it is like everywhere else, but it's usually more than just one car in front of me if I drive to work during rush hour! People should let this guy be and be mad at all the other drivers, IMO...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItsJustMe (Post 14330309)

Well if you are trying to convince me I am complicit in his actions or future actions, allow me to assure you that your intentions shall forever remain unfulfilled. That said, it doesn't concern me should you choose to expend your energy as such. I brought it up to illustrate that there are inherent risks in sharing the road with motorists, not to raise hackles or inspire finger wagging directed my way because I identify someone as a friend. My point would have been made just as succinctly if I'd identified him as someone I know, and if that tames hackles, do feel free to reinterpret the post accordingly. But if hackles must be raised, let them be raised.