AdvXtrm

I stay off any road shared with motor-vehicles as much as reasonably possible. That means sidewalk or dirt edges for the most part. If doing this wears out parts of my bike sooner, that's a risk I'm willing to take over being mowed down by one of these idiots in a car or on a motorcycle.

MRT2

The point I have been trying to make is, you are at GREATER risk of being run over by a motor vehicle on the sidewalk than you are on the road. At driveways, and at intersections, not to mention your risk of a collision with a pedestrian or dog. (Which is a risk you also run when riding on a MUP). Do what you want, of course.

AdvXtrm

I do a check at every intersection and around driveways. As I get to riding more I'm sure I'll end up transitioning more to on-road riding though. Definitely not because I think it's safer, but because putting in long days and a lot of miles means a smoother road will become more preferable, and there won't always be a viable way to ride along every road and every section of road. I'm still recovering from being hit and ran over, being left crippled and near death, and stuck in a convalescent hospital for a time. I'm lucky and thankful to be alive and doing as well as I am. I don't want to suffer that same fate again.

rubiksoval

China does not equal Taiwan.

Very different.

AdvXtrm

True, but as for manufacturing quality, Chinese production methods have grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years. I still find Taiwan to be generally better though.

nick64

No effect on bike. Definite effect on wallet as I once received a $50.00 summons for riding a short distance on the sidewalk in a very traffic congested area. Pleaded safety issue to cops, cops didn't care. Don't do it any more. (I'm in NYC).

AdvXtrm

In order to be a cop, one must be blind to freedom, justice, and morals, and only enforce the master's laws upon the slaves, but never upon the masters themselves.

MRT2

Personal attacks are a violation of forum rules.

StanSeven

Moderator note: please keep that type of comment out of this forum

Thanks

Stan

Beneficial Ear

Its not the crosswalks... its the busy streets that have many businesses. The multiple entrances and exits to various parking lots have given me MANY close calls over the years. It is most often a car making a right hand turn in front of me - either going into the parking lot or exiting from the parking lot. When coming out, most cars lurch forward and look left (while I come from their right)... when entering, most cars are pushed by the flow of traffic and want to make that quick right hand turn and get out of the way.

I've run into this problem on foot as well as by bike - been hit and seen others hit... much less an issue while riding on the road as drivers think nothing of crossing a sidewalk, but they will almost surely look before going into the street. The sidewalk is VERY dangerous and much care must be taken to be aware of traffic.

Still, particularly here where the terrain creates bottlenecks where its only possible to go a certain way - a certain way that often has no bike infrastructure - a certain way that can combine 45+mph cars. a road barely wide enough for 2 pickup trucks, an 8% grade, PLUS lots of twists and turns to go with the ups and downs.... in some cases the sidewalk is absolutely a god send. Here I moved to a part of town specifically because I can access the downtown area and most places I go without having to deal with these bottlenecks. In Chicago, though, I was ALWAYS on the street... but that is a 100% completely different animal.

caloso

MRT2

Thank you for pointing this out.

badger1

+1

AdvXtrm

lol

baldilocks

I wonder how they feel about you when they are trying to do the 45 mph speed limit and you are taking the lane @ 17 mph. Maybe you could learn a lot from a 16 year old.

badger1

Found that amusing, did you? Do elaborate why; I'm sure you'd have a suitably intelligent explanation.

Ty0604

Cyclist are vehicles, not pedestrians. Bikes belong on the road and better believe I'll let every cyclist I see on the sidewalk know about it. Other vehicles can pass. I don't take up the lane unless it's absolutely necessary.

Rollfast

It hasn't a thing to do with living freely with cars. Just bizarre.


PS My yard has iced over, I missed out on those 'Christmas light projectors', would have be wicked cool AND energy efficient. Can't ride anywhere in this crap right now.

Maelochs

The dude is jsut stupid and immature ... people who hate cops tend to be the ones too weak to stand up to authority and take responsibility for their own actions.

I have seen a cop blatantly lie to convict me in a court of law.and have had it happen to friends. I don't hate cops. I have also had cops help me. Don't hate them for that, either.

if we don't ant cops, the answer is simple: get rid of all the criminals. Anyone who Really hates cops ... should go to some place where cops don't go. Then, after getting mugged and coming home to find you've been burglarized a few times, see what you think then.

Or simply stop being afraid of cops. They are just people doing a job ... sort of like janitors. Some of them are great, some good, some a$$holes ... because they are just People doing that particular job, and all kinds of people can be cops ... or post on forums.

Rollfast

Axles? I bend rims...that and me being 250 and riding basically a modern version of the B-6 frame from the beginning you could expect bending rims and I have an ALLOY rim back there at the moment on my 1995 Classic Cruiser.


That frame is incredibly strong even so.

Rollfast

China owns Hong Kong, not Taiwan. The UK returned HK to China in 1997, and that is going on 20 years ago.

AdvXtrm

If you'd like to discuss this further, clearly this is not the place, but do PM me if you'd like.

AdvXtrm

If you'd like to discuss this further, clearly this is not the place, but do PM me if you'd like.

AdvXtrm

If you had actually read the post I was responding to, you may have understood why it was said.

It's both sad and funny at the same time, that if a single comment is in any way less than worshiping of the State or its enforcers, the person who made it is immediately met with threats, veiled or otherwise, and a number of personal attacks. That pretty much says it all. Again, just my response to a previous post here. If you or anyone else doesn't like it, move along, no need to blow it up and make a scene out of it. When a Mod steps in and handles it in a way that's either right or wrong, consider it over, don't just keep piling on like a gang-bang, let it go. Had people not jumped in on me that would have been the end of it. The Mod asked for no more talk on the subject, I obliged, that should be good enough, everyone should leave it at that.

MikeinFL

well just south of me, a 16 year old bike rider was killed by hit and run a few weeks ago. Road he was on has no sidewalks. I would wager a lot of money that more bikers get killed on roads than sidewalks.

And on State Road A1A in north Florida, which doesn't have a sidewalk but does have a bike lane, still has frequent pedestrian and cyclist/vehicle accidents so:

"the Florida Department of Transportation is constructing a paved pathway for cyclists, families, walkers and whoever wants to use it [on a 6 mile section of A1A]."

It will be a "shared use pedestrian and bicycle path".

It will be a 10 foot wide paved path, basically a 'wide' sidewalk. This is what cities should have done a long time ago. Typical sidewalks are too narrow. And the narrow bike path on most roads is for experienced cyclists and not intended for the leisure biker.

Most cities don't know how, or don't bother, to build infrastructure for leisure biking and I believe this 10 foot wide paved pathway is absolute right approach. Everyone is safer.