Do you ride only on sidewalks?
03-06-23, 06:42 PM
#1
pan y agua
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,352
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1483 Post(s)
Liked 768 Times
in
395 Posts
Do you ride only on sidewalks?
Some of you ride in bike lanes, like this, but it seems really dangerous
; one distracted driver and you’re toast Why risk it when you could just ride on side walks or Zwift?
; one distracted driver and you’re toast Why risk it when you could just ride on side walks or Zwift?
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
03-06-23, 06:49 PM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 157
Bikes: Trek Émonda SL 5, Trek Checkpoint SL 5, Giant Trance X 2, Trek Farley
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Liked 99 Times
in
53 Posts
It may be safer for you, but it is more dangerous for pedestrians. By the same logic, it would be safer for drivers to drive on the sidewalk.
Cycling on the sidewalk appears to be legal in Florida, but it is definitely not legal everywhere.
Cycling on the sidewalk appears to be legal in Florida, but it is definitely not legal everywhere.
03-06-23, 06:54 PM
#3
pan y agua
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,352
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1483 Post(s)
Liked 768 Times
in
395 Posts
dial up your sarcasm detector
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
Likes For UnCruel:
03-06-23, 06:57 PM
#5
VFL For Life
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 51,661
Bikes: Velo Volmobile
Mentioned: 781 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28995 Post(s)
Liked 1,939 Times
in
1,365 Posts
03-06-23, 08:02 PM
#6
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,563
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2750 Post(s)
Liked 6,105 Times
in
3,115 Posts
Never ride on sidewalks. There is not enough reaction time when inattentive drivers pull into the roadway. Cars pulling across sidewalks do not expect the speed of bicycles unless it is a local thing or heavily touristed. I understand your hesitancy to ride in a bike lane, but with practice and a bit of courage you can do it. Or maybe not. Am not selling bike lanes - to each their own.
As an aside, today I road along a shoulderless state highway with vehicles doing 50 MPH. Can’t say I am super comfortable doing it but riding where there is a lot of traffic going in and out driveways makes me far more nervous.
As an aside, today I road along a shoulderless state highway with vehicles doing 50 MPH. Can’t say I am super comfortable doing it but riding where there is a lot of traffic going in and out driveways makes me far more nervous.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Likes For rsbob:
03-06-23, 08:06 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 2,369
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 689 Post(s)
Liked 954 Times
in
561 Posts
I use them once in awhile short distances where it's just not practical to cross the road or I have to make a bad turn or something. but its tricky because cars then to pull out without looking for someone on the sidewalk.
03-06-23, 08:07 PM
#9
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 20,810
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR-5 Viscount Aerospace Pro Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista Vitus 979
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3142 Post(s)
Liked 6,856 Times
in
3,919 Posts
No, never. Sidewalks are for walking, not riding.
__________________
Likes For cb400bill:
03-06-23, 08:19 PM
#10
pan y agua
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,352
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1483 Post(s)
Liked 768 Times
in
395 Posts
Apparently, some of you have not been around long enough to recognize the Bike Forums tradition of parody threads.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
Likes For merlinextraligh:
03-06-23, 09:06 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,441
Mentioned: 43 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4648 Post(s)
Liked 1,785 Times
in
1,169 Posts
I ride my off-road bike on the sidewalk.
03-06-23, 10:21 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Point Reyes Station, California
Posts: 4,567
Bikes: Indeed!
Mentioned: 93 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1523 Post(s)
Liked 3,547 Times
in
1,157 Posts
Yes! I also carry an air horn on my handlebars and use it liberally. My front super-power blinky light is bright enough to blind oncoming pedestrians. Oh yes, one mirror on my helmet and another on my handlebars, also a safety vest with alternating lime green and emergency orange chevron stripes like the backs of some ambulances and fire trucks.
I don't just ride on one side of the sidewalk. I ride right down the middle: "Take the lane" I say.
Brent
I don't just ride on one side of the sidewalk. I ride right down the middle: "Take the lane" I say.
Brent
__________________
"I have a tendency to meander sometimes." B.G.
"I have a tendency to meander sometimes." B.G.
Likes For obrentharris:
03-06-23, 11:47 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,699
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7738 Post(s)
Liked 3,675 Times
in
1,940 Posts
My "I have Covid" pool noodle clears people out of my way in a hurry.
Likes For Maelochs:
03-07-23, 01:22 AM
#14
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,888
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse x2, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata 3
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2082 Post(s)
Liked 1,571 Times
in
1,087 Posts
03-07-23, 08:12 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 2,162
Bikes: SL8 Pro, TCR beater
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1027 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times
in
448 Posts
Funny you say that, because I actually used that argument a few years ago to a motorist that had passed by me so close that I felt his mirror brushing my elbow. I said : You know how far you need to get around people at the grocery store or when walking outside on sidewalks to respect social distancing? It's the same thing when you're driving and you pass a cyclist.
At that time, the pandemic had just started and people were all anal about the 2m / 6ft social distancing - they understood the distance better.
At that time, the pandemic had just started and people were all anal about the 2m / 6ft social distancing - they understood the distance better.
03-09-23, 09:34 PM
#16
Newbie
Haha, only a time or two have I had to retreat to the sidewalk, but along with that comes a real sense of shame. My daughter in law is an avid walker, 20K steps is average for her. She used to get mad at cyclists that would ride on the sidewalk, even resort to yelling at them. Now she has refocused her anger at city planners. Her reasoning is that they haven’t given cyclists a place to ride safely so they move to the sidewalk so they don’t get run over.
03-09-23, 10:04 PM
#17
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,888
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse x2, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata 3
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2082 Post(s)
Liked 1,571 Times
in
1,087 Posts
Haha, only a time or two have I had to retreat to the sidewalk, but along with that comes a real sense of shame. My daughter in law is an avid walker, 20K steps is average for her. She used to get mad at cyclists that would ride on the sidewalk, even resort to yelling at them. Now she has refocused her anger at city planners. Her reasoning is that they haven’t given cyclists a place to ride safely so they move to the sidewalk so they don’t get run over.
Likes For SoSmellyAir:
03-10-23, 04:45 AM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,877
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4645 Post(s)
Liked 5,180 Times
in
3,201 Posts
03-10-23, 10:00 AM
#20
Ride more, eat less
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Philla PA, Hoboken NJ, Brooklyn NY
Posts: 2,104
Bikes: Too many but never enough.
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 728 Post(s)
Liked 770 Times
in
472 Posts
I commute in NYC metro, I ride on sidewalks almost daily.
I encounter more illegally parked cars in bike lanes than actual cyclists on bikes.
It's all about how fast you ride on the sidewalks, ride slow enough and nobody cares.
I encounter more illegally parked cars in bike lanes than actual cyclists on bikes.
It's all about how fast you ride on the sidewalks, ride slow enough and nobody cares.
03-10-23, 05:10 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,699
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7738 Post(s)
Liked 3,675 Times
in
1,940 Posts
Thing is .... if I am riding at walking speed why am I riding?
Likes For Maelochs:
03-10-23, 06:27 PM
#22
Mostly Harmless
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: At Large
Posts: 56,746
Bikes: Have two wheels
Mentioned: 169 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13800 Post(s)
Liked 4,648 Times
in
2,549 Posts
Likes For rjones28:
03-11-23, 09:43 AM
#23
Senior Member
03-11-23, 08:28 PM
#24
Junior Member
03-11-23, 10:46 PM
#25
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 18,417
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10659 Post(s)
Liked 12,332 Times
in
6,310 Posts
Like the old bumper sticker - "If you don't like how I drive, stay off the sidewalk!"
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
Likes For genejockey: