Yes, it is illegal in most cities. On campus I would walk it as they would bust you for it, and honestly, there wre a lot more people on sidewalks. I am not saying this to condone breaking the law, I am saying this to illustrate me staying as far away from cars as I could be.
Bikers can injure pedestrians, but I don’t see this any worse than bikes on the road. Bikers should be able to travel on side walks with out hitting people. I never have. Worst I have done is startle someone.
Yes, it is a calm area, and I don’t understand the logic in NOT USING THE SPACE IMPLICITLY DESIGNATED FOR YOU.
Instead of hitting someone I will continue just bitching on the internet.
Um, no.
My 230lbs of bike and rider moving at 20mph has no business being on a sidewalk. That kind of kinetic energy belongs away from unsuspecting pedestrians. Full stop.
Those things can weigh more than a ton and can go more than 60 mph. Even at low speeds, they screw up their drivers’ situational awareness, and the flashing weapons screw up my situational awareness, eyesight, and balance. Those things are dangerous.
You shouldn’t have to risk being hit by those things.
Except I never traveled at anywhere near 20mph on bike on a sidewalk. And if there were people on the side walk, I’d slow down.
Much like how I slow down in a car if there is a bike in the road.[quote=“daneel, post:146, topic:86542”]
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Let me repeat that these are the ideal size, smoothness, and unobstructed bike lanes one would fantasize about. One could not ask for nicer bike lanes.
Further more, if there is one hiccup on a mile of road for the bike line, that should preclude using them? WTF is the point of the then?
I’m sorry. I disagree, strongly.
Bikes belong on the street. If bicyclist safety is the goal, well-designed bike lanes are the solution. Endangering pedestrians for the “benefit” of cyclists is not an acceptable solution.
That’s not my contention.
I’m stating that putting bikes and pedestrians on a sidewalk introduces unnecessary danger to the pedestrians.
I have no doubt that off street well designed bike paths are better for everyone- but a sidewalk isn’t that.
Bike paths off of the street work, but aren’t the same as sidewalks. If I’m in a hurry I avoid them at all costs, for all the “Sunday cyclist” types I have to dodge. They are nice otherwise.
I was certainly was initially intimidated by bicycles in Munich. It’s why I asked you about stats. For people unfamiliar with the bikes being on sidewalks it’s easy to accidentally walk into a sidewalk adjacent bike path and get run over. On the other hand overall safety for people in general other than just thinking pedestrians vs. bicyclists vs. cars suggests to me that it’s safer to have the bikes on sidewalks. But I don’t know what the actual data is on the subject.
I for one am in a lot more danger from turn signals knocking me into the street than from bikes. I’ve been hit by one motorcycle, one suv, and one car, but zero bikes. Haven’t quite healed from that car.
And cars can have 1 or 2 orders of magnitude more kinetic energy than your bike, and drivers tend to have less situational awareness.
Well, the laws aren’t supposed to be made based on one person’s experience. Your lack of “belief” has no bearing either. Unfortunately there don’t seem to be a lot of good studies on bicycle vs pedestrian accidents.
