Biker Rude

[Brahmsian]

I bike more or less out of necessity, but in my city it's illegal to bike on the sidewalk — and it would be an egregious mistake to say that cars do not own the world road.

Corey, the law is the same in my city.  To me, it's always been a law that I could never understand, and it just doesn't make any sense to me.

I think it is much safer for the cyclists to ride on the sidewalk, rather than on the road.  I think they should be able to ride their bikes on the sidewalk.  A collision pedestrian and a cyclist is likely going to have less serious consequences than a cyclist and vehicle.  If there are already specifically designed bike paths, or wider street lanes to accomodate both vehicles and cyclists side by side, great.  Until then though, I think cyclists should have at least the option to ride on the sidewalk and not face a ticket or fine.

[CD]

There are bike lanes in most places here, but in some areas where there is construction (Chicago has two seasons: Winter and Construction) going on, unless you want your wheel to fall off, you need to hop onto the sidewalk for a second to go around it. I was accosted by this woman who was supposedly giving "biker safety tips" because I rode onto the sidewalk to bypass a woman who was blocking the path with her car (instead of the alternative, going around her into oncoming traffic). ¬_¬

[Brahmsian]

There are bike lanes in most places here, but in some areas where there is construction (Chicago has two seasons: Winter and Construction) going on, unless you want your wheel to fall off, you need to hop onto the sidewalk for a second to go around it. I was accosted by this woman who was supposedly giving "biker safety tips" because I rode onto the sidewalk to bypass a woman who was blocking the path with her car (instead of the alternative, going around her into oncoming traffic). ¬_¬

We also have winter and construction as our two seasons.    I just honestly do not get what is sooooo dangerous about a bicycle riding on the sidewalk, versus being on the street.  There really is no logic behind that law, and I'm surprised the law hasn't been changed.

[knight66]

Try to imagine 15 bikes on the sidewalk.

Locally we have very well maintained cycle tracks that run parallel to the main roads through woodlands; and I get fed up with the cyclists who nevertheless insist they want to use the narrow main roads and clog the traffic.

Mike

[springrite]

We don't have a biker problems in Beijing because it is banned. In other cities there are more of them. What I can't stand is not the Harley's or Hondas. There are few of them. But the smaller electric bikes and moped in other cities in China are such an annoyance. They are like swarms of bees and wasps. Those riders seem to have no regard for their own safety, for even in a collision with a pedestrian the rider usually come off worse, not to mention cars. And they seem to have no regard for traffic laws. That is one reason I do not drive in other cities, especially in southern China. Sometimes it is next to impossible not to hit them, and I have seen a few nasty ones. Utter stupidity, I'd say!

[Scarpia]

We also have winter and construction as our two seasons.    I just honestly do not get what is sooooo dangerous about a bicycle riding on the sidewalk, versus being on the street.  There really is no logic behind that law, and I'm surprised the law hasn't been changed.

I think bikes should be excluded from sidewalks without exception.  Bikes on the sidewalk are a danger to pedestrians, and bikes travel a lot faster than pedestrians.   Drivers find it difficult enough to watch for pedestrians stepping off the curb and into traffic, but bikes that enter traffic from sidewalks tend to dart out a lot faster, which is a significant hazard.

[Sonata33]

Yikes, as an avid cyclist myself (40-mile loops, twice a week; 22-mile loops the other days), the OP scared me. 

I use a dinky bell and it's awesome. Had some college-age guy jump a mile out of his skin and wet his pants when I rang my bell as I went by him one day. He didn't want to look wimpy with his girlfriend, so he started going nuts. I lost him and didn't want to lecture him about wandering around like he was drunk in traffic.

Don't get me started on the cycling on sidewalks thing--the road is the safest place. I save the rest for the trolls on the cycling forums.

[Brahmsian]

Don't get me started on the cycling on sidewalks thing--the road is the safest place.

For whom, the cyclist?  I don't agree.

[Szykneij]

Sidewalk



Street

[Brahmsian]

Sidewalk



Street

Tony, the voice of reason! 

I hope that boy doesn't trample over any pedestrians.  It's not safe on the sidewalk.   

[Scarpia]

For whom, the cyclist?  I don't agree.

If I see a cyclist in the street I know what to expect, they are following the rules of the road.  The times I've almost run down a cyclist it was because they came zipping off the sidewalk onto the street where I wasn't expecting them.  Never mind the hazard to pedestrians.

[CD]

You see a lot of old dudes who live in the neighborhood here (I live in a predominately lower middle class Hispanic area) who ride on the sidewalk or on the road riding against traffic — they just don't give a damn. I stay on the road and basically behave the same as if I were in a car.