Should people ride their bikes on the sidewalk?

Question

I live in a city, and normally I wouldn't have a problem with this, but some people ride their bikes on the sidewalks and don't ring a bell or let you you know they are coming up on you. Three times today I have turned around and a bike has whipped past me with no warning. If I turned the wrong way they would have run me over. Without resorting to violence, how do I let these bikers know this upsets me?

Answer 1

I totally know what you're talking about. In NYC for example, you are not allowed to ride your bike on the sidewalk for this reason. It is very dangerous. I also feel bad for the bikers because I would not want to ride in the street so I would never ride a bike in the city, I feel like they have a deathwish riding next to all those cars.

Answer 2

I think that there should be bike lanes on roads, and bikes should be prohibited from riding bikes in the vehicle lanes.

No offense to bicyclists - however, the speeds on the roads have gone up considerably since the days when bicycles were first considered "motor vehicles." Now, you get all these bicyclists riding in the street, and the speeds are 35 and even 45 MPH. That is highly dangerous. Just like it's dangerous for a car to be going 20 mph below the flow of traffic, it's even worse for a bicyclist to be in the same situation.

Plus, they think they own the road, oftentimes. You try to get past them, and they won't move over, so you wind up driving behind them at 15 mph waiting for an opportunity.

I wish they'd just ride on the sidewalk. The damage done by a pedestrian-bicycle collision can't possibly be as bad as a 3000 pound vehicle-bicycle collision.

Plus, incidentally, bicyclers look REALLY gay these days. No offense to gays, as I use the term in its 70's sense (i.e. silly and weird). Those bicycle pants are queer looking and always full of pastel an bright luminescent colors. And, can't they make those helmets look a little less ***** to wear? Jeepers....

Answer 3

I have a couple places where I ride the sidewalk due to excessive risk in the street (narrow and curves). It's a very lightly travelled sidewalk by pedestrians; I've never encountered one. Better that than to be mowed down by some phone/text/GPS/hamburger/cigarette-distr... driver, or a drunk! Yes, it's illegal in most cities, but hardly ever ticketed in my area. A cop I know says he never stops a bike on the sidewalk unless he sees the rider race past pedestrians or force them off the sidewalk, or generally doing something foolish.

Answer 4

good question. How to share the sidewalk and the roads. I really do not think the manufacturers had thought that far ahead, they just make a product and put it out there to leave society decide the rules of the path. I believe they think the community is one big co-operating group. There are so many products out there and very little space to fit them all in, but they just keep coming, it truly does baffle the mind at times. I guess someone will have to produce a device that you can strap to your body which would give a loud beeping sound when a fast or slow moving object is approaching you.

Answer 5

Bikes belong on the road. Here in BC (Canada) bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles on public roads. Its just sad and frustrating (not to mention life-threatening) that so many motorists don't respect cyclists' rights.

I'm a daily commuter and a full time cyclist and I never ride on the sidewalk, but then again if you think having a bike whiz by you is annoying, try having a car or a large truck whiz by you mere millimeters from your handlebars. Bikes rarely, if ever, injure or kill a third party, cars and trucks do all the time.

Answer 6

Always carry spray paint with you at the ready, when they whip past, depress the nozzle and hit them with the a colorful jet of bright yellow or pink or maybe even fluorescent green.......just joking....It is illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk, that's what biker's lanes are for in the street (we have them all over in my city). There's nothing wrong with saying "hey you almost hit me there, that was rude."

Answer 7

I'd rather have someone whiz past me on the sidewalk than to go around a blind corner while driving and practically run over a bike rider who's on the road, but is too far out in the lane. That's just dangerous!!

Answer 8

Bikers actually aren't supposed to ride on the sidewalks, sidewalks are for pedestrians.Next time you see a bike approaching just tell them to get on the road or your calling the cops, it's illegal for them to ride on sidewalks in cities.

Answer 9

they should give some sort of acknowledgment that they are approaching you! But where ever possible adults should use the street!
kids however need to stay on the sidewalk to many chances for them to get hurt if they are in the street!

to let other bikers know then yell out thanks for the warning! or where a sign on your back saying bikers please give me a left or a right and i'll go in that direction!

Us walkers should move out of the way! but bikers need to let us know they are coming!
so stop the biker next time and tell him to spread the word!

Answer 10

No, I think there should be a specific place on the side of the road for people who ride bikes. Alot of roads already have them, but sidewalks are dangerous for people walking and people riding on the streets pose a danger to themselves.