View Poll Results: Is it legal to ride on the sidewalk in your area?
Yes
25
55.56%
No
20
44.44%
Voters: 45. You may not vote on this poll
Is it legal or illegal to ride on the sidewalk in your area?
05-23-23, 06:21 AM
#26
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Yeah, in most states bicycles are considered vehicles and may not be ridden on sidewalks, many states make exceptions for children. Some municipalities further restrict access. Check the codes, InterWeb opinions aren't binding...
05-23-23, 06:22 AM
#27
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It varies from place to place around town.
05-23-23, 07:14 AM
#28
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[X] Permitted in some places
Here, bicycles are allowed on sidewalks, except in the downtown area:
Here, bicycles are allowed on sidewalks, except in the downtown area:
SIDEWALKS - TO BIKE, OR NOT TO BIKE, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Continuing on our hot topic of the week, today we discuss the eternal question, "Can you bike on a sidewalk in Appleton?"
The answer is YES and NO.
YES - The City of Appleton allows bikes to be ridden on sidewalks throughout the city, except in the downtown (see below).
Wisconsin state statute 346.94 (1) allows local authorities to permit bike riding on city sidewalks. The City of Appleton allows this under Ordinance 19.183:
Sec. 19-183. Riding bicycle on sidewalk.
(a) Bicyclists exercising due care may operate their
bicycle upon the sidewalk, except on the sidewalks on
College Avenue between Drew Street and Badger Avenue
(this exception shall not apply to law enforcement officers
operating designed police bicycles).
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person operating a
bicycle on the sidewalk to attempt to pass another person
going in the same direction on the walk without giving an
audible signal as warning and until it becomes evident that
the person so warned is aware of the approach of such
person operating the bicycle. Pedestrians shall at all times
have the right-of-way upon sidewalks and, if necessary, the
person operating such bicycle shall vacate the sidewalk or
dismount and walk the bicycle to prevent an accident. Any
person operating a bicycle upon the sidewalk must have the
bicycle under control at all times.
NO - Ordinance 19.83 (a) prohibits bikes from being ridden on the sidewalks of College Avenue between Badger Avenue (west end) and Drew Street (east end). A city summons may be issued ($20 without a court date/$162.70 with a court date) at the officer's discretion.
Continuing on our hot topic of the week, today we discuss the eternal question, "Can you bike on a sidewalk in Appleton?"
The answer is YES and NO.
YES - The City of Appleton allows bikes to be ridden on sidewalks throughout the city, except in the downtown (see below).
Wisconsin state statute 346.94 (1) allows local authorities to permit bike riding on city sidewalks. The City of Appleton allows this under Ordinance 19.183:
Sec. 19-183. Riding bicycle on sidewalk.
(a) Bicyclists exercising due care may operate their
bicycle upon the sidewalk, except on the sidewalks on
College Avenue between Drew Street and Badger Avenue
(this exception shall not apply to law enforcement officers
operating designed police bicycles).
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person operating a
bicycle on the sidewalk to attempt to pass another person
going in the same direction on the walk without giving an
audible signal as warning and until it becomes evident that
the person so warned is aware of the approach of such
person operating the bicycle. Pedestrians shall at all times
have the right-of-way upon sidewalks and, if necessary, the
person operating such bicycle shall vacate the sidewalk or
dismount and walk the bicycle to prevent an accident. Any
person operating a bicycle upon the sidewalk must have the
bicycle under control at all times.
NO - Ordinance 19.83 (a) prohibits bikes from being ridden on the sidewalks of College Avenue between Badger Avenue (west end) and Drew Street (east end). A city summons may be issued ($20 without a court date/$162.70 with a court date) at the officer's discretion.
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05-23-23, 07:16 AM
#29
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During the Jeffrey Dahmer period my neighborhood had t-shirts that said "Chicago: where the weak are killed and eaten." Just this weekend someone riding on the sidewalk in a seedier part of town was beaten with a construction sign, then his own bike, pretty seriously. I hate it when bicyclists charge up the sidewalk (which is illegal here) driving pedestrians to scatter, as I saw on Sunday. Their alternative was to ride the wrong way on a one-way street or go a block farther, so they chose themselves over others. But in my neighborhood we don't beat them. Yet. Even the pacifist in me leans slightly that direction, however. And we wonder why people hate bikes. Even I hate bikes sometimes.
Last edited by mdarnton; 05-24-23 at 07:22 AM.
05-23-23, 09:39 AM
#30
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Used to be illegal. Then a 10 y.o. rode off a sidewalk from behind a security fence directly in front of an oncoming motor vehicle and got squished. The police filed a report that the fatal accident was the fault of the 10 y.o. because riding on sidewalks was illegal. The next city council meeting the mom choked out through huge sobs that how dare the police say the accident was her son's fault? The city council made riding on sidewalks legal.
Yeah, yeah, I know. If you legally ride on the sidewalk but roll right out in front of a car from behind a fence, you're still going to get squished.
Yeah, yeah, I know. If you legally ride on the sidewalk but roll right out in front of a car from behind a fence, you're still going to get squished.
05-23-23, 10:26 AM
#31
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What's the point of this thread?
Why doesn't the OP just check their own local municipal by-laws?
How does any answer here help another individual? Convince them to move to another town otherwise?
Really?
Pointless. Yes, that is my opinion.
Why doesn't the OP just check their own local municipal by-laws?
How does any answer here help another individual? Convince them to move to another town otherwise?
Really?
Pointless. Yes, that is my opinion.
05-23-23, 11:44 AM
#32
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05-23-23, 12:39 PM
#33
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In Ohio, municipalities determine the legality of bicycling on the sidewalk. It's illegal in my city (except for children's bicycles, defined as being under thirty inches at the handlebars and operating at less than five miles per hour). I've never heard of it being enforced.
05-23-23, 09:28 PM
#34
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I suspect this thread was started because OP got offended in A&S helmet thread. IIRC he posted he doesn't wear a helmet because he only rides on the sidewalk. I posted that riding on the sidewalk was illegal in "many if not most" areas. He seemed to have trouble understanding that many is not the same as all. I don't think this thread has turned out as he hoped.
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05-23-23, 09:32 PM
#35
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I suspect this thread was started because OP got offended in A&S helmet thread. IIRC he posted he doesn't wear a helmet because he only rides on the sidewalk. I posted that riding on the sidewalk was illegal in "many if not most" areas. He seemed to have trouble understanding that many is not the same as all. I don't think this thread has turned out as he hoped.
People who might wear safety gear only at certain points while doing the same activity in the same way just baffle the heck out me. I can see the I won't wear one crowd and the I will wear one crowd but I don't get the I will not wear one in certain places but might in others as if a crash in that one area is better than another? I mean your head is still your head so if you believe that device will help somewhere why wouldn't it help elsewhere?
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05-24-23, 12:29 AM
#37
Senior Member
It’s illegal everywhere here in Japan, but it’s one of those few laws which are seldom enforced. Lots of cyclists on Japan’s sidewalks are old enough to remember the days of radio, and are not the kind of people you want riding in traffic.
05-24-23, 02:06 AM
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Where I live bicycles are not allowed on the side walk but it is not really enforced. Luckily around here there are many paved/non paved trails as well as streets with bike lanes. Sadly this move to trails did not get much traction until 2014 when a local pro rider Ellen Watters was killed while on a training ride by a vehicle AFTER which the govt passed a 1m passing law named Ellen's Law.
“If I had to die for the roads to be safer for other cyclists, then I would be OK with that.”
-Ellen Watters
“If I had to die for the roads to be safer for other cyclists, then I would be OK with that.”
-Ellen Watters
05-24-23, 03:01 AM
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I don't think it's illegal here but it's pretty much frowned upon unless you are a kid travelling at walking pace.
But then it's also frowned upon to be cycling on a bike path, by the numerous pedestrians that shouldn't be there.
But then it's also frowned upon to be cycling on a bike path, by the numerous pedestrians that shouldn't be there.
05-24-23, 03:58 AM
#41
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You don't really understand how polling works, do you? What kind of sampling of local ordinances do you think you're getting here?
You would need to do a deep dive into local ordinances to answer this in the U.S. as sidewalks are usually regulated locally. If all Shelby said was "many if not most", you've lost that argument by any reasonable definition of the word " many".
Ride the way you want wearing whatever you want, no one cares. But I don't think you are going to argue everyone else into liking your choices.
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05-24-23, 05:44 AM
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Yeah, it's hard to communicate when folks don't understand the simplest of words. 
05-24-23, 05:58 AM
#43
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Shouldn't this thread be moved to A&S? Especially if it's really just a transfer of an argument from the helmet thread.
I'm not a fan of sidewalk riding because statistically it's not safer than road riding
(you can get hit at corners, crossings, and driveways), but I think people generally know better than I do whether it's appropriate where they ride . I only argue the point when they assert it's safer generally.
I'm not a fan of sidewalk riding because statistically it's not safer than road riding
(you can get hit at corners, crossings, and driveways), but I think people generally know better than I do whether it's appropriate where they ride . I only argue the point when they assert it's safer generally.
05-24-23, 07:18 AM
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05-24-23, 07:52 AM
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05-24-23, 07:55 AM
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05-24-23, 08:32 AM
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05-24-23, 11:09 AM
#49
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So, if you know it doesn't "prove" anything, why would you care whether it shows 50% or better?
What was it you claimed that Shelby was making you "prove"?
I don't mind a good backpedal, but at least be honest about it.
05-24-23, 11:28 AM
#50
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According to a quick search, it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk here (in GA) over the age of 12. Otherwise cyclists are expected to adhere to the same rights and responsibilities on public roads as motorized vehicles.
I know this is a bit of a side to the topic at hand...The aspect that I hate about not being "sure" of the legality and the lack of enforcement is that how often you see it used as a fishing tactic for police to pull someone that is otherwise doing nothing, but suspicious enough for them to 'want a reason'. I see this manner of crud on those TV police shows and it sort of burns my hiney that we call ourselves free and yet have to put up with **** like that.
I know this is a bit of a side to the topic at hand...The aspect that I hate about not being "sure" of the legality and the lack of enforcement is that how often you see it used as a fishing tactic for police to pull someone that is otherwise doing nothing, but suspicious enough for them to 'want a reason'. I see this manner of crud on those TV police shows and it sort of burns my hiney that we call ourselves free and yet have to put up with **** like that.
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