Robert Gardner

These letters appear in the LA Times editorial page on Jan 10, 2004
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COMMENTARY
Bicycles Compete for Space

COMMENTARY

Re "Keep Speeding Bicycles Off the Sidewalks," letter, Jan. 2: Four years ago, I was riding on Rosecrans Avenue in Manhattan Beach and was hit by a bus (the Norwalk line) leased to another bus company from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It was a hit and run. My bike was damaged and I was banged up but, amazingly, still alive. I assume the bus driver didn't know he sideswiped me, but you never know!

Thank goodness I was as close to the curb as possible. From that moment on, I stay on the sidewalks as much as I can when I'm riding my mountain bike. I do give the pedestrians the right of way, by the way. Until the cities make the streets more bicycle-friendly with bike lanes safely separated from inattentive drivers (that'll be the day!), I'll take my chances with a possible fine.

Brian Demonbreun

Hawthorne



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Demanding that all bicyclists on sidewalks be heavily fined ignores the fact that Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 56.15 rightly permits such riding, unless done with "willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property."

Varying traffic densities, weather and lighting conditions determine whether street or sidewalk riding is safest, and I commend our city for authorizing both, as well as for supporting nonpolluting, nongas-guzzling human-powered vehicles by providing those indispensable "curb cuts." Rather than blaming cyclists for being forced to compete with either cars or people, why not work to make bike lanes commonplace so that bikers, drivers and pedestrians can all enjoy the safety assured by separate rights of way?

David M. Dismore

Los Angeles



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As a person whose primary form of transportation is a bicycle, I would gladly stay in the street where "bikes belong" if the auto-arrogant public showed any semblance of respect or courtesy. There isn't a day that goes by in which bicyclists like myself are not subjected to hostile and dangerous behavior by increasingly frustrated drivers looking to vent their traffic demons. The main consideration here should be that a car is a deadly weapon. If I am being squeezed into oblivion by a road-hogging SUV, then cruising on a safer sidewalk could mean the difference between life and death.

It's time for those in the driving public to wake up and realize that they do not have divine rights to the road. Try riding a bike on our city streets and see what real danger is.

Peter Rhodes

Burbank

The Rob

May I state once again how happy I am to be living in Portland?

I have two issues with the first cyclist's story:


Why didn't he know? Surely he informed the transportation authority of the incident, provided the time and place, and demanded an accounting? If not, why not?

It's impossible to know exactly what he meant by this statement; it can be interpreted in more than one way. Visibility is key when riding the road, so I can only hope that the cyclist could addend his statement with the words "while maintaining a steady line of travel and ensuring that my position on the road was not obscured by vehicles parked along the curb or by other obstructions".

All this aside, if my only safe option on a route was on the sidewalk, I'd find another route. Sidewalks are for pedestrians.

ngateguy

Visibility is key In Washington the pamphlet they put out on bike laws and safety even state that you are to be visible to cars at all times there is no requirement to stay as close to the curb as possible that could really be un safe.
In the Seattle area we are allowed to use sidewalks I only do in one case on the way home I use a stretch of sidewalk rarely used by pedestrians to avoid a bunch of angry drivers and a couple of lights though I have to be cautious of cars coming out of the Adobe building without looking both ways. and the occasional car that pulls so far forward they block the sidewalk and bike lane in the street (I am going against traffic so I cannot legally use the bike lane). Otherwise I stay off the sidewalks they are for pedestrians not vehicles.

marcg

Come to France. Bicycles and even motorcycles regularly use the sidewalks to avoid one-way-road restrictions or to avoid traffic jams.

bac

The problem is that most people in the States (certainly where I live) believe that bicycles don't belong on the sidewalk OR the road - they simply don't belong. I get crap for riding the road and riding on the sidewalk. However, none of it deters me from riding where I think it's the most safe.

I took a detour through a local playground only to find a "no bicycles" sign posted. It's a playground!!! Gee, I wonder why kids are fat.

DMulyava

I just generally ride where I feel that it's more safe.

Don't make fun of me.. but in the busier times of the day, I hop between the sidewalk and the road to avoid traffic, people, stoplights, etc

John E

There are a couple of tricky spots in which I resort to sidewalk cycling, but it is generally safer to ride in the street. Driveway cuts and intersections are particularly deadily for sidewalk cyclists. When a cyclist wants or needs to travel against traffic, such as to avoid a dangerous left turn (or, in my case, two consecutive left turns on multilane arterial highways), he/she definitely belongs on the sidewalk, to avoid endangering lawful vehicular cyclists. Of course, when on the sidewalk, one must respect pedestrians' real and perceived safety.

LittleBigMan

Robert knew what he was doing when he started this thread.

Where do bikes belong?

I can't be sure, but Robert Gardner remembers when bikes were ridden in the street. He also remembers when cyclists were bullied off the street.

Brian Ratliff

I had an incident where I was almost hit by a bus. I was in the bicycle lane and the bus just passed me (it was not even by me all the way) when it veered into the bike lane to make a stop at a bus stop. I was stuck inbetween the bus and the curb, so I had to stop until the bus took off again.

I think that bus drivers don't always remember how long their buses are and they forget that when they pass a cyclist, then they have to make sure they do not cut them off when the veer over to make a stop. I did not do anything on this occasion because I was only in danger of being forced to the curb, but if I were actually hit by the bus, or the bus actually forced me off the road, then I would note the time, bus number and street stop, and report that to the transit authority. This was in Portland, so I would think that something would get done, but that may be just wishful thinking.

All in all, I find sidewalk riding harder and less safe than road cycling, but that may be because I ride fast and I am used to cars passing me on the road. If a person is riding slow and is used to dodging things in their path, then a sidewalk may be the better option. For me the sidewalk is only used if I make a mistake in finding the place where I want to be and do not want to ride around the block.

For someone riding a sidewalk, remember that they are designed for pedestrian use, and if you are riding a bike on it, you should keep your speed slow and keep a sharp eye out for obstacles, pedestrians, other cyclists, cars, dogs, trees, cuts for driveways, pavement cracks, and any other thing that may crop up with a sidewalk. In other words, ride as if you are walking.

BR

Dahon.Steve

Bingo. That's what I do in many occasions. When commuting or riding long distances, I always ride on the road. There are times when I do ride on sidewalks.

Night-time - If I'm just bombing around town at 12 midnight. I'll ride on the sidewalk at about 4 mph or walking speed. It's a nice experience to ride around downtown in the middle of the night with all the store lights on and not a soul in sight. You get to look at all the windows and it's a different experience. The trick is, you have to go real slowly even at night since obstacles can be everywhere. As the previous post said, walking speed should be your top speed. If I have to commute at night for long distance, then I'll ride on the streets.

LittleBigMan

I wonder if the commentaries Robert provided are a true reflection of how most experienced cyclists feel.

Could it be the media's way of misrepresenting what cyclists really want?

pletcgm

This is why I take up 1 lane of traffic when commuting to work. The speed limit is 30 mph. I usually average around 25 mph. I always think, if I can stay within 5 mph of the speed limit, then I have the right to take up a whole lane! If I can't keep up, or I have to slow down, then I get over to the right. I feel much safer because any cars wanting to pass me will have to be in the other lane, instead of the same one that I am in!

RatherBeCycling

I've had the infamous run in with a bus too. The first time was accidental, the bus driver did the same thing to me as the one in your story did to you. He got stuck at the next traffic light and I kind of game him "the look" (like thanks for almost hitting me). I beat him to the next light, which happened to have a construction barrier right next to the bike lane where normally cars would be parked. The bus driver purposely cut over and left me with maybe an inch between the bus and the construction barrier. Had I started to go when the light turned green, I'm sure I would have ended up either hitting the wall or getting hit by the bus. I think bus drivers have a tendency to be the most inconsiderate drivers on the road. I guess it's because they spend all their time driving the same route they begin to feel that they own those roads.

nick1111

Riding on the sidewalk works for me. Seems to be where most people want to see bikes anyway.

widmn

I ride on sidewalks when there is traffic in the road. I try to stick to backroads and minimal traffic going out of my way to get to work. I avoid car traffic at all costs. Despite what many say about "owning the road" and legal rights, bikes do not belong on the road in traffic. Think about it. 2000 lb vehicle hits 200 lb biker. Doesn't matter what you think your rights are or whether the car drivers are arrogant aholes if your injured or dead does it? To many people ignore the statistics of not only clobbered bicyclists but maimed motorcyclists. Only arrogant fools ride on busy streets.

www.southernblades.com

Schiek

It's illegal to ride on the sidewalk in some business districts. For instance, in DC bicycles cannot be ridden on the sidewalk in the Central Business District, unless the sidewalk is expressly designated by order of the mayor (DC Regs Ch.12 § 1201.9).

Personally, I feel safer on the street. Drivers have some expectation of what I am doing, and I usually have a pretty good idea, or can anticipate their moves. Pedestrians are a whole different animal.

Also, drivers do not look for cyclists on sidewalks at intersections, I have seen casual cyclists almost killed trying to cross the street from the sidewalk, rather than in the flow of traffic.

It is called a sideWALK for a reason.

ngateguy

But alas we belong on the road more than we do on sidewalks. First sidewalks are designed for pedestrians not vehicles. Roads are designed for vehicles. I find riding on a sidewalk at 15+ miles an hour totally unsafe and insane. Cars do not pay attention to any sidewalk traffic when making right or left turns off the street nor when pulling out of driveways. Riding in the streets is no more unsafe than driving. I think being a polite rider is important (its better sometimes to be polite than right). The riders who ride down the middle of the street slowing traffic are not obeying the law (at least in this state) vehicles are not allowed to slow traffic if you are moving slower than the traffic you are to pull over and let traffic go by as soon as it is safe to do so. We need to SHARE the road not own it. And I may be slightly on the arrogant side (as you seem to be byu your post) but I am not a fool.

emgNH

nice post, ngateguy.

in NH at least, riding on sidewalks is governed by town ordinance; it's illegal everywhere i have lived. i have no desire to jockey for room with pedestrians, baby carriages, older people, and children while trying to both avoid being knocked off a four inch curb and maintain a 15-20 mph rate of speed.

bicycles are vehicles. they belong on the road.

this is also, by the way, my issue with segways. a wheeled vehicle moving 20 miles an hour DOES NOT belong on the sidewalk.

ChezJfrey

Using this logic, I should start riding my motorcycle on the sidewalk since it is in a different weight class than a car or truck.

Schiek

80,000 lb. fully-loaded eighteen-wheeler hits 2000 lb. vehicle. Holy cow! What are you doing driving on the road? Cars belong on sidewalks!

-The Snowman and Fred

'East bound and down, loaded up and truckin' we gonna do what they say can't be done...'

caloso

I have a road bike. I ride it on the road.

If you have a sidewalk bike, ride it on the sidewalk.

Buzzbomb

Yep, you stepped in it real good right here...

Feldman

Wheels=road, feet=sidewalk--is that simple enough for anyone? Then of course we have to figure out where those Segway things fit in!

LittleBigMan

If you were correct about it being safer to ride on sidewalks, I would agree with you. But the simple fact of the matter is that riding a bike on the sidewalk is extremely dangerous. Just because a thing feels safe, that doesn't mean it is.

We don't ride on the road because we're arrogant fools, we ride there because it's safer.

ChezJfrey

You know, I bet it's safer to just ride those bicycles they have in those "Fitness Clubs." I imagine they never tangle with traffic.

But, I suspect that I might be pedalling a LONG, LONG time before I arrive at my work entrance every morning.