Please don't ride wrong-way on the sidewalk.

On Oct 29, 7:55 am, Marz wrote:
On Oct 28, 8:39 pm, Luigi de Guzman wrote:



OK, not really a cycling post, more a driving post.

I haven't ridden my bike in ages. My commute isn't cyclable, and my
schedule sometimes doesn't jive with the Metro, so I've been driving
more. This has coincided with my seeing more and more cyclists out and
about.

That would--and does-- make me happy. I envy the guy who can ride to
work/school every day.

But please, guys, stay safe out there. I have nearly broadsided two
cyclists in the past two weeks. Same situation: I'm waiting to turn
right onto a busy multi-lane divided highway. Since it's a divided
highway, I look to the emleft/em the whole time, waiting for a break
in oncoming traffic.

Meanwhile, a cyclist, riding the wrong way on the sidewalk, enters the
intersection. I dont' see him, since he's coming the wrong way--and
since he's in the sidewalk, he's not even in my field of vision.

Thankfully, I've been able to see the cyclist coming before I ease into
the roadway. But it gives me a scare every time.

Please, guys, do NOT ride wrong-way on the sidewalk. You feel safer,
because you think you won't get clipped from behind--but in the end,
you're DRAMATICALLY increasing the chances of being broadsided, which
would be a much worse fate.

Be careful out there.

While I don't think cyclists should be on the sidewalk at all, it
still sounds like you need to be checking in both directions before
moving off.

Yes, the OP should be checking quickly to the right immediately before
proceeding, or better, back and forth frequently to maintain a
constant situational awareness. A jogger, skateboarder or rollerblader
could be coming along the sidewalk from either direction as fast a a
bike. And, for all we know, some of the "sidewalks" that he's talking
about could be recreational paths that permits bikes too, and rather a
lot of municipalities endorse cycling on sidewalks in some
circumstances, as much as that grates on my own sensibilities.

Someone who gets a scare every time they make a right turn is doing
something wrong -- possibly including their choice of route. There are
many intersections that I bike *or drive* out of my way to avoid,
owing to their bad design or poor scaling to high traffic volumes. So
go up a block or two, or 10, to where you can enter the expressway at
lights.

Chip C
Toronto

On Oct 28, 9:39*pm, Luigi de Guzman wrote:

Please, guys, do NOT ride wrong-way on the sidewalk. *You feel safer,
because you think you won't get clipped from behind--but in the end,
you're DRAMATICALLY increasing the chances of being broadsided, which
would be a much worse fate.

Be careful out there.


DON'T RIDE ON SIDEWALKS AT ALL.


Yesterday some numbnuts was riding on the opposite side of the road
and I nearly didn't see him with my car.
Luckily for him I ride a bike too so I was on the look out.

That guy will get hit eventually and it WILL be his own fault....

On Oct 28, 9:09*pm, "Dre" wrote:

So how is this different to a pedestrian walking the opposite way to the
traffic flow on the footpath??

Average walking speed is in the neighborhood of 3 to 4 miles per hour
so a pedestrian will travel roughly 5.5 ft in one second. Even at a
measly 12 mph a cyclist will cover roughly 17.5 feet in that same
second. Even if he scans back and forth almost constantly, a cyclist
moping along at 12 mph can easily travel 35 feet and "sneak up" on
Luigi as he looks left.


Dont you look both ways just before you start to take off?


He obviously does because he's avoided striking the wrong way riders.

Just because the traffic doesn't flow in that direction doesn't mean that
you dont need to look there. *You enter the intersection if it is safe to do
so, and that means both ways IMO.

The fact that it gives you a scare every time should tell you something....


It tells me he's human and capable of being startled.

Regards,
Bob Hunt