Cycling on pavements

Micky

Can cycles with wheels smaller than 20" be legally ridden on pavements, or is that an urban myth?

Thanks

M

Brunswick_kate

In which jurisdiction? I assume by the use of the word "pavement", it may be the UK??

Certainly not in any Canadian jurisdiction that I know of or any American one.

Besides, it's just plain dangerous for both cyclist and pedestrian. Why would anyone wish to cycle on the sidewalk or pavement?

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Micky

Hello Kate

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am in the UK, I should have thought for a moment before posting!

Young (and some not so young) cyclists in the UK use the pavement/sidewalk, usually to avoid manic car drivers.

M

Brunswick_kate

I can't comment directly as I've never visited your lovely island nation although I hope to some day. I've read a lot on uk.cycling.rec and I understand that drivers are a whole lot more discourteous in your neck of the woods than they are here. Or maybe just worse drivers overall.

However, in my limited and certainly not international experience, sidewalk/pavement riding is a fool's errand. It poses considerable danger to both the cyclist and pedestrian. Primary problem being pedestrians who are unpredictable in their speed and direction of movements. Sidewalks around here are littered with all manner of obstacles, such as litter bins, mail boxes, pay phone boxes, flower pots, light poles, parking meters, fire hydrants, sidewalk cafes in front of restaurants and loitering beggars sitting in front of banks bumming change. Add to this mix that over here a lot of shop doors open out onto the sidewalk and that exiting shoppers aren't looking for a cyclist on the street,....well, just asking for trouble. I nearly clocked 5 sidewalk riders the other day coming out of my bank and no, I don't intentionally gun at other cyclists, even if they are being twits.

We've got more than our fair share of sidewalk riders around here. I'm sure they have what they consider good excuses for the behaviour. I know it's horribly arrogant of me to think thus but when I see these sidewalk riders, I always think "Nice bike; too bad you don't know how to ride it." But again, that's sheer arrogance on my part and I'll admit it.

I think a reasonable exception can be made for very young children who don't have the mental capacity to understand and judge traffic and who are very short on their bikes and may not be seen by motorists driving high vehicles such as SUVs. Speed is usually not an issue with these bikers in training.

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Chris_L

Just about every statistic I've ever seen quoted from any part of the world indicates that you're more likely to be hit by a driver on the sidewalk/footpath than on the road. The issue mainly occurs at intersections, driveways and so on because you're in a place where drivers just don't look.

It might be safer for children under 12 who don't have the judgement to ride on the road safely, and aren't going all that fast that they can't stop at every driveway along the route. However, for an adult riding at 30km/h, the road is a much safer route.

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tanyaq

In Toronto, it is illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk EXCEPT if the tire size is 61 cm/24 in or less. (by city bylaw) The intent of this bylaw is to allow young children to use the sidewalk to learn how to ride. Since children don't usually carry ID, an age based bylaw would be hard to enforce. However this does allow people with say folding bicycles to legally ride on the sidewalk by the letter of the bylaw (but not the spirit). There is also a fine for riding a bicycle on a sidewalk without due care and attention and reasonable consideration for others.

Brunswick_kate

I stand corrected. I now know of one jurisdiction...thank you for the information.

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franklen

Though this has nothing to do with tire size: To my understanding in Pennsylvania it is illegal to ride on the sidewalks through business districts, but there are no restrictions to riding on the sidewalks in residential or other zoned areas.

I never see anyone regard this rule per say, never seen anyone ticketed or stopped. Even see people who ride the road elsewhere, jump onto the sidewalk at business districts because there are usually lots of cars parked and pulling in and out along the roadway due to shoppers and business. So I think they percieve it as safer because they dont have to deal with being squeezed or surprised, they only have to watch out for the pedestrians.

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Chris_L

Not necessarily true. I see cars driving along the footpath/sidewalk frequently around here - and you still have to be aware of cars pulling out of driveways or parking lots. In traffic situations where the lane is not wide enough to share with a car, I simply claim the whole thing.

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franklen

""" I see cars driving along the footpath/sidewalk frequently around here -"""

Fortunately this is not something we have to deal with in Pennsylvania. Cars do not routinely drive on those areas, maybe you'll see it once in a blue moon when a moving or utility truck is getting position, or something similar. But that situation is just not a concern here. The driveways and parking lots surely are. But for slower travellers it is a better alternative in some cases.


"""In traffic situations where the lane is not wide enough to share with a car, I simply claim the whole thing.""""

This brings up the issue of delaying traffic though. Where I live there is a long stretch maybe 1 -2 miles, that is mostly a gradual uphill, all within the business district. Now for you, or even me, we might be able to keep up a fast enough pace to not delay the vehicles too unecessarily. But what do you say to an older citizen, or someone not as physically fit? If they were to take up the whole lane and pace along at only 3 -4 mph, they would be unecessarily holding up traffic in my opinion. And they would undoubdtedly take flack from the vehicles behind with honking and attempts to squeeze past, or pass quickly when a small gap opens in the other direction (this is reckless on thier part, but happens all the time).

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kwv

It is dangerous and encourages cyclists to break the law as proven by the large number of cyclists that ride straight off the footpath (sidwalk or pavement) onto the crossing.

But Queensland Transport (http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/...ex/cyc_home_qld) and Brisbane Council (www.brisbane.qld.gov.au) both in Australia thinks okay anyway to allow cyclists to ride on the footpath.

kwv

Chris_L

Lane claiming is something that requires judgement. Note that I only said if the lane is not wide enough to share. That happens surprisingly rarely. In those situations, simply moving to the edge of the lane won't provide enough space to overtake safely anyway, so one might as well make it clear that this is the case. If people attempt to squeeze past anyway, I simply move further across to make it clear that this move is simply not on in that location. Of course, having positioned myself in the middle of the lane, I have also given myself the space to back off if need be. This is something I simply would not have riding in the gutter.
Being squeezed is surprisingly easy to avoid.

As far as being honked goes, I get that everyday regardless of the situation. I even get abuse for stopping at red lights. As I suspect do most other cyclists around here. It's very easy to get totally desensitised to something like that.

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franklen

I totally understand what you mean in regards to not getting squeezed and claiming the whole lane. But it does seem to me that there are many, many times when the lane is not wide enough to share particularly in business districts when there are vehicles parked along the side of the road, leaving only a travel lane. And I'd prefer to not see people weaving in and out between parked cars. So rather than taking up the lane when it would delay traffic, I wouldn't feel bad about seeing people on the sidewalk in these cases. It just shouldn't feel like a race or a sprint when you are riding, and it often does unless you are holding up traffic, or unless you are able to keep an experienced or physically fit pace. Like you said, its a judgement call, though I often wish it wasn't subjective at all, unfortunately the facilities don't exist for that.

Becoming desensitized is easy enough, just try living on the main street of any town with the traffic roaring by at all times, soon enough you can sleep trhough anything. But lets not give people the impression that they need to ignore or not consider the actions of these people. We are after all trying to share an environment, not exist apart from it. Its time for advocacy for sure in these cases.