Is it illegal to bike against traffic on a sidewalk?



X

Xtowers

Guest
It was kind of funny. I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.

This got me a little interested in the bicycle operation laws of
Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I live. I looked through the Minnesota
statutes, which said that it is illegal to bike against traffic.
However, all those laws applied to only the road, and not specifically
sidewalks. My girlfriend was also biking in an area where it was o.k.
to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district.

So I was wondering if this is as strange to others as it is to me. I
have never heard of a cop pulling over a bicyclist for biking against
traffic while on a sidewalk. I'm thinking that this cop was having a
slow night. I don't think I'll stop biking against traffic while on a
sidewalk, and if I do get stopped I think I will bring up this issue
with the peace officer who thinks I am doing wrong. I think before I do
that, though, I'll have to make sure I'm up to code on all the other
bicycle laws that I found out I was breaking while reading the
statutes. XD

-Xtowers
 
Xtowers wrote:
> It was kind of funny. I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
> that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
> illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
> didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.
>
> This got me a little interested in the bicycle operation laws of
> Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I live. I looked through the Minnesota
> statutes, which said that it is illegal to bike against traffic.
> However, all those laws applied to only the road, and not specifically
> sidewalks. My girlfriend was also biking in an area where it was o.k.
> to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district.
>
> So I was wondering if this is as strange to others as it is to me. I
> have never heard of a cop pulling over a bicyclist for biking against
> traffic while on a sidewalk. I'm thinking that this cop was having a
> slow night. I don't think I'll stop biking against traffic while on a
> sidewalk, and if I do get stopped I think I will bring up this issue
> with the peace officer who thinks I am doing wrong. I think before I do
> that, though, I'll have to make sure I'm up to code on all the other
> bicycle laws that I found out I was breaking while reading the
> statutes. XD
>
> -Xtowers
>

Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk makes
about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong way.
Let us know, sounds like it might be harassment.
Bill Baka
 
On 3 Oct 2006 00:38:20 -0700, "Xtowers" <[email protected]> wrote:

>It was kind of funny. I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
>that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
>illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
>didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.
>
>This got me a little interested in the bicycle operation laws of
>Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I live. I looked through the Minnesota
>statutes, which said that it is illegal to bike against traffic.
>However, all those laws applied to only the road, and not specifically
>sidewalks. My girlfriend was also biking in an area where it was o.k.
>to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district.
>
>So I was wondering if this is as strange to others as it is to me. I
>have never heard of a cop pulling over a bicyclist for biking against
>traffic while on a sidewalk. I'm thinking that this cop was having a
>slow night. I don't think I'll stop biking against traffic while on a
>sidewalk, and if I do get stopped I think I will bring up this issue
>with the peace officer who thinks I am doing wrong. I think before I do
>that, though, I'll have to make sure I'm up to code on all the other
>bicycle laws that I found out I was breaking while reading the
>statutes. XD
>



In some jurisdictions, the sidewalk is considered part of the highway;
you should check if that is so where you are.

Riding on the sidewalk is dangerous to both the cyclist and
pedestrians. Riding against the flow of motorcar traffic is also
dangerous.

Your sister should have been on the roadway proper, on the other side.
 
Xtowers wrote:
> It was kind of funny. I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
> that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
> illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
> didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.

SNIP

Dear Xtowers:
Last week I saw someone who'd been riding wrong way on the sidewalk
get clouted by a Volvo station wagon while crossing a busy intersection
against the red light. Basically, your girlfriend got a ticket for
misdemeanor stupid -- the young lady I saw compounded the misdemeanor
and came quite close to earning more frequent flyer miles on
LifeFlight. Oh, she rolled away, but not before she'd been deposited on
the asphault and nearly kissed a bumper. Your local laws may vary, but
sidewalk riding the wrong way is at least as bad as sidewalk
riding.....

Robert Leone
 
Xtowers wrote:
> It was kind of funny. I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
> that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
> illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
> didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.
>
> This got me a little interested in the bicycle operation laws of
> Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I live. I looked through the Minnesota
> statutes, which said that it is illegal to bike against traffic.
> However, all those laws applied to only the road, and not specifically
> sidewalks. My girlfriend was also biking in an area where it was o.k.
> to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district.
>
> So I was wondering if this is as strange to others as it is to me. I
> have never heard of a cop pulling over a bicyclist for biking against
> traffic while on a sidewalk. I'm thinking that this cop was having a
> slow night. I don't think I'll stop biking against traffic while on a
> sidewalk, and if I do get stopped I think I will bring up this issue
> with the peace officer who thinks I am doing wrong. I think before I do
> that, though, I'll have to make sure I'm up to code on all the other
> bicycle laws that I found out I was breaking while reading the
> statutes. XD



Your girlfriend derserves every single citation she gets, even a
"reckless driving" charge would be in order. Sidewalks are for
*walking*. Duh. Streets are for vehicles. Brilliant way to get yourself
killed is to zoom through an intersection wrong way when riding on the
sidewalk.

It's not funny or "aw, man, it's no biggie", nope, it's just downright
stupid. It's about 5 notches of stupid above driving drunk.

This is of course assuming you're over 12 years old. In many
jurisdictions you may ride your "My little pony" bmx bike on the
sidewalk if you're under that age, and by the sound of things you may
be able to argue with a judge that you're 10--on an emotional level.
 
Xtowers wrote:
> It was kind of funny.


Actually, no, not particularly.

> I got a call from my girlfriend, and she told me
> that she was pulled over by a cop on her bike. The cop said that it was
> illegal to bike against traffic, which made sense to me. The thing that
> didn't make sense was that she was biking on a sidewalk, not the road.


Whether it is legal to cycle on the sidewalk varies. Cycling on the
sidewalk is always a bad idea unless the cyclist is too young to
understand basic traffic laws (and then should be restricted to walking
speeds).

What your girlfrined was doing was almost certanly not illegal, but was
certanly unwise, no almost about it.

Austin (lives and works in Metro Twin Cities)
 
landotter wrote:

> Your girlfriend derserves every single citation she gets, even a
> "reckless driving" charge would be in order. Sidewalks are for
> *walking*. Duh. Streets are for vehicles. Brilliant way to get yourself
> killed is to zoom through an intersection wrong way when riding on the
> sidewalk.
>
> It's not funny or "aw, man, it's no biggie", nope, it's just downright
> stupid. It's about 5 notches of stupid above driving drunk.
>
> This is of course assuming you're over 12 years old. In many
> jurisdictions you may ride your "My little pony" bmx bike on the
> sidewalk if you're under that age, and by the sound of things you may
> be able to argue with a judge that you're 10--on an emotional level.


Damn, give it a rest you ninnies.

Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
hazards involved.

We all ride on sidewalks occasionally. That's part of the
beauty of the bicycle, the ability to outperform in the
pedestrian as well as vehicle realms. If you never ride
sidewalks, you simply aren't riding enough.

Scratch the surface of those who give anti-sidewalk
speeches and you will find cyclists who occasionally
ride sidewalks, when it is useful to them. You see,
it's ok for them, the self-righteous safety ninnie, to
do it, but not for anyone else.

To the OP, I'm sorry you got rudely kneejerked
on this newsgroup, you aren't the first.
The cop was wrong, unless perhaps he observed
her riding in a way that was particulary dangerous, besides
her simply riding wrong way on the sidewalk, maybe
he saw her cut somebody off or just looking
particularly oblivious.

Robert
 
On 3 Oct 2006 07:36:06 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>landotter wrote:
>
>> Your girlfriend derserves every single citation she gets, even a
>> "reckless driving" charge would be in order. Sidewalks are for
>> *walking*. Duh. Streets are for vehicles. Brilliant way to get yourself
>> killed is to zoom through an intersection wrong way when riding on the
>> sidewalk.
>>
>> It's not funny or "aw, man, it's no biggie", nope, it's just downright
>> stupid. It's about 5 notches of stupid above driving drunk.
>>
>> This is of course assuming you're over 12 years old. In many
>> jurisdictions you may ride your "My little pony" bmx bike on the
>> sidewalk if you're under that age, and by the sound of things you may
>> be able to argue with a judge that you're 10--on an emotional level.

>
>Damn, give it a rest you ninnies.
>
>Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
>kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
>hazards involved.


Studies prove you wrong.

>
>We all ride on sidewalks occasionally. That's part of the
>beauty of the bicycle, the ability to outperform in the
>pedestrian as well as vehicle realms. If you never ride
>sidewalks, you simply aren't riding enough.
>
>Scratch the surface of those who give anti-sidewalk
>speeches and you will find cyclists who occasionally
>ride sidewalks, when it is useful to them. You see,
>it's ok for them, the self-righteous safety ninnie, to
>do it, but not for anyone else.
>
>To the OP, I'm sorry you got rudely kneejerked
>on this newsgroup, you aren't the first.
>The cop was wrong,


You can quote the law in the orginal poster's jurisdiction?
 
bill wrote: {snip]

> Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk makes
> about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong way.


Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front. BLAM!

Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.

HTH
 
[email protected] wrote:
:: landotter wrote:
::
::: Your girlfriend derserves every single citation she gets, even a
::: "reckless driving" charge would be in order. Sidewalks are for
::: *walking*. Duh. Streets are for vehicles. Brilliant way to get
::: yourself killed is to zoom through an intersection wrong way when
::: riding on the sidewalk.
:::
::: It's not funny or "aw, man, it's no biggie", nope, it's just
::: downright stupid. It's about 5 notches of stupid above driving
::: drunk.
:::
::: This is of course assuming you're over 12 years old. In many
::: jurisdictions you may ride your "My little pony" bmx bike on the
::: sidewalk if you're under that age, and by the sound of things you
::: may be able to argue with a judge that you're 10--on an emotional
::: level.
::
:: Damn, give it a rest you ninnies.
::
:: Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
:: kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
:: hazards involved.

I agree.

::
:: We all ride on sidewalks occasionally. That's part of the
:: beauty of the bicycle, the ability to outperform in the
:: pedestrian as well as vehicle realms. If you never ride
:: sidewalks, you simply aren't riding enough.

I've done it. I've also ridden the wrong way on a road, too. The danger is
greater and increases ones risk of getting hurt, but one can do it without
getting hurt.


::
:: Scratch the surface of those who give anti-sidewalk
:: speeches and you will find cyclists who occasionally
:: ride sidewalks, when it is useful to them. You see,
:: it's ok for them, the self-righteous safety ninnie, to
:: do it, but not for anyone else.

Well, from the standpoint of recommending proper riding habits, I say opt
for safely. Make sure people understand why it's more risky to WWR or ROSW.
Then, if they choose to do so, at least they know to be on the lookout.
Those are not times to be lost in your own thoughts.

::
:: To the OP, I'm sorry you got rudely kneejerked
:: on this newsgroup, you aren't the first.
:: The cop was wrong, unless perhaps he observed
:: her riding in a way that was particulary dangerous, besides
:: her simply riding wrong way on the sidewalk, maybe
:: he saw her cut somebody off or just looking
:: particularly oblivious.

Well, I'd guess the oblivious part first.
 
On 3 Oct 2006 07:36:06 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>landotter wrote:
>
>> Your girlfriend derserves every single citation she gets, even a
>> "reckless driving" charge would be in order. Sidewalks are for
>> *walking*. Duh. Streets are for vehicles. Brilliant way to get yourself
>> killed is to zoom through an intersection wrong way when riding on the
>> sidewalk.
>>
>> It's not funny or "aw, man, it's no biggie", nope, it's just downright
>> stupid. It's about 5 notches of stupid above driving drunk.
>>
>> This is of course assuming you're over 12 years old. In many
>> jurisdictions you may ride your "My little pony" bmx bike on the
>> sidewalk if you're under that age, and by the sound of things you may
>> be able to argue with a judge that you're 10--on an emotional level.

>
>Damn, give it a rest you ninnies.
>
>Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
>kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
>hazards involved.
>
>We all ride on sidewalks occasionally. That's part of the
>beauty of the bicycle, the ability to outperform in the
>pedestrian as well as vehicle realms. If you never ride
>sidewalks, you simply aren't riding enough.
>
>Scratch the surface of those who give anti-sidewalk
>speeches and you will find cyclists who occasionally
>ride sidewalks, when it is useful to them. You see,
>it's ok for them, the self-righteous safety ninnie, to
>do it, but not for anyone else.
>
>To the OP, I'm sorry you got rudely kneejerked
>on this newsgroup, you aren't the first.
>The cop was wrong, unless perhaps he observed
>her riding in a way that was particulary dangerous, besides
>her simply riding wrong way on the sidewalk, maybe
>he saw her cut somebody off or just looking
>particularly oblivious.
>
>Robert


Indeed. Some cities even plan for sidewalk riding both directions. (the
sidewalks are double wide). Not very clever, imo, but still they're out
there.

<www.vbgov.com/dept/parks/pdfs/dsgndev/bikeplanfacilitystandards.pdf>

(page 6)
 
On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:29:59 GMT, "Bill Sornson" <[email protected]> wrote:

>bill wrote: {snip]
>
>> Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk makes
>> about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong way.

>
>Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front. BLAM!
>
>Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.
>
>HTH


Bomb disposal tech, carrying nitro walks out of building. BLAM!

;-p
 
Set wrote:
> On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:29:59 GMT, "Bill Sornson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> bill wrote: {snip]
>>
>>> Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk
>>> makes about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong
>>> way.

>>
>> Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front. BLAM!
>>
>> Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.
>>
>> HTH

>
> Bomb disposal tech, carrying nitro walks out of building. BLAM!
>
> ;-p


Nice touch.

:-D
 
Set wrote:
> On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:29:59 GMT, "Bill Sornson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> bill wrote: {snip]
>>
>>> Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk makes
>>> about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong way.

>> Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front. BLAM!
>>
>> Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.
>>
>> HTH

>
> Bomb disposal tech, carrying nitro walks out of building. BLAM!
>
> ;-p
>

Hot chick in tight lycra pants and shirt, riding wrong way on
sidewalk.... ???
 
DougC wrote:
> Set wrote:
>> On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:29:59 GMT, "Bill Sornson" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>> bill wrote: {snip]
>>>
>>>> Bored cop? Stopping some for riding the wrong way on a sidewalk
>>>> makes about as much sense as stopping people for walking the wrong
>>>> way.
>>> Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front. BLAM!
>>>
>>> Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.
>>>
>>> HTH

>>
>> Bomb disposal tech, carrying nitro walks out of building. BLAM!
>>
>> ;-p
>>

> Hot chick in tight lycra pants and shirt, riding wrong way on
> sidewalk.... ???


And I'm riding with a water balloon? (Full of pudding?!?)

I'll grab me hat...
 
"Bill Sornson" wrote: Mother holding a baby walks out of a store-front.
BLAM!
>
> Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sorni, this is copied from the original post: "My girlfriend was also
biking in an area where it was o.k.
to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district."

Mom carrying a baby is not likely to get slammed by a bike in a residential
neighborhood. Presumably the areas where sidewalk riding is legal would be
determined mostly on the basis of safety.
 
Leo Lichtman wrote:
> "Bill Sornson" wrote: Mother holding a baby walks out of a
> store-front. BLAM!
>>
>> Guess what, it wasn't a walker that creamed her.

> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Sorni, this is copied from the original post: "My girlfriend was also
> biking in an area where it was o.k.
> to bike on the sidewalk, i.e. not a business district."
>
> Mom carrying a baby is not likely to get slammed by a bike in a
> residential neighborhood. Presumably the areas where sidewalk riding
> is legal would be determined mostly on the basis of safety.


Leo, I specifically replied only to what Bill Baka wrote, which you snipped
(or failed to re-paste).

HTH
 
Set wrote:

>
> Indeed. Some cities even plan for sidewalk riding both directions. (the
> sidewalks are double wide). Not very clever, imo, but still they're out
> there.
>
> <www.vbgov.com/dept/parks/pdfs/dsgndev/bikeplanfacilitystandards.pdf>
>
> (page 6)
>


This is exactly what my town does, a double width shared use path on
either side of a 4 lane thoroughfare. I ride in the roadway next to it
to get to work. The local cops have pulled people over for passing too
close to me.

mark
 
[email protected] wrote:
> >Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
> >kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
> >hazards involved.

>
> Studies prove you wrong.


Studies prove that sidewalk riding is dangerous for
people who recognize the special hazards involved?
I don't think so.

> >We all ride on sidewalks occasionally. That's part of the
> >beauty of the bicycle, the ability to outperform in the
> >pedestrian as well as vehicle realms. If you never ride
> >sidewalks, you simply aren't riding enough.
> >
> >Scratch the surface of those who give anti-sidewalk
> >speeches and you will find cyclists who occasionally
> >ride sidewalks, when it is useful to them. You see,
> >it's ok for them, the self-righteous safety ninnie, to
> >do it, but not for anyone else.
> >
> >To the OP, I'm sorry you got rudely kneejerked
> >on this newsgroup, you aren't the first.
> >The cop was wrong,

>
> You can quote the law in the orginal poster's jurisdiction?


Probably, if I cared to Google it. There are no
laws anywhere that I know of prohibiting riding
wrong way on the sidewalk. There are places where
it's legal to ride on the sidewalk and places where
it's not.

My guess is we're not getting the entire story.
Perhaps by sidewalk what is really meant is
bike lane.

Robert
 
On 3 Oct 2006 14:12:39 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>
>[email protected] wrote:
>> >Sidewalk riding is no more dangerous than any other
>> >kind of riding, provided the cyclist recognizes the particular
>> >hazards involved.

>>
>> Studies prove you wrong.

>
>Studies prove that sidewalk riding is dangerous for
>people who recognize the special hazards involved?
>I don't think so.


It is not only the cyclists who are at greater risk of injury when
traveling on the sidewalk.
 

Similar threads

J
Replies
10
Views
350
Road Cycling
Robert Chung
R