You’re probably not familiar with cycling friendly cities, so I’ll cut you some slack. Bicyclists absolutely have the right to ride in street lanes, and take up the entire lane. They usually cut between cars, because it’s safer for them or quicker for everyone. Riding on the sidewalk is a terrible idea, because if you’re doing 20 miles per hour on a bike, cars may not see you when they decide to turn left. It’s also illegal in most cities.
Actually it’s the opposite. Some cities, like NYC, prohibit cycling on the sidewalk but most places, it’s perfectly legal. Either way that’s a distraction. My only point was that someone saying “it’s dangerous to ride your bike in the US” is ignorant.
It IS dangerous to ride your bike in the US, because we are so car-centric, that we don’t have good and effective infrastructure for cars, cyclists, and pedestrians in proximity to one another.
Edited to add: Here’s a simple basic proposition. With curbs each between cars / bikes / pedestrians.
Have you ever honestly ridden your bicycle to work? How many cities have you lived in? I’ve lived in seven different cities here, and only two of them are even remotely safe to bike in.
Various cities in metro Detroit area and Phoenix/Tempe I would ride my bike to work, school and anywhere else I had to go except for the grocery store until I was 25. I’ve also ridden a bike around a handful of cities I’ve visited, not Chicago or NYC though.
You’re probably not familiar with cycling friendly cities, so I’ll cut you some slack. Bicyclists absolutely have the right to ride in street lanes, and take up the entire lane. They usually cut between cars, because it’s safer for them or quicker for everyone. Riding on the sidewalk is a terrible idea, because if you’re doing 20 miles per hour on a bike, cars may not see you when they decide to turn left. It’s also illegal in most cities.
Actually it’s the opposite. Some cities, like NYC, prohibit cycling on the sidewalk but most places, it’s perfectly legal. Either way that’s a distraction. My only point was that someone saying “it’s dangerous to ride your bike in the US” is ignorant.
It IS dangerous to ride your bike in the US, because we are so car-centric, that we don’t have good and effective infrastructure for cars, cyclists, and pedestrians in proximity to one another.
Edited to add: Here’s a simple basic proposition. With curbs each between cars / bikes / pedestrians.
Riding your bike on the sidewalk has the same safety rules as walking. If you follow them, you’ll be fine.
And if the driver sucks? Why is the safety of the cyclist only the responsibility of the cyclist?
Edited to add: Here’s a simple basic proposition. With curbs each between cars / bikes / pedestrians.
Have you ever honestly ridden your bicycle to work? How many cities have you lived in? I’ve lived in seven different cities here, and only two of them are even remotely safe to bike in.
Various cities in metro Detroit area and Phoenix/Tempe I would ride my bike to work, school and anywhere else I had to go except for the grocery store until I was 25. I’ve also ridden a bike around a handful of cities I’ve visited, not Chicago or NYC though.