I was waiting for a chance to turn out onto the 4-lane street from a parking lot and I saw a couple of cyclists -- Mormon missionaries -- riding toward me on the sidewalk.

My reaction? "You don't have the right of way so I hope you're ready to stop," as I turned in front of them.

They weren't close enough that it could have caused a collision, or I'm suree I would have waited, and honestly I don't know if they even had to slow down. I just saw that they were zipping toward me but I had plenty of time to turn in front of them, although they MIGHT have had to slow down a bit, I'm not sure -- but I also knew that if they'd been riding in the street, I'd have waited and let them go by so there wouldn't be any question.

None of this was deliberated. My brain process was just -- you're on the sidewalk, so you're gonna have to let me go first.

I've seen them ride in the streets a lot so I'm not sure why they were on the sidewalk to begin with.

I'm not sure if this is the same thought I would have had if I weren't a cyclist. And I don't know WHY I didn't err on the part of caution and just let them go by anyway.

But for the first time I've seen it in action -- in my own brain -- why bikes should be in the street and not on the sidewalk.

Any comments? I'm not sure if I should be chastised or not! I do know that if I were doing it again, I'd probably let them go by. I was down the street before I started mulling over what had happened, and wondering whether I was a bad driver or not!