Cyclists on Sidewalks

[pooks]

It's also the law here that you have to stop before leaving a parking lot. I had stopped and then went on.

[Grog]

I'm pretty sure it's the law everywhere...

[Geonz]

Ya, you were being assertive and righteous ... and honestly, it might make them think. It's prob'ly similar to when a car decides to get out into the road in front of me and it seems they're assuming I'm going a lot slower than I am... once we're going the same direction I will accelerate so that I'm close to them and maybe they'll think I was even closer.
Yesterday the reverse happened... it wasn't clear whether a backing-out car had seen me or not and there was a car right in front of me... I'm thinking"yea, is he waiting for that car and going to back right into me?" ... and the driver put the car out of reverse so the back up lights went out, jes' fer me (I've done it myself...)

[Meaux]

I know in TX bikes are considered vehicles like cars, but we're not allowed on the freeway (obviously). However, most drivers don't realize that. They just plow through like we shouldn't be allowed on the road. And I've seen a lot of cyclists that ride like fools as well. I think that most drivers don't know what to do with cyclists on the road and act accordingly.

[aicabsolut]

There are some spots around here where the multiuse trails are on sidewalks by busy roads. Bikes have to yield to pedestrians, but everyone on the sidewalk has a right of way over the driveway crossings (and pedestrian crossings at intersections on green). That still didn't stop a taxi from nearly slamming into my side as it raced into a hotel parking lot. I was very visible. I did an emergency stop and in the process of jumping off the bike got bitten by the cranks or something. Then when Mr. Taxi (who finally stopped) let me go ahead, I didn't move my bleeding self along fast enough, so he started shaking his fist at me. Did I mention I was test-riding a Madone that I couldn't afford? Super.

I'm pretty sure this great driver would have treated me the same way had I been on the road. He would've just been closer to hitting me, or he would've turned in front of me, making me run into him.

Pulling in or out of a driveway, I'd treat everyone on the sidewalk as having the rights of pedestrians. I'm pretty sure that's the law in most places. I don't think it matters whether the law says the bikes are supposed to be on the road or sidewalk in that particular area.

[lph]

Yep, my "favourite" taxi story goes somewhat like that: I came along the bike path/sidewalk parallell with a busy road: ok, there's a bus stopped to the left of me - check, all passengers clear, there's a gas station to the right of me and I'm about to cross the exit - check, no-one pulling out.

And BAM - a taxi appears right in front of me. Idiot driver had passed the bus and pulled blindly into the gas station without even slowing down. I slammed on the brakes and skidded sideways into the car, hopefully causing a sizeable dent. And then I pulled open the door and put a sizeable "dent" in her hearing...

Oh, and in Norway pulling in or out of a driveway you have to yield to anything with a pulse.

[Duck on Wheels]

I don't know what the rules are in Texas, but here cyclists are allowed on the sidewalk if that's where they feel safest.
* On the sidewalk, cyclists must yield to pedestrians.
* Cyclists leaving the sidewalk yield to everybody in the street, unless they dismount and walk across at a crosswalk. This is one reason why it's sometimes smarter to stay in the road and claim the lane.
* And the answer to your question: Any car crossing the sidewalk either coming to or going from the road yields to anybody on the sidewalk including cyclists.
So according to Norwegian rules, you acted on a wrong assumption, but since the cyclists weren't endangered or hampered at all you did not act illegally.

[Aseradyn]

In my part of Houston, 99% of bicycles are on the sidewalks (including mine!) There are several reasons for that: 1) the roads are fast (the slowest roads are about 35-40mph); 2) there are no shoulders, anywhere; and 3) there are relatively few pedestrians on most sidewalks (but the streets are very full of cars).

The result is that most of us ride on the sidewalks, unless it's a stretch of road without sidewalk (which also happens a lot), so that's where cars really expect us to be. Most cars that are turned across the sidewalk, waiting to enter the street traffic, will back up back into the parking lot to let bicycles pass.

I've heard people on every bike forum say things like, "Sidewalks are always more dangerous than streets" and I, quite frankly, disagree. That might be true in a downtown area, but it's not in my neighborhood. You won't get anywhere fast on a bike around here, but you're much less likely to get run over if you stick to the sidewalks and keep a good watch out.

The only bikes you see in the streets are either racing cyclists (rare around here - the type who travel in packs with matching jerseys and helmets) and utility bikes trying to get somewhere without sidewalk access (and being screamed at by passing cars).

[Geonz]

There is no One Big Rule for what's safest. Sounds like there *is* no really safe option for reasonably fast riding where you are.

An important part of "what's safe" is "what do people expect." When I lived in Columbia SC I spent a fair amount of time on sidewalks for the same reasons. Bridges were the worst!

[Bluetree]

I live in a high density area and don't consider sidewalks very safe. Mainly because the many apartment/condo complexes have underground parking lots. When cars come out of the subterranean lots, not only are they completely blind on both sides, but the driveways' steep incline flattens out at the sidewalk. Since drivers don't like to stop on an incline, they come roaring out and 'hang' on the apex before looking around - in the case, right in the middle of the sidewalk. I know a few complexes have bubble mirrors, but 90% of them don't. It's an accident just waiting to happen.