"Women who ride"... on the sidewalk...

[Geonz]

Welp, I got a good response from my comment on the blog, and from the beginning she didn't say she rode on the sidewalk; that she rode on bike paths, but just that she *felt* safer on the sidewalk... and that the whole thing was counterintuitive since it was the opposite for running. I got the feeling she was simply being honest about her qualms about what experts had told her - perhaps experts from Trek

[divingbiker]

They don't call me the spinster for nothin'!!!

When some friends and I did the Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska a couple of years ago, we called ourselves the "Bitter Barren Spinsters" and had t-shirts made with this on the front. People either loved it or they didn't get it.

[Geonz]

That is **too** funny. I'm going to use that image

[Zen]

She was my favorite. Glinda and Dorothy just irritated me.

Yeah, they irritate me too. I'm a big fan of those flying monkeys.

[redrhodie]

Those monkeys are creepy.

Last time we saw the movie, BF said "Look, she's riding an Eddy Merckx!"

Ummmm, I don't look that much like her ! Well, maybe a little

[SouthernBelle]

Ya know, that is a nice looking bike. Wish it would turn up like Peewee's did.

[la bicicleta]

What is everyones pet peeve about riding a bicycle on the sidewalk? Why is it frowned upon?

[KnottedYet]

What is everyones pet peeve about riding a bicycle on the sidewalk? Why is it frowned upon?

Because statistically it is the most dangerous place for bikes.

[Trek420]

Problem is that sidewalks don't go one forever. Sooner or later you're a bike where a ped should be.

Cyclists on the sidewalk cross driveways and parking lot entrances where drivers exiting or entering don't expect cyclists to be .... and we get hit.

Riders on sidewalks get to intersections and zwoop onto the crosswalk where drivers expect a pedestrian ....and we get hit.

Cyclists on sidewalks encounter pedestrians and decide zwoop off the sidewalk like a pedestrian jaywalking out between parked cars .... we get hit.

Attentive drivers scan the sidewalk at turns and driveways for pedestrians. I've had it happen where I'm looking for foot traffic, see someone on the sidewalk and make a turn with the conditioned reaction "they are on the sidewalk, they are going ____ speed" It's a cyclist

And equally important bikes on the sidewalk are to pedestrians what cars are to us. We should be sensitive to how difficult it can be for elderly, disabled, people with kids or strollers or dogs or cats on a leash .... it can be hard on them when bikes are on the sidewalk.

[DirtDiva]

In this part of the world it is illegal to ride on the footpath if your wheels are over a certain diameter (I think it's 16 inches..?).

[Trek420]

Well, I forgot to specify that. If you send little Robbie or Suzie down the block to play with little Florence and Lorenzo they should be on the sidewalk (and walk their bike in the crosswalk). I think we all expect that.

But I figure once you've learned to drive ....

[SouthernBelle]

Essentially a bike is a vehicle, we just happen to be the motor.

Vehicles go on the road.

[Geonz]

It's *very* loosely analogical to 'separate but equal' schools. Sidewalks aren't appropriate facilities for most reasons to ride a bicycle, yet the non-cycling culture doesn't want to be inconvenienced by our existence and thus relegates us there.

[Trek420]

Essentially a bike is a vehicle, we just happen to be the motor.

Vehicles go on the road.

Yes Who here has the footer "It's my lane, it's my lane too, It's my lane"

We can't cover everything that happens, and I don't think this is anything like segregation. First of all a lot of this we riders do to ourselves. A lot of what I see here anyway is riders riding the same way they'd drive. Each time I bike to work someone says as if in one breath "good for you! I wish I could do that. Oh those rackin' frackin' riders I see "

I say "You're not seeing me or my friends running lights riding the wrong way etc. We're the good cyclists. The reason you don't see us is your first lesson in biking to work is: think sides streets, parallel roads, off the busiest streets. It's actually faster, more relaxing and scenic, more fun. Ride where the cars aren't."

It's like a light goes off over their head "Oh, I could ride, I don't have to bike down that busy road".

If there isn't an "official" bike route or path, and sometimes even if there is I make my own by finding the best side streets etc.

Now, if I can just get people to stop putting tennis balls in their spokes. Why do they do that???? Don't they know it un-trues the wheel? Is it for visibility?? Don't they know there are lights??? They are not playing tennis, I never see these tennis ball toting riders with tennis equipment or wearing white shorts.

I just don't understand them.

[SouthernBelle]

I have never seen tennis balls in spokes!

They are flourescent?!