Why Do People Ride Their Bikes On Sidewalks?

I am the driver in the car that is avoiding the guy on the bike on the busy BUSY streets. I can understand why they are on the sidewalks of those busy streets and I don't understand why they aren't off the busy street and on the street with the bike lane... I have also seen people running in the bike lanes and wonder how the people on the bikes feel about them - tho I also know that sometimes the sidewalks are so uneven that they aren't safe from runners to be on. Heck, the sidewalks around my house aren't even and my roomie is afraid to walk on them because of the danger for her because she can't see them. I do wish the bikers were on the streets with the bike lanes rather than the busy streets without them. Heck, I know some of those streets don't even have good sidewalks, so all things considered, Austin isn't a very friendly city for either bikers or walkers. and have I mentioned how bad the bus service here is lately?

Well, adults should drive in a bike path ,but children need to drive on a sidewalk because of safety reasons. I know that it might be an inconvenience for some people ,but the safety of small kids is a priority to me.

I think that people feel more comfortable on the sidewalk with their bikes since people tend to drive so unsafely. Since I don't ride a bike, even though I probably should and might if I had one, I can't really answer that from experience. I know that I would ride on the sidewalk, even though I believe it is the law here that after you reach a certain age you are supposed to ride in the street and follow the same laws as the cars.

Where I live we don't have any bike paths. I wish we did though. So we take our kids for their bike rides on the side walk sometimes. When they get a little older then we'll let them ride on the side of the street with us.

hi, danishcanadian, things are so different in different cultures. If people ride bikes in sidewalk in my country, that's quite right and very normal. or where should they ride their bikes? In my country, riding bikes is not mainly a sport but a way of transportation. And our roads are composed of only sidewalks and roads. Roads are for vehicles, so walking passengers and bike riders have to share a narrow sidewalk.

I often ride on the pavement as drivers tend to be totally inconsiderate and impatient when it come to cyclists which in turn leads to accidents. In the last 3 years me and three of my friends have been knocked of bicycles by cars! Not seriously injured apart from one friend who ended up in hospital with a broken foot! I live in a small town on a small estate in the UK and cycle paths are few and far apart or else id have no problem using them and when they are there i do. I can understand it being annoying for pedestrians when bikes are on pavements, i do slow right down to near a stop or sometimes even get off my bike and push past people and i do apologise to people all the time. Great Discussion thanks.

Around here, I can tell you why I do it occasionally. Sometimes I will ride on the sidewalk because the bike lane is either eroded away or there just never was one to begin with. The streets are 50mph speed limit so I can't ride fast enough to ride with the cars and I don't wish to get hit. Yes, it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk and I do risk getting a ticket, but I'd rather pay that than get hit by a car. However, if I see someone walking on there I will always yield to them, there is no need for you to move if you're walking. I'll slow down to a near stop and go around the walker. That said, most people walking don't take up the entire sidewalk or anything, I suppose if someone morbidly obese was on the sidewalk I'd have to quickly jump off and jump back on to get around them. But with the average person, it has never been a problem for me. We do have a problem with people walking in the bike lane. They think the asphalt is easier on their knees (understandable for runners, but for walkers that is absolutely ridiculous). It's not a big problem for cyclists to pass them, but the problem is the people walking usually aren't so bright and walk too far out into the street and practically walk in the lane for cars instead. I've noticed that runners in the bike lanes will generally jump up onto the sidewalk if they see you coming on a bicycle (runners usually go against traffic, while cyclists are required to go with traffic or risk getting a ticket). Walkers won't budge either way, but I don't care as long as it's possible to pass them easily. And when I'm walking I try to get over if a cyclist is on the sidewalk, just to help them out a bit.

Generally speaking because it's safer than being on the road. You only have to look at response # 3 to see a typical motorists attitude towards cyclists.

I have just the same sentiments. When I was in college and I was on the sidewalk, there was this guy riding a motorcycle and he yelled at me for not giving him way. I got so pissed that I kicked his bike and told him it was a SIDEWALK for people, specially for students like me. Really annoying! He didn 't pick a fight... yet I wasn't gonna budge if he did. LOL!

Cycling is a good health activity and a very perfect thing to use in fun time. Many cyclists riding on the sideWALK because it's a 'true and through' timing to actively and effectively perform flirting, I think or I guess!!!

I'm not sure why they do that, maybe they just saw the movie "Quicksilver" with Kevin Bacon and they want to be just as cool. I have a problem with people who ride in the middle of the road when there's a sidewalk, guess I'll just have to honk and make them crash or open a door and let them smash.

I get mad about that too and I can see. I don't own a bike and I only let my 5 year old ride on the sidewalk because he is just learning and we live on a busy street. You'll be happy to know that I'm teaching him that when he see someone walking he is to get off the bike and wait for them to pass.

i think a lot of people do this because they believe it's more safe for them. if you ride on the street where there is no "bike area" it would be extremely dangerous for the person on the bike.

I know it is frustrating when they are riding on the sidewalk and many are not respectful in sharing the sidewalk ( not all!!) but it safer than riding on hte road and taking the chance of getting hit by a car.