Stay off the sidewalk for cycling safety!

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

The question often comes up: what's the safest place for bicyclists?  Are they safer riding on the road, or on the sidewalk?  

The gut reaction that most people have to this question is that cycling in the streets is more dangerous than on the sidewalks.  And to look at the situation without the benefit of data, it sure seems to make sense, doesn't it?  Sidewalk riders don't have to deal with cars speeding past them!  Those streets sure look dangerous!  

But step back a moment, and let's look at the reasons that it is actually much safer for cyclists to ride in the road than on the sidewalk.  

First, look at the nature of sidewalks.  They're small, narrow places to ride.  They're frequently uneven due to tree roots growing underneath them, or weathering, or from cars driving over them where they cross driveways.  If you're forced to make an emergency turn, stop, or other maneuver to avoid an obstacle on a sidewalk, you have fewer places to go and are more likely to crash hard.  And those same obstacles can throw you off, especially if you're not expecting them.  It sometimes only takes a small bump to throw off the trajectory of your front wheel, and if that front wheel gets thrown off, you and your bike are going to follow it.  

Now let's add the presence of the normal denizens of the sidewalk: pedestrians.  Pedestrians move significantly more slowly than cyclists.  Even if you're travelling at a slow speed for a bicycle, that's a lot faster than most people can run (much less walk).  So pedestrians may not have time to react properly if you need to pass them.  And if you startle a pedestrian, you don't know what they're going to do.  Even if you signal that you're passing with a friendly "on the left," the pedestrian may be wearing headphones or talking on a cell phone and not hear you.  A startled pedestrian may jump off the sidewalk, or they may step to the left, thinking you're going to pass them on the right.  You don't know what they're going to do.  

And that lack of predictability is going to get someone hurt - ususally both you and the pedestrian!

On the other hand, you have a pretty good idea of what cars are going to do on the street.  The general rule of thumb that drivers learn from day one is that slower traffic belongs on the right, and if you're going faster you pass on the left.  That's the primary reason that cyclists are asked to stay to the right when riding: to keep this expected traffic pattern going.  

Let's now look at how sidewalk cyclists interact with cars, again keeping in mind that cyclists move more quickly than pedestrians.  

Motorists expect to see pedestrians on the sidewalk.  Their driving habits are attuned to the speed of a pedestrian.  So when a motorist pulls up to turn right at a green light, and the pedestrians are walking across the street in front of them, they can easily judge when it'll be safe for them and the pedestrians to turn.  

Let's throw a cyclist into this equation.  The motorist is watching for pedestrians moving at a pretty constant speed.  And as the street clears of pedestrians, they start to turn.  You, riding on the sidewalk, see that the walk signal is still lit, so you make no effort to stop, assuming that the cars will stop as you cross.  But that motorist doesn't see you!  They're focused on the pedestrians and the constant speed they have, and aren't looking back far enough to see a much faster cyclist.  Or, their view of you is blocked, by trees, bus stops, or pedestrians. 

The result?  The motorist turns right, and either broadsides you as you try to cross, or you broadside them as they're pulling in front of you.  Either way, you're going to get hurt.  

Let's look at another situation - crossing a driveway.  A motorist is trying to back out of their driveway.  They have checked behind them and waited for all pedestrians to clear out of the way, and begin to pull out.  You, the cyclist, are moving too fast for them to see in their rear view mirrors as they are pulling out, and your speed is also too great to stop quickly when the motorist suddenly pulls out in front of you  And, being on the sidewalk, you don't have anywhere to go avoid being hit!  So again, you're either broadsided or you broadside the car.  Either way, you're getting hurt.  

This situation can be even worse if someone's pulling out of a parking garage.  Frequently, motorists simply can't see around the corner as far onto a sidewalk when they're pulling out of a garage due to the garage's design.  But they can see out onto the street.  And pedestrians on the sidewalk can see the car trying to pull out, and know to stop.  But a cyclist on the sidewalk may not see the car pulling out in time and their speed may be too great to stop.  Again, you're getting hurt. 

Simply put, the hazards of riding on the sidewalk are much greater than those of riding on the street.  Sidewalks contain more unpredictable obstacles, your visibility to cars is lessened significantly, and your speed is actually a detriment to safe riding instead of a positive.  

So take to the streets.  In many places, such as Columbus, OH, it's the only place that you can ride legally, anyway!  

Next time, we'll discuss ways to avoid these problems by riding properly in the street.  

For more info: Ken Kifer's Bike Pages