On Apr 15, 8:53 pm, "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherDon't ask me about the morality of it. It's all about survival. I must
ride on sidewalk like everybody else in the middle of this bike
sharing program. I don't know if it's that way in Paris or London, but
that's reality here. I figure that on average I have five near misses
with pedestrians and two with cars every single outing.
That's alarming. Unless by "near misses" you mean "passed in close
proximity" (which is not necessarily a problem if everybody involved
is situationally aware, in control, and exercising due care),
something really wrong there.
Narrow sidewalks make them mean the same. I don't want to ring the
bell every time I pass a pedestrian and any involuntary movement is a
near miss.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherToday I almost
hit a child that must have been daydreaming.
People daydream - kids especially. Anticipate it.
That's why they should be taught this world is a dangerous jungle. ;)
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherElderly people really
worry me since they can hardly afford to have a broken bone.
You really shouldn't even be thinking of the relative fragility on
impact of your potential victims. However, ederly people can warrant
some extra care since there are considerations such as alertness,
response time, agility, etc. - not to mention general respect for your
elders.
But they never say, "Hey, these cyclists deserve their own space so I
can have my own," and make noise with the local government. The other
day I reported to Target that they needed a pedestrian crossing for
people getting off the bus, and they told me that the seniors had to
make noise about it --and they haven't.
It is nice to see mutual cooperation and sharing the path, but it
blows me away how many people are loath to go single file for
anything.
We cyclists are forced to go single file on the road. It's not fair.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherSome give me a dirty look. I
wished they understood I don't want to be there.
Deference and pleasant courtesy go a long way, but some people are
going to scowl at you no matter what.
True, there's no sense of empathy.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherCars, on the other
hand, just ignore me when they go in/out of driveways as if they lived
in a bubble.
I think that's probably illegal, but as you say, the law of the jungle
prevails (or, as I say, the laws of physics trump), and ultimately you
have to watch out for yourself.
If you think about it, drivers get the ball rolling and it falls on
the weakest members, mainly the senior citizens who walk on sidewalks.
They don't want us on the road, so we take refuge on the sidewalk.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherWe are all taking gambles, and the odds are against the
weak. Is everybody willing participant?
Is there an option not to?
Oh well, make noise so they create space for us. I bet you the mother
of our elected officials doesn't walk out there.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser PhilosopherIs there a solution or are people zombies? Do we have the living dead
walking among us? That's a scary thought. But that's only my humble
opinion.
It's all out there.
Post by TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopherhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Zombies_Nightofthe...
Most pedestrains do *NOT* expect to encounter a bicycle that is moving
at any rate of speed on a sidewalk. Therefore those pedestrains are
not on the lookout for such a vehicle. As far as i am concerned a
bicycle being ridden at speed on a sidewalk with pedestrians also
using that sidewalk is even worse than the discrepency between law
abiding bicyclists sharing the same road with motor vehicles.
I agree. Sidewalks belong to pedestrians, but here in the legal
jurisdiction where I live and ride, bikes are allowed on sidewalks,
except where specifically prohibited, which is usually downtown areas
where pedestrian traffic is greatest. In most other areas there is
almost never any pedestrian traffic, and sidewalks can be a good
option for the bicyclist.
Except at every driveway and intersection. Cars are still a problem.
That is
because at leaast on the road there are rules and laws governing the
behaviour of the vehicles sharing it...
There are rules and laws governing bikes and their interaction with
pedestrians on sidewalks here.
Rule #1: "TRY NOT HIT THEM!"
... such as which traffic shall
travel in which direction and when whereas on the sidewalk there is no
rule such as having one side of the walkway for westbound traffic and
the curbside for eastbound traffic or however the sidewalk is oriented
direction wise.
Thank you. I was quite flabbergasted to find myself trying to
convince people of this fact here before.
On the sidewalk you have such a mix of people of
varying degrees of mobility and awareness.
Situational awareness, perceptive consideration, due care, deference
and courtesy.
Drivers are beasts compared to pedestrians, who are very nice
people. ;)
If a bicyclist does elect
to ride on the sidewalk I think that bicyclist should ride as close
to the curb as is practcable so that they do not strike a pedestrian
who steps out of a doorway.
Oh, absolutely. Actually, bicyclists should probably be walking their
bike anywhere there are doorways opening onto the sidewalk. That
nearer the curb thing is good courtesy, too - unless the other person
obviously wants that line. Nearer the street means you can bail off
the sidewalk, and it's where the gentleman is supposed to be to catch
any flak from the street.
There have been deaths of pedestrians who
were killed when struck by a bicyclist moving at speed on a sidewalk.
The very young and the elderly and the handicapped are most at risk.
That is so sad - and so unnecessary.
It's mystery why it keeps happening.
(I understand from Frank's "data" that there have been deaths of
people falling out of bed, too.)
Well, I have my mattress on the floor, just in case.
