Is it illegal to ride my bike on the sidewalk (kcmo)?
It is were I'm from. In southern California. I've been pulled over by police once for it too, but I suspect they just used that as an excuse since they were more worried about searching me and my bike which I refused because I'm allowed to do that. It's also very dangerous on the sidewalk. I've been clipped by a car ans almost hit 2 times. Just be sure to be visible and be careful on the road. Make all the signals. I've ridden highways that have a 60mph limit. Nothing gets your heart pumping more than an 18 wheeler zooming past you at high speeds
Illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk?
Check with your local police about ordinances pertaining to bicycle use in YOUR town. There are differences but I doubt that very many absolutely forbid bicycles on sidewalks. But it wouldn't be intended for safety of the bicyclist. Such laws would be to protect pedestrians. And to k2snowboarding: Sure, YOU would prefer to hit a pedestrian than be hit by a car, but the laws are to protect the pedestrians. And typical bicycle speeds are in the neighborhood of 15-20 MPH, and (as the evidence of bicycle messengers in big cities shows) many bicyclists can't/don't judge speed and distance well.
Is it illegal to ride my bike on the sidewalk?
Generally cars aren't looking for anything on a sidewalk moving more than about 3-4 mph, there's often visual obstacles (trees, sign posts, etc) so you're likely to be invisible to cars that might turn into you. Going against the direction of traffic gives everybody a bit less time to react to anything going wrong and puts you on the side car drivers typically aren't looking in. If it's legal on a specific block, I might ride slowly (5mph, 8mph tops) for a block on the sidewalk to get to a spot where I can get onto the road properly. But be extra-aware of all driveways and side streets. I might also ride on the sidewalk for under 10 feet when coming off of the road via a driveway or curb cut in order to stop and lock up my bike. Check your local laws There is no statewide California law prohibiting operating a bicycle on a sidewalk, however California Vehicle Code Section 21206 allows local (county, city, etc) governments to regulate operation of bicycles on pedestrian facilities. In other words, there is no California-wide answer to the legality. It may be illegal in the specific area you were riding, but legal on the next block over or legal on the other side of the street. In the city I live in (in California), it's illegal in two defined "downtown" areas, but otherwise legal. In some cities it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk anywhere in the city.
As far as I can tell, the answer is no.However, the City of Pasadena (CA) would prefer you ride on the street. It seems cyclists feel safer on the sidewalks, which seem to be valid. What is also valid is that they can present safety concerns to pedestrians, particularly in congested walking areas, like Old Town.http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/...
This is from the Palo Alto Municipal Code, which the section we would cite from. 10.64.130 Riding bicycles on sidewalks.(a) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any sidewalk in a business district, any sidewalk in or on any pedestrian underpass or overpass, or any sidewalk on the Embarcadero Road Overpass across Bayshore Freeway unless such sidewalk is officially designated as a bicycle route. (b) Any person riding or operating a bicycle upon any sidewalk shall exercise due care and shall yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians. (c) No person riding or operating a bicycle upon any sidewalk where a bicycle lane or path has been established shall travel in a direction other than as posted.
Is it illegal to ride a bicycle on sidewalks in El Paso, TX?
From what I've seen of the traffic code, it seems that sidewalk cycling may be legal. It is not, however, safe. You are between 2 and 12 times more likely to be struck in an intersection while riding on the sidewalk than while riding in the road. Anyway, since when have cyclists needed bike lanes? Ride your bike in the street. It's legal and it's perfectly safe. Where did this culture of fear of the road start? It's ridiculous! A bicycle is a road vehicle and cycling is the safest form of personal transportation in the world. The idea that it's a dangerous pursuit is nonsense based purely in fear. Studies show you're in more danger in a car, yet millions of people drive and go on about cycling being dangerous.
That depends a lot on where you live. In Santa Clara, California, it is illegal (except for children under a certain age, if I recall), and it could get you a ticket of $250. In neighboring San Jose, it’s marked as forbidden on sidewalks downtown, but I’m not sure if it’s enforced much, even there.In any case, it’s not a great idea, and it’s not as safe as you may think. If anyone is on foot on the sidewalks, your riding there could endanger them. It also endangers you, because you’re behind parked cars and nobody will know to look for you.Ride on the road, going the same direction as traffic. Yes, you will have cars whizzing past from behind. They can see you, especially if you make some effort to be visible. If you would like to see them, you can get a rear-view mirror that fits on your helmet, (sun)glasses, or handlebar. You should also practice looking back over your shoulder without swerving into traffic. Use hand signals to indicate if you are pulling into or across the motor vehicle lanes.If there is a bike lane, ride in it. If there is no bike lane, ride going the same direction as traffic, as far to the right as practicable. You may even “take the lane” if you need to. Times you might want to include to avoid obstacles, debris, or hazards. You may also want to take the lane if there is not enough room for a car to pass you safely. (Inconsiderate or uneducated motorists may honk. Let them.)Ride in a straight line. Don’t duck in between parked cars; you won’t be visible. Also, keep yourself out of the “door zone,” where a driver in a parked car may open a door into your path without looking behind first.Choose quiet routes, if you can find them. You want the less-popular streets where there are fewer cars. Some cities are even starting to install off-street bicycling facilities, such as creek trails.The League of American Bicyclists and various other organizations offer instruction and support for safe bicycling. Get in touch or visit your local bike shop for advice.Finally, please trust that this does get easier and less scary with practice.One more thing: don’t forget to write to your elected officials and city staff to let them know how intimidating it is for a beginner to get around on a bicycle.
Is it illegal to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk?
you are supposed to ride your bicycle with traffic, because that is the safest direction in which to ride. if an accident happens, there isn't much you can do about it regardless of the circumstances, unless your reflexes can somehow allow you to avoid getting further into a crash. it is generally accepted for novice or recreational bicyclists to use the sidewalk. however, it isn't technically legal, and is a hassle to pedestrians. you won't be stopped or reprimanded for this, though. honestly, it really irritates me seeing cyclists on the sidewalks, but i do believe that if you're intimidated by the motor vehiclists that, at times, are unaware of the fact that the road is to be shared, you should do what you feel most comfortable with. as long as you're considerate of pedestrians, as they have the right of way on sidewalks, then there should be no problem. i strongly urge you to not ride your bicycle against traffic, as your momentum and that of a car head-on would increase the likelihood of a fatal accident. it's always safer, when using any form of vehicle, motorized or otherwise, to follow the direction of the traffic.
Can you drive a Dirt Bike on the sidewalk legally?
Yeah, you should take the advice of ILUVCR250 he has his head on but not screwed down. First CR250, Cop's are not jerks, they put their lives on the line everytime they get up in the morning and do the job most would not want to do, making sure the laws of the land are obeyed. Second if you don't like the laws, go to your State Legislature and convince them to change whatever stupid law you think should be changed. It's fools like ILUVCR250 who gives motorcycle riders a bad name thinking thier crap don't stink. He's just an immature kid looking for attention. Third, he is telling you to go ahead and break a law? What idiot would tell someone to do something like that?
This depends a lot on the amount of sight distance and traffic speed, and the amount of shoulder available. As long as speeds are low, and you can be seen, riding on a roadway should be okay even if you take the whole lane (where a car and bicycle could not share a lane). There are situations where even high vehicle speeds could be relatively safe, if you have enough room to ride on a wide roadway shoulder. However, there are situations where it would be wise to ride on the sidewalk for saftey, such as high speed bridges where visibility is poor.