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I live in new york can some really tell me who came up with the law that riding your bike on the sidewalk was illegal. And why is it such a big deal?

I live in new york can some really tell me who came up with the law that riding your bike on the sidewalk was illegal. And why is it such a big deal?

The same people who make all of the laws in NY.

They call it a side walk for a reason. It is there for people to walk.

In NC, bicycles are considered a "vehicle" therefore it does not belong on a sidewalk.

May be the same in NY.

<calliing NY Officer to define bicycle w/ NY Statutes>

I live in new york can some really tell me who came up with the law that riding your bike on the sidewalk was illegal. And why is it such a big deal?


I have no idea...but I totally disagree with it being LEGAL to ride one on a road where 2,000+ lb. automobiles drive. Just my two.

Guess your legal viewpoint contradicts laws from almost every state.

Go walking down the sidewalk....do you want me pedaling my street bike at 35 mph coming at you and your family when there is room on the street??

Ever heard of bike lanes??

You look at busy cities like NY and you'll see bikes are used quite often to squeeze through traffic and make deliveries. They have their use and place on the road. All we need is for the drivers of autos to respect them.

Your absolutely right, but I didn't say I cared. And trust me, I am not an idiot...I know cities like New York are like and I see the advantages. But for areas where I am at...a drunk on a friggen bike in the road is the last thing I need. It is a lot easier to move and stop on two feet than it is four wheels. Will most often do less damage as well.

And maybe where you are at bicyclist (sp) respect and follow the traffic laws...but not always here. So as a driver...I should get the same respect back. Oddly enough I don't usually and I don't owe them anything. I didn't know I couldn't express an opinion here. I will have to remember that.

Did you just add the drunk part to this.....I missed it before.

If they are drunk on their feet in the road or on a bike, they are trouble. That is why there are laws about being intoxicated in the roadway.

We have quite a few drunk pedestrians killed here each year. 95% of the time the pedestrian is at fault and noone gets charged.

Bikes shouldn't be on the road anywhere. I'd rather get hit by a bike walkign down the sidewalk then get hit on a bike while going down the road. I never heard of a bike killing someone by hitting them but I hear all the time of people getting killed when they got hit by a car in the road.

I see no problem with bikers on sidewalks as long as they are traveling at reasonable speeds. I bike, I try to avoid the roads, michiganders don't seem to handle bikers on the road too well.

That is exactly the point. Where i live there are no bike lanes. So why have bicyclist's ride in the street. They are just putting them in harms way. I have seen and heard a number of people get hit by cars while riding in the street, and all of that can be avoided if they veto that stupid law.

I see no problem with bikers on sidewalks as long as they are traveling at reasonable speeds. I bike, I try to avoid the roads, michiganders don't seem to handle bikers on the road too well.


So true so true

ESU...you wold be surprsed how many accidenst I go to in a month that involve a bicycle on a sidewalk. They are always messy with injuries. NY is not your average town. Most bikers are aggressive food delivery personnel or messengers services. Either way, they are under the idea faster is better. With the crowded sidewalks, especially in mid-town...it is impossible to navigate a bike on them. Sidewalks here are 20' wide and have peole flowing each direction on them. And the city can't make a law for mid-town only...so the whole city gets a law. There are plenty of bike lanes for their use and if not, they are to take the right lane and travel following the motor vehicle laws. It is just impossible to ride a bike on a sidewalk in NY. Anyone who has been here and seen the number of pedestrians would see how hard it is.

The law seems a bit more fitting for NYC though, no reason for it in MI. Bike lanes? Never seen one here before (-:

Bikes riding properly in th traffic lanes are not a danger to anyone... As long as they respect road signs... signal their turn and do everything as they are suppose to do.... Being drunk on a bike is a fine where I live.
As I said in previous thread.... we hit harder on bike this year(using common sens) and we improved bike safety quite a bit....
Biking on public street when done properly is no danger at all!!!!

I was riding on the left side sidewalk to avoid being hit by high-speed traffic and was hit by a truck exiting a driveway. The ironic thing is that I work for a police agency; the traffic I was concerned about was police vehicles (code 3 speeds w/ no lights or sirens); the driver was a corrections officer. I had lights (flashing tail and bright headlight) and had stopped for the truck. I thought the driver saw me so I waived thanks and proceeded. Bad mistake! I just wish there were good bike-paths where I need to ride.

I was riding on the left side sidewalk to avoid being hit by high-speed traffic and was hit by a truck exiting a driveway. The ironic thing is that I work for a police agency; the traffic I was concerned about was police vehicles (code 3 speeds w/ no lights or sirens); the driver was a corrections officer. I had lights (flashing tail and bright headlight) and had stopped for the truck. I thought the driver saw me so I waived thanks and proceeded. Bad mistake! I just wish there were good bike-paths where I need to ride.

Hi, welcome to Real Police,

Are you serious? This thread is over FOUR years old! :eek:

Please don't revive super old threads.

Again, Welcome.