Should city prohibit bicycling on all sidewalks?
When at work, I park along Parker Place, between the Gazette and St. Mary's Catholic Church. When heading home, I always look carefully before inching my vehicle into the crosswalk on the north side of Milwaukee Street.
That's because one time a bicyclist came racing down that sidewalk and was so obscured by the AT&T building, which sits right up against the sidewalk on the northeast corner of that intersection, that I couldn't see him coming until he entered the crosswalk. I almost nailed him.
Janesville's Virginia M. Burdick wrote a letter we printed Tuesday that expressed concern about bicyclists racing down the sidewalk along South Crosby Avenue, risking life and limb as motorists turn into the Meadow View Mobile Home Park where Crosby intersects Johnson Street. She told me it occurs frequently, particularly with kids and adults on bikes coming from Rockport Park pool.
City ordinance allows bicycling on sidewalks in that spot, but not everywhere. In fact, that guy I almost smacked on the sidewalk next to Milwaukee Street was violating the ordinance; not that it would have made me feel any better had I hit him.
Chad Sullivan, police specialist with the Janesville Police Department, responded to my query on this subject by email:
"Bikes are prohibited on sidewalks in certain areas of Janesville. Generally, if a biker is using the sidewalk, they have to give right of way to pedestrians. Does this happen all the time? No. Just like drivers of vehicles on the road, pedestrians have to watch out themselves for these fast, reckless bikers and react.
"When bikers are riding on the roads, they have to follow all the same traffic laws as cars-i.e. stop at stop signs, stoplights, stay on the right side of the road, light on bike on when dark, etc."
My letter writer has a good concern, Sullivan said, "but it is impossible for police to monitor this activity all over the city."
Janesville's ordinance reads, in part: "Bicyclists exercising due care may drive and operate their bicycles upon the sidewalk, except sidewalks in the central business districts, in outlying business districts, pedestrian paths, within one block of school grounds, or public playgrounds, when such riding shall jeopardize the safety of pedestrians thereon."
Another section says someone riding on a sidewalk must have that bike under control at all times. It says a bike rider must warn someone heading in the same direction before passing, and that a pedestrian has the right of way and that the bike rider might have to dismount, if necessary, to avoid a collision.
As Shelly Birkelo's story in Saturday's Gazette detailed, not all drivers are courteous to bicyclists riding on rural roads-and that can risk life and limb for bicyclists. As Sullivan pointed out, however, bicyclists must obey all traffic laws. If they did so more consistently, drivers might respect them and share the roads with them more willingly.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook
Jul 8, 2011 at 10:56 a.m.
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li713, well put. Why the city thought to put bike lanes on Milwaukee street, or any main thouroughfare is beyond common sense. They are trying to use bicyclists and pedestrians to slow traffic. One question I have is, why can't bicyclists at the Milwaukee Street crossing press the light so people are alerted to them crossing? A good number of them just sit there and expect you to stop, but without notifying the drivers on the road by pressing the light, it leaves the drivers to guess whether they are going to cross, or if they are just resting, or waiting for traffic to clear. I guess what I'm saying to the bicyclist is PUSH THE BUTTON FOR THE LIGHT!
Jul 8, 2011 at 9:47 a.m.
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I saw a bike just yesterday on the "path"bike trail. He had a stop sign at Rugar. 4 way stop there. Wright rd. FLEW threw the stop light. I looked and there way a tiny stop sigh for the bike path. If the person in the road missed the stop sign as well he would have been toast. Or if the driver went because it was his turn he could have been toast.
FOLLOW THE RULES BIKERS. Yuo share the road FOLLOW THE rules!
Greg I have to ask what the difference is if he was on the road or the sidewalk? If on the road it would be hard to see him as well. Just need to watch out for ALL idiots this time of year!
Jul 8, 2011 at 8:52 a.m.
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The city should absolutely not ban bicycles on all sidewalks. They should also not prohibit them on sidewalks on any road where the speed limit is higher than 25. Children should always be allowed to ride on sidewalks. They do not have the decision making skills that adults do and should not be allowed in traffic. The reality is a kid might hit a pedestrian on a sidewalk and someone might get hurt, but if a kid hits a car or a car hits a kid someone is getting killed. You couldn't pay me to ride my bike down Milwaukee Street (in the road) with cars whizzing by at 30-40 mph on one side and parked cars opening doors and pulling in and out of spots on the other. It is much less likely that a pedestrian or bicyclist would be injured sharing a sidewalk, than a cyclist sharing the road with vehicles. Most drivers can barely be bothered to look out for other cars, let alone much smaller bikes or people. Bicyclists also need to exercise caution and maintain a reasonable speed when riding on sidewalks. Obviously if everyone could just follow the rules, it wouldn't be a problem, but that isn't the case so I think the city needs to take the stance of allowing what is going to lead to the least possibility for fatal injuries.
Jul 8, 2011 at 8:49 a.m.
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I'll take the road. Cars can have the sidewalks.
Jul 8, 2011 at 3:56 a.m.
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For every one who says "ban them and put them on the street" there's sure to be a selfish driver who says "keep them off the street". The laws of the road require drivers to treat bicycles in the road as any other vehicles. But the bicyclists are also required to obey the laws as though they were in cars. I like the ideas of bicycle lanes and bicycle paths/trails. But these are not possible to install everywhere. Sometimes people just need to invoke the lost art of using common sense and mutual respect. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists (and their parents) alike.
Jul 8, 2011 at 2:33 a.m.
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"I suppose we could ban bicycles from sidewalks. But since the bicycle riders cited in the piece above ignored ordinances anyway, it would just be another to ignore."
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BINGO!
That's what these clueless idiots who demand all these POINTLESS ordinances do not realize.
I have admittedly broke countless laws while on a bicycle. Not that I go around head hunting, or trying to endanger anyone, I simply don't really care about any frivolous ordinances..I know that I will never be caught. In my many years of bicycling I HAVE been ATTEMPTED to be stopped by a police officer, which was utterly laughable to me. Because unless they start opening fire on me, they sure as hell will never catch me on a bicycle. I have yet to be chased by one of those JPD bike cops (haha). With a JPD that is so incompetent that they can't even take my finger prints (for a horse racing license) I'm not to worried about them ever nailing me on my bicycle for any bike ordnance violation.
Jul 7, 2011 at 11:23 p.m.
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.... I rarely ride my bike, but I know from riding a motorcycle that is dangerous with all the careless people out there....id never want to be on the road on a bicycle... thats suicide.
Jul 7, 2011 at 9:42 p.m.
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what next? no walking on the bike trail? This city keeps getting dumber.
Jul 7, 2011 at 9:06 p.m.
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redder: I couldn't agree with you more.
Jul 7, 2011 at 7 p.m.
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Crunch-munch: When I was a kid also it was against the law to ride a bike on the sidewalk, and at that time most of the residential areas of Janesville Had sidewalks. There used to be a Bicycle Court and you had to have a license on a bike and when you applied for your license you had to pass a little test regarding the rules and the law. We had a police officer at the schools teaching bike safety. What ever happened to all of those nice rules. It was a good starting point for kids to learn traffic laws. Times have changed. But many of the proposed changes seem to be reverting back to the way it used to be. I think the license cost was about fifty cents. I had to save up for it.
Jul 7, 2011 at 4:26 p.m.
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AGAIN, SURE LETS PUT MY LITTLE KIDS IN THE STREET TO RUN OVER THEM BY THE PEOPLE WHO SPEED DOWN N WUTHERING HILLS DR AND THE POLICE IGNORE....GREAT IDEA...ARE PEOPLE FREAKING NUTS...thats what they are for kids to ride bikes play, be kids and be safe, as well as others to travel on safely, bikers need to lend right of way to pedestrians but are equally allowed to travel safely, and not on streets without bike lanes...i would rather kids be on sidewalks than being hit by cars
Jul 7, 2011 at 3:33 p.m.
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Education of the laes is the key here. most dont know that it is not legal to ride on the sidewalk because its not taught to you most any where. By making a law saying its illegal to ride on the sidewalk you must also be very careful as to how its worded and then implemented. Do you reall ywant a 4 or 5 year old out on the street with their bikes. I say no. The saftey of all involved should be considered. Adults should have to be on the street but there are time me as a cycilst feel as if the sidewalk is the safest place. Usually on Milwaukee street with cars doing well over the posted speed limit. So imagine what the kids who ride to Marshal would feel like. They dont belong on that road but for most its the fastest way to school. Go ahead and bash those of us that ride all you want Just remeber it is the 1% that usually dont follow the rules in any segment of the poulation just like it is the 1% of you that get on here and attack others personally. So really no diffrence except just a diffrent time and place. In conclusion if the city were to make a law about riding on the sidewalk it must take saftey of all involved. Aloso there needs to be education of the law.
Jul 7, 2011 at 3:30 p.m.
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Only if you have no other place to put it.
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/go...
Jul 7, 2011 at 3:04 p.m.
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I suppose we could ban bicycles from sidewalks. But since the bicycle riders cited in the piece above ignored ordinances anyway, it would just be another to ignore. It would be nice if we could pass an ordinance that says "everyone will respect the law". If that worked, we could cut the police force in half. Unfortunately, lack of respect for the law and our fellow humans is the root of the problem. Only vigorous enforcement and surety of consequence will solve that. Our courts, our D.A. and our police force either lack the resources or the will to do what needs to be done. So watch your back, literally, when walking the sidewalks of Janesville.
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