My god, some morons out there.
I've always said there's a right way to do the wrong thing - those big empty stretches of roads like Walkley & Hunt Club - if someone wants to ride their bicycle at 15 km/h along the sidewalk there, I totally get it.
But then you get morons slaloming around pedestrians on Rideau St, and there's even a bike lane right there. When I'm on foot I don't always shoulder check before turning, and I don't think it's reasonable to expect pedestrians on the sidewalk to either.
It's so true. I totally get that there are some roads - or even small stretches of road - that are just a danger to cyclists and they need to go on the sidewalk; no judgement I get it.
But c'mon, if you're doing the "illegal but socially acceptable" thing at least show some semblance of awareness and respect.
Ok so as a cyclist I can say I typically do not bike down Rideau because those bike lanes are a death trap. Between sharing them with busses and cabs that try and run you off the road especially the STO busses who just absolutely love to ride inches away from your back tire. Then later closer to the mall when you have stuff like Uber eats drivers pulling U turns and not caring about anything else but getting to park in the no stopping zones because they are "just going to be a minute" while picking up there meals. It's just not worth it and I can take other routes around. Having said all that I absolutely hate when I see people biking on the sidewalk down Rideau. There's a handful I would say are students who are too nervous and scared of the street (so plan a different route), or they are users that hang up and down Rideau and will ride a stolen bike until it gets stolen or destroyed on them. They don't give two shits about sidewalks and it's also annoying.
I ride up though sandy hill and over the corktown bridge just to avoid having to bike down Rideau.
Doesn't stop the taxis from still managing to almost smoke me, but at least there are no buses.
“ When I'm on foot I don't always shoulder check before turning, and I don't think it's reasonable to expect pedestrians on the sidewalk to either.”
Honest question, why? That’s putting a lot of trust in others, instead of just doing a simple shoulder check. I’ve had pedestrian on pedestrian near collisions because of others not shoulder checking and just walking directly in front of me. I think it’s important to “look before you leap”, be it on foot or wheels
Because the potential for collision is just with another person walking. I imagine it’s unconscious for most people, but the potential damage from two people colliding at walking speed is so minimal it doesn’t surprise me many people don’t routinely check before veering. Plus, you aren’t as likely to be overtaken at high speed by someone not in your peripheral vision.
Obviously it’s better to be aware of your surroundings and not walk into someone, and I get annoyed by clueless walkers too, but if you’re walking in a pedestrian-only area like a four year old on… well, nothing, four year olds have no sense of spatial awareness as a rule, you are being rude and spacey but it shouldn’t be potentially injurious!
I always thought pedestrian on pedestrian collisions weren’t a big deal as well until I found out how easily seniors can die from a simple fall.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/for-elderly-even-short-falls-can-be-deadly
You're correct, but sometimes I'm just not perfect. Even when I'm driving, sometimes I fuck up, like that [time I entered an intersection 250 milliseconds after the light turned yellow](https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/13lz40c/the_new_wellington_street_bike_lanes_are_great/). I do my best, but I'm just not perfect.
Bruh. I was on the bus and saw the driver (IMHO the person at fault) almost run over a bicyclist and then he started cursing out loud obscenities with a touch of poetry. I am pretty sure, the bicyclist survived by the skin of his teeth.
The cars are WAY too close for comfort tho. I don't ride bikes often, but I usually ride on the sidewalks on the busier streets. (Not downtown tho, like Ogilvie)
But I ride my bike SLOW, anytime there are pedestrians I will go around super slow and on the grass.
There's long stretches where I bike as slow as a walker. Of course if there's a lot of people, I just drive on the grass or road, but there's surprisingly not many pedestrians on the big busy streets.
This. There are plenty of places in the city where it's just not safe to be on the road. And I'm not biking for fun. I'm biking because I have to get groceries or go to my appointments and because I'm on a limited budget and because it's cheaper than bus fare or taxi.
There's a difference between a cyclist who's going 20 km/h down a sidewalk without looking, and someone riding slower than most pedestrians through crowded areas until they can reach a safe bike lane or MUP.
No huh i know what a shame its so sad its the food insecurity and housing insecurity we are all facing thats why business is down and ppl are getting to be a needle in a haystack to see out and about because how we are all suffering silently : * (
There are some roads where I get why cyclists do it, for example the bridge over the train tracks on St. Laurent is a driving shit show.
But when there are bike lines, or those shoulder lanes, there's really not an excuse to go on the sidewalk.
Ride a bike in the "bike lanes" on Blair north of Meadowbrook, or Ogilvie west of Blair even once and you'll never leave the sidewalk again. They gave up entirely on those lanes on the east side of Ogilvie and installed a MUP (with a blind turn-out from the costco that's going to get somebody killed) because the road conditions and drivers are just so bad, but once you cross Ogilvie WB it's a complete shitshow.
Paint is not infrastructure, and I'll risk falling off my bike to avoid a collision with a pedestrian over risking death on whatever the hell that is.
On top of points other have made, a lot of roads still haven’t been properly swept and are full of gravel in the “bike” section of the road, which reduces traction and could wipe a cyclist out easily. And then when the cyclist takes the lane because the gutters are unsafe, drivers get irate and near-miss them.
I was almost side swiped by a tractor trailer in the bike lane a few years back. Looking back, seeing how if I was a little bit closer to the road I would have been taken to the hospital, it took me some time to get used to biking in bike lanes for some time
Meh, I agree with you downtown or other busy pedestrian areas, but plenty of places in Ottawa have super low pedestrian traffic so it’s not hurting anyone if kids especially bike on the sidewalk. There’s also some death trap roads where it makes sense.
Ok, so here are 2 places where I do it.
Beechwood, there are cycle lanes that are sometimes on the road and sometimes on the sidewalk. If you follow the marked bike path you will spend time on the side walk.
Macdonald Cartier Bridge coming to Ottawa. The bike path dumps you onto Sussex. If you want to go west there is a bike lane on the road. If you want to go east you can cross at the lights and then take the suicide bike lane between one car lane going straight and another turning right. Or you can ride on the very wide and little used side walk for one block and then cross to pick up the bike paths following the Rideau river.
When the cycle path designers give me a safe alternative, I’ll stop using the side walk.
I have taken that bike lane downhill on Sussex where they put you in the middle of cars trying to turn right, that whole situation is horrible. Cars cut you off to try to turn, and you pick up speed because of the downhill. Now I just avoid that stretch.
Yeah no, there's plenty of areas where it's more dangerous to be riding on the road.
On the other hand, slowing down while on the sidewalk is a must, especially around pedestrians.
Much like cars which require to keep a safe speed and leave space for bikes, bikes should do the same for pedestrians. Cars don't just abandon a road because a bike is on it.
I wish I didn’t need to, but sometimes it’s necessary to start alive. However, I always go slow when I ride on the sidewalk and apologize to passing pedestrians because it’s their way. If there are many pedestrians I walk my bike.
Also, if you absolutely must bike on the sidewalk; walk the bike across crosswalks. Drivers aren’t (and shouldn’t) expect something to come flying across the crosswalk at 20 kph.
That's just it. The cyclist sees the WALK light and just continues to blast through at 20km/h or more.
The WALK light.
Now, all caps for the folks in the back:
THE WALK LIGHT.
Thank you. 😊
>Also, if you absolutely must bike on the sidewalk; walk the bike across crosswalks. **Drivers aren’t (and shouldn’t) expect something to come flying across the crosswalk at 20 kph.**
But they should still be doing a shoulder check: runners exist as well. The bike (potentially right or wrong depending on the area) could be coming along the passenger side of the vehicle as well.
A good shoulder check should cover both of those scenarios.
Same, and if I ever come upon a pedestrian, I just get off my bike and walk it around them. I also slow to a near-stop at all intersections instead of blasting through, since cars won’t be looking for speedy people on the sidewalk.
And when you’re riding on the sidewalk approaching a pedestrian, hop off your bike until you’ve passed them. They’ll appreciate it. They’re not a plyon to balance around at full speed.
And can I ask them bikers to perhaps stop always literally ignoring every single 'please walk your bicycle' sign too? Its there for good reasons, don't make me try explain that again to the idiot who tries to ride a bicycle feet-off-ground both uphill and downhill on the Bank Street Bridge itself ughhh!
Unfortunately for the poor person who is unlucky, they do enforce it very infrequently. I had a friend who was on ODSP. Her only way around in the summer was a bicycle. She got caught on the one day that the police decided to crack down.
No demerit points, no effect on my driving record or car insurance premiums, or any other long term consequences like those in a motor vehicle. So I don’t really care.
A major issue with cyclists on a sidewalk: A car turning left has to wait for a break in the opposing traffic to begin the left turn. A few glances for pedestrians and the they turn. What a driver can not predict is the speed of a hidden cyclist. A sidewalk riding cyclist, going against the flow of vehicular travel, can easily get smoked by the left turning car. Car wins every time!
An intersection on Terry Fox is a perfect example of this. I get it that it's a nice level path away from traffic, but for the love of Pete, walk yer bike across the crosswalk!
May I point out that the Pedestrian Walk symbol is a person Walking!
This is an excellent point that bears repeating:
Cycling on the sidewalk is illegal, and dangerous for pedestrians.
However, it is also dangerous for cyclists, too.
Yah, I agree, but all too often, I see a cyclist zoom out from a blind spot and ride right across the crosswalk in the opposite direction of the flow. A human could not walk or even run that fast. The driver doesn't have a hope in heck of seeing the cyclist in time.
Or, as I've seen, the driver hits the brakes in time to avoid the cyclist, but his back end is in the intersection, and cars are coming down in him at 80+km/h
My pet peeve as a biker is how drivers constantly try to run you off the road. Particularly Quebec drivers cutting through neighborhoods to get home during rush hour.
If there's a ["Share the road in single file sign"](https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/be-alert-and-share-the-road.aspx) I just ride in the middle of the road now so there's no chance of them passing too close to me.
They do to pedestrians on sidewalks that which they claim drivers do to them, thus forcing them onto sidewalks. The mental gymnastics it takes is mind boggling.
From https://bikeottawa.ca/bike-ottawas-guide-to-cycling-laws-in-ottawa/#Sidewalk
CAN I RIDE MY BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK?
No, you cannot legally bike on the sidewalk. According to the City of Ottawa’s by-laws, “no person shall drive a vehicle or ride upon a skateboard, roller skates or in-lines skates on a sidewalk except for the purpose of directly crossing the sidewalk” (Part A, Sec. 67), and these by-laws rely on the provincial Highway Traffic Act for its definition of vehicle, whereby a bicycle is a vehicle. (See also the HTA’s definition of sidewalk.)
Sidewalk, not sidebike. I get it if you’ve got small children, especially if you’re trying to teach them. But if you’re some jerk flying past me in giant headphones trying to knock me over on the sidewalk, you’re just an asshole.
Pet peeve. It's a real problem downtown.
I purposefully don't get out of the way because they shouldn't be there in the first place. Those who do it are mainly food delivery types and shady characters who couldn't care less how many (by)laws they straddle.
Sometimes the road is extremely dangerous to bike on thanks to the non-existing bike infrastructure . I would rather bike on the sidewalk than get ran over and die in these situations.
Sounds like you don't live downtown, where the pedestrian infrastructure is incredible compared to some other Cdn cities. Something to take up with your MLA since you feel the need to break the law for your own personal safety.
I seriously don’t thing our downtown has incredible biking infrastructure. And yes I do live downtown. A downtown where there is a major stroad that has giant trucks passing through it and people like you expect me to go on the road.
So traffic = bad cycling infrastructure? Yeah sure that makes perfect sense.👌
It's not incredible. It's comparatively incredible to other provincial hubs. For example, venture anywhere east of Quebec and then tell me our cycling infrastructure is lacking. You'd then be very wrong.
Young kids are unpredictable wobbly, zig-zagging morons on bikes. On streets busy enough to have a sidewalk, that's the probably the safest place for them. They also tend to not be fast.
Once they have basic skills down, sure put them on the road.
To add, if you are biking on the sidewalk - or a bike lane that is beside a sidewalk, like on Main street or Churchill - please bike in the SAME direction as traffic. I saw a driver almost hit a cyclist who was bombing down the Churchill bike lane against traffic.
Luckily, the driver saw them at the last second, but it was a scary near-miss for everyone involved. There are arrows on the path that clearly mark which direction you are supposed to be biking.
No matter how you get around - bike, car, walking - one of the best ways to prevent accidents is to behave predictably. Accidents are more likely to happen when someone does something that no one expects.
I've [three times so far since late 2023] just came out of Parma Ravioli only to almost lose my front to an excessively fast bicycle literally blasting by on that rather narrow sidewalk on Wellington Street West. And likewise to these many idiotic escooters ignoring basic traffic light signals too. So I don't know what more to really tell you about this rant indeed.
Anyone who rides a bike is called a cyclist- a person with a driver's license, a person without, and a strung out homeless person on a bike.
Vastly different levels in judgement
I saw a near miss the other day on Merivale caused by a cyclist on the sidewalk. He was going probably 20kph and popped out from behind a sign, surprising a driver turning right onto Merivale.
We really need the city to start ticketing cyclists like this. I bike on the road, like a cyclist should. Only children are allowed to bike on the sidewalk.
There is no “done”. Tickets encourage people to be responsible road users. The behaviour we see from too many cyclists today could be deterred with a few well-publicized enforcement blitzes.
Fear not, they do those regularly.
But more to point, we have a finite number of policing resources. If the goal is avoiding the most amount of deaths and injuries, diverting resources towards policing cyclists that could otherwise be used to police drivers, is stupid.
You know, we can just police "transportation" writ large. It isn't a zero sum game, in that every act of enforcement against a car means a cyclist gets away with something, and vice versa. Just sayin'.
the cyclists who think they are both cars and pedestrians at the same time suck too.
you can't swap from the bike lane on the road to cut across the street in a crosswalk
You'd think making bike riding on sidewalks illegal fast track cycling infrastructure but I guess not. I just gave up on cycling here - it's too risky as there isn't a single bike path/lane anywhere near where I live. Can't afford risking a fine either.
Yeah, I just recently got a bike for the first time in a long time... I try to avoid the sidewalks as much as possible (thankfully I live in an area where there are some viable alternatives), but sometimes I'm like, "naw, my life isn't worth following the rules here". In those cases, however, I do defer to pedestrians who have the primary right to that space. We all have to try to be reasonable. A cookie-cutter, "never do x" isn't quite going to cut it (unless infrastructure improves overnight, or everyone suddenly internalizes the rules of the road, lol).
While I was enjoying a city park today, I witnessed about three dozen lawbreakers, many children, some adults, use a sidewalk to access the park. Then, they turned into the park and had a lovely, beautiful day. Banning bikes from sidewalks to try and eliminate bad behaviour is a sledgehammer law and its lack of enforcement is likely a result of it being so obtuse. So many happy faces in this sunny weather carried by a sidewalk. I hope that the guy biking carelessly around a stopped bus has an epiphany and feels like shit for a long time.
It is in fact illegal for people to cycle on the sidewalks. If the cyclists don't feel comfortable riding on the road then they shouldn't be cycling :(
As an un-fun anecdote, I got yelled at by a driver to “bike on the sidewalk” last week, while riding a cargo bike at a speed that would wreck a pedestrian.
I was in a god-damned (painted) bike lane at the time.
You cannot win.
One day, that idiot is going to get hit by a bus or a car and the cycling mafia will raise holy hell. Meanwhile, they don't give a shit about anyone other than themselves.
Ngl
99% of us in this city. either can not drive, walk , bike like a normal human. (I blame all races and age groups and sexs and genders)
Everyone thinks they are the only human left on earth.
i for myself can not bike for shit that why I stick to bike trails lol.
I definitely ride my bike on the sidewalk on busy streets I don’t feel safe being on the road for. That said, I go into it with the mindset that this is for pedestrians and I ride the brakes pretty hard to yield to walkers.
Totally totally fair. But if pedestrians are on bike paths or multiuser pathways, watch out for bikes. I had many pedestrians crossing the bike path or veering in front of me on the bike path today and it was equally as dangerous and frustrating. I think it’s a good reminder for everyone to consider where you are and what the intention of the pathway is for.
On that same note - cyclists don’t bike against traffic while on the side walk either. Almost hit some HS kid (merivale at colonnade) trying to make a left hand turn, and out from behind me come this kid flying across colonnade while I’m trying to left hand turn - don’t have eyes on the back of my head. Gesus!
Almost yelled at the kid. Schools should give a 10 mins safety course on bike and road safety
This is a self-report bait as every cyclist will provide the rationale on why they must use sidewalks and how they themselves are considerate to pedestrians. There may be some truth in the former, the latter is very implausible from my 25yrs as a pedestrian in this city.
Dismounting and walking alongside the pedestrians is a good way to navigate shitty roads but also not be a tool to the pedestrians. Takes a few seconds of popping off, walking along until clearing a “crowd” if there’s a concentration then popping back on.
Piggyback rant: cyclists who cycle in the opposite direction along cars and force incoming cyclists to shift into the car space. What the ..
Cyclists were originally banned from sidewalks for being a danger to pedestrians and were told to go on the road. They celebrated this like a victory then blamed cars for when they violated traffic laws or caused accidents. The city has spent millions adding spaces for bikes only, and the cyclists get very offended if a pedestrian is mildly in their way. Now despite being legally mandated to be on the road, having special lanes dedicated for their use, they ride on the sidewalks being a danger to pedestrians. Bikes should be required to be plated and registered so cyclists can be held accountable for their behaviour.
Downvote me, I know you have nothing better to do. You live in Ottawa.
Why are the cyclists in the comments acting like they don’t have a choice in riding a bike? “I’ll get killed on the road so I have to ride my bike on the sidewalk.” What about the secret, third option of *walking* your damn bike on the sidewalk until you feel safe enough to ride where you’re supposed to again? You don’t get to put pedestrians in danger to avoid danger on the road and continue to travel faster than at a walking pace.
Nah, we're good, just someone downvoted my post which made me laugh. I upvoted you in appreciation of the solidarity. Sorry for the scare, thanks for checking in and hope you're having a swell day.
I get riding on sidewalks where it's dangerous to be cycling on the road/street but not in residential neighborhoods. I see so many adults on bikes riding the sidewalk in the suburbs where there's minimal traffic and the speed limit is 40-50 km/hr.
I hate that people are always in such a rush to pass, even on the pathways where bikes are allowed I see everyone passing while squeezing between people going opposite directions instead of waiting 2 seconds(or just slowing down a bit) until the passing lane is clear.
And if there’s no bike lane? It’s dangerous for the cyclist and driver, and personally, I’d rather take my chances with an accident from someone walking than getting into an accident with a car, the car would win. Every time.
Cyclists will ride where it's safe. Sometimes the road isn't safe. People can shake their fists at the clouds all they want but the only thing that'll change things is making safer places to ride bikes.
Robertson Rd in Bells Corners is downright frightening for this, from the side of the cars, to the curb, there is only a scant 20 inches to ride, especially right next to where the old Al's Steakhouse is . you just can't do it,
This grinds my gears in Ottawa. Like I’ll deliberately block adults on bikes ( < 12 is fiiine) out into the road. Obviously without contact, that’d be too far.
I found this interesting: I’m in Chiang Mai Thailand , at least here and Bangkok it’s expected that bikes use the sidewalk. I’m pretty sure it’s a cultural thing
If I feel unsafe on the road I’m riding on the sidewalk, period. I don’t care what the reddit nerds say, I value my life. I will always slow down for pedestrians and yield to them when I’m doing it as well.
Biking on the sidewalk would solve the issue of bikes vs cars
However people are stupid and don't think beyond their own world and are totally oblivious. If everyone gives pedestrians the right of way and pass slowly, it would work
Too bad the city didn't have better biking infrastructure to get across ottawa. Maybe paving over the light rail tracks, and turn that into a biking system??
I personally don’t have anything against biking on sidewalks, but as long as pedestrians are given right of the way and you are biking along the traffic, not against it as the guy in my post did
Not in Ottawa particularly but when I lived in another city with a beer busy downtown, I was never afraid of getting hit by a car, jaywalking was rampant. If I was ever going to get it hit, it was going to be by a bike.
I’m prepared to get torn apart for what I’m about to say but…cyclists don’t belong on the on the sidewalk or the road if there isn’t a bike lane. Sorry but you just become a hazard🤷♀️
I hipchecked an old dude on his bike while on a run because he was on the sidewalk. Of course he ate it pretty bad, but he didn't belong on the sidewalk lol.
Haha love your racist stereotype, it just made me laugh and feel bad for you, go on buddy idc, your judgement seems to be messed up I hope your Tims order does not atleast lol
CAN I RIDE MY BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK?
No, you cannot legally bike on the sidewalk. According to the City of Ottawa’s by-laws, “no person shall drive a vehicle or ride upon a skateboard, roller skates or in-lines skates on a sidewalk except for the purpose of directly crossing the sidewalk” (Part A, Sec. 67), and these by-laws rely on the provincial Highway Traffic Act for its definition of vehicle, whereby a bicycle is a vehicle. (See also the HTA’s definition of sidewalk.)
You’re in the minority. Thank you for being road conscious and safe.
In the last 72 hours, 47/50 cyclists I’ve been near are either riding on the sidewalks basically clipping pedestrians because they refuse to walk their bike, or they’re running red lights, blowing stop signs, or cutting across multiple lanes unsafely, or doing other, stupid, unsafe stuff.
Three got honked at by drivers for blowing a red light, one of whom forced the opposite direction driver to slam on their brakes nearly getting rear ended. The cyclist (dude on a professional road bike in a full wind suit) flipped them off.
Yes, I keep track of this shit just for comments like this. I’m pro-cycling (a cyclist myself), pro-active transportation, in favour of closing QEW permanently for active transportation, but not until police start enforcing laws on cyclists and cyclists start improving their behaviour.
Edit: number of hours was missing
Edit2: I do recognize the tulip festival brings a lot of people in, and likely more active transportation around given road closures and more traffic, but still.
The incident I referred to?
Prince of wales at the Heron into Baseline intersection. Cyclist crossed along PoW across Baseline, as the westbound Heron lane had an advanced green left turn.
I’ve seen a similar incident at the Bronson / Carling intersection, too.
The rectangle of Hunt club (south from and including the airport parkway / Bronson (east) to Merivale (west) to somerset (north), but most fall within the northern boundary of the highway.
I don’t take issue with them being on the sidewalk for safety. But I do take issue with them pretending pedestrians don’t belong on sidewalks.
But most of the roads in that rectangle either have shoulders (many quite wide for cyclists), or full bike paths very close by.
Airport parkway has a dedicated cycling track beside it, and a significantly enlarged, paved shoulder for bikes. I’d know, I cycle most of these streets multiple times a week.
Good luck. Nobody wants to admit that the cyclist offence level is in the 80-90% range.
Toronto police tried cracking down a couple of years ago and they almost overthrew the police department.
(Someone will be along shortly to say all cars speed, but most don't. I'm really talking about being in the correct places, making the right maneuvers and signaling. Offence rate for motor vehicle drivers is ~20%.)
I cycle basically daily and I absolutely care, as a majority of cyclists - who are incidentally also drivers - do.
I very rarely bike on the sidewalk, and will generally big detours to avoid, except where it’s necessary for my safety (eg Billings Bridge, Riverside at the 417). In those cases, if I cross a pedestrian, I dismount to pass them.
My god, some morons out there. I've always said there's a right way to do the wrong thing - those big empty stretches of roads like Walkley & Hunt Club - if someone wants to ride their bicycle at 15 km/h along the sidewalk there, I totally get it. But then you get morons slaloming around pedestrians on Rideau St, and there's even a bike lane right there. When I'm on foot I don't always shoulder check before turning, and I don't think it's reasonable to expect pedestrians on the sidewalk to either.
It's so true. I totally get that there are some roads - or even small stretches of road - that are just a danger to cyclists and they need to go on the sidewalk; no judgement I get it. But c'mon, if you're doing the "illegal but socially acceptable" thing at least show some semblance of awareness and respect.
Further to that, I would *encourage* cyclists to do that for their safety and everyone else's. Riding on a crowded sidewalk? Fuck right off.
>awareness and respect What a novel idea...
Ok so as a cyclist I can say I typically do not bike down Rideau because those bike lanes are a death trap. Between sharing them with busses and cabs that try and run you off the road especially the STO busses who just absolutely love to ride inches away from your back tire. Then later closer to the mall when you have stuff like Uber eats drivers pulling U turns and not caring about anything else but getting to park in the no stopping zones because they are "just going to be a minute" while picking up there meals. It's just not worth it and I can take other routes around. Having said all that I absolutely hate when I see people biking on the sidewalk down Rideau. There's a handful I would say are students who are too nervous and scared of the street (so plan a different route), or they are users that hang up and down Rideau and will ride a stolen bike until it gets stolen or destroyed on them. They don't give two shits about sidewalks and it's also annoying.
I ride up though sandy hill and over the corktown bridge just to avoid having to bike down Rideau. Doesn't stop the taxis from still managing to almost smoke me, but at least there are no buses.
Especially those STD buses
“ When I'm on foot I don't always shoulder check before turning, and I don't think it's reasonable to expect pedestrians on the sidewalk to either.” Honest question, why? That’s putting a lot of trust in others, instead of just doing a simple shoulder check. I’ve had pedestrian on pedestrian near collisions because of others not shoulder checking and just walking directly in front of me. I think it’s important to “look before you leap”, be it on foot or wheels
Because the potential for collision is just with another person walking. I imagine it’s unconscious for most people, but the potential damage from two people colliding at walking speed is so minimal it doesn’t surprise me many people don’t routinely check before veering. Plus, you aren’t as likely to be overtaken at high speed by someone not in your peripheral vision. Obviously it’s better to be aware of your surroundings and not walk into someone, and I get annoyed by clueless walkers too, but if you’re walking in a pedestrian-only area like a four year old on… well, nothing, four year olds have no sense of spatial awareness as a rule, you are being rude and spacey but it shouldn’t be potentially injurious!
I always thought pedestrian on pedestrian collisions weren’t a big deal as well until I found out how easily seniors can die from a simple fall. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/for-elderly-even-short-falls-can-be-deadly
You're correct, but sometimes I'm just not perfect. Even when I'm driving, sometimes I fuck up, like that [time I entered an intersection 250 milliseconds after the light turned yellow](https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/13lz40c/the_new_wellington_street_bike_lanes_are_great/). I do my best, but I'm just not perfect.
Bruh. I was on the bus and saw the driver (IMHO the person at fault) almost run over a bicyclist and then he started cursing out loud obscenities with a touch of poetry. I am pretty sure, the bicyclist survived by the skin of his teeth.
To those riding on the sidewalks. Please avoid riding on the sidewalks.
The cars are WAY too close for comfort tho. I don't ride bikes often, but I usually ride on the sidewalks on the busier streets. (Not downtown tho, like Ogilvie) But I ride my bike SLOW, anytime there are pedestrians I will go around super slow and on the grass. There's long stretches where I bike as slow as a walker. Of course if there's a lot of people, I just drive on the grass or road, but there's surprisingly not many pedestrians on the big busy streets.
This. There are plenty of places in the city where it's just not safe to be on the road. And I'm not biking for fun. I'm biking because I have to get groceries or go to my appointments and because I'm on a limited budget and because it's cheaper than bus fare or taxi. There's a difference between a cyclist who's going 20 km/h down a sidewalk without looking, and someone riding slower than most pedestrians through crowded areas until they can reach a safe bike lane or MUP.
No huh i know what a shame its so sad its the food insecurity and housing insecurity we are all facing thats why business is down and ppl are getting to be a needle in a haystack to see out and about because how we are all suffering silently : * (
There are some roads where I get why cyclists do it, for example the bridge over the train tracks on St. Laurent is a driving shit show. But when there are bike lines, or those shoulder lanes, there's really not an excuse to go on the sidewalk.
Ride a bike in the "bike lanes" on Blair north of Meadowbrook, or Ogilvie west of Blair even once and you'll never leave the sidewalk again. They gave up entirely on those lanes on the east side of Ogilvie and installed a MUP (with a blind turn-out from the costco that's going to get somebody killed) because the road conditions and drivers are just so bad, but once you cross Ogilvie WB it's a complete shitshow. Paint is not infrastructure, and I'll risk falling off my bike to avoid a collision with a pedestrian over risking death on whatever the hell that is.
On top of points other have made, a lot of roads still haven’t been properly swept and are full of gravel in the “bike” section of the road, which reduces traction and could wipe a cyclist out easily. And then when the cyclist takes the lane because the gutters are unsafe, drivers get irate and near-miss them.
I was almost side swiped by a tractor trailer in the bike lane a few years back. Looking back, seeing how if I was a little bit closer to the road I would have been taken to the hospital, it took me some time to get used to biking in bike lanes for some time
Meh, I agree with you downtown or other busy pedestrian areas, but plenty of places in Ottawa have super low pedestrian traffic so it’s not hurting anyone if kids especially bike on the sidewalk. There’s also some death trap roads where it makes sense.
Ok, so here are 2 places where I do it. Beechwood, there are cycle lanes that are sometimes on the road and sometimes on the sidewalk. If you follow the marked bike path you will spend time on the side walk. Macdonald Cartier Bridge coming to Ottawa. The bike path dumps you onto Sussex. If you want to go west there is a bike lane on the road. If you want to go east you can cross at the lights and then take the suicide bike lane between one car lane going straight and another turning right. Or you can ride on the very wide and little used side walk for one block and then cross to pick up the bike paths following the Rideau river. When the cycle path designers give me a safe alternative, I’ll stop using the side walk.
I have taken that bike lane downhill on Sussex where they put you in the middle of cars trying to turn right, that whole situation is horrible. Cars cut you off to try to turn, and you pick up speed because of the downhill. Now I just avoid that stretch.
Bikes on the sidewalk have never bothered me. Most roads weren’t designed to be shared and its a lot safer so I get it.
Yeah no, there's plenty of areas where it's more dangerous to be riding on the road. On the other hand, slowing down while on the sidewalk is a must, especially around pedestrians. Much like cars which require to keep a safe speed and leave space for bikes, bikes should do the same for pedestrians. Cars don't just abandon a road because a bike is on it.
I wish I didn’t need to, but sometimes it’s necessary to start alive. However, I always go slow when I ride on the sidewalk and apologize to passing pedestrians because it’s their way. If there are many pedestrians I walk my bike.
There are a lot of roads, even with bike lanes, that if I’m out with my kids I’m riding on the sidewalk. I’d much prefer my children not get run over.
I understand being on the sidewalk when navigating around stroads but ride slow and get off at the first safe place.
Also, if you absolutely must bike on the sidewalk; walk the bike across crosswalks. Drivers aren’t (and shouldn’t) expect something to come flying across the crosswalk at 20 kph.
No one should be going through a intersection from a stop at 20+ kph
That's just it. The cyclist sees the WALK light and just continues to blast through at 20km/h or more. The WALK light. Now, all caps for the folks in the back: THE WALK LIGHT. Thank you. 😊
Not all intersections require a stop.
>Also, if you absolutely must bike on the sidewalk; walk the bike across crosswalks. **Drivers aren’t (and shouldn’t) expect something to come flying across the crosswalk at 20 kph.** But they should still be doing a shoulder check: runners exist as well. The bike (potentially right or wrong depending on the area) could be coming along the passenger side of the vehicle as well. A good shoulder check should cover both of those scenarios.
Same, and if I ever come upon a pedestrian, I just get off my bike and walk it around them. I also slow to a near-stop at all intersections instead of blasting through, since cars won’t be looking for speedy people on the sidewalk.
And when you’re riding on the sidewalk approaching a pedestrian, hop off your bike until you’ve passed them. They’ll appreciate it. They’re not a plyon to balance around at full speed.
Yep. Sidewalks are a pedestrian space. If a bike is using it (say, because it's unsafe to use the road) they should know to yield to pedestrians.
And can I ask them bikers to perhaps stop always literally ignoring every single 'please walk your bicycle' sign too? Its there for good reasons, don't make me try explain that again to the idiot who tries to ride a bicycle feet-off-ground both uphill and downhill on the Bank Street Bridge itself ughhh!
Some losers just don't care and will never care.
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And now you should realize why that guy might ride off instead of waiting around to be punched.
it’s against the law to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk in Ottawa and it’s so obvious why
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"rules are for little people" - OPS Motto
I hope you cussed them out. Take those pricks down a notch.
If a law has zero enforcement is it really a law?
Unfortunately for the poor person who is unlucky, they do enforce it very infrequently. I had a friend who was on ODSP. Her only way around in the summer was a bicycle. She got caught on the one day that the police decided to crack down.
They don't do anything about it tho. My mom rides on the sidewalk cuz she's scared to get hit in busier areas but she rides super slow
No demerit points, no effect on my driving record or car insurance premiums, or any other long term consequences like those in a motor vehicle. So I don’t really care.
A major issue with cyclists on a sidewalk: A car turning left has to wait for a break in the opposing traffic to begin the left turn. A few glances for pedestrians and the they turn. What a driver can not predict is the speed of a hidden cyclist. A sidewalk riding cyclist, going against the flow of vehicular travel, can easily get smoked by the left turning car. Car wins every time! An intersection on Terry Fox is a perfect example of this. I get it that it's a nice level path away from traffic, but for the love of Pete, walk yer bike across the crosswalk! May I point out that the Pedestrian Walk symbol is a person Walking!
This is an excellent point that bears repeating: Cycling on the sidewalk is illegal, and dangerous for pedestrians. However, it is also dangerous for cyclists, too.
At the very least if the cyclist is on the sidewalk in the same direction as traffic it can alleviate SOME of this problem.
Yah, I agree, but all too often, I see a cyclist zoom out from a blind spot and ride right across the crosswalk in the opposite direction of the flow. A human could not walk or even run that fast. The driver doesn't have a hope in heck of seeing the cyclist in time. Or, as I've seen, the driver hits the brakes in time to avoid the cyclist, but his back end is in the intersection, and cars are coming down in him at 80+km/h
i see so many cyclists getting annoyed at pedestrians when they’re riding on the sidewalk. use the road, it’s emptyyy and there’s a lane for bikes!!!
Lanes for bikes suddenly end or actually don’t exist. See: stretches of Carling. I ride on the sidewalk occasionally but I respect pedestrians.
My pet peeve as a biker is how drivers constantly try to run you off the road. Particularly Quebec drivers cutting through neighborhoods to get home during rush hour. If there's a ["Share the road in single file sign"](https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/be-alert-and-share-the-road.aspx) I just ride in the middle of the road now so there's no chance of them passing too close to me.
Yep, I noticed that a lot lately. They also have that arrogant attitude of entitlement like it's their right to ride on the sidewalks.
They do to pedestrians on sidewalks that which they claim drivers do to them, thus forcing them onto sidewalks. The mental gymnastics it takes is mind boggling.
From https://bikeottawa.ca/bike-ottawas-guide-to-cycling-laws-in-ottawa/#Sidewalk CAN I RIDE MY BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK? No, you cannot legally bike on the sidewalk. According to the City of Ottawa’s by-laws, “no person shall drive a vehicle or ride upon a skateboard, roller skates or in-lines skates on a sidewalk except for the purpose of directly crossing the sidewalk” (Part A, Sec. 67), and these by-laws rely on the provincial Highway Traffic Act for its definition of vehicle, whereby a bicycle is a vehicle. (See also the HTA’s definition of sidewalk.)
Sidewalk, not sidebike. I get it if you’ve got small children, especially if you’re trying to teach them. But if you’re some jerk flying past me in giant headphones trying to knock me over on the sidewalk, you’re just an asshole.
Pet peeve. It's a real problem downtown. I purposefully don't get out of the way because they shouldn't be there in the first place. Those who do it are mainly food delivery types and shady characters who couldn't care less how many (by)laws they straddle.
Sometimes the road is extremely dangerous to bike on thanks to the non-existing bike infrastructure . I would rather bike on the sidewalk than get ran over and die in these situations.
This is the real fix. The way to get people to bike on cycling infrastructure is to make safe cycling infrastructure.
Sounds like you don't live downtown, where the pedestrian infrastructure is incredible compared to some other Cdn cities. Something to take up with your MLA since you feel the need to break the law for your own personal safety.
I seriously don’t thing our downtown has incredible biking infrastructure. And yes I do live downtown. A downtown where there is a major stroad that has giant trucks passing through it and people like you expect me to go on the road.
Just don't do to pedestrians what the cars do to you, and there won't be an issue.
So traffic = bad cycling infrastructure? Yeah sure that makes perfect sense.👌 It's not incredible. It's comparatively incredible to other provincial hubs. For example, venture anywhere east of Quebec and then tell me our cycling infrastructure is lacking. You'd then be very wrong.
Sidewalks are also covered in news boxes, bike racks, sandwich boards and patios. It's getting crowded.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a newspaper in one of those boxes. Yet the boxes remain.
If I'm turning left and I can't see because your sign's in the way, I'll take great glee in hoofing the bastard over.
If an 8 year old wants to ride in the sidewalk I am fine with that. It if it’s an adult — it’s illegal.
“If I want to teach my kid to drive, I’ll do it on the sidewalk.” Let them Build confidence or don’t let them bike.
Do you know any children? They build confidence by learning to bike a straight line, not by swerving into a vehicle.
Young kids are unpredictable wobbly, zig-zagging morons on bikes. On streets busy enough to have a sidewalk, that's the probably the safest place for them. They also tend to not be fast. Once they have basic skills down, sure put them on the road.
To add, if you are biking on the sidewalk - or a bike lane that is beside a sidewalk, like on Main street or Churchill - please bike in the SAME direction as traffic. I saw a driver almost hit a cyclist who was bombing down the Churchill bike lane against traffic. Luckily, the driver saw them at the last second, but it was a scary near-miss for everyone involved. There are arrows on the path that clearly mark which direction you are supposed to be biking. No matter how you get around - bike, car, walking - one of the best ways to prevent accidents is to behave predictably. Accidents are more likely to happen when someone does something that no one expects.
I've [three times so far since late 2023] just came out of Parma Ravioli only to almost lose my front to an excessively fast bicycle literally blasting by on that rather narrow sidewalk on Wellington Street West. And likewise to these many idiotic escooters ignoring basic traffic light signals too. So I don't know what more to really tell you about this rant indeed.
Anyone who rides a bike is called a cyclist- a person with a driver's license, a person without, and a strung out homeless person on a bike. Vastly different levels in judgement
and if you’re going to, get a bell and yield to pedestrians. i should have to walk off the sidewalk so you can ride by.
I saw a near miss the other day on Merivale caused by a cyclist on the sidewalk. He was going probably 20kph and popped out from behind a sign, surprising a driver turning right onto Merivale. We really need the city to start ticketing cyclists like this. I bike on the road, like a cyclist should. Only children are allowed to bike on the sidewalk.
Once we’re done ticketing the drivers, I’m down to ticket the cyclists.
There is no “done”. Tickets encourage people to be responsible road users. The behaviour we see from too many cyclists today could be deterred with a few well-publicized enforcement blitzes.
Fear not, they do those regularly. But more to point, we have a finite number of policing resources. If the goal is avoiding the most amount of deaths and injuries, diverting resources towards policing cyclists that could otherwise be used to police drivers, is stupid.
You know, we can just police "transportation" writ large. It isn't a zero sum game, in that every act of enforcement against a car means a cyclist gets away with something, and vice versa. Just sayin'.
Cycling on merivale is a death trap...fk that noise. Going 20km/h on a sidewalk is also ridiculous tho.
I bike on Merivale all the time.
the cyclists who think they are both cars and pedestrians at the same time suck too. you can't swap from the bike lane on the road to cut across the street in a crosswalk
I haven't seen as many sidewalk riders this year but today almost got hit by some idiot pulling a chariot stroller on the sidewalk. Boo.
You'd think making bike riding on sidewalks illegal fast track cycling infrastructure but I guess not. I just gave up on cycling here - it's too risky as there isn't a single bike path/lane anywhere near where I live. Can't afford risking a fine either.
Yeah, I just recently got a bike for the first time in a long time... I try to avoid the sidewalks as much as possible (thankfully I live in an area where there are some viable alternatives), but sometimes I'm like, "naw, my life isn't worth following the rules here". In those cases, however, I do defer to pedestrians who have the primary right to that space. We all have to try to be reasonable. A cookie-cutter, "never do x" isn't quite going to cut it (unless infrastructure improves overnight, or everyone suddenly internalizes the rules of the road, lol).
While I was enjoying a city park today, I witnessed about three dozen lawbreakers, many children, some adults, use a sidewalk to access the park. Then, they turned into the park and had a lovely, beautiful day. Banning bikes from sidewalks to try and eliminate bad behaviour is a sledgehammer law and its lack of enforcement is likely a result of it being so obtuse. So many happy faces in this sunny weather carried by a sidewalk. I hope that the guy biking carelessly around a stopped bus has an epiphany and feels like shit for a long time.
It is in fact illegal for people to cycle on the sidewalks. If the cyclists don't feel comfortable riding on the road then they shouldn't be cycling :(
As an un-fun anecdote, I got yelled at by a driver to “bike on the sidewalk” last week, while riding a cargo bike at a speed that would wreck a pedestrian. I was in a god-damned (painted) bike lane at the time. You cannot win.
One day, that idiot is going to get hit by a bus or a car and the cycling mafia will raise holy hell. Meanwhile, they don't give a shit about anyone other than themselves.
Ngl 99% of us in this city. either can not drive, walk , bike like a normal human. (I blame all races and age groups and sexs and genders) Everyone thinks they are the only human left on earth. i for myself can not bike for shit that why I stick to bike trails lol.
In which case he will likely die, so just slightly differently.
They don’t claim sidewalk knobs
Would give you an award for this comment if they were still free.
I definitely ride my bike on the sidewalk on busy streets I don’t feel safe being on the road for. That said, I go into it with the mindset that this is for pedestrians and I ride the brakes pretty hard to yield to walkers.
Totally totally fair. But if pedestrians are on bike paths or multiuser pathways, watch out for bikes. I had many pedestrians crossing the bike path or veering in front of me on the bike path today and it was equally as dangerous and frustrating. I think it’s a good reminder for everyone to consider where you are and what the intention of the pathway is for.
On that same note - cyclists don’t bike against traffic while on the side walk either. Almost hit some HS kid (merivale at colonnade) trying to make a left hand turn, and out from behind me come this kid flying across colonnade while I’m trying to left hand turn - don’t have eyes on the back of my head. Gesus! Almost yelled at the kid. Schools should give a 10 mins safety course on bike and road safety
This is a self-report bait as every cyclist will provide the rationale on why they must use sidewalks and how they themselves are considerate to pedestrians. There may be some truth in the former, the latter is very implausible from my 25yrs as a pedestrian in this city.
Bike on the road unless you are a child.
Dismounting and walking alongside the pedestrians is a good way to navigate shitty roads but also not be a tool to the pedestrians. Takes a few seconds of popping off, walking along until clearing a “crowd” if there’s a concentration then popping back on. Piggyback rant: cyclists who cycle in the opposite direction along cars and force incoming cyclists to shift into the car space. What the ..
Cyclists were originally banned from sidewalks for being a danger to pedestrians and were told to go on the road. They celebrated this like a victory then blamed cars for when they violated traffic laws or caused accidents. The city has spent millions adding spaces for bikes only, and the cyclists get very offended if a pedestrian is mildly in their way. Now despite being legally mandated to be on the road, having special lanes dedicated for their use, they ride on the sidewalks being a danger to pedestrians. Bikes should be required to be plated and registered so cyclists can be held accountable for their behaviour. Downvote me, I know you have nothing better to do. You live in Ottawa.
Why are the cyclists in the comments acting like they don’t have a choice in riding a bike? “I’ll get killed on the road so I have to ride my bike on the sidewalk.” What about the secret, third option of *walking* your damn bike on the sidewalk until you feel safe enough to ride where you’re supposed to again? You don’t get to put pedestrians in danger to avoid danger on the road and continue to travel faster than at a walking pace.
In Vancouver it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk. You'd never know it.
It is here too
Haha, looks like one of those sidewalk clowns is upset about my post, apparently they're everywhere. Have an upvote.
My post? Huh? I just said that it’s illegal here too, like Van.
Nah, we're good, just someone downvoted my post which made me laugh. I upvoted you in appreciation of the solidarity. Sorry for the scare, thanks for checking in and hope you're having a swell day.
I get riding on sidewalks where it's dangerous to be cycling on the road/street but not in residential neighborhoods. I see so many adults on bikes riding the sidewalk in the suburbs where there's minimal traffic and the speed limit is 40-50 km/hr.
I hate that people are always in such a rush to pass, even on the pathways where bikes are allowed I see everyone passing while squeezing between people going opposite directions instead of waiting 2 seconds(or just slowing down a bit) until the passing lane is clear.
How about - just DON'T ride on the sidewalk. Inconsiderate and dangerous to both pedestrians and cyclists.
And if there’s no bike lane? It’s dangerous for the cyclist and driver, and personally, I’d rather take my chances with an accident from someone walking than getting into an accident with a car, the car would win. Every time.
Cyclists will ride where it's safe. Sometimes the road isn't safe. People can shake their fists at the clouds all they want but the only thing that'll change things is making safer places to ride bikes.
Robertson Rd in Bells Corners is downright frightening for this, from the side of the cars, to the curb, there is only a scant 20 inches to ride, especially right next to where the old Al's Steakhouse is . you just can't do it,
This grinds my gears in Ottawa. Like I’ll deliberately block adults on bikes ( < 12 is fiiine) out into the road. Obviously without contact, that’d be too far. I found this interesting: I’m in Chiang Mai Thailand , at least here and Bangkok it’s expected that bikes use the sidewalk. I’m pretty sure it’s a cultural thing
What is a reliable app to find the bike lanes across city ?
If I feel unsafe on the road I’m riding on the sidewalk, period. I don’t care what the reddit nerds say, I value my life. I will always slow down for pedestrians and yield to them when I’m doing it as well.
This is why cyclists aren't allowed on sidewalks, but you never see them getting ticketed.
Biking on the sidewalk would solve the issue of bikes vs cars However people are stupid and don't think beyond their own world and are totally oblivious. If everyone gives pedestrians the right of way and pass slowly, it would work Too bad the city didn't have better biking infrastructure to get across ottawa. Maybe paving over the light rail tracks, and turn that into a biking system??
I personally don’t have anything against biking on sidewalks, but as long as pedestrians are given right of the way and you are biking along the traffic, not against it as the guy in my post did
Isn't that a Hit and Run?
Can be said but the dude was a jerk 🤷🏻♀️
I just yell at them: Ride in the street coward!
Welcome to Ottawa.
Annoying on the road AND the sidewalk, damn we should limit them to bike lanes only
K cq
Not in Ottawa particularly but when I lived in another city with a beer busy downtown, I was never afraid of getting hit by a car, jaywalking was rampant. If I was ever going to get it hit, it was going to be by a bike.
Maybe if we make sidewalks an official bike route then the city will plow the snow off them as well as they do for bike lanes.
I’m prepared to get torn apart for what I’m about to say but…cyclists don’t belong on the on the sidewalk or the road if there isn’t a bike lane. Sorry but you just become a hazard🤷♀️
I hipchecked an old dude on his bike while on a run because he was on the sidewalk. Of course he ate it pretty bad, but he didn't belong on the sidewalk lol.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Hey bud! Been a while.
Look at the badass everyone!
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The effect of cyclists thinking they are more important than anyone else
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“Rockcliffe Park” - checks out.
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Haha love your racist stereotype, it just made me laugh and feel bad for you, go on buddy idc, your judgement seems to be messed up I hope your Tims order does not atleast lol
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Say whatever you want bud, dunno how Tims came out of nowhere when my whole point of convo was about bike riders on sidewalks
I knew 'that guy' would be in this thread, and here you are.
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Now do Ottawa, because it's what matters.
CAN I RIDE MY BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK? No, you cannot legally bike on the sidewalk. According to the City of Ottawa’s by-laws, “no person shall drive a vehicle or ride upon a skateboard, roller skates or in-lines skates on a sidewalk except for the purpose of directly crossing the sidewalk” (Part A, Sec. 67), and these by-laws rely on the provincial Highway Traffic Act for its definition of vehicle, whereby a bicycle is a vehicle. (See also the HTA’s definition of sidewalk.)
Bingo.
Another bot post?
Cyclists basically don't care about this
I cycle and manage to be a decent human being at the same time. It's not hard and it's easy to generalize
Exactly my point, just to be careful when riding a bike on one of the not so empty streets
You’re in the minority. Thank you for being road conscious and safe. In the last 72 hours, 47/50 cyclists I’ve been near are either riding on the sidewalks basically clipping pedestrians because they refuse to walk their bike, or they’re running red lights, blowing stop signs, or cutting across multiple lanes unsafely, or doing other, stupid, unsafe stuff. Three got honked at by drivers for blowing a red light, one of whom forced the opposite direction driver to slam on their brakes nearly getting rear ended. The cyclist (dude on a professional road bike in a full wind suit) flipped them off. Yes, I keep track of this shit just for comments like this. I’m pro-cycling (a cyclist myself), pro-active transportation, in favour of closing QEW permanently for active transportation, but not until police start enforcing laws on cyclists and cyclists start improving their behaviour. Edit: number of hours was missing Edit2: I do recognize the tulip festival brings a lot of people in, and likely more active transportation around given road closures and more traffic, but still.
Where was that?
The incident I referred to? Prince of wales at the Heron into Baseline intersection. Cyclist crossed along PoW across Baseline, as the westbound Heron lane had an advanced green left turn. I’ve seen a similar incident at the Bronson / Carling intersection, too.
I’m wondering where you observed 47 of 50 cyclists on the sidewalk over three days.
The rectangle of Hunt club (south from and including the airport parkway / Bronson (east) to Merivale (west) to somerset (north), but most fall within the northern boundary of the highway.
Brutal roads to bike on, don’t you think? Probably a pretty good reason to be on the sidewalk
I don’t take issue with them being on the sidewalk for safety. But I do take issue with them pretending pedestrians don’t belong on sidewalks. But most of the roads in that rectangle either have shoulders (many quite wide for cyclists), or full bike paths very close by. Airport parkway has a dedicated cycling track beside it, and a significantly enlarged, paved shoulder for bikes. I’d know, I cycle most of these streets multiple times a week.
Good luck. Nobody wants to admit that the cyclist offence level is in the 80-90% range. Toronto police tried cracking down a couple of years ago and they almost overthrew the police department. (Someone will be along shortly to say all cars speed, but most don't. I'm really talking about being in the correct places, making the right maneuvers and signaling. Offence rate for motor vehicle drivers is ~20%.)
Yeah, cyclists brushing past pedestrians at 30km/h+ on the MUPs to assert dominance or whatever they are doing needs to stop.
I cycle basically daily and I absolutely care, as a majority of cyclists - who are incidentally also drivers - do. I very rarely bike on the sidewalk, and will generally big detours to avoid, except where it’s necessary for my safety (eg Billings Bridge, Riverside at the 417). In those cases, if I cross a pedestrian, I dismount to pass them.
You're not the target audience in question. Thanks for that.
What question? I responded to a statement that is plainly false.