[TheDon]

So I'm riding today to work during rush hour. I live in Anchorage and was running a little late so I was biking on the sidewalk of a busyroad because it was a straight route to work instead of taking the bike paths through Anchorage. My first mistake.
On my way to work is a hill, a very nice hill on 36th st. It was somewhat wet out so I was braking down the hill. I see a lady in of those box cars (scions?) in the cross walk ahead of me taking a right turn. I shout "Hey!" and it appeared as though she saw me, so I perceded to bike in front of her. My second mistake.
BAM!
She luckily got the very end of my rear wheel. I went forward a little bit and hit the very bottom of my pubis. I narrowly missed my "boys." The lady stopped immediately and was very apologetic. She gave me her name and number. I was alright, just a little bruised. It hurts a little to move my legs close to my chest and stretch my back out. Everything seems to check out. Didn't go to the doctor and will be taking a couple days off, but now I have a cool bruise that I hopefully can try to coax some ladies to see.
My bike faired really well too. The rear wheel obviously is out of true and somehow three of the bolts holding my crankset together loosened or broke off when I got hit. She's paying for all repairs which is a grand total of 25 dollars. I realize I can do all the work myself, but when someone else breaks my stuff I don't mind them fixing it.
So I learned two lessons today. I also realize that I am darn lucky, cause she could have easily gotten all of me.
Avoid Rush Hour
And
Always Go Behind Cars.
Cheers

 

[Ridgetop]

Glad you're all right! Also glad to see you mentioned the "Always Go Behind Cars" before this turned into the right turn thread again. I personally still am dumb and cut to the right sometimes, but normally not when it looks like someone might be trying to decide what to do. But then again, I sometimes do dumb things and can see myself still doing it at some point. Anyway, glad you and the bike survived and it's also nice to hear the motorist was a nice woman.

 

[Dancer]

The only times I have been hit by cars has been while I was on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk. I guess I let my guard down thinking I'm a pedestrian and therefore safe.

The last time was almost funny. The driver who hit me was a soldier. She was more distraught about the whole thing than I as I wasn't hurt badly (I suffered far more damage when I endo'd when running over a rottweiler on the MUT) and I ended up consoling her.

Dancer

 

[Route 66 Domestiques]

from the side-walk?

Glad you're all right! Also glad to see you mentioned the "Always Go Behind Cars" before this turned into the right turn thread again. I personally still am dumb and cut to the right sometimes, but normally not when it looks like someone might be trying to decide what to do. But then again, I sometimes do dumb things and can see myself still doing it at some point. Anyway, glad you and the bike survived and it's also nice to hear the motorist was a nice woman.

Were you entering the street on your bicycle from the side-walk? I've never been to Anchorage (but, I kinda like Beetles); but, in most states it is only legal to ride on side-walks when it is safe. The fact that you were involved in a crash seems to put this in question.
(I may have read your story wrong). Was your helmet damaged?

 

[Visitor302]

Ya know, a simular thing alsmost happened to me today, 'cept I was just a pedestian...
A 20ish girl was paying more attention to her cell phone than her souroundings, and creeped into the crosswalk, getting ready to gun it when oncoming trafic cleared....

 

[TheDon]

Oh, I stayed in my saddle and upright just got jarred forward and hit my crotch on my stem. My head never hit pavement and neither did the rest of my body. At the time it was probably safer to be on the sidewalk since rush hour here does not mean traffic jams for the most part and instead means a lot of cars going fast. I'd would like to think it's safer to be on a sidewalk with lots of fast cars on the road rather than in the mix.

 

[tarwheel2]

Sidewalks, in my opinion, are much more dangerous to ride on than roads. First, you have to contend with pedestrians who typically are not expecting or aware of bikes. Second, drivers pulling out of sidestreets are accustomed to looking oncoming traffic on the roads not the sidewalks. They just don't see you on a sidewalk. Finally, even if drivers don't pull out in front of you, they typically will block sidestreets by pulling up to the street edge so they can see better. Bottom line, it's just not safe riding on sidewalks except in very extenuating circumstances -- such as heavily trafficked, high speed roads with no shoulders.

 

[John Nelson]

In my area, if you were riding at "walking speed", then the driver was at fault. If you were riding any faster, then you were at fault. Essentially, the law regards you as a pedestrian only if you are at pedestrian speeds. Otherwise you're a vehicle.

 

[Mr. Versatile]

I would consider seeing a doctor. You may feel all right now, but you never know. I'm in NO WAY law suit happy, & I'm not suggesting that. I'm just suggesting CYA. At any rate, I'm glad it was nothing worse than you described.

 

[zooog]

Could have been a lot worse. Good to hear you made it out rather unscathed...

 

[Route 66 Domestiques]

Bicycle riding on sidewalks

So I'm riding today to work during rush hour. I live in Anchorage and was running a little late so I was biking on the sidewalk of a busyroad because it was a straight route to work instead of taking the bike paths through Anchorage. My first mistake.
On my way to work is a hill, a very nice hill on 36th st. It was somewhat wet out so I was braking down the hill. I see a lady in of those box cars (scions?) in the cross walk ahead of me taking a right turn. I shout "Hey!" and it appeared as though she saw me, so I perceded to bike in front of her. My second mistake.
BAM!
She luckily got the very end of my rear wheel. I went forward a little bit and hit the very bottom of my pubis. I narrowly missed my "boys." The lady stopped immediately and was very apologetic. She gave me her name and number. I was alright, just a little bruised. It hurts a little to move my legs close to my chest and stretch my back out. Everything seems to check out. Didn't go to the doctor and will be taking a couple days off, but now I have a cool bruise that I hopefully can try to coax some ladies to see.
My bike faired really well too. The rear wheel obviously is out of true and somehow three of the bolts holding my crankset together loosened or broke off when I got hit. She's paying for all repairs which is a grand total of 25 dollars. I realize I can do all the work myself, but when someone else breaks my stuff I don't mind them fixing it.
So I learned two lessons today. I also realize that I am darn lucky, cause she could have easily gotten all of me.
Avoid Rush Hour
And
Always Go Behind Cars.
Cheers

Following a Google search, a study of bicycle riding completed in Wisconsin states that bicycling riding on sidewalks is illegal in most states. Some states allow communities to set their own regulations. Otherwise, it is illegal. Of course the best way to get to the bottom of this is to collide with a pedestrian. The local magistrate will be glad to set you straight (or free).

 

[spyro]

not only is it illegal in most states, more people get hit by cars riding bikes on sidewalks than on the road.

Glad you made it through ok, and i have been known to ride on a sidewalk or two myself...

 

[TheDon]

Domestiques,
Riding on the sidewalk is legal in Alaska, except in business districts, therefore, I was not doing anything illegal, just stupid. I have learned my lesson now. I took a day off and am alrerady back to biking.