This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, May 27, 2013: Are people on bikes supposed to follow the rules like a car or a pedestrian? What if they get off and walk the bike?
Under Missouri law, bicycles are to be treated as vehicles. This means that on roadways, people riding bicycles are subject to the same rights and responsibilities as those who are driving cars; traffic lights and signs are to be obeyed by all vehicles, motorized or not.
Beyond following traffic laws, people riding bicycles should also exercise basic, common-sense etiquette. Proper signaling well in advance, predictability, and respect for pedestrians are also essential to share streets peacefully with all users, regardless of their mode of transport.
Sidewalks present a special set of circumstances where people riding bicycles must use sound judgment and awareness of their surroundings. Missouri law declares that bicycles are not permitted on sidewalks in business districts; however, what officially constitutes as a “business district” is not defined. That said, in densely populated areas with many storefronts and business entrances, people riding bicycles should stay off of sidewalks to allow ample room for pedestrians. Even in areas that do not fit the “business district” description, riding on sidewalks is not advisable.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed in the St. Louis region; according to Trailnet’s bike count data collected in September 2012, nearly 40 percent of more than 2,800 people on bicycles were riding on sidewalks.
People driving cars who are exiting alleys, driveways or side streets are not expecting to encounter someone traveling at biking speed on sidewalks. To ride on a sidewalk is unpredictable, and therefore an unsafe bicycling practice. In the event that one is riding on the sidewalk for any reason, law requires that riders yield to pedestrians.
But what of situations where the roadway is too congested, fast-paced and unsafe to ride comfortably ride a bicycle, yet sidewalks are dangerous to ride on as well? This is a time when it is perfectly acceptable to dismount and walk your bicycle on the sidewalk.
While this may break one’s momentum and add a few minutes to one’s journey, it is the safest maneuver possible in such a situation. When walking with a bicycle, one becomes a pedestrian, and then must adhere to pedestrian law and etiquette. This means looking both ways before crossing a street, using crosswalks.
The quick transition between vehicle and pedestrian is one of the great advantages of biking for transportation. When stuck in rush hour in a car, there is no choice but to sit in gridlock traffic and wait. This means burning gas, releasing carbon emissions and wasting time. On a bike, however, there is the luxury of being able to hop off, walk a few blocks away from the traffic jam, and continue on the journey. This burns no gas, releases zero carbon emissions and keeps you moving forward despite roadway congestion—not to mention saving time searching for a parking spot once you reach your destination. Such quick versatility and wide variety of parking options is what often allows trips by bike to actually be faster than trips taken by car.
However, getting off of your bike and walking on the sidewalk is not ideal. Trailnet’s vision is to have a continuous bicycle network of safe, accessible and connected roadways where it is unnecessary to use sidewalks for cycling at all. Such a network is a vital part of Complete Streets, which accounts for the needs of all roadway users regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.
Molly Pearson is an American League of Bicyclists’ certified instructor, and serves as TravelGreen Program Coordinator at Trailnet. The mission of Trailnet is to lead in fostering healthy, active, and vibrant communities where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit are a way of life. She will be writing Voices articles to raise awareness and understanding of bicycling conditions in St. Louis, and how such conditions affect all roadway users.