DocAndersen
I spend a day or so (sometimes more) a week in downtown DC. I love the rideshare bikes everywhere. The thing, however, today’s picture inspires me to recall is the reality of shooters, Segways’ and sidewalks. When I was a little kid learning to ride my bicycle, it was understood that you could ride on the sidewalk. But the bike rider on the sidewalk was responsible for making sure they didn’t hit anyone. They didn’t have the right of way. Now with the scooters, motorized and human-powered, bikes and everything else that is using the sidewalk who has the right of way? The answer is still who the sidewalk was made for, the pedestrian. Don’t from your bike seat shout right of way to a walker, you don’t have the right of way.
What happened to civility?
By the way, a pedestrian with their face buried in their cell phone counts as a biker from now on. As the pedestrian walking on the sidewalk, or in the crosswalk of a street it is my job to avoiding obstacles. But, in that crosswalk, if traffic is stopped, I have the right of way. It scares me sometimes to walk on the streets with people buried in their cell phones. People are kiting along 10-12 miles per hour faster than the walker and of course, bikers on the sidewalk. I am not saying they shouldn’t be there, just that they need to pay more attention than the walkers. The next generation of personal safety devices won’t be a hidden taser that no one can see. It will be personal lidar.
Lidar is what they use in cars to determine when another car is too close to you. With personal Lidar, you will know when bikers, scooters and other walkers buried in cell phones are too close to you. You will also be notified when someone is walking faster behind you. It is a sidewalk designed for those who are walking; everyone else is a guest. Please act accordingly.
I feel old now like I am standing on the sidewalk tripping people with my cane. I hope it doesn’t come to that .
-
Question of
Do you ride your bike on the sidewalk?
-
Yes
-
No
-
-
Question of
Have you ever shouted move over to a walker?
-
Yes
-
No
-
The problems you’ve mentioned are also very relevant & burning for my hometown, especially with bikers when some of them go with a great speed and the probability to hit someone on the sidewalk. The Lidar is a good way to solve the problem when someone has no social responsibility.
I suspect you have many more bikes in Denmark than we do in the US. I remember the full bike racks in downtown Copenhagen!
Sorry, but you’ve mistaken, I’m not from Denmark, I’m from Russia. Writing posts about Scandinavia is simply one of my hobbies. Anyway, very happy about your interesting comment!!!
Well I learned something new today! Russia is also a wonderful place, I have been to Moscow once, but was only outside a few hours total (it was winter)
Some folks are just rude and there is nothing you can do about it except to ignore them
Sad but applicable to more than bikers.
Bikers a lot of times are very dangerous not seeing the cars as a different mode of transportation that their bike.
I agree sometimes they don’t pay attention! I just wish they wouldn’t shout at walkers as they barrel down the sidewalk.
Without the awareness of all parties, justice and fairness are difficult to expect.
So very true, Albert so very true!