# Cycling on the pavement ("sidewalk") **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913 "2008-10-21T17:55:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913/41 "2008-10-25T15:36:33Z")
Here in Toronto, bicycles are allowed on the sidewalk if their wheels are less than 24" (it doesn’t happen to mention radius or diameter !?!) The intent of this was to allow children to learn to ride in safety while keeping adults off the sidewalk. In practice, cyclists get away with riding on the sidewalk, riding the wrong way on a one way street, not stopping at traffic lights or stop signs, riding on the wrong side of the street. Motorists also break the law, as do pedestrians - in fact, the capacity for people in Toronto to do stupid things is only limited by the laws of physics. For all that, cyclists on the sidewalk don’t understand (or worse, don’t care) that they are as threatening to pedestrians as cars are to bikes on the street. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913/42 "2008-10-25T16:27:06Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > In California a bicycle is a vehicle and is subject to the same laws as any other vehicle. That means no sidewalks. Also they are banned from most freeways (along with mopeds, and other such contraptions) > The law gets ignored a bunch, particularly by small children, but that is the way the law reads. Now if you can find a cop who understands the law. Some years ago I rode daily to and from work 5 miles. I would watch other bike wridders to see if they were obeying the traffic laws. Most of the time the majority 90% would break some law in the short time that I could see them. Stop signs, red lights, one way signs, yielding to traffic when required by law, ridding on busy sidewalks (usually at high speed), the list just goes on and on. And like I said not some but around 90% each day. I would count the ones I saw leagally and illeagally and keep track just for fun. While walking one day my 25 year old son was hit by a biker he did not see and had to get stiches. Next time you see a biker notice how he is ridding, then ask your self the question what does the vehicle code say. Would that be leagel for a car or motorcycle? Bet it won’t ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913/43 "2008-10-25T18:48:59Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > ETA: Even so, there are certain restrictions. Bicycles are prohibited on interstate highways,… Nitpick: Bicycles are allowed on Interstate 90 going up and over Snoqualmie Pass. There are other places they are allowed, but that one is where I see bicycles on the freeway most often. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913/44 "2008-10-26T11:51:03Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Nitpick: Bicycles are allowed on Interstate 90 going up and over Snoqualmie Pass. There are other places they are allowed, but that one is where I see bicycles on the freeway most often. Yes, I’ve seen some parts of interstates where apparently you can cycle, because there are signs that say, “bicycles must exit.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cycling-on-the-pavement-sidewalk/468913.md?page=2)