# Message to "On your left" bicyclists (too mild for the Pit) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 5, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572 "2010-11-05T13:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/81 "2010-11-10T03:26:48Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Skiers understand this rule, I don’t know why bicyclists don’t. Skiers are often expected to keep right, and even yield the track if being overtaken. It’s not as different as you expect, especially with skiers who simply won’t yield. Our local bike path has signs telling all travelers to keep right, and to let people pass. If people are walking side by side and taking up a full half of the bike path I expect them to move single file if needed in heavy traffic to allow bikes to pass. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/82 "2010-11-10T03:28:51Z")
> [@Archergal](#): > > \ > (N.B. - AFAIK there is no law against riding on the sidewalk in my municipality.) I would be surprised if vehicles are allowed on sidewalks in your municipality, but not shocked. According to [this site](http://www.atlantabike.org/node/1646), bicycles are considered vehicles in Georgia; > [@](#): > > Since bicycles are vehicles under Georgia law Vehicles are usually prohibited on sidewalks in legal theory (but not in practice, as I see daily). ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/83 "2010-11-10T03:53:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I would be surprised if vehicles are allowed on sidewalks in your municipality, but not shocked. According to [this site](http://www.atlantabike.org/node/1646), bicycles are considered vehicles in Georgia; Vehicles are usually prohibited on sidewalks in legal theory (but not in practice, as I see daily). In Florida, we have [specific rules](http://www.dot.state.fl.us/safety/ped_bike/laws/ped_bike_bikeLaws1.shtm) to cover the sidewalk case. The state agrees that bikes are vehicles: > [@](#): > > Legal status of bicycles > (Sections 316.003(2), (10) and 316.2065(1), F.S.) > > A bicycle is classified as a vehicle. A person in control of a vehicle on a street or highway is a driver. As a driver, a cyclist must follow the traffic rules common to all drivers. As the driver of a bicycle, he must also obey regulations adopted specially for bicycles. A person riding a bicycle has all the rights applicable to any driver, except as to special regulations for bicycles. But it goes on to give the special regulations: > [@](#): > > Sidewalk riding > (Section 316.2065(10) and (11), F.S.) > > A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances. Specific comments about passing: > [@](#): > > A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. They also clarify that bikes are (basically) the only vehicle allowed on sidewalks: > [@](#): > > No person shall drive any vehicle other than by human power upon a bicycle path, sidewalk, or sidewalk area, except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway. Sadly, it is silent about the specific audible signal to use. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/84 "2010-11-10T04:03:43Z")
Ah, I see. Well, all those conditions are ignored here, also. The cyclists on the sidewalks are the _least_ likely to ever use their bells or alert pedestrians about their presence - they just go flying by, startling me. I like it when I’m walking with my little grocery cart so I can have it rolling by my side, to keep the bikes further away from me. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/85 "2010-11-10T13:29:58Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Ah, I see. Well, all those conditions are ignored here, also. The cyclists on the sidewalks are the _least_ likely to ever use their bells or alert pedestrians about their presence - they just go flying by, startling me. I like it when I’m walking with my little grocery cart so I can have it rolling by my side, to keep the bikes further away from me. Are these couriers that are doing this? I agree that the couriers are really bad cyclists, but as someone who is a regular cyclist in the city, I’m kind of shocked that the regular cycling community would be zipping by you in such an unsafe manner, on the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/86 "2010-11-10T13:52:58Z")
Nope, not couriers, just regular schmoes on bikes on the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572/87 "2010-11-10T18:11:24Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Nope, not couriers, just regular schmoes on bikes on the sidewalk. I think that’s one of the disconnects we run into every time one of these discussions comes up here. The Doper bicyclists who respond tend to be the “serious” recreational/competitive/hobbyist bicyclists who ride the “right” way, and have educated themselves (and wear the spandex and helmets). The people riding on the sidewalks and generally being buffoons are the bicyclists who are only bicyclists because they don’t have a car/driver’s license, and haven’t learned the rules - as far as they know, bicycles count as pedestrians. Around here, the people I see riding on the sidewalks and ignoring the rules are the same people I see riding in the dark dressed in dark clothing, with no helmet, no lights, and plastic bags full of groceries swinging from their handlebars. And smoking while they’re riding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-to-on-your-left-bicyclists-too-mild-for-the-pit/559572.md?page=4)