Is it really safer to ride in the road than on the sidewalk?

Question

I am fairly new to riding, in a city where it is legal to ride in the road or on the sidewalk. In the areas where I need to ride, the roads are busy but the sidewalks are virtually deserted.

I keep hearing that it is safer to ride in the road, but is it really? Are there studies that show (or contradict) this?

It seems like the hazards of riding on the sidewalk are things that are under my control (don't zoom through crosswalks, watch out for cars coming in/out of driveways), while the hazards of riding in the road (people texting while driving, cars passing too close, road rage) I have to rely on other people being careful.

So it seems to me that I am better off riding on the sidewalk where my safety is in my own hands than in the road where my safety is in the hands of all of the drivers around me. But I am new, so I acknowledge there may be other aspects of this that I haven't thought about... so is it really still better for me to ride in the road, and if so, why?

Edit to add: This is a small city in the midwerstern United States. The sidewalks I am talking about are on stretches of road where it's mostly businesses with large parking lots, so there won't be any kids playing or anyone backing out into the road (but still will be people turning from the driveway to the road or the road to the driveway). With the exception of right by a bus stop, you almost never see pedestrians on the sidewalks, it mostly seems to be bicyclists. As an alternative to riding on the sidewalk of this road, I could take a more indirect/winding path through some neighborhoods where it wouldn't feel quite as scary riding in the road and ride in the road there - but is that really any safer than riding on the sidewalk near the busier roads?

Answer 1

In most scenarios, it is not safer for you to ride on the sidewalk. This has been demonstrated numerous times in numerous studies. I won't attempt to site individual studies here, but I will sum up the reasons.

One is that you create more potential points of impact. When you exit the sidewalk to go through an intersection, driveway, or parking lot entrance/exit you are in danger from the cross traffic as well as parallel traffic making turns. The latter danger is greatly reduced if you ride in the street simply because you are in the same lane as those drivers.

Furthermore, drivers simply aren't watching for cyclists on the sidewalk. Cyclists typically move much more quickly than pedestrians and drivers aren't prepared for that. Cyclists seem to "come out of nowhere" as compared to slow moving pedestrians. Pedestrians are also able to stop much more quickly if a driver doesn't see them.

All that said, there are some situations where cycling on the sidewalk is safer. Personally, if the speed limit is under 40 mph, I typically ride in the street. If it's over 50 mph, I typically ride on the sidewalk. If it's between 40 and 50 mph, I judge the road based on how many entrances and exits there are, how wide the shoulder is, how much traffic there is, etc.

Mike Baranczak said it beautifully in his comment, "Riding on the sidewalk is always a bad idea. But sometimes riding on the road is a worse idea. You have to decide based on individual circumstances."

Answer 2

Safer for whom?

Cycling on the sidewalk transfers risk from you to pedestrians without their consent. If you feel that the roads are too dangerous to cycle on, you have the option of getting off and walking. If a pedestrian feels that the sidewalks are too dangerous to walk on because of all the cyclists, what are they supposed to do?

If a child runs out of a garden right into your path, what are you going to do? How is that risk under your control? The sidewalk is supposed to be safe for them but I guarantee that, if you cycle into a small child, they'll come off much worse than you.

Answer 3

Ride defensively. As a former army-trained driver, I know that it is important to cycle in a prominent position in the road. Do not cycle right next to the kerb as this will encourage motorists to pass you too closely. If you stay at least 1 meter from the roads edge, cars will be unable to overtake you too closely. The UK Highway Code actually instructs cyclists to ride in the middle of the lane on narrow roads.

Answer 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_law_in_the_United_States says

"The law on sidewalks and crosswalks is not always well-developed, since other vehicles are not allowed there. Some states and municipalities forbid bicycle riding on sidewalks unless otherwise marked. Others allow it unless otherwise marked. Some require that riders use only the sidewalk on the right or left side of the roadway (whichever is the normal direction of travel on the roadway). A few laws may prohibit riding in crosswalks."

So you have to check your city/county by-laws.

Answer 5

I've read several of the studies that people generally cite when they say it is safer to ride on the street, but none of them are really scientifically rigorous enough to fully support that conclusion. (Most of them are directed to other questions and the data is "borrowed" by bicycle safety groups to support their own conclusions.) Despite what most bicycle safety organizations preach, the best you can really say is that it MAY be safer to ride on the road. Also, a lot of the risk is situational. Sometimes the road may be safer, sometimes the sidewalk may be safer. From my own experience, again not based on empirical data, I've had several near misses using crosswalks to pass through intersections and zero near misses while using car lanes to pass through intersections. So, at least at intersections, I believe the road is safer. But, at the same time, when faced with the option of merging across three lanes to the left turn lane in heavy traffic, I typically use crosswalks instead. Otherwise, I suspect I would have many more near misses on the road.

Answer 6

I also live in a Midwestern city, Chicago, and if you are riding on the sidewalk - i.e. moving at any moderate pace with legs slung over the top tube - you are in the wrong 99.99% of the time, unless you are under 12 years old. God forbid you actually hit someone on the sidewalk. I get chewed out in the hundred meters it takes to make it from the street, onto the sidewalk, and into my front door.

To your question: Is it safer?

Well that depends. It sounds like it's legal riding and fairly unoccupied on the sidewalks by you. In that case it may be safer.

I think the bigger concern is your riding habits in general. You can't take your sidewalk riding habits with you anywhere, be it safe or not. So what happens when you realize you love to do long road rides and all you know is how to maneuver on the sidewalk? There aren't any interesting sidewalk rides I know of in the Midwest. Better to learn how to navigate in real traffic patterns on trafficked streets. That is the least common denominator in the real world - streets with traffic. You will have to get on them and in the mix at some point. It's part of riding.

So, I think it will behoove you to start riding on the road as much as you can, even if it's busy. When it comes time for you to do a long group ride, it definitely wont be on the sidewalk, and you will be better prepared. In my humble opinion, those who regularly ride the streets are safer riders in general - they are better bike handlers, have better reactions, are more intimate with traffic patterns, and some (many) are even safer drivers because of it.

Answer 7

You need to document yourself from the local newspaper, on the ocurrence of transit accidents. I bet, that all of them happen in the road and rarely in the sidewalk. That answer your first concern. It is safe?

Take in account also, that is a risk on vehicles getting in or out park space and also when you cross the street on a zebra pass.

In my city I prefer the sidewalk when possible, but not always works, because many sidewalks are damaged by trees roots, by garage ramps or other obstructions.

Remember also, that the sidewalk can be invaded by cars and is used by people and some of them, are unpredictable. Here you should be more careful than in the street.

Don't believe the theory that if a car see you on the road, will avoid you. Thats not true. They will pass you at very high speed and very near of you. And if they hit you, you will probably be dead and unable to say the truth "I was pedaling legally and slowly ..."

Answer 8

I've told cops "Yeah but I'm not going to be a fly on someone's windshield because they were looking at their smartphone" none have argued it. People drive far more stupidly these days.

When crossing streets, get off your bike and walk it across.

Pedestrians have right of way on sidewalks, but you can bike responsibly and share with them.

Stop and let pedestrians pass you, Especially if they have a dog with them. Some dogs don't like bikes, gotta be nice to the pups. Order of priority 1.pedestrians 2.bikers (Took horses out of first place because they're more of a forest trail sight around here) (mountainbike trails are shared by hikers and bikers, we have no issues making it safe and courteous for both so that pedestrian safety argument is complete horse shit. Just use proper etiquette.)

Answer 9

Statistically, it is safer to ride on the road than the sidewalk. Wachtel and Lewiston write

The risk on the sidewalk is higher than on the roadway for both age groups, for both sexes, and for wrong-way travel; the risk for right-way travel on the sidewalk appears to be less than that on the roadway, but this result is misleading, as explained in the Appendix.

Bíl et al do not address sidewalks vs streets directly, but they do address other aspects of bike v car collisions, and they show that "overtaking collisions" (a collision in which the car hits the cyclist while passing) are not predominant.

My impression is that people riding on the sidewalk are overwhelmingly concerned about overtaking collisions. These are indeed scary (I've been in one), and this is probably the type of collision where cyclists feel the least control over their own safety. But overtaking collisions are not especially common--intersection collisions are more common--so trying to optimize your safety for the former isn't improving your overall risk if it increases your risk of the latter. And putting yourself on the sidewalk, where sightlines at intersections are poorer and where cyclists are more surprising to motorists, probably increases your risk of intersection collisions.

Answer 10

Following the law and ensuring pedestrian safety are essential, but the underlying question posed here of the cyclist's safety must still be answered.

I live in a city where cycling on the sidewalk (aka in some countries "pavement") is legal and encouraged. The maximum permitted cycling speed on the sidewalk is lower than on the road, and I take particular care when passing pedestrians.

There is no doubt in my mind that cycling on the sidewalk offers a greater risk of accident, even with a hybrid bike that allows progress over uneven surfaces. However, the sidewalk presents a much lower risk to the cyclist of fatality or permanent incapacity, and this to me is decisive. Any discussion of relative risk which fails to address severity of outcome is incomplete.

Particular hazards of sidewalk cycling that I have not seen mentioned include:

(1) encountering cyclists going the other way with up to 20kph relative velocity, often appearing with little prior warning.

(2) longitudinal ridges (that would be just a bump to cycle over if transverse) make it impossible to glide sideways, and are difficult to spot ahead due to parallax.

Answer 11

Even tought there are many great answers I want to weight in, with my very personal perspective on the matter, also I'm from Chile were traffic laws are somewhat questionable for cyclist.

In first place, over anything else it all comes down to your cycling experience. I've been a rider since 3 years old, now 31 and have never stopped. Been riding BMX, Downhill, CrossCountry, Freeride, Street and Road. Why this matters you ask? Well is all about reflexes and habits.

People is not really well educated about traffic, driving test are a joke(I drive a truck, motorcycle and bicycles), so most of the drivers will put everyone in dangerous situations without thinking. Furthermore people can park on the right side of the road, so you have to watch right and left when going on your bike.

So in my opinion this should be the way to cycle around a city:

• You should always prefer routes that have cycling paths. Even if they end a little bit away from where you are going, it's the most secure.

• If the street has mellow traffic and good visibility, by all means just cycle on the road.

• If you think you could get hit by a car, or a bus, because of heavy traffic is ok to go over the sidewalk. You just have to ponder other stuff like kids, dogs, angry old poeple, etc. Also you have to go slower, and be very aware that people won't be specting you on the sidewalk. (About heavy traffic, just a couple of days ago I saw a cyclist made into pudding by one big lory that the driver didn't see the kid near the truck)

Finally, just try to avoid routes that are flooded by cars and people. Bikes are excellent for using alternative routes, as you can make use cycling paths, roads and sidewalk, when you plan properlly.

Answer 12

I remember the times when there was no any bicycle infrastructure present and the most of motorists believed from the deepest of they heart that every cyclist violates all relevant road traffic rules by just being on the road. Under such conditions, it was unsafe to use the bicycle for transportation regardless how, but there were some so little used sidewalks that certain cyclists found acceptable to use them, do not know, maybe wrongly. Most of these sidewalks now have the bicycle lane labelled on them.

There is generally much more infrastructure now. It is probably safer to use that infrastructure, even if it is not perfect and requires to re-plan the path making it longer.