Is it safer to bike in traffic or on the sidewalk? I keep going back and forth.

I've been commuting by bike to my job downtown for about 8 months now, and this one thing really bugs me. Every time I ride in the bike lane, I get honked at or squeezed by cars, but when I hop on the sidewalk, pedestrians give me dirty looks and dogs lunge at my tires. A couple weeks ago I saw another cyclist almost get doored right in front of me, then later that same day a guy on the sidewalk nearly clipped a kid with his handlebars. I think drivers expect us to act like cars but pedestrians see us as dangerous vehicles, so there's no real good spot. I keep hearing people say 'take the lane' but that feels like asking to get hit. So what's your take, do you stick to the road or take the sidewalk, and how do you handle the dirty looks either way?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscarh163d ago

There's no real good spot" is exactly it man. I've been doing the same commute for two years and I still can't figure out which option sucks less on any given day.

jasons632d ago

Traffic apps make it worse honestly. They don't account for that one random crash that messes up the whole flow until you're already stuck in it. The real trick is checking the local news traffic cams before you even pull out of the driveway.