There have already a
couple of interesting discussions on this topic here. But one obvious question remains: What can we do about the problem of sidewalk riders?
Some have already suggested informal, individual ways of dealing with the problem, e.g. calling them out, not moving out of their way, telling them its illegal, etc. I myself employ most of these on a regular basis, but individual solutions aren't cutting it.
This is a serious problem. For starters, it's dangerous for pedestrians (and for the bikers too, incidentally). It's also frustrating for other bikers, who frequently have no idea what a sidewalk rider will do next (e.g. will they swerve out onto the street, then back to the side walk... will they cut in front of you when you have a green light accross the crosswalk? who knows...).
The problem is largely one of education, I think. Of course, there will always be that jerk that rides on the sidewalk anyway and yells "exSCUZE ME!" when you're trying to walk. But I think that 3/4 of sidewalk riders just don't know that its illegal, unsafe, and not the way to ride a bike in the city.
Any ideas about how to address this problem? Obviously this city has far larger fish to fry (e.g. fighting the punishing service cuts to CTA, school closings, layoffs of teachers and bus-drivers, TIFs, the deportation of fellow Chicagoans, etc., etc.). But this is still a problem that needs solving.
Any ideas?