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Permalink Reply by M K on July 22, 2010 at 11:24am

I agree, they are our people! I wish there were some easy sign that I could hold up to them as they ride past, something like "Hey, join me on the road here, it ain't so bad!" Of course, I also agree that sometimes it isn't worth saying something.

However, I've had some friends who I know are "those people" and I always try to take the opportunity to encourage them to ride in the road. I always tell them that they'll get used to it and soon they will be pros!

heather stratton said:

We share the street with motorists, despite a good number of them being annoying or dangerous or not paying attention to their surroundings. It's not a direct analogy, since sidewalk cycling is illegal. But some perspective is helpful... cyclists are not pleasant to share the sidewalk with, but they likely won't kill you.

I have sympathy for sidewalk riders. I feel like... they're our people! They're so close! They're just in need of a little education and support. I can understand feeling fearful of sharing the road with car traffic.

But -- and I know it's unfair that all cyclists are frequently judged based on the actions of a few -- I cringe when I see adults riding recklessly and unnecessarily on the sidewalk, because I worry that they make us all look like jerks.

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Permalink Reply by Old Tom on July 22, 2010 at 3:16pm

"Just the other day I saw an elderly lady tooling around running errands to the shops on Cermak on her trike with a big basket on it. "

I'm inclined to give slow old people a break; she might'a been doing the best she can.

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