Cities vary in whether they allow sidewalk riding. San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto allow sidewalk riding by people of all ages (with some caveats), with restrictions in business districts. Cupertino prohibits sidewalk riding for people 13 years old and above, while Saratoga’s cutoff is 10 years old. These age restrictions leave many cyclists without a safe alternative. Unless you are prone to memorizing municipal codes, it is impractical to know in what circumstances a city allows sidewalk riding. But even if you did know, it is not always safe to follow municipal code.
Car-dominant roadways can lead to sidewalk riding
High-speed, car-dominant roadways make up one circumstance in which sidewalk riding is necessary, for people of any age. In Cupertino, examples of such roadways are De Anza Blvd., Stevens Creek Blvd., Wolfe Rd., and Homestead Rd. On these roadways, drivers typically zip along at 40-50 mph, making biking particularly risky. Until separated bikeways are built on these roads, sidewalk riding is a good alternative.
On these busy, car-dominant roadways, if cyclists want to get to a mid-block destination on the other side of the road, often the best way is to ride contra-flow on the sidewalk for the last stretch. In front of Homestead High School, student cyclists have no good option except to do just that when cycling westbound on Homestead Road to reach the bike racks located mid-block after Kennewick Dr. and before Mary Ave. With its many businesses lining both sides, Stevens Creek Blvd. presents many cases where customers may want to get to a shop on the other side of the road, and the most convenient and safest option for cyclists is to cross at a signalized intersection prior to the shop and bike contraflow on the sidewalk the rest of the way.
Click on image below to see a list of the laws on biking on the sidewalk in your city.
Riding on Sidewalks is a good option for children
When my children were little and I was teaching them how to bike on roadways, I felt strongly that biking on sidewalks was the safest option for them. I myself felt that sidewalk riding was at times the safest option for me, for example next to high speed roadways without separated bikeways. Today, my children are young adults and I still bike as my main form of transportation. I continue to hold the perspective that sidewalk riding is essential for safety in certain circumstances.
Children are an especially vulnerable population. They are little, so drivers may miss seeing them. Add to that the neurological fact that children’s brains aren’t fully mature until their mid-20s. This means their physical balance is not as good as an adult’s, and they have more difficulty making the right snap decisions when navigating through car traffic. Adults teaching children to ride also need to ride where a child would ride in order to model safe behavior. Sidewalk riding should be allowed for children and their adults.
Hazards of sidewalk riding
Sidewalk riding does come with hazards. First, cars backing out of driveways may hit cyclists because drivers often don’t stop to look for sidewalk users, especially fast-moving ones on bikes. Complicating the matter, tall shrubs lining the driveways block the view of drivers and cyclists from seeing each other. Second, drivers approaching an intersection may not be alert to cyclists on sidewalks. Third, cyclists must carefully yield to pedestrians. Buildings whose doorways open right onto sidewalks pose a particularly hazardous situation; in this case, cyclists should consider walking their bike. Fourth, sidewalks are bumpier than roadways so cycling on them takes more attention. Fifth, if riding contra-flow, cyclists should always be on the lookout for cars coming out of driveways and at intersections, as drivers won’t be expecting cyclists coming from their right. Despite these hazards, sidewalk riding can be less dangerous than riding on the roadway.
Make up your own mind what’s right for you
Adhering to bike-unfriendly municipal code that disallows sidewalk riding may not be in your best interest. I adhere to my own code: “safety is top priority”. After 2 decades of riding in and around Cupertino, at times on sidewalks when roadway riding is dangerous, I have yet to be ticketed. Still, I would rather that our children break the law than put their lives at risk.
Guest writer Sharlene Liu is a former community lead at Silicon Valley Bike Coalition and former Bike Ped Commissioner for the City of Sunnyvale. This article reflects her views as an individual resident and does not represent an official statement from any organization.