[Tagging] designated bike lane

[Anthony]

On Tue, Jan 4, 2011 at 3:22 AM, Paul Johnson <baloo at ursamundi.org> wrote:
> On 01/03/2011 08:11 AM, Dave F. wrote:
>> On 03/01/2011 03:50, Paul Johnson wrote:
>>> On 01/01/2011 07:54 AM, Dave F. wrote:
>>>
>>>> Is the adjacent path shared? if so, note that that would be the safer
>>>> passage.
>>> Most states prohibit bicycles from sidewalks, or limit their speed to a
>>> walking speed on sidewalks, making them useless for bicyclists.
>>
>> Really? Is that US thing? Do they have signs? What about joggers & runners?
>
> It's not posted, but it is codified as such in state law.  Oregon
> expressly limits bicycles to walking speed on sidewalks, all states
> consider bicycles as vehicles that must obey vehicle law as applicable
> (including not driving on sidewalks, which makes the whole "walking
> speed" thing moot in Oregon anyway).

Your statement that bicycles are prohibited from driving on sidewalks
in "all states" is not correct.  Florida statutes explicitly state:
"A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a
sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the
rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same
circumstances."

Of course, those rights and duties include such things as stopping at
a "don't walk" signal, even when there's a green light.  Plus you have
to yield to pedestrians and ring your hello kitty bicycle bell every
time you pass one:

"A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a
roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to
any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and
passing such pedestrian."

It's not something you want to do for your commute.