Joggers, Runners & Bikers....please explain?

[maslex]

I'm not intending this post as a bash towards any people who run, jog or ride bikes, but I just wanted to know if there is something I don't realize or understand.

I have NO problem whatsoever with people who get outdoors and get in some exercise. But I have a question.

When you are jogging, running, walking or even riding your bike when there are sidewalks available, why do most of these people use the road instead of the sidewalk?

Our town just had sidewalks put in (in some areas, not all) And also, where I drive for work, there are sidewalks just about EVERYWHERE. I just don't get why a lot of people will use the road instead of the sidewalk. Is there a logical reason that I just don't get, since I don't do these exercises?

If you could, please explain. THANKS!!!

 

[njmom47]

I would like to know as well.
I would also like to know (for bicyclists) why they ride 4 across on a narrow windy country road at 5pm when lots of people are on their way home from work.

 

[ols386]

If there is a sidewalk, I generally think of it for people walking/running/jogging. But for bikes, I would think they should be riding at the edge of the street, rather than on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk is for those traveling by foot. If I'm walking and there is a sidewalk available, that's what I use. If there is no sidewalk available, then I would walk at the edge of the street facing on-coming traffic.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I can't answer anything about runners but I do know that most everywhere I have lived bicycles are prohibited on sidewalks. Even children are not supposed to ride them a sidewalk. I don't think anyone would say anything to a child to young to be in the street but once you are riding a 10 speed bike and are able to cross streets on your own then you need to be riding in the road.

 

[tasha99]

For joggers/walkers: Some people have a hard time with the driveways. In fact, walking on the sidewalk always the same direction can give people problems due to the driveways being at the same angle all the time.

Bikes: They belong on the road. Almost every "oops didn't see a bike" incident I've ever been in has involved some bike rider on a sidewalk, often going the wrong direction. People have their kids go on the sidewalk, but I think it's a lot more dangerous. In my town, most streets have bike lanes, but even without them, sidewalks are for walking.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

I'll be happy to explain.

Where I live the subdivision mandates the number of trees we have. We are required to have two trees between the sidewalk and the street. These are all oak trees. They are now more than 20 years old. Their roots make the sidewalks fit for neither man nor beast. In other words, they are dangerously unlevel. Therefore, to the road I go. I run facing traffic and to the side. The streets, at least where I live, are plenty big enough for us to share.

 

[Green Tea]

Here, the police will ticket you for riding a bike on the sidewalk.....even kids. I run generally on sidewalks where available though a lot of areas do not have sidewalks. I will run on the street where a sidewalk is available if folks have not trimmed their hedges, the sidewalk is particularly broken up, where it is a very short section of sidewalk and I would have to cut back into the street in a block anyway, where the sidewalk is more slanted for drainage than the adjacent road.

 

[lil mermaid]

When I run, most of the time I run on the sidewalk.

If I am on a bike ride with the kids, I always use the sidewalk or trail. If I am going on a training ride by myself or with other adult cyclists I use the street for the following reasons:

1. It is my right under state law to do so.
2. It is impossible to ride fast enough to get a really good workout on the sidewalks. Too many starts and stops. Too many people.

Hope this helps.

 

[maslex]

If there is a sidewalk, I generally think of it for people walking/running/jogging. But for bikes, I would think they should be riding at the edge of the street, rather than on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk is for those traveling by foot. If I'm walking and there is a sidewalk available, that's what I use. If there is no sidewalk available, then I would walk at the edge of the street facing on-coming traffic.

Ok thanks for the explanation of the bikers. I just never realized that they were to use the road instead of the sidewalks, but it makes sense. But that still doesn't explain the walkers/runners/joggers who use the road instead of the sidewalk (when there is a sidewalk to use) that's my main question. I understand if there is no sidewalk that they would use the edge of the road and I have no problem with that, I'm just really curious why they don't use the sidewalk when it's available?

I mean the other day I was driving down the road (with sidewalks) and there were 2 people walking together side by side in the road (not on the sidewalk) and when the car in front of me past them, he beeped his horn and I'm assuming yelled something out of his window. Well, the two people both flipped him off and yelled something back at him. I'm just assuming that the car beeped at them because they were in the road, side by side even and not on the sidewalk.

 

[Jennasis]

Bicycles are not allowed on sidewalks. They are considered like vehicles and belong on the road.

 

[maslex]

Ok, read some of the other posts. And now I'm understanding a little better about some sidewalk being unlevel, big trees, etc. Guess since I don't do these particular activities, I just don't know the circumstances. I've just always been curious when I see an empty sidewalk but a bunch of people using the road. Now I'll look at them a little differently now that I know what is probably going on. Thanks again!!!

 

[Zandy595]

I've read threads like this one before. From what I remember, the joggers said the road is "softer" than the sidewalk and easier on their joints. Bikers said it was illegal for them to ride on sidewalks.

I find it annoying and dangerous for these people to be on the road with vehicles. They're just asking to cause an accident, either involving themselves or between vehicles trying to avoid hitting them.

 

[Poohforyou]

I bike and jog and do both on the street. Here's reasoning:

The cement sidewalks are murder on knees when jogging. As hard as it is for non-joggers to understand the road does provide more shock absorption. Also having to go off/on the curb at every street puts extra strain on knees. Finally, sidewalks can be very uneven.

As for biking, I'd have to dodge kids on bikes and people walking dogs etc if I road on the sidewalk. On my road bike on a flat road I can be going 20+ miles per hour which classifies me as a moving vehicle that is required to be on the road. As for riding close to the line on a road rather than at the edge that is because there is so much debris which is dangerous to ride over on a road bike. I don't ride across with people. I actually don't like doing that at all because I've seen rides crash when they've gotten too close.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

Ok, read some of the other posts. And now I'm understanding a little better about some sidewalk being unlevel, big trees, etc. Guess since I don't do these particular activities, I just don't know the circumstances. I've just always been curious when I see an empty sidewalk but a bunch of people using the road. Now I'll look at them a little differently now that I know what is probably going on. Thanks again!!!

You're welcome. Granted, walking side by side is obnoxious.

 

[NikitaZee]

I mean the other day I was driving down the road (with sidewalks) and there were 2 people walking together side by side in the road (not on the sidewalk) and when the car in front of me past them, he beeped his horn and I'm assuming yelled something out of his window. Well, the two people both flipped him off and yelled something back at him. I'm just assuming that the car beeped at them because they were in the road, side by side even and not on the sidewalk.

This happened to me the other day too. Two women walking side by side in the road. I guess I didn't swerve around them widely enough for one of the women's comfort, so she turned around and yelled at me. I find it unsafe and aggravating when they don't walk single file in the street when a car is passing.

 

[ZachnElli]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine too! Not the bikers, the walkers/joggers in the street. My neighborhood has great sidewalks and a jogging path, but still they use the street and if there is more than one, side by side! I've even seen 3 people wide walkers down the street! Rude! I jog too, I've been on these sidewalks and the jogging path hundreds of times, there is NO reason to be in the street! Friday on my way home from work, typical rush hour time, there are cars parked in the street because of the holiday weekend and graduations, there is usually hardly any cars in the street, but this weekend there are tons, and there is a jogger in the street! Cars going in both directions, having to take turns passing each other because of the parked cars and then there is the jogger in the street to have to worry about too?!

 

[tasha99]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine too! Not the bikers, the walkers/joggers in the street. My neighborhood has great sidewalks and a jogging path, but still they use the street and if there is more than one, side by side! I've even seen 3 people wide walkers down the street! Rude! I jog too, I've been on these sidewalks and the jogging path hundreds of times, there is NO reason to be in the street! Friday on my way home from work, typical rush hour time, there are cars parked in the street because of the holiday weekend and graduations, there is usually hardly any cars in the street, but this weekend there are tons, and there is a jogger in the street! Cars going in both directions, having to take turns passing each other because of the parked cars and then there is the jogger in the street to have to worry about too?!

With all due respect, your experience doesn't always equate to someone else's. You may tolerate the cement and changing inclines of a sidewalk, but another jogger--maybe one who is older or who has weaker knees, may find that intolerable. Of course, 3 side by side is rude. Hopefully the jogging path is of good materials, but some people combine errands and jogging. I'm no jogger, but I walk to the store to do errands. A walking path to nowhere would do me no good.

 

[twalton]

The cement sidewalks are murder on knees when jogging. As hard as it is for non-joggers to understand the road does provide more shock absorption. Also having to go off/on the curb at every street puts extra strain on knees. Finally, sidewalks can be very uneven.

I second this. Before I became a runner, I thought this was complete bunk. But it didn't take me very long to realize it's the honest truth.

Now, I will say this...I almost always run very early in the morning, or very late at night (when it's dark and there's very, very little traffic out). If I get a late start and the sun is up, I will make a point of running on the sidewalk. It's more of a safety issue with more traffic at that time, but I figure it's courteous, too.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I agree with many of the others. I am a runner and I do not use cement sidewalks because I've heard it's bad for the knees.
Since I don't use the sidewalk, I have no personal experience of whether or not it's true but I will say I haven't had any "knee problems" despite my frequent runs.

In our area, there are wide, asphalt sidewalks down many of the major roads, so I do use those--but in my neighborhood, the sidewalks are cement so I run in the street when in my own neighborhood. I try to stay to the side as much as possible and if I see that there are two cars coming in opposite directions, I will sometimes move to the sidewalk for a brief moment till the cars pass.

Another thing I have noticed is a lot of residents in my neighborhood make running/walking on the sidewalk more dangerous. Often I'll see large kids toys like scooters left on the sidewalk--if someone was running in the dark and not looking down, they could easily trip. Also, sometimes people will park "hanging out" of their driveway, thus blocking the sidewalk--which means even if someone was walking/running on the sidewalk, they would have to dart out into the street while passing that driveway.

 

[SAHDad]

As others have said, bikes belong on the road. A bicycle is a vehicle, and is subject to all the rules of the road. Yes, they are supposed to stop at stop signs. Yes, they are supposed to signal. Yes, they are supposed to ride in the same direction as traffic. No, many do not.

As for runners - on one of my routes, part of it has sidewalks. To get to one sidewalk, I have to cross a very busy road, with no traffic light, or, I can run (facing traffic) on the bike path. Plus, while the side of the road has its hazards (drains, litter, broken glass, dead animals), sidewalks have much the same, plus the added bonus of being a harder surface, near-constant elevation changes (driveways, roads, etc - go get a 2x4, and then step up and down it at odd intervals for 30 minutes, and you begin to see what that little difference can mean). In addition, sidewalks have toys, broken pavement, and, not to be ignored - dogs. A dog that ignores me passing on the street may not ignore me when I am on the sidewalk. And, as others noted - lots of people zip out of their driveways, and can easily plow into a runner on the sidewalk, simply because they are not expecting them.

I can't speak for all bikers or runners, but trust me when I say that we are probably far more aware of you than you are of us (when you are driving). I speak as someone who now acts as though every motorist can see me - and is actively trying to kill me. Because, speaking from experience (I've been hit, pedestrian and cyclist, multiple times) - you are. (FWIW - IME, a sidewalk is just as dangerous, if not more so, than the road.)