are bicycles allowed on sidewalks
3 Reasons to Not Bicycle on the Sidewalk. For most people who bicycle to work, riding on the sidewalk is an occasional necessity; but it should be the exception rather than the rule. In today’s post I give three reasons to not ride on the sidewalk (and two reasons why you should). Risks of Riding a Bicycle on the Sidewalk. Risk #1: Getting hit by a car. There was a bumpersticker that was already old even when I was growing up: If you don’t like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk. I doubt that it was ever funny, but the more I ride, the more I realize it’s true. To the driver, the sidewalk crossing a driveway is part of the driveway. Cars don’t stop at the edge of the sidewalk because drivers are not expecting traffic there. Cars stop (if at all) at roads because that is where a driver expects to encounter other cars. According to Florida law, a bicycle is classified as a vehicle and a bicyclist has similar rights to the road as a motorist, except for the special regulations for bicycles. With this right to share the road, comes the requirement for bicyclists to follow the traffic rules common to all drivers. Overview of Florida Laws for Cyclists. In Florida the bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle and the bicyclist is a driver. Bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways, and must obey the same traffic laws as the drivers of other vehicles. A bicycle operated between sunset and sunrise must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from 500 feet to the front and both a red reflector and a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from 600 feet to the rear. Bike Lane Law Explained. A bicycle lane is a lane marked with a stripe and symbols for the preferential use of bicycles on a roadway (motorists may enter or cross a bicycle lane to turn into or off a roadway at intersections and driveways). For more information on Florida Bicycle Laws, visit the Florida Department of Transportation’s Bicycle Safety Program. You may also request a copy of the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide from the Bicycle Coordinator at 305-673-7080. A bicycle is classified as a vehicle. A person in control of a vehicle on a street or highway is a driver. As a driver, a cyclist must follow the traffic rules common to all drivers. As the driver of a bicycle, he must also obey regulations adopted specially for bicycles. A person riding a bicycle has all the rights applicable to any driver, except as to special regulations for bicycles. Definition of Bicycle. A bicyclist who is not traveling at the same speed of other traffic must ride in a designated bike lane (see Bike Lane Law Explained in the left tab menu) or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. Reason #1: It is occasionally safer. If you need to travel from Point A to Point B and part of that journey is on a narrow street with no shoulder or with a dangerous bike lane (these do exist), you might consider riding on the sidewalk. Keep in mind the three risks above.
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