oming from the West Coast and having ridden in many Canadian cities, I admit to being bewildered at the number of sidewalk cyclists in Ottawa. Sure, there are a lot of one-way streets to negotiate in this city and motorists can be aggressive and inattentive. But are those really good excuses to tear down the sidewalk instead of the road?
For one thing, cycling on the sidewalk is against the law and could land you with a $40 ticket. And, you're going to have to deal with traffic sometime whether you use your bike for transport or recreation.
So, you think you are safer on the sidewalk than on the road? Think again! According to police statistics, cyclists who ride on the sidewalk are more likely to be involved in a collision with a car and are more likely to be hurt than cyclists on the road.
A recent study of adult cyclists in the Ottawa-Carleton region, suggests that people who cycle on sidewalks are four times more likely to fall or get hurt than those who ride on the street.
Does this seem strange to you? But every driveway becomes an intersection for sidewalk cyclists. Then think about it from the motorist's perspective. You are driving along and all of the sudden, acyclist appears from out of nowhere (eg. a sidewalk), particularly at right hand turns.
Worse yet is the situation where cyclists on sidewalks appear on the road riding in the wrong direction. Compare this to a cyclist riding predictably on the right side of road where you, as a motorist, can see them all the time. Where are you more likely to have a collision with a cyclist?
Many cyclists are worried about being hit from behind. In fact, these are one of the rarest types of collisions. Consider, if you are cycling where a motorist can see you, are they likely to hit you?
It's true some motorists forget that bicycles are vehicles too and, as such, are entitled to, and require space on the road. At the same time, you as a cyclist need to behave predictably by riding in a straight line at least one metre (3 ft) away from the curb and indicate your actions with proper signals.
Try it, the danger is more perception than reality, once you feel confident about your rights as a cyclist on the road and once you are visible to motorists, your comfort level in traffic will increase dramatically.
For more information on safe cycling, contact the CfSC office at 567-1288.