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In all the  planning work I have been involved with in Vancouver, the number one complaint seniors have with sidewalks is not the tripping hazards of uneven pavement-it is bicyclists on sidewalks.

For a senior with impaired sight and hearing, the quick reflex of turning quickly when surprised by a bike can result in a fall.

Wayne Moriarty has written an opinion piece in The Province expressing his admiration to cyclists, but wishing that they would stay off the sidewalk. In the article “Cycling has no Place on Sidewalks” Moriarty states:

It was my hope a year or so ago that cycling on the sidewalk would become the new smoking — a habit more likely to induce shame than, say, a sense of self-approval. But while a respectful awareness among people who smoke in public spaces grows, cyclists on sidewalks appear utterly oblivious to their ways.

In fact, if anything, their number seems to be growing and with that growth getting bolder.”

This excellent Australian report on Seniors Walking in Victoria State prepared by Victoria Walks Australia shows that 81 per cent of trips by seniors over 80 years of age are by walking. Unlike young people, seniors are very aware that a fall on a sidewalk can result in a broken hip and can have deadly consequences.

The report states “Sudden, unexpected incidents such as cyclists passing at high-speed without warning or uncontrolled dogs can sometimes cause as much, or possibly more concern than the more predictable hazards associated with motor vehicles.”

The report also states that seniors will regularly walk one kilometer to services and shops. That is the same distance that younger people will walk to services, shops and schools.

What is your experience of walking on sidewalks in Metro Vancouver-is there a challenge with cyclists also riding on sidewalks? And what can we do to ensure that seniors are able to keep walking in a convenient and comfortable way?

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  1. The best way to keep cyclists off the sidewalks is to provide them with a safe alternative. The only time I bike on the sidewalks is when there’s no other nearby route that I feel safe on. But when on the sidewalk I bike at minimum speed and if there’s not enough room to allow for a generous separation between me and a pedestrian then I either stop to one side or dismount to avoid conflicts.

    1. One of my favourite types of cyclist is the one who rides their bike on the sidewalk beside a separated bike lane or beside a designated bike street.

      It happens much more than you’d expect.

      1. I’ve seen that twice now. It is odd. I speculate that they’re from somewhere where they don’t have bike lanes so they don’t recognize what it is.

        Something to remember is that in this continent there is no cycle training in schools. We’re left with folklore and inconsistent laws and stuff said by people who don’t know what they’re talking about. So you have all sorts of inconsistency. In many places cycling is not allowed on roads and cycling must happen by law only on sidewalks. Have someone who comes from there visit Vancouver and rent a bike. How are they to know that it’s the opposite of where they’re from?

    2. I agree. Alternative, safe cycling facilities, especially in areas with dense or high-speed traffic is likely a good way to deter cycling on sidewalks. Ultimately enforcement of bylaws re cycling on sidewalks will also assist.

    3. Agreed – I very rarely see bikes on the sidewalk in Vancouver, except in places like the Granville Bridge where there’s no bike path and cycling in traffic is intimidating. (I personally go the “long way round” via the Burrard bridge rather than use Granville)

    4. Agreed that it just depends on how the cyclist behaves. Slow and cautious, respectful of others is usually fine.

      You often see cyclists on sidewalks on one-way streets
      – i.e. they take the sidewalk to ride counterflow instead of travelling over to the appropriate one-way street)

      It’ll be interesting to see if cyclists try to use the Smithe and Nelson one-way bike lanes as 2-way bike lanes instead of travelling over a block.

  2. My grandfather was killed by a cyclist riding without lights, and my mother-in-law was knocked down and severely injured by a cyclist who didn’t stop at a crosswalk. Anyway, I’m a cyclist and ride on the road to an area where I need to shop, park my bike, and walk from place to place like a pedestrian to get the things I need. Too many cyclists want to ride to the front door of the business they’re patronizing, and then ride to the next business, and in so doing ride on sidewalks. They remind me of the mall shoppers who move their cars from one part of the lot to another, or drivers who circle the block repeatedly to try to get the perfect parking spot. Dangerous.

    1. This presupposes that there is sufficient bike parking for needs. Also if there isn’t a safe place to bike to the business, there’s that incentive for some to bike on the sidewalk. There is also the incentive to never be out of sight of one’s bike because vancouver is #^#$ for bike theft.

      Lots of things wrapped up in this one.

  3. I have met a lady who can only walk with great difficulty but she can ride her bike quite easily and this is her prime form of mobility. She finds it necessary to get as close to her destination as possible by riding on the sidewalk for the last block. Just as mobility scooters are allowed on sidewalks, so should she be allowed by being provided with a medical exemption.

    Municipalities like Maple Ridge and New Westminster do allow cycling on most sidewalks. In Washington State, cyclng is allowed on sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalk rules apply to cyclists. It would be good to get data as to the level of injuries and deaths caused by this law. We have many multi-use paths and these can work well if volumes are low and paths are sufficiently wide.

    For some strange reason, many people think of bicycles as death machines when in reality it is the motor vehicles that cause all the death and injury.

    Ideally, cycling should be separated from both pedestrians and motor vehicles, but I don’t see courteous and slow sidewalk cycling to be a big deal.

    1. You must have missed Michael’s post right above where he clearly refers to a family death and injury at the hands of a cyclist. Clearly cars do not cause “all” the deaths and injuries. Since cyclists aren’t required to carry insurance I suspect the actual figures for injury are probably underreported.

      1. There have been two reported pedestrian death in the City of Vancouver caused by a cyclist.

        Two.

        http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/pedestrian-80-killed-in-collision-with-cyclist/article1809538/

        http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/stanley-park-pedestrian-71-dies-after-being-hit-by-cyclist-1.2787886

        Of note from the G&M story: “The B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit says that about 10 pedestrians a year are injured seriously enough by cyclists that they have to be taken to hospital, but the unit’s records, which go back to 2001, show no deaths.”

        The City of Vancouver’s cycling safety study utilized ICBC’s statistics (which itself uses their own accident claims and police reports), hospital emergency room data, and UBC’s Bicyclists’ Injuries and Cycling Environment Study.

        http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/cycling-safety-study-final-report.pdf

        So, please, do expound further on that gap in reporting that could produce an undercount.

      2. That vast underreporting must mean that the netherlands and denmark are suffering for an epidemic of bike deaths and maimings, no? Their absence suggests that it isn’t really something that is a concern when infrastructure allows bikes to have their own safe space.

  4. Can the City, VPD, and the local schools and universities do some sort of awareness campaign? It’s hard for young people to understand the mobility challenges of the elderly. Some education is needed.

    1. The VPD can certainly do a lot to help, but they are too busy ticketing cycle riders not wearing helmets on seaside paths or rolling slowly through stop signs while ignoring motorists who do the same.

      1. This is police scraping the bottom of the ticket barrel; engendering incredulity, hatred and contempt. The irony is that it is the helmeted missiles that are dangerous; most prone to speed and be reckless.

        They’re like evangelist cretins who want to impose their will; to arrogate a bully dominance over the most benign of activities; to pick the low hanging fruit. Just following orders.

    2. This is only a part of the answer, since it doesn’t specifically address the issues with the elderly, but some school districts are ensuring that all their students are taught responsible and safe cycling. Surrey is a good example. Other school districts are doing trial programs or doing just some schools. A provider of that training is HUB Cycling, who also offer classes for adults.

  5. Although there is one woman in my neighbourhood who rides her bicycle on the sidewalk while walking her large dog, the overwhelming majority of cyclists on sidewalks I have encountered are binners.

  6. …and still the Vancouver planners continue to produce design where cyclist are invited to ride on the sidewalk, look at their last production:

    http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/se-marine-dr-knight-st-open-house-display-boards-20160614.pdf

    The improvement for cyclists are minimal at best (only the left turn Knight street N to Marine drive West is improved)…basic issue like the below are left unaddressed

    https://voony.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/knightbikelanekerbcrossin.jpg

    beside some high profile project in the city core, it seems to be a complete disregard for cycling comfort in Vancouver outer lining area. I have already mentioned that the city recently redesigned the SE Marine Drive as a freeway with no bike lane (even Burnaby does better!)…

    1. This was pointed out to project staff and they who responded positively. Hopefully, these issues will be addressed – especially since the lack of dropdown is bad for those walking and cycling and particularly bad for those using wheelchairs, handcycles and mobility scooters. The rest of the plan offers significant safety benefits for those cycling and walking.

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      1. I have heard of this from others. Also, cycling is very therapeutic for many parkinsons patients and even spinning on a stationary bike has therapeutic effects. I have also heard of people who have difficulty walking but can dance or people who can’t talk but can easily sing.

  8. The worst is when bike paths specify that cyclists should ride on the sidewalk, like just south of metrotown on the bc parkway bike path. Quite demeaning if you’re a cyclist.

    1. Bells are only legally required in the City of Vancouver. I find that my voice is much more effective than a bell and can even become a bionic bell. I would like to be ticketed for not having a bell so that I can challenge this in court.

      Lights are only required at night. I do find it scary when I am approached by a person riding a bike without using lights at night.

      Many people use backpacks, though racks and panniers do make more sense. Sometimes one doesn’tt need to carry anything for certain trips.

  9. I think that cycling on sidewalks is one of those weird things that is okay sometimes and in some places and not okay in others. It all depends.
    I normally don’t do it but because we live in such a car-centric place, with merely a small smattering of cycle specific infrastructure, you do what any disenfranchised people do, you survive the best you can with what crumbs they throw you. If you have to choose between danger on the road or inconveniencing others you choose the latter.
    This is not a failing of the people who are forced to do this. This is sensible and practical.
    We should blame the design of our streets not the people.

  10. Probably most often people ride on sidewalks because there is no safe bike lane. In North Vancouver that’s mostly on Lonsdale and Marine Drive, to get to shops.

    The strangest setup I know is at the north end of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. The Ministry of Transportation has put up a few signs that indicate the bike route to the bridge from Dollarton Hwy is on sidewalks. But they didn’t put up signs that cycling on the sidewalk is allowed, and sidewalk riding is illegal in North Vancouver. So if a cyclist is hit by a car crossing the sidewalk, as has happened recently at this location, ICBC gives at least partial if not full fault to the cyclist.

    I find it strange that the Ministry (and in other cases municipalities) can get away with providing cycling infrastructure that contradicts the Motor Vehicle Act and is often entirely unclear to users. Another example is the sidewalk at Superstore in North Van. It has a sign that cyclists should yield to pedestrians, but no sign that cycling is allowed. The Ministry did not build a bike lane when they widened the road. They seem fully aware that people will bike on the sidewalk instead of the high traffic road from the highway, but they leave it up to people to figure out whether they can bike there or not – probably because the Ministry didn’t want to build a sidewalk wide enough for both uses.

  11. This has nothing to do with hatred of cyclists or ‘rights’ of one group over another but of simple courtesy! What right do healthy able-bodied cyclists and skateboarders have to ride on sidewalks that are clearly too narrow for them and those of us who walk, use wheelchairs, canes and, like myself have problems with sight and balance? Some of the larger roads should have bicycle lanes on them and in other cases, cyclists should use smaller roads for safety. These people have a choice as to where to cycle and I feel there needs to be more awareness to the general public so they don’t remain uninformed. Please, cyclists, stay on the road! Sidewalks are for pedestrians alone!

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