Cycling is a misunderstood form of transportation. There are many styles of riders on bikes, each with their own prerogatives, attitudes, and theories of how best to ride. The routine behaviors of people who ride in the street with traffic are often met with confusion or even incredulity by those who have never attempted it. That may be because some common practices used by cyclists on the road can seem counterintuitive, with regard both to the law and to safety. Further, cycling laws are not all that widely understood. Here are some common, but perhaps not common enough, insights on cycling. They’re meant to create an understanding of how we can better coexist on our shared infrastructure.

1. No. The sidewalk isn’t safer.

One of the most common, benign suggestions given to cyclists by those who don’t ride is, “Why don’t you just ride on the sidewalks? Wouldn’t that be safer?” The short answer is no.

Sidewalks were not designed for the 10-20+ miles per hour that most bicyclists travel. They are often poorly maintained, which means they’re uneven and hazardous to ride on at any significant speed. It’s also illegal to ride on them in most business districts. That’s because sidewalks are designed for pedestrians, and cycling traffic would compromise pedestrian safety, especially that of people with disabilities. Curb ramps are similarly not designed for the speed of bikers, and sometimes involve odd or narrow turns.

Furthermore, when you’re traveling on a sidewalk, every cross street, alley, and driveway becomes a new intersection to face, and many of them have poor visibility. Drivers are not looking for cyclists traveling 15 miles per hour on sidewalks intersecting with these side streets, which makes for a high chance of collisions.



2. It’s legal in most states to run lights.

Many stoplights are motion-activated (or even weight-activated) with sensors designed for cars. Cyclists often can’t trigger them, and it becomes both legal and necessary to safely run the light after a period of waiting. The exact statute in Missouri, for example, reads:

304.285. Red light violations

Any person operating a motorcycle or bicycle who violates the provisions of section 304.281 or section 304.301 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal against a red light shall have an affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions:

(1) The motorcycle or bicycle has been brought to a complete stop;

(2) The traffic control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time;

(3) The traffic control is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed or engineered to change to a green light only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle; and

(4) No motor vehicle or person is approaching on the street or highway to be crossed or entered or is so far away from the intersection that it does not constitute an immediate hazard.

The affirmative defense of this section applies only to a violation for entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal against a red light and does not provide a defense to any other civil or criminal action.

In some states, the “Idaho Stop” is also legal, allowing bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, rather than needing to come to a complete stop. These laws exist because intersections are the site of most collisions involving cyclists. The Idaho stop is meant to prevent the common occurrence of the “right hook” collision, wherein the cyclist occupies a blind spot of the car to her left and is struck when that car goes to make a right turn. Some studies have shown that allowing cyclists to move more quickly through intersections actually reduces the incidence of collisions. The law makes sense where stop signs are used as traffic calming measures intended for 30 or 40 mph traffic, something inapplicable to the average speed of cyclists.

Beyond legality and triggering lights, it is sometimes safer for a cyclist to move ahead of traffic, even when unlawful. Like in the case of the Idaho Stop, getting in front of traffic can greatly increase a cyclist’s visibility. There are instances where an upcoming intersection may be narrow, and it is better to get in front of the traffic in order to get through ahead of the oncoming stream of cars.

Please note: cycling laws vary by state, so your cycling law may not be exactly the same. Be sure to check cycling laws on your state’s website.