Enquirer editorial

No, you can't ride a Cincy Red Bike on the sidewalk.

And no, you don't have to wear a helmet.

The cheerful red bikes of Cincinnati's bike-share program are infiltrating Downtown and Uptown streets, making a crosstown trek quicker than a walk and easier than finding a meter. But they're also causing some confusion for riders who may not have been on a bike since middle school, and for drivers who don't know what to do when they get behind a bike.

In the nearly three weeks since Cincy Red Bike launched, social media's been full of smug complaints about people violating cycling etiquette – and sometimes the law – as they tool around town. The barbs could serve to intimidate novice riders, when the bike-share system needs people of all abilities to give it a try. In that spirit, here's a list of lessons to remember if you're curious about the red bikes:

1. Don't ride on the sidewalk. In Cincinnati, it's illegal. It's also dangerous. Cincinnati law forbids anyone over the age of 15 from riding a bike on sidewalks. As Queen City Bike President Frank Henson points out, sidewalks are too narrow to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, and drivers turning into a driveway aren't usually looking for people on bikes.

Don't shame the sidewalk-riders either. Some of them haven't been on a bike since long before their 15th birthday, and they may not know that riding on the sidewalk is illegal. If they're used to riding on bike trails, they're probably a little bit scared to jump into traffic alongside cars. A gentle reminder and an offer to help navigate on-street riding is more civil and effective.

2. Ride in the street with traffic. Yes, it's scary at first, venturing out onto a street filled with auto traffic. But you have a right to be there, and the more bikes in traffic, the safer it becomes for everyone. Especially on busy Downtown and Uptown streets, cars aren't going all that fast. And Cincy Red Bike Director Jason Barron explains if you ride closer to the center of the lane, cars can see you better and are less likely to bother you.

If you're going to ride on the street, you need to follow the same rules that other vehicles abide by. That means stopping at red lights and stop signs, not weaving between traffic, and always using hand signals to let cars know where you're going.

For those who are nervous, consider: The three dozen or so bike-share programs in the U.S. have logged more than 23 million rides since the first launched seven years ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and not one bike-share rider has died.

3. Riders don't have to wear a helmet ... Officially, Cincy Red Bike urges all its users to don a helmet when they ride. But Ohio doesn't require adults to use a helmet, and needing a helmet could create a big barrier to use. Let's face it, no one wants to wear a helmet that some stranger has sweated in. And it's inconvenient for Downtown workers to haul a helmet wherever they go.

Helmets can also give riders a false sense of security. Helmets do add a layer of protection, but the real key is riding safely so you avoid any chance of getting hit. That depends on things like riding with traffic instead of against it, using lights on the bike, making eye contact with drivers, and other simple skills that protect riders much better than a piece of Styrofoam.

So if you've got a helmet, wear it. But if you don't, don't let that keep you from riding.

4. ... and they don't have to wear Lycra. The red bikes are designed as transportation, not recreation. People in suits, skirts, wingtips and heels should be able to navigate streets with no trouble. The chains are covered, so there's no risk of catching a pant leg in them, and fenders will protect against rain, snow and debris. There are baskets on board to accommodate laptops, purses and briefcases.

5. Drivers, give bikes

3 feet. It's a law in Cincinnati that drivers have to maintain a 3-foot distance when passing a cyclist, and advocates are trying to get the law passed statewide. On most Downtown and Uptown streets there's plenty of room to pass safely in an adjacent lane. If you can't, be patient. The bikes have a legal right to be there, and they're no more of an inconvenience than road construction.

As Red Bike matures, some streets may emerge as preferred bike routes, and many cities have created protected bike lanes downtown to funnel bike traffic. Dearborn Street in Chicago and Second Avenue in New York have dedicated lanes separated with pylons like Cincinnati's new Central Parkway bike lanes. While bikes can still use any street, the protected lanes carry lots of two-wheeled traffic, protect newer or nervous riders and often speed up car traffic by removing bikes from the car lanes. ■

Cincy Red Bike has 260 bikes in 35 locations around Downtown and Uptown. Users can make unlimited trips of 60 minutes or under for $8 a day or $80 a year. Riders can use a credit card or membership card at docking stations to check them out. The bikes include a lock so riders can run multiple errands during their hour.

Since its debut Sept. 15, riders have made more than 5,000 trips using Cincy Red Bike. Annual members can also check out bikes in more than a dozen other cities, including Denver, Austin, Charlotte, Des Moines, Salt Lake City and other member cities of the B-Connected network.

The original version of this editorial erroneously stated that it's illegal in Ohio for an adult to ride a bike on the sidewalk. Sidewalk riding is banned in many cities, including Cincinnati, but not statewide. The Enquirer regrets the error.