Should cyclists be allowed to ride on sidewalks?
Posted November 9, 2012 11:23 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Sidewalks may be the next frontier for cyclists in North Vancouver. The idea of allowing bikes on sidewalks has some political support, but one cycling group calls it dangerous.
The District of North Vancouver is looking into the idea; Councillor Roger Bassam says they are trying to make cyclists more comfortable on some of the busier parts.
“Many of the people who ride bikes wouldn’t feel comfortable riding on the road itself. And in those situations, we want to accommodate them and we’re thinking ‘Can they use the sidewalks?'” explains Bassam.
But Jay MacDonald of the cycling advocacy group HUB isn’t a fan; he maintains sidewalks are for pedestrians. “There’s just a possibility for conflict and collision. It’s dangerous.”
MacDonald thinks the idea would only work if parts of a wide sidewalk were clearly marked for cyclists. Bassam doesn’t think they could create independent lanes anytime soon.
