Sidewalks & Bike Lanes

Prepare yourself, I’m gonna rant. I thought the terms “sidewalk” and “bike lane” were pretty self-explanatory. The intended purpose is included right in the name! You walk on the sidewalk, and ride your bike in the bike lane. This makes perfect sense to me. Apparently others have difficulty with this though. I’m not sure that there’s actually room for misinterpretation here, but I’m willing to extend the benefit of the doubt. It could be misinterpretation, misunderstanding, dyslexia, or perhaps illiteracy. Anyone experiencing these issues are exempt from the following. The rest of the people who simply choose to ignore the not-so-subtle nuances of “sidewalk” and “bike lane” read on…

I witnessed what appeared to be a highly functioning, cognitively capable adult male almost collide his bicycle at a very high speed with a woman pushing a stroller. That baby could’ve been seriously injured, and I’m not being sarcastic here. I also had to jump out of his way, and practically tripped over myself in the process. A mere 3 feet away was a very wide, paved bike lane this “gentleman” could’ve been riding in. The bike lane was free and clear of all women pushing baby strollers, and women in flip-flops (such as me) who trip over their own two feet when sober.

Sadly, this scene is repeated all over Missoula. I routinely have to get out of the way of some random biker when a bike lane is readily available. Unless you’re under the age of 12, or over the age of 75, I don’t think your bike belongs on the sidewalk, unless you’re WALKING it!!!! Rules clearly state that it’s the car’s responsibility to look out for bikers, it’s biker’s responsibility to look out for pedestrians, and pedestrian’s responsibility to look out for dogs and squirrels. I believe the saying goes “Anything shorter or slower than you has the right of way.” I would like to add “The right-of-way belongs to whoever is in the correct spot. If you’re walking in the bike lane, you better have eyes in the back of your head. If you’re biking on the sidewalk, you’d better be prepared to shoot off into the grass or come to a complete stop instantly for anyone or any animal that’s walking.”

I understand that sometimes bike lanes are unavailable. Neither Russell nor Brooks streets have decent bike lanes. If you’re riding your bike on either of those streets, A) you clearly don’t value your life, B) you’re a big risk taker who likely invests in crazy schemes like the stock market, C) should have your Final Will & Testament in order, and D) by all means, use the sidewalks (if there are any), but watch out for pedestrians! Bikers still do not have the right-of-way!
Also, this ruling does not apply to trails, such as the Kim Williams Trail or Rattlesnake Main Trail. It is expected by all who use these trails that both bikers and walkers alike will be encountered. We use them at our own risk, whatever form of transportation we’re using.

So in closing, I would like to thank all the bikers out there who routinely use the bike lane, and all the walkers who use the sidewalk. Your rule-following is much appreciated :)