By Alexander “Sandie” Pendleton,
But regardless of whether it is legal or not for a kids and
teens to ride on a sidewalk, it is very important that kids and teens
understand how older residents (especially those with mobility or hearing
issues) feel about bike riders in general, and especially bike riders on
sidewalks.
One of the most common concerns that members of the Shorewood Ped/Bike Safety Subcommittee hear
about is the fear that older residents may be injured (or even killed), due to being
hit, knocked down or surprised by a bike rider (even a small bike rider).
It does not matter if the Ped/Bike Safety Subcommittee (or
GSB) shares with concerned persons who contact us that statistically, a person
in the U.S. is about twice as likely to get killed by being struck by lighting,
than by being struck by a bike. Data from the CDC shows that the number of
pedestrians (of all ages) killed because they are struck by a bike each year is
less than 10 (and most of those deaths occur not in the Midwest, but on the
East Coast, in Florida, or in California). That number of less than 10, of
course, pales in comparison to the on average more than 7000 pedestrians (of
all ages) killed each year because they were struck by a car or other motor
vehicle, and the more than 40,000 persons in cars killed each year in car
crashes.
But regardless of what the statistics say, the fear that many of Shorewood’s older residents have of being struck by a bike is very real. No one in Shorewood should have to live in fear. (For more on why this fear may exist, and why the media--especially conservative media outlets--may like to play up the risks that bikes pose to pedestrians, see the article written by Professor Peter Tuckel The Myth of the Demon Biker.)
So parents, this is what we ask you to do:
- Talk with your kids about the real harm they could do, if they ride close to an older person (especially if that person is using a cane).
- That harm could be merely psychological to the older person, but that’s a real psychological injury (the phrase “I was scared to death by that boy who rode by me” is one we often hear). Explain to your children that many older pedestrians are very scared by the thought of being hit, or falling down, because a bike rider rode too close to them.
- Many kids just simply do not know that older persons often cannot hear a bike rider approaching. Almost half of all Americans over 75 have some hearing loss. Explain this to your children.
- Many kids simply do not understand that even if they do not come into physical contact with an older person, such does not mean they won’t cause any harm. Explain to your children that their riding anywhere close to older pedestrians, could cause them to startle, loose their balance, and fall. And explain the severe harm (life-changing harm) that can come to an older person, if they break a hip due to a fall.
- What can happen if a child or teenage rider causes injuries (or death) to an older pedestrian? There could be a number of bad outcomes for that young rider and his or her family, including such things as traffic tickets, a ride to the police station, a ride to the hospital (if the rider is also injured), and even lawsuits.
And the above is phrased in a gender-neutral way, but I do note
that most of the complaints on this issue we receive are about boys and male
teens (not to mention older males) engaging in reckless behavior on sidewalks,
and the Oak Leaf Trail; so moms and dads, the above message is especially
important to be conveyed to and absorbed by boys and male teens. For further information about how teens (and
especially male teens) tend to analyze risk differently than others, see Teens
and Risk TakingTeens and Risk Taking (from the University of Minnesota).
The above is the “negative” or “bad stuff” message that we
ask you to consider conveying to your kids. But there is also a positive
message.
Explain to them about “The Shorewood Way.” What’s that? People in Shorewood bike at a
rate that is four to five times higher
than the average American, and our students also bike to school at a higher
rate than kids in other communities. We’ve been recognized by multiple national
organizations as a great community to bike in, especially for kids and teens
(and we have one of the best middle school and high school mountain bike teams
in the state). What does that all mean? That means we are better at biking than
folks in other communities. And part of being “better at biking” involves bike
riders here (no matter what their age) always being vigilant about going out of
their way to protect vulnerable users of sidewalks, of crosswalks, and the Oak
Leaf Trail.
What’s a “vulnerable user”? That’s a broad category, but it includes older persons, persons with disabilities, and small children.
So here’s the important things we ask you to teach your children and your teenagers (and the behavior we ask all riders to model for younger riders):
- On Sidewalks, Don’t Be a Jerk. If you ride on a sidewalk, and you see an older person (or other vulnerable user) GET OFF THE SIDEWALK, OR GET OFF YOUR BIKE. Quite simply, if you are riding on a sidewalk, you should never be riding within 10 yards of an older pedestrian or other vulnerable user. If you as a rider choose not to get off the sidewalk, then you must dismount, and walk your bike by the older person. (Say “hi” or “good morning” as you walk by, and you will likely get a heartfelt “thank you,” from the person you’ve shown courtesy to.)
- At Intersections, Don’t Be a Jerk. If you see an older person at or in a crosswalk (or a parent with small children in such a situation), DON’T RIDE ANYWHERE NEAR THAT PERSON, and certainly don’t ride by them fast. Slow down, or stop. Communicate to the person that you are going to give them the right of way. Again, you will probably earn a heartfelt “thank you” from the older person (or mother with young kids) you’ve shown courtesy to. Even if you as a rider don’t receive such, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you did the right thing.
- On the Oak Leaf Trail, Don’t Be a Jerk. We want you to ride on the Oak Leaf Trail, but we also want you to do that in a way that does not scare or harm older persons (a lot of whom live near and use the OLT). If you see an older person ahead of you on the trail SLOW DOWN, AND MOVE OVER (or get off the trail). If you can’t move over WAIT. Never try to “squeeze by” or “swerve around” an older person on the trail. If you are approaching an older trail user from behind the person, be sure to give an audible signal (like a bell ring, or a called out “passing on your left”). Do not assume that the older person heard you (they could be hard of hearing). Also, just because you see other riders speeding on the OLT, or otherwise riding recklessly around older trail users, does not mean you should do that too. Bike riders do not have the right of way on the Oak Leaf Trail, they are obligated to ride on the OLT in such a way so as not to jeopardize the safety of other trail users. Again, speed matters. A bike rider’s speed greatly influences the severity of a pedestrian’s injuries in a bike/ped crash, so much so that the authors of the above referenced 2023 study recommend that the speed limit for bikes on shared paths be less than 10 mph (specifically, 12 km/h, or about 7.5 mph).
- Around Dogs, Don’t Be a Jerk. If you see an older person walking a dog on the OLT or on a path in River Park, be particularly cautious and courteous. Dogs can often do unpredictable things. When you see a dog, anticipate the dog will not react well to your riding near its master. Nobody wants to hurt a dog (or a dog’s older owner). Ride in such a way that if a dog does something unexpected, you are in control of your bike, and you do not hit either the dog or the dog’s owner. Slow down, and give the dog and dog owner plenty of room.
A Word About Kids and E-Bikes. And finally, we ask parents
to think twice, and then think again, about buying their kids (or even letting
their kids use) e-bikes. Compared to traditional bikes, e-bikes are far
heavier, more powerful, and can be operated at higher speeds; they thus pose
greater risks (for both their riders and vulnerable pedestrians) than do
traditional bikes. No teen needs an e-bike to get around Shorewood, and
providing e-bikes to teens deprives them of the physical-activity benefits that
comes with the use of traditional bikes. Teen e-bike use has risen dramatically
in many communities, often with tragic results. See ‘A Dangerous Combination’:
Teenagers’ Accidents Expose E-Bike Risks‘A Dangerous Combination’:Teenagers’ Accidents Expose E-Bike Risks, The New York Times, 7/29/23.
Conclusion
We want persons of all ages to enjoy living in Shorewood, especially older residents. We want such residents to continue to lead healthy and active lives for many years, including being able to walk to stores, the library, on the OLT, or to wherever else they want to go in our Village. We want them to do that, without fear that they are going to be hit by a bike rider, or knocked over by a careless rider. So as to make Shorewood a better place for riders and walkers of all ages, we urge parents to discuss the above issues with your children and teens.
