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Comment by aikinai | Hacker News Reader

They do just fine on the sidewalks in Japan.

No they don't. I've cycled in Japan, sometimes on the side walk even though that's technically not allowed. Either you go very slow on the sidewalk or you're a danger to pedestrians. It is also much more dangerous for you at any intersection because cars don't expect objects traveling at bicycle speeds on the sidewalk.

The safest place for a bike is a separate bike lane on the road. If no separate infrastructure exists, the next safest place is on the road.

Cyclists are required to ride on the street in Japan.

They’re supposed to ride in the street unless it could be agreed that it’s safer on the sidewalk, which is both subjective and often true, so riding on the sidewalk is de facto allowed.

Edit: People are downvoting this; I guess because they don’t believe it? The law is here[0]. Also 73% of Japanese ride on the sidewalk more than the road[1]. So even without the wide open exceptions to the law, it’s still de facto allowed.

[0] https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=335AC0000000105#5

第六十三条の四 … 三前二号に掲げるもののほか、車道又は交通の状況に照らして当該普通自転車の通行の安全を確保するため当該普通自転車が歩道を通行することがやむを得ないと認められるとき。

[1] https://www8.cao.go.jp/koutu/chou-ken/h22/pdf/ref/2-1.pdf

Sure, but in most of the US, riding on the sidewalk is illegal.

"bicycles shouldn't be allowed on the sidewalk because they aren't allowed on the sidewalk" isn't much of an argument.

The law isn't established at the state or federal level. It has been independently established at almost every municipality for good reasons.

In the same city on the same bike ride I and a friend have been accosted by police for both riding on the sidewalk and in the street. Different cops, blocks apart.

The law is subjective and when you’re rolling around in spandex on a multi thousand dollar road bike and a paramilitary USA “peace officer” stops you, the law doesn’t really matter. You just “yes sir” and hope to be allowed to move on

"Good reasons" like "not caring about cyclists" and "make cycling more dangerous to keep people who can't afford a vehicle away from our neighborhoods"

Please don't misunderstand me. Cycling on a sidewalk is dangerous to the cyclist, particularly around driveways and intersections, where they are less visible to motorists.

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