Bike Safety Tip #4: Sidewalks are for...

CBC Ottawa's Mics on Bikes are back on the road after a long winter in our parking garage at 181 Queen Street. The bikes are used by our radio reporters to get to stories that are within pedalling distance from the station.

The Ottawa Police have been helpful in getting our reporters up to scratch with their bike safety skills. To mark the beginning of season two of CBC Mics on Bikes, we will spend the week sharing bike safety skills with you care of the Ottawa Police Service. We plan to follow these tips - hopefully you will too!

 

Bike Safety Tip #4: Sidewalks are for...

Who should be using the city's sidewalks? The answer should be pretty obvious. Sidewalks are for walkers.

Under The Highway Traffic Act bicycles are defined as a vehicles. This means they must share the road with motorized vehicles. The same rules and regulations apply for both cars and bikes. Bikes are to keep right and stay as close as "practicable" to the sidewalk. In some instances on narrow roads the bike will take up part of the lane used by motor vehicles. In cases like this, the motor vehicle then has to pass the bicycle when it is safe to do so.

A high percentage of collisions involving motor vehicles and bicycles are at intersections. If the bicycle is riding on the sidewalk, it might not be seen by motorists who are focused on the road hazards in front of him and not to his/her side while turning or going through an intersection.

Riding on a sidewalk is also a chargeable offence under the city of Ottawa bylaw.
Children are exempted from this law because of their size and skill level. That said, a child should not ride on a sidewalk when there is a high volume of pedestrians.