The Menace of Cycling in the Pavements

The Problem of Bicycles Riding on the Sidewalks

The problem of bicycles riding on the sidewalks has been a major annoyance for Chicago residents. These cyclists tend to cycle on the sidewalks because they feel better than on the roads, where they risk being struck by a car. My city has seen a large rise in the number of riders as a result of the state's promotion of the use of cycling as a form of transportation. This is one of the city's long-term targets of reducing carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere as a result of increased automobile traffic. Furthermore, the cycling culture has been encouraged by the city municipality as they have argued that it would reduce traffic jams in our roads. Due to these factors, the city municipality has taken a very soft approach to the issue of cyclists using pavements that are meant for those who are walking. In the end, it’s the pedestrian’s life that is being put in danger. Chicago City has therefore witnessed increased accidents because of bikes using the pavements and therefore a solution is required for this problem.

Dangers to Pedestrians

Cycling on the pavement puts the lives of the pedestrians in dangers. When the pedestrians see these cyclists, some are forced to jump out of way to let them pass. Jumping out of the way is quite dangerous since some end up falling on ditches or other materials that sometimes cause injuries on them. Such jumping is usually made in haste so as to clear the way for the cyclists and so, these pedestrians don’t mind where they are going to step. Numerous injuries have resulted from such (Scott, Jennifer). Pedestrians have also been injured by these cyclists by being hit. Some of the bikes lack safety components such as the brakes on both wheels, the bell and the front and rear lights for bikes ridden at night. Therefore, when they approach the pedestrians from behind, they are likely to hit them due to the lack of a good braking system to stop the bike or due to a lack of a bell to give the pedestrians a warning of the coming cyclists. Parents don’t think that their children are safe walking in the roads due to these cyclists, some of whom are quite reckless to an extent of cycling a bike that is not serviced or cycling a bike that has no lights at night.

Addressing Concerns and Needs

With majority of Chicagoans not feeling confident or safe riding their bikes in the road, it’s very crucial for the authority to address these concerns and needs as they encourage cycling as an alternative means of transport within the city. Moreover, the traffic enforcement police should come up with measures to address the cyclists menace in our state before the situation gets out of hand and leads to more deaths. Such measures would include forcing the cyclists to use the roads and whoever is found not to adhere to such a regulation, should be charged for endangering the lives of others. Since our city has decided to adopt ecofriendly means of travel, which include encouraging people to cycle instead of driving, it should also bear the costs which are associated with such. For instance, they should consider constructing additional lanes that are to be used by the cyclists (Wisniewski, Mary). Such lanes will ensure that the cyclists and the pedestrians are safe. This is a win-win remedy since it will further encourage more people to cycle and therefore achieving the goals of having more people using the ecofriendly means of transport. Cyclists should be taken to cycling classes so that they may be aware of do and don’ts when in road. This would also minimize reckless cycling that is being exemplified by some of them who seem not to care about other people lives. Moreover, these cyclists should be encouraged to use their commonsense while either in the road or pavement. It’s possible for the cyclists to responsibly use the pavement while taking care of the pedestrians. There is no need for a cyclist to endanger his or her life by using a busy road when the pavement is empty. They should use their common sense, jump into the pavement and cycle with care. The traffic officers should also ensure that each bike on the road is well serviced and has all components functioning. Many accidents occur due to poorly maintained bikes. Many people forget that their bikes need service after a certain period of time. The traffic officers should be strict on this and ensure that accidents are not caused by mere negligence. It’s also impossible for an eight-year old to use a busy road. Such small children need to be allowed to cycle on the pavement but with the supervision of an adult. Addressing the issue of bikes on the pavements will also be very helpful to the pedestrians who suffer from hearing loss, visually impaired or have mobility problems.

Works Cited

Scott, Jennifer. "Should Cycling Be Allowed On Pavements?" BBC News, 2017, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38688256.

Wisniewski, Mary. "'Biking While Black': Chicago Minority Areas See the Most Bike Tickets." Chicagotribune.Com, 2016, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-bike-tickets-minorities-0319-20170317-story.html.