But I almost crushed a cyclist yesterday on my way into work. I turned from Liberty Ave in the Strip onto 24th Street, headed towards the river. One block later, I cross Penn Avenue, which is one way headed into town. I look to my right, wait for traffic to clear, and begin to cross Penn. Fortunately, for some unknown reason, I looked left. That likely saved the guy on the bike riding on Penn in the wrong direction, who crossed in front of me and hopped up on the sidewalk, then back on the street again.
One Way means One Way, regardless of the vehicle you are operating. This is the third time in the last year that I've had a near miss with a cyclist at this intersection.
Good that you looked. I work at 29th and Liberty. I can't remember any cyclists going the wrong way on penn but I frequently see drivers doing it. I always look both ways to be safe. Can't be too careful anywhere, but especially in the strip. Between the people not familiar with city driving, the tourists, the pedestrians crossing everywhere and all of the semi trucks the strip is at times, very hazardous.
as a pedestrian especially, but also as a cyclist or a driver, I always look the "wrong way" for exactly that reason: just because there's a sign and a law and they're normally followed, doesn't mean that one oblivious or obnoxious jagoff won't ruin your day (and their own).
good on ya, ajbooth.
I've almost hit a few cyclists that jump on and off the road/sidewalk and ignore lights. Making a right turn with a right-turn green arrow, you can see a careless pedestrian before it is too late but a bicycle on the sidewalk is moving too fast and likely to be hit.
I live on a one way street and I always look both ways out of habit. I woke up one morning to find a car parked overnight next to our house pointed in the wrong direction
the ABSOLUTE last time (last year) i decided to hop on and off the sidewalk while riding i nearly killed myself and quite possibly someone else. i almost never used to ride on the sidewalk (considered it a sign of cycling mediocraty) but i was following a very inexperienced friend, after about half a block of riding the sidewalk i decided to get back on the street. i was travelling at about 5 miles per hour and i looked left and right over the parked cars and saw no approaching traffic so i proceeded between parked cars into the road (incedentally it was in between 40th-41st on Butler st.). i had failed to see the motorcyclist travelling at about 25 miles an hour approaching from my left. when i saw him i juked left and reflexively grabbed my brake which sent me flying over my bars and into the street directly in front of the motorcyclist, who, luckily for me came to a screaching halt less than 2 feet from running right over my belly! i broke my collarbone in the process and was off the bike for about 3 months (all summer!). if anyone out there reading this thinks that it's ok to hop on and off the sidewalk while riding, let my story be a lesson to you. don't do it, it's unsafe and could potentially kill you!
Unfortunately, awareness comes with experience. Personally, I'm pretty stubborn and seldom learn my lesson until I've been at least inches from an accident. Hopefully others are smarter than me in that respect; thanks for sharing your story chefjohn!
I don't really have a problem with sidewalk riding, per se. I think in some situations it is the sensible approach for even experienced cyclists! Riders just need to keep two things in mind: a) pedestrians on foot have the right of way and b) cars moving in the same direction most likely don't even see you so it's absolutely necessary to stop/yield at every intersection crossing while riding on a sidewalk.
@chefjohn You went "over the bars" at 5 mph on flat land? Are you sure you weren't more blasting off than "hopping" off? [editted for brevity]
otb at 5mph is easy when you only have a front brake. and/or you lock up a nice set of discs.
haha that's the best argument cburch has made for hydraulic disc brakes yet! Yes, you too can flip over bars at 5mph with Avid Juicy! 
no i said a nice set
haha true... but juicy is what ends up on the pavement!
@mick, just a front brake combined with a sharp jerk of the bike to the left in my attempt to avoid the motorcyclist is what sent me over the bars. maybe i was moving a little faster than 5 mph, but not much.
Dude, i've gone over the handlebars at less than 5mph. Really nice breaks on a bike I had never ridden before, and I used the same touch I'd used on my (now understood to be) non-brakes. It was slow and unsettling, but topsy-turvy I did go.
