This comes up a lot. Theoretically, you’re not supposed to ride your bike on the sidewalk. However, that’s not the end of the story. A lot of times, the safest place to ride your bike is on the sidewalk. There may be no other safe place to ride it. And, even if the police officer gives you a ticket for riding your bike on the sidewalk, that doesn’t mean that you’re at fault for the accident.
You can violate a technical law and still be doing exactly the right thing. I’ve had many clients come to me, turned down by other lawyers because the police report says “well it’s your fault for riding on the sidewalk,” but that’s really a mistake the police officers make. Just because there’s a technical violation, doesn’t mean the other person has the right to cut in front of you in a driveway or anything like that.
Whether it’s you on a bicycle or someone pushing a baby stroller or even a kid running along the sidewalk, if a vehicle is not acting appropriately, they can be held liable.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident you should contact an experienced attorney to discuss your potential case.