Bicyclists should not be allowed on roads

They are different for the fact that I could shoulder press a bicycle over my head 50 times, while I couldn't even lift a motorcycle up to my knees. Motorcycles are larger and heavier. Getting hit by a motorcycle at 15mph does more damage to you than a bicycle going 15mph. Anyways, a bicycle rider on a bike path or sidewalk shouldn't be going 15 mph. They need to go slow. I'm not sure why you think bicyclists on roads are safer from cars than pedestrians on sidewalks are safer from bicyclists. You'll find that the humble and common sensical bike riders want to be on paths and sidewalks, while the arrogant and clueless bike riders want to be on a road because they think they are invincible. And no, I haven't tried going 15 mph on a sidewalk because that's just plain stupid. If you're somebody like Lance Armstrong, drive your bicycle to a safe place and then do your speed runs. If you are a casual bike rider who uses a mountain bike, you should be going slow on paths and sidewalks. If you see a low tree... slow down, go under it. Not too difficult. If you're in an area with bushes lining the sidewalk, use your eyes, pay more attention, be more aware. Not difficult. Simply put, if you're a bike rider on a sidewalk in a residential area, just pay attention and don't look straight ahead the entire time. If kids are running around in the yard, they should be taught by their parents to look both ways. If the children are too young to understand that concept, they shouldn't be alone outside without parental supervision. As far as cars pulling out of driveways and bike riders not being able to see them and vice versa: Bike riders should recognize that as an intersection. When you see a driveway coming, slow down and make sure a car isn't backing out. It's just like a yield or stop sign out on the road, you aren't going to blow right through it. Slow down and make sure you're safe to go. It's pretty simple. You say : "when you ride a bike on the sidewalk, your safety, and the safety of others, is up to chance, and many accidents cannot be avoided even if everyone is being as safe as possible, because there is very limited visibility and many obstacles." I say : The only obstacles are trash cans on the sidewalk, pedestrians who you can safely ride around by going slow and informing them you are about to pass, and unsupervised 3 year olds who are about to run into a street. Limited visibility? Bushes lining a sidewalk. If people are so worried about hitting or getting hit in these areas, they just need to be cautious instead of wandering around like a brainless blob that is unaware of their surroundings and what is going on. Also, to further refute your point, when you ride your bike on a road, your safety, and the safety is others, is up to chance. More visibility doesn't necessarily mean more safety. Bike riders on roads get hit on straight roads in broad daylight often and they are killed. Not a minor injury, but death. You say : "Just because you don't see it happening, doesn't mean it isn't happening." I say : "No problem, I'll repeat myself again on this same topic. It is not rare at best. When I say I see it daily, here in my town, not your town, but mine, that does not mean it's rare. Good question, why would a bicyclist ride on the road when there is a bike path? You're right, it wouldn't be in the bikers best interest. But yes, they do do it. So again I'll say, just because you don't ever see it, doesn't mean it isn't happening. Your logic in that sentence = Because I have never seen a girl get raped, it means that doesn't happen. Sadly, you're wrong. You must be the fortunate one, to live in an area where bike riders are always on bike paths. Lucky you. For clarity, this is the very reason I started this debate. I am baffled as to why the bike riders are always on the road in my town, and never on the paths and sidewalks. I'd like to share the type of mentality that pedestrians on paths and sidewalks have. The following mentality is accurate because I've spoken with numerous walkers and joggers and 9/10 times I get the same answer: " I don't want bicyclists on paths and sidewalks with me because they can run into me and I'll get hurt. I don't want to get hurt. I don't want to get a fracture or broken bone. They need to ride on roads." That is selfish. They would rather bicyclists be put onto roads for car drivers to worry about. Pedestrians don't want to have to deal with bicyclists, so they throw them to the road for car drivers. It's their burden now. They don't stop think about the dangers for a bicyclist riding with his back to traffic (because they are supposed to ride with traffic). The pedestrians don't stop to think that if the cyclists get hit, they will die. Why should pedestrians have to deal with bruises and blood, when they can have bicyclists on roads getting killed? Because they don't think about it, and even if they do, they don't care. "Better him than me, right?" These are the same hypocritical people, who as pedestrians, complain about bicycles on paths and sidewalks, but once those same pedestrians get into their car and are on the road, they complain about the bicyclists being on the road. Moral of the story : Apparently a majority of people would rather have bicycles on roads getting killed every day, instead of having pedestrians on paths and sidewalks getting minor injuries. Where is the logic? Non-existent.