getting ready to start actually biking places, but i'm not very comfortable on the road (american drivers are psychotic). how bad is it to ride on the sidewalk?
Not generally frowned upon unless in crowded areas.
I suggest looking for uncrowded streets if you can. It might take some time, but you could try to scout out routes to places you go commonly and figure out quiet streets to ride on.
Here is a map specifically for finding quiet streets to cycle on. Hit or miss depending where you are, but you can improve it by contributing to open street map.
Be aware though, drivers don't expect cyclist anyways but they especially don't expect any speed over maybe a jog, more probably a walk, on the sidewalks if they bother to check. You need to treat pretty much every intersection where you can't see the crossing well enough as a stop sign, even if the adjacent road would technically have the right of way. Pretty much the same for driveways, entrances to parking lots etc. etc.
in less dense areas where people aren't walking you can easily get away with it, there are some potential issues such as height difference from one tile to the next and overhanging trees. i'd also recommend riding on quiet residential streets where there is very low traffic to start out.
getting ready to start actually biking places, but i'm not very comfortable on the road (american drivers are psychotic). how bad is it to ride on the sidewalk?
Not generally frowned upon unless in crowded areas.
I suggest looking for uncrowded streets if you can. It might take some time, but you could try to scout out routes to places you go commonly and figure out quiet streets to ride on.
Here is a map specifically for finding quiet streets to cycle on. Hit or miss depending where you are, but you can improve it by contributing to open street map.
If there's no pedestrians there, who cares.
Be aware though, drivers don't expect cyclist anyways but they especially don't expect any speed over maybe a jog, more probably a walk, on the sidewalks if they bother to check. You need to treat pretty much every intersection where you can't see the crossing well enough as a stop sign, even if the adjacent road would technically have the right of way. Pretty much the same for driveways, entrances to parking lots etc. etc.
Technically illegal in many places. It depends how piggy your local pigs are :acab:
in less dense areas where people aren't walking you can easily get away with it, there are some potential issues such as height difference from one tile to the next and overhanging trees. i'd also recommend riding on quiet residential streets where there is very low traffic to start out.
Asking the real questions
Depends if people actually walk there.