Most pedestrians stumble aimlessly like drunks.. most are obese, listening to music, completely oblivious as they waddle in zigzags down the sidewalk, texting like zombies. Giving you good scares with close-calls on my bike brings a smile to my soul :) This also applies to the obese Beaverton moms with their doublewide SUV strollers that flock in to the Eastbank Esplanade on the weekends. Your child is my bowling pin.
Actually, the only area in Portland it is illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk is downtown. Sure, it's not smart or nice to ride your bike on a convoluted sidewalk on Hawthorne, Belmont, Mississippi etc, but it isn't illegal.
Yes Bachelor, I'm with you on the joggers! Every weekend all the yuppies of the Pearl take it upon themselves to clog up the bike lanes onNaito in their spandex. It's fucking maddening, especially when I'm headed to work to take shit from their ilk!
The sidewalks are for pedestrians. The cyclist should be on the street. Nothing is enforced downtown, but it is the only area where one can be ticketed for riding on the sidewalk. If riding on the sidewalk, one would think that with the time saved by riding a bike, that slowing down, going around, stopping, and generally being considerate of others would be the trade off for the savings. Wearing headphones, walking on the sideWALKs, and generally minding ones business is STILL a right everyone can enjoy...one of the few left. Pedestrians, and horses have the right-of-way in Oregon. Motorized, or on a bicycle, the pedestrian has right-of-way. How they walk is subjective to their frame, possibility of living with disability. Riding on the sidewalk has the same prohibitions as riding on the street. It's not all about you, (cyclist). Riding a bike in the city is a personal hazard one would be oblivious not to realize. This isn't eastern Oregon where people in cars are not only going to allow you right of way, but in foul weather stop and ask if they can save you some time, and give you a ride. Portland is a town that's bursting at the seams. Cyclists receive abuse because of this, but not all of it is undeserved. Put on your big-girl thong. You're tough. Be considerate.
Take a fucking Xanax for gawd'ssake.