I typically ride on the sidewalk when there are tons of cars even though there (may be) bike lane since I get paranoid and cautious, also scared that someone will open their car door in front of me because people are just unaware and won’t expect you to be traveling 20 mph on a longboard. I have been riding my bike lately around my city and half the time it is like cars aren’t paying attention, don’t yield, or something like that. Over the past 2 months, the numbers of times I have felt like I was about to be run over are just too many, now imagine being on an esk8, I know things are the same especially since they are considered pedestrians here as well (scooters too) and from my experiences (much less though since open road/sidewalks mainly). There have been too many close calls, even riding on sidewalks don’t even feel safe because drivers don’t even always yield to pedestrians when they have right of way to cross… like alrighty then. I only feel safe where the road is clear otherwise I am worrying a car isn’t going to be paying attention and run over me. Too many absolute shit drivers on the road. Just earlier this chick pulled out of a tunnel where she couldn’t see out the sides where the sidewalk was at like 15 mph (super smart) and would’ve rammed into me if I were a few feet infront of where I was. I wanted to just run into her and been like “sorry not my fault you pulled out of the tunnel at very dangerous 15 mph… you could’ve t-boned me and launched me into the road if I were a few feet infront of where I was…” but instead I stopped with like 1 ft between me and her car and she gave me a sorry wave b/c she knew she done fucked up. When I drive I am still scared because people do such retarded shit when driving and I never know what people are going to do. Why have people forgotten right of way, and don’t pay attention to driving.
Please don’t ride on the sidewalk ever if you can help it. It’s extremely dangerous for pedestrians and you. Ride in the bike lane and the road and if you don’t feel comfortable with that maybe just ride in a parking lot or a bike trail
Forgot to mention, OUR SIDEWALKS ARE VERY WIDE in most places, I go like 2 mph on sidewalks around pedestrians, I avoid sidewalks when I can especially if there are people walking I try to use the road if it is safe, and I avoid the road when it isn’t safe, because some places on the road are just not safe. If the roads/sidewalks are clear then it’s all good. I should rename the thread to, “How often do you feel like cars are going to run you over and don’t pay attention to you?”
I treat every car like they’re trying to murder me.
So yeah when there gets to be too many for me to be able to dodge them all sometimes I go on the sidewalk, sometimes not.
But never fly by pedestrians fast (unless you want esk8 outlawed)
I only fly on clear roads, least risky time to full speed. Doing that on sidewalks is asking for trouble, I only have ever cruised no more than 5-10 mph on sidewalks (10 mph being a clear + wide one) to the avoid busy roads + cars or unsafe roads. The only way it should be. Some places and times are just not safe to be on the road.
Local policeman said about riding around pedestrians and pavements “just don’t do anything to make us chase you” best advice ever 
“Because as quick and maneuverable as those things are we know we will never catch you and we will feel really stupid calling in backup for a high speed skateboard chase.” I always feel stupid when I have to ride on the sidewalk in my Black Power Ranger getup.
Although if I am at a four way stop or traffic light and people are being assholes I am not above picking up the board and getting the instant right of way in the crosswalk.
Fuck yea!!!
Lmfao HIGH SPEED eMTB CHASE they cant chase you offroading/bike paths and stuff. WE GOT A BOGEY HERE WE NEED BACKUP HE APPEARS TO BE ON A SKATEBOARD GOING 40 MPH, uh we lose him actually he went onto a bike path into the forest. Uhh what?? That is true… they probably don’t want to because you could easily lose them. I think eMTBs are more likely to lose the cops though because jumping capabilities and their versatility.
I always do this… 
Yes, because I was hit by a car about 10 weeks ago… fractured the head of my humorous in 3 places and completely dislocated it. I’m scared to cross the street while walking without looking 6 extra times.
I didn’t think I was going to die but I sure as hell could have.
When I (rarely) ride it’s a mix of intense euphoria and anxiety.
Come ride in NYC, after a week of riding here you should get used to it
I’m cautious on roads but I also just take roads I know aren’t going to be a major issue. Where I’m at usually going one road off of the main road is a safe bet and keeps it easy to know where I’m heading since I’m still parallel to a main road. I was warned by police once for hopping on a sidewalk out here (admittedly going faster than I normally would on a sidewalk but was clear and was starting to rain). Agree with Brian though I assume I’m invisible to cars and/or assume they are trying to kill me and ride accordingly.
I am always somewhat cautious of cars, but where I live the cars are very cautious. Most cars swerve into the other lane before passing me. I think I am the only person that rides an esk8 within 50 miles of where I live.
A couple of suggestions about riding with traffic:
- Do not exceed a probable bailing speed if someone opens the door suddenly
- Make eye contact if some driver gives you right of way, otherwise let him go first
- Check passengers of the cars ahead slowing down or stopped for any intention of stepping down the vehicle
- Overtake cars by the left and with vehicles moving or speeding up, they won’t open you the doors suddenly
- Set your vision and hearing working at full processing speed and looking forward and backwards, 5m, 20m and 100m ahead checking possible risks every 1 second.
I applied everything here:
This is why I say esk8ing is forced meditation. You must be in the here and now, not thinking about anything else, and not thinking about any of those things by itself - its all part of a big picture of this split second in time. Perfect meditation is perfect awareness of here and now. Or so I’ve read.
Almost got ran over by a lardass in a mini van this weekend
first time locking up the brakes on my DIY. Broke both belts and popped a tube. But I lived. Time for chain drive
I get extremely cautious around where I live with cars. People here I swear are the worst drivers ever. The speed limits are all 35mph around here. GREAT, or at least it would be if the norm wasn’t going 55mph+ just outside of every neighborhood. We have passing lanes built in where turns are, just so people can speed around other cars waiting to turn!
And in neighborhoods people drive way too fast for comfort, I’d say 40mph is the norm, easy.
Compounding this already bad situation is that there are no bike Lanes anywhere- just two narrow lanes of high speed traffic. we have walking paths, but every half a block the path will just dead end into some trees, leaving nowhere to go but running through the grass and playing frogger with traffic until another random sidewalk on the other side of the road starts (and randomly ends again).
For 100+ intersections, we have no crosswalks, no sidewalks, no pedestrian lights with buttons… Old ladies walking to work are literally hopping out of ditches and running across 4 Lanes of 75mph traffic. When you do come across the unicorn of a crosswalk (painted crossing lines in the road, no signs or lights) I’ve waited 5-10+min for a break in traffic or someone to let me cross 1 lane at times.
I don’t want to get started on the fact that when you are in a car going 10mph over the speed limit, people are riding your ass and cutting you off.
I miss Denver… traffic would stop for me, either as a pedestrian, or as part of traffic we had bike Lanes and driver’s were cautious, regardless, 95% of the time. In case anyone is wondering, Midwest sucks.
I find cars move more predictably than pedestrians and bikes. Some tips:
- 100% mentally engaged. look everywhere all the time, head on a swivel. Must see ahead, behind, to the sides, and the road surface.
- Evaluate everything moving to see if it could it you if it decided to, and what your escape path is
- if you can’t evaluate, or you can’t see (tunnels, etc), slow down.
- travel at a speed similar to the things you are near. If on sidewalks with peds, go slow. If on road with cars, go fast.
- if riding with cars, try to stay near a car or a truck. It’s counter intuitive, but generally drivers don’t see you well, but they see other cars pretty well. This prevents other cars from trying to be where you are. Pedestrians won’t step out in front of cars (most of the time). Plus if your speed differential is small, you can react to what your shadow car is doing pretty well.
- Eye contact with drivers/peds/bikeriders is not enough! I’ve had some scary stuff happen because I thought they saw me.
- caution in bike paths in urban environments. At least in NYC cars cut you off, doors open, peds on phones randomly walk step out, and there’s randomly some disgusting trash juice almost every block.
- watch cars slowing down to stop. Often a door pops open shortly thereafter.
@eBoosted your city seems perfectly made for esk8 being the ideal form of transport.
For anyone that’s done bicycle or motorcycle commuting, esk8 on road is no problem.
For maximum safety think for everyone, and ride so your speed differential is small.