how bicycle-friendly is phoenix? (Glendale, Scottsdale: home, taxes, legal)

[joninaz]

Sharing roads even with cars is pure combat.

That said, there are some arterial routes that are bike/ped only. Some cities have really embraced the canal routes as bike-specific routes. Scottsdale has a 20 mile greenbelt with a sidewalk for bikes - no cars.

The best situation is to keep both separated. It's a bad mix.

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I think the worst thing are the smart-*** bicyclists who bicycle in the right lane (with no bike lane) of a major 6-lane, 40mph thoroughfare.

It may seem counter-intuitive to you, but this is actually the safest place for them to be riding. Riding on the sidewalks is not only illegal, but also unsafe for the bike riders and pedestrians.

But, to the OP's question...no Phoenix isn't a bike-friendly city. Definitely check out Portland, OR if that's what you're looking for in a city.

[fcorrales80]

I would say that generally Phoenix is not bike or pedestrian friendly...except for downtown, central, and the historic neighborhoods. Being from Seattle and having lived here for a short time, I can attest to Seattle being a great city for biking and walking. Most of Phoenix, being surburban with large through-way streets taking up six lanes or more, are not very bike or pedestrain friendly. Nonetheless, the streets in downtown and the older neighborhoods are small and conductive to these activities and the natural design of downtown encourages slower moving traffic. I have noticed that once people get off the freeway, and leave the major streets, the traffic slows down considerable and most drivers seem to develop a different style of driving. There are exceptions, usually when surburbanites come to downtown for a game at the arena or stadium, but for the most part, those that live and/or work downtown know to slow down and watch for peds and bike riders.

[born in the usa]

18'' bike lane in Phonix or better saying : a death lane

[MaxPower123]

Originally Posted by MaxPower123

I just ride my bike on the sidewalks, screw it.

I wont be riding my bike on the sidewalks anytime soon since it got stolen

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by MaxPower123

I wont be riding my bike on the sidewalks anytime soon since it got stolen

Aw, that's another problem with riding in Phx. I've had 2 bikes swiped in broad day light before I wised up and started the lock up. lol

[Arcosanti]

Riding on the sidewalks in the city of Phoenix itself is considered to be acceptable if there is no bike lane on the road and the right lane is to narrow for both a bike and a motor vehicle to comfortably share the lane side by side. The majority of the major roads fit this description. Don't worry about the police writting you a ticket as they themselves are actually encouraging it. I have even had a DPS officer tell me to get on the sidewalk when he saw me riding on the I-17 frontage road at night without a light. In the daytime DPS never bothered me though. In other cities around Phoenix, the police may or may not write a ticket if they catch you on the side walk. Most of the bike lanes around the valley are wide and safe although all of the older ones in Mesa are narrow and very dangerous to use.

[Bikefit]

I just started riding to work last week and have been using the bike lanes. I don't think drivers give a crap about bike riders. The first day I started to ride, I picked up my bike after getting it tuned. Within 100 ft a car made a right turn in front of me. I had to skid to a stop and turn sideways in order to avoid hitting the side of the car. That has happened to me 3 times in less than a week. They also feel they need to get as close to you as possible and try to scare you. That happens when the bike lanes end and they do that alot.

[observer53]

I've almost hit a bike rider who took such a wide right turn off a residential street that he ended up right in my path. Then there are the bike riders (youngsters and adults) who don't recognize that bicycles are subject to the traffic laws and ride on the wrong side of the road. I agree that it's not particularly bike friendly here because of the driving habits here, but cycling habits play a role in the lack of safety, too.

[tijlover]

If you work the graveyard shift and, like me, are up all nights on my off-days, you'll have the whole city to yourself without the daytime fears.

Here, in Las Vegas, I ride all over the city between midnite and 5AM, when it's so peaceful and quiet, and I rarely have to even turn my neck either way to look for traffic, crossing a busy street. The residential neighborhoods are all but free of any traffic and so eerily quiet. Only problem is the 24-hour fast-food restaurants won't allow a bicyclist to use the drive-thru. And, occasionally, you might get stopped by the police, more out of curiosity than anything else.