Bicycle Safely, Please

Strolling along a downtown Spokane sidewalk Thursday morning, a man in his 60s turned and stepped toward the curb. Instantly, a speeding bicylist slammed into his shoulder and pedaled away without so much as a pause to see what injuries had been inflicted.

Luckily the injuries were minor. Luckily, indeed.

Three years ago, another speeding bicyclist, also riding on the sidewalk in that same area, slammed into another pedestrian. The victim, a 49-year-old woman, suffered severe and disabling injuries.

Although bicycles are allowed on sidewalks in residential areas, it is against the law to ride them on sidewalks downtown. This law ought to be obeyed and it ought to be enforced - aggressively.

Pedestrians in Spokane have enough trouble preserving life and limb when they step into crosswalks where motorists - again, in violation of the law - routinely refuse to grant them right of way. When pedestrians are in danger of being maimed on sidewalks as well, that is just too much to tolerate.