Concrete ideas on
sidewalk right of way

The other morning, as I was striding down the sidewalk, a bicyclist riding toward me passed too close for comfort. After he passed, I crossed the street and continued walking and whoosh, another bicyclist whipped closely past me from the rear, silent as a ninja. He scared the living daylights out of me.

Then there are the packs of skateboard daredevils, wearing baseball caps in reverse, who roar by me on the sidewalk. Or they do all kinds of crazy stunts around low concrete walls and barriers. Usually they don't succeed in their attempted leaps to the top of the wall and sometimes go sprawling, skateboards scooting off like missiles any which way. I give those guys a wide berth for fear of my life. And don't ever park near skateboarders. Imagine the damage their missiles could do if they rocket into your car.

Hey, sidewalks are for pedestrians and are off limits to wheeled vehicles, except for wheelchairs, of course. Get out of my space.

--Ben Wood

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