Dear Editor:
The ever increasing presence of bicycles on the sidewalks of Hoboken is a danger, especially to the elderly and the very young, that will inevitably result in serious injuries. Pedestrians have limited mobility on narrow and constricted sidewalks and have little or no warning of bicycles that are on a collision course.
The Hoboken city regulations allow bicycles on sidewalks, but at a speed “no greater than the walking speed of a pedestrian.” Given that typical bicycle speeds are greater than 10 miles per hour and that typical pedestrian speeds for the elderly are less than 3 miles per hour, this regulation makes no sense. It certainly is not enforced. Bicycles should be prohibited from the sidewalks of Hoboken, as is done in most “bike friendly” cities of the world.
Sincerely,
Edward A. Friedman