That's not a hypothetical. One SF resident reported exactly this scenario near the corner of Third and 18th, describing how a cyclist who struck them on the sidewalk proceeded to dismount, follow them, and inform them it was "not smart" to stand near someone illegally biking on the sidewalk. Read that again. The person committing the crime issued the threat.

Let's be clear about the law here: cycling on the sidewalk in San Francisco is illegal for adults under the Transportation Code. If you hit a pedestrian while doing it, you are at fault. Full stop. No caveats. No "well, the bike lane was too far away." Speaking of which — Illinois Street, which has a dedicated bike lane, runs sixty feet from Third Street. Sixty feet. That's roughly the length of a bowling lane.

This isn't an anti-cycling take. Bikes are great. Bike infrastructure is great. San Francisco has spent enormous sums building out protected lanes across the city. The problem is that none of it matters if there's zero enforcement. Sidewalk cycling, sidewalk scootering, and the general lawlessness of SF's streets aren't just annoyances — they're genuine safety hazards. A cyclist rounding a blind corner at 15 mph can cause serious injury to a pedestrian, especially an elderly person or a child.

As the resident put it: "I regret stepping out onto the sidewalk today, and it's not fair that law-breaking individuals are causing citizens to feel that way."

They're right. It's not fair. SFPD has largely checked out of traffic enforcement, and Mayor Lurie's administration hasn't shown any appetite for changing that. We keep hearing about Vision Zero and its goal of eliminating traffic deaths, but the city can't even keep sidewalks safe for walking.

Cyclists: use the bike lanes your tax dollars built. And if you do hit someone? Apologize. Don't threaten. It's not complicated — it's just basic civilization.