Residents Detail Just How Dangerous Biking Is In Philadelphia

Have you ever ridden your bike in Philadelphia? It can be scary. Even though Philadelphia was named the ninth most bike-friendly city in the country a couple of years ago, residents would beg to differ.

I was reading a forum on Redditt where residents from Philly, both bikers and none bikers, collectively discussed the dangers of riding a bike in the city and the things that can go wrong.

One of the main things that everyone agrees on is the fact that the bicycle lanes are pretty much a joke. People are calling on the Bicycle Coalition to start enforcing laws that actually protect the bike lanes. Cars are frequently parked in the lanes, fed ex trucks stop on them when delivering packages, and even cops chill on the lanes while eating their donuts.

Now I must point out that most bike lanes in Philadelphia are also 20-minute loading zones. So it isn't illegal for cars to be parked there. It does however make traveling harder and more dangerous for bikers when they have to swerve in and out of the lanes to avoid parked cars. One Redditor said that she almost lost her life on Spruce Street multiple times because of this.

Some of the subreddits on the platform have scared people out of buying bikes in Philadelphia. There have been so many tragic stories shared of accidents that have happened as a result of simply joyriding throughout the city.

"Trolley tracks + rain + a bike = broken bones," one user stated.

Some even went as far as to give advice to other riders on how to practice safe riding.

"Use the streets with bike lanes they’re not protected but drives expect to see bikes there. This may seem obvious but people will constantly bike on streets that run parallels to bike lanes, a user suggested."

"Always wear a helmet. Carry your U-lock on your bars by your grip while you ride so you can grab it quickly and defend yourself if you need to. And most importantly, when you can help it, only ride on the streets with dedicated bike lanes," another user added.

Read more advice from Philly bike riders here.