CLEVELAND — George Anderson is a Downtown Cleveland senior who is concerned about pedestrian safety after he reported he was hit by a bicycle rider who was illegally riding on the sidewalk on the Cleveland State University campus.
Anderson said the bicycle rider knocked him to the ground while he was out for his daily walk at the intersection of East 22nd Street and Euclid Avenue last week.
Anderson told News 5 he and other seniors who live in the neighborhood are becoming increasingly concerned about bicycle and scooter riders who aren't using the bike lanes, and are in violation of city law that makes it clear no bikes, scooters or skateboards on the sidewalk in a business district.
"He came right at me, and I jumped out of the way," Anderson said. “I told the bicycle rider to use the bike lane, I said, 'They paid millions of dollars to put them in there, why aren’t you in it?' He jumped off his bike and he said, 'Do you want to fight about it?'”
“These scooters are doing 10 to 12 mph, they come up that sidewalk, and then we have to jump out of the way, that’s wrong. Even that little scooter at 10 mph, that is a solid piece of equipment. If that hits you in the leg, that’s going to break it. They have an attitude that they’re entitled to their space, sorry but they’re not, there are laws against that.”
Our News 5 camera quickly caught bicycle and scooter riders illegally using the sidewalk along the Euclid Avenue business corridor in the middle of the afternoon. We contacted Ward 5 Cleveland Councilman Richard Starr about the issue and he quickly responded, pledging to take the case to Cleveland's Safety Committee to see what could be done to step-up enforcement.
“I thought that was just completely disrespectful," Starr said. “If you’re going to ride the electrical scooter and you're going on the sidewalk, you have to think twice. That is not the safest place to do that."
“It's a major issue and I think our public safety committee has to do more enforcement of the law to make sure we get this corrected," he said. “You also have to understand where your lane is, everybody thinks they can do whatever they want, that’s not the case. You have to be respectful of everyone. Seniors shouldn’t have to fear that there is somebody coming from behind them on electric scooter and pushes them and knocks them down and really hurts them.”
Cleveland State University quickly responded to our story, and said it wasn't aware of any seniors being hit by bicycles or scooters on campus, but said it's in the process of educating the college community about the rules and guidelines when it comes to scooter and bicycle use on campus.
Meanwhile, Cleveland seniors like Anderson are hoping the city and Cleveland State will better enforce the law.
There is a bike lane for them and they need to use it," Anderson said. “These young people who just have no respect for anybody, or anything anymore.”
