Cars are only on an honor system to not hop the curb and murder you. At least you expect bikes on the sidewalk and can keep the risk in mind.

There isn’t much you can do to prepare for the possibility of, say, an SUV vaporizing you and your family on the sidewalk because the 80yo driver zoned out. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/20/san-francisc...