Troul 

closet cyclists that haven't came out yet?

Kabuki12

Yea, I think that some folks just do what they want and don't really put a lot of thought into it. I rode yesterday and saw quite a bit of it when I hit Ventura . It isn't as bad in the rural areas , which is why most of my riding is out in the orchards. When I get to Ventura I have to really be on the defense as people are present doing their thing , cycling , walking , jogging , and not really caring about wether it is in a bike lane or sidewalk or with traffic or not. I understand why cyclists get a bad reputation when I see bikes running red lights , riding diagonally through intersections , and riding into and through traffic. I guess it just comes with an overcrowded city environment.

downhillmaster

You have personally seen 10 or more riders hit by a car?
And not just any accident. 10 alone in this exact scenario?
Wow...

GlennR

I've sen at least 10 times when a bicycle and car made contact. From barely touching to seeing a cyclist hot the fender and go over the hood. Luckily i've not seen anyone run over.

Even riding with traffic i've seen many close calls.

Long Island is the home of the distracted driver and most drive large SUVs.

BoraxKid

At my old job, I used to commute every day by bike out to the suburbs. One of the old-timers there used to tell me every time he saw me that I should be riding facing traffic because "that's what the law says." I would always tell him, no, that's not what the law says, and several times I even cited the appropriate pages of the automobile driver's handbook (published by the state) and the bicycle driver's manual (also published by the state) that each referenced the same state law that compels bicycle drivers to ride in the same direction as traffic.

After some time, he switched his argument to "when we was kids, they taught us to ride facing traffic so you can see the cars. That seems safer to me because you could get out of the way if one was coming at you." I just shrugged and told him that multiple organizations have published the recommendation to ride with traffic because it prevents exactly the kind of conflict OP mentioned and has many other benefits that far outweigh the concern of not being able to see a threat from a car. Unfortunately, too many people seem to share that old-timer's misinformed & outdated viewpoint, and it seems that they have handed that foolishness down to their offspring.

BoraxKid

Well, actually, riding is NYC is exactly the prototypical experience for most major cities. NYC built their bike infrastructure based on what other major cities like London, Amsterdam, & Copenhagen have done to successfully incorporate cycling as a practical transportation option for their residents. Across the USA, other major cities have either led or followed NYC's example of supporting cyclists as well, e.g. Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Portland, Phoenix, etc. If you travel to any of those cities, you will see the same elements used to incorporate bicycles into the transportation planning: bike lanes, bike share bikes, buses & trains with bike racks added, and dedicated bike paths.

Sy Reene

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”

Sorry.. couldn't help it; this popped into my head from a long ago high school reading assignment..

MntnMan62

I'm out in the suburbs of NYC. North Jersey. And I am always amazed at how many people I see riding against traffic. If they happen to be on my side of the road, I'll make a point of letting them know they are riding on the wong side of the road. I don't know how or when I learned but I've always known that you walk against traffic and bike with traffic. Ironically, the law happens to agree with me. Think about it from a practical standpoint. I sort of understand the concept of wanting to be able to see someone coming at you before hitting you instead of someone coming up behind you before hitting you but the simple laws of phyics and momentum say that if you are hit by a car when your speed riding against traffic, you have the combination of the force of the car PLUS the force of you riding which exponentially increases the likelihood of serious injury or worse. When you ride with traffic the speed of the car that hits you is reduced by your speed since you are moving with it, which means you might just be nudged a bit and may then lose control and ride up the curb and fall while moving at your own speed. Likelihood of serious injury is reduced. It doesn't mean you can't be seriously hurt that way. Just less likely. T'hen there's the whole insurance issue. If you get hit and you are riding in the wrong direction, your case will be complicated by that fact and may result in you getting nothing from the driver's insurance company towards your injuries. Bottom line is know the laws of the road as it relates to bikes and follow them. It just may save your life.

Milton Keynes

I've got that one on my "to read" list.

fietsbob

After my 9 month British Isles Pub Session Crawl-Tour, when back in this Drive Right side country , again ,

when I saw an oncoming car on a narrow lane I had to unlearn the reflex to move to the left side of the road , quickly,

to instead go to the right side of the road..

caloso

My daughter is reading that this semester for junior year English.

rebel1916

Just because someone caught a DWI, they don't necessarily do meth...

caloso

Speaking as a former triathlete and still-occasional runner, I would avoid sidewalks because they are generally

• uneven due to root heaves and driveway cutouts
• used by walkers, nearly all on their phones, many with dogs
• much harder on the joints than asphalt

So I would usually run on the edge of the roadway, facing traffic. If a rider approaches, it's easy enough to hop up on the sidewalk for a bit. No fuss.

Danhedonia

Is DWI contagious? Drinking and driving isn't like getting a cold - you don't "catch" one.

taco2ewsday

I used to think it was safer when I was a kid and riding on secondary and tertiary streets in my neighborhood and sidewalks on primary streets. But as I've gotten older an began riding on busier roads with the flow of traffic is clearly the way to go.

sovende

Where I live, stupidity and/or ignorance reigns supreme! Fortunately, a good share of those folks don't ride bikes. Those that do (they definitely have a certain look) are inherently the ones on the "wrong" side of the road/street AND (wait for it) NOT wearing a helmet!!

I-Like-To-Bike

OMG!!
I can believe stupidity and/or ignorance reigns supreme where you live.

hedonist222

Maybe I missed it - but whats wrong with riding against traffic?

I haven't but I am seriously considering. The past few years I have seen a lot of people sway left/right onto the next lane while deeply immersed into their mobile phones. Unfortunately this is often - worryingly often.

Which brings me to think that maybe one of those inconsiderate buffoons may side swipe into the shoulder and hit me.

I installed a wing mirror and it brings some relief.

But again, I may have missed it, but whats wrong with riding against traffic? How does it affect my riding or the the flow of vehicle traffic?

Princess_Allez

you must not ride very aggressively.

hedonist222

average speeds of 22 kph

do you mean when you ride aggressively, you don't have time to look up?

still cannot figure out the harms of riding against traffic

Not trying to be argumentative - genuinely do not know

JohnDThompson 

"Table 4 shows that all categories of bicy-
clists traveling against the direction of traffic
flow are at greatly increased risk for accidents—
on average 3.6 times the risk of those traveling
with traffic, and as high as 6.6 times for those 17
and under. This result is readily explained:
because motorists normally scan for traffic trav-
eling in the lawful direction, wrong-way traffic
is easily overlooked. To give only a single
example, a motorist turning right at an intersec-
tion scans to the left for approaching traffic on
the new road, and cannot see or anticipate a fast-
moving wrong-way bicyclist approaching from
the right. (This is the one of the most common
types of bicycle-motor vehicle collisions in Palo
Alto.)"

https://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/Accident-Study.pdf

GlennR

Does that mirror interfere with reaching the brake lever?

BTW... in many states it's illegal to ride into traffic. So unless you think laws are suggestions, do what you like, most people do.

hedonist222

I see
I had more of a road in mind with non-traffic-light junctions.
Nice 5 to 6 foot-wide shoulder



No it doesn't. The brakes are hydraulic and begin to actuate a fifth into the pull.

I very much do think certain laws are suggestions. As I'm more than certain that you do too

I detected a hint of snarkiness in your tone, so perhaps maybe not reply to my retort to you regarding between interpretation of certain laws.
If no snarkiness, then I apologize and keep the comments coming .

GlennR

I accept your apology.

Skulking

Even if you want to ignore the risks at intersections where drivers aren't expecting someone coming the wrong way as they turn or cross the intersection there are a couple of other good reasons.

Outside of intersections, you are still riding against traffic, and you are putting drivers in an unusual situation because they aren't expecting to have someone on the shoulder riding towards them. Right or wrong, unusual situations are risky because you never know how someone will react.

It is also putting other riders who are following traffic laws in an unusual situation when they find another rider coming towards them against traffic. I would expect that to throw me a bit, and it forces a pass when you meet rather than giving you an opportunity to wait for a safe time to pass if you are riding in the same direction.

And of course it also increases your closing speed in the event that you are hit.