# Bicycle riding... 'With' traffic or against? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363 "2013-10-27T09:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ronald\_Raygun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c67d28/32.png) [@Ronald\_Raygun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_Raygun)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/41 "2013-10-27T18:55:33Z")
Wait, I don’t understand. If I’m biking the wrong direction down a two-lane city street, and two cars are heading the correct direction towards me, one in each lane, where am I supposed to go to avoid being hit? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/42 "2013-10-27T19:56:47Z")
Collisions where bicyclists are hit from behind are the most feared, and yet are the rarest type of car-bike collision of them all. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/43 "2013-10-27T20:02:03Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > If you’re bent on suicide, sure, go ahead and ride anyway you want. :rolleyes: Your irony meter… I think it’s broken. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/44 "2013-10-27T20:06:10Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Your irony meter… I think it’s broken. And without it, you can’t tell how fast you’re ironing. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/45 "2013-10-27T20:06:43Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > Is this something people do? You do not hear about the behavior much because its adherents do not last very long. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/46 "2013-10-27T20:29:43Z")
> [@Telemarked for Death](#): > > Following the law gives you and the people around you the highest level of safety. You are wrong. Because laws always account for all situations? And are always well thought out? Stop worrying about being a good law abiding citizen for a bit and use some reasoning. And none of this nonsense about dodging in a split second. Think about it. Think about the times you are walking and a car approaches from a distance. It is quite apparent whether they see you or not because they begin to move toward the center before they are even close to you. Drivers don’t – or shouldn’t – wait until they are upon you and then swerve out of the way at the last second. If you see a car that is not beginning to move to the center, you have time to move over to the shoulder. Can you do that if you don’t see the car approaching? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/47 "2013-10-27T20:32:41Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Because laws always account for all situations? And are always well thought out? Stop worrying about being a good law abiding citizen for a bit and use some reasoning. > > And none of this nonsense about dodging in a split second. Think about it. Think about the times you are walking and a car approaches from a distance. It is quite apparent whether they see you or not because they begin to move toward the center before they are even close to you. Drivers don’t – or shouldn’t – wait until they are upon you and then swerve out of the way at the last second. If you see a car that is not beginning to move to the center, you have time to move over to the shoulder. > > Can you do that if you don’t see the car approaching? Obviously, you’ve never ridden a bike in traffic. Most drivers don’t move an inch to give a bike more room. As far as seeing cars behind you, use a mirror. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/48 "2013-10-27T20:38:32Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Can you do that if you don’t see the car approaching? I can use mirrors, I can hear cars approaching from behind, I can see headlights. I ride a lot and have never felt safer riding opposite traffic. The statistics support this. It’s possible to come up with a remote scenario where for a period of time it might be safer to ride opposite traffic. But that’s quickly negated when you encounter another cyclist, or some drivers who aren’t looking for you because you’re in the wrong place. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/49 "2013-10-27T20:40:41Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Obviously, you’ve never ridden a bike in traffic. Most drivers don’t move an inch to give a bike more room. > As far as seeing cars behind you, use a mirror. Go back and look at the situation I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/50 "2013-10-27T20:42:35Z")
> [@Telemarked for Death](#): > > I can use mirrors, I can hear cars approaching from behind, I can see headlights. I ride a lot and have never felt safer riding opposite traffic. The statistics support this. > > It’s possible to come up with a remote scenario where for a period of time it might be safer to ride opposite traffic. But that’s quickly negated when you encounter another cyclist, or some drivers who aren’t looking for you because you’re in the wrong place. Statistics are dealing with the overall practice, not the situation I’m describing. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/51 "2013-10-27T20:43:28Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > As far as seeing cars behind you, use a mirror. Also use a good flashing rear light at all times. **misterW** , please read the table linked in post #5. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/52 "2013-10-27T21:12:51Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Because laws always account for all situations? And are always well thought out? Stop worrying about being a good law abiding citizen for a bit and use some reasoning. Yes, please use reasoning. Because the laws are what allow each person to predict what the other will do and therefore know what do do themselves. Rural road with traffic that can come around curves fast and maybe not see me? I am on the shoulder if there is one and near the side if there is not. Rural road dusk not on a curve? Driver not asleep at the wheel? Not texting or drunk? I am not worried about him not seeing me on his approach from behind and therefore not making the slight adjustment needed to go around me with enough space. > [@](#): > > And none of this nonsense about dodging in a split second. Your scenario was the road with curves and with cars coming from around those curves at 60 or so mph. > [@](#): > > Think about it. Think about the times you are walking and a car approaches from a distance. It is quite apparent whether they see you or not because they begin to move toward the center before they are even close to you. You walk in the middle of the street?!? NO, I’ve not had a car have to move to avoid me walking in the street. And as a driver I do not move much to pass the cyclist until I am pretty close, a second or so before at most, and the adjustment is slight unless he is taking up the center of the lane (which he has a right to do) … if he is then I slow down and pass like I would an Amish buggy in the road. Maybe the Amish buggy should be going against traffic too! Look, I’ve been hit by cars that have not seen me, even though I wear a flourescent windbreaker and more lights than a Christmas tree. Never from behind. It’s the people turning in front of me from the other side of the street and pulling out from the stop sign. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/53 "2013-10-27T21:21:28Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > ::: snip ::::: > > Look, I’ve been hit by cars that have not seen me, even though I wear a flourescent windbreaker and more lights than a Christmas tree. Never from behind. It’s the people turning in front of me from the other side of the street and pulling out from the stop sign. This ^^^^^^ ---
**Author:** ![Mithras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mithras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithras)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/54 "2013-10-27T21:25:46Z")
So say you’re riding your bike on the wrong side of a rural road. In the distance you see a car coming at you. Do you move over into the proper lane or just assume the car is going to swerve? What if you look over your shoulder and see a car coming up behind you? ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/55 "2013-10-27T21:33:14Z")
> [@Mithras](#): > > So say you’re riding your bike on the wrong side of a rural road. In the distance you see a car coming at you. Do you move over into the proper lane or just assume the car is going to swerve? What if you look over your shoulder and see a car coming up behind you? You move over to the edge of the lane you are in. There is no assuming because you can see what the car is doing. That is the whole point. Your life is in your own hands, not someone else’s. At the right time of day, it is easy to miss a cyclist, especially if it is a road that you seldom see them on. But hey, your choice. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/56 "2013-10-27T21:35:50Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Rural road dusk not on a curve? Driver not asleep at the wheel? Not texting or drunk? I am not worried about him not seeing me on his approach from behind and therefore not making the slight adjustment needed to go around me with enough space. Your trust in other drivers is far, far greater than mine. ---
**Author:** ![CLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@CLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CLee)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/57 "2013-10-27T21:36:12Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Because laws always account for all situations? And are always well thought out? Stop worrying about being a good law abiding citizen for a bit and use some reasoning. > > And none of this nonsense about dodging in a split second. Think about it. Think about the times you are walking and a car approaches from a distance. It is quite apparent whether they see you or not because they begin to move toward the center before they are even close to you. Drivers don’t – or shouldn’t – wait until they are upon you and then swerve out of the way at the last second. If you see a car that is not beginning to move to the center, you have time to move over to the shoulder. > > Can you do that if you don’t see the car approaching? Ideally you have side mirrors and use them to see approaching vehicles and generally act and react as though you are any other vehicle on the road. Think about why it bugs you when someone fails to use a signal or has a brake light out. Since you are supposed to leave a safe following distance, you should have plenty of time to slow down and allow for a turn with no warning, but you are better prepared for predictable behavior like a signal or brake lights. To me a bicycle racing towards a moving car means someone is breaking the law and is perhaps drunk, high, fleeing from the police or some other unpredictable and potentially dangerous variable. ---
**Author:** ![Mithras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mithras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithras)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/58 "2013-10-27T21:43:10Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > You move over to the edge of the lane you are in. There is no assuming because you can see what the car is doing. That is the whole point. Your life is in your own hands, not someone else’s. At the right time of day, it is easy to miss a cyclist, especially if it is a road that you seldom see them on. But hey, your choice. Wow. I would much sooner drive myself off the road than that. Continuing to bike directly towards an oncoming car, edge of the lane or not, is asking to be hit. It’s going to lead to the kind of accident that will leave people who read about it in the paper asking, “What the hell was he thinking!?” ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/59 "2013-10-27T21:46:35Z")
Why do pedestrians walk facing traffic? ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/60 "2013-10-27T21:47:57Z")
> [@Mithras](#): > > Wow. I would much sooner drive myself off the road than that. Continuing to bike directly towards an oncoming car, edge of the lane or not, is asking to be hit. It’s going to lead to the kind of accident that will leave people who read about it in the paper asking, “What the hell was he thinking!?” Not if you see the car moving to the center of the road in advance. This seems crazy to you. Yet, you would do the same thing…with your back turned? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363.md?page=4)