# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/101 "2013-10-29T14:41:19Z")
Bit of a reach i know, but as long as we’re talking about road safety i thought i’d mention this story. I have a mild but persistent case of Iritis, an eye inflammation. It’s fine it’s kept well under control with eye drops. As part of monitoring it i have to go to my hospitals eye department every six monthes or so just so they can look it over. Last time i went, they had a new toy with which to examine the eye, some clever laser thing, details aren’t important. Anyway there was some idle conversation and prompted by this i asked the eye doctor, a professor well into his 50’s/early 60’s what the biggest change he’s seen in his career was. Instantly, without a moments thought he replied “seatbelts”. Which were made complusory in the UK in the 80’s. It turns out that before seat belts were made obligatory, that on a weekly basis they’d have some poor devil rushed in who’d gone headfirst through a windscreen in a crash and they’d have to rally round to try and save his eyesight. These were apparently known (in the finest traditions of medical black humour) as “Horrorectomys”, after what someone looked like having been hurled face first through a sheet of glass. Moral of this story, always wear a seat belt. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/102 "2013-10-29T16:21:33Z")
> [@DeptfordX](#): > > Moral of this story, always wear a seat belt. Which makes me wonder what happens when a bespectacled person gets an air bag slammed into his face. ---
**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 29, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/103 "2013-10-29T16:24:40Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Which makes me wonder what happens when a bespectacled person gets an air bag slammed into his face. They have a brand new pair of contacts. :eek: \< And that’s the face they make. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/104 "2013-10-29T16:27:08Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Which makes me wonder what happens when a bespectacled person gets an air bag slammed into his face. Bruised nose and possibly broken glasses ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/105 "2013-10-29T16:42:22Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Which makes me wonder what happens when a bespectacled person gets an air bag slammed into his face. Not an air bag but something very similar left me with a broken nose and a bloody circle around each eye where the frames of the glasses had cut into the skin. The lenses themselves survived and if I recall the frame worked well enough to hold me until a new pair could be acquired. The face itself needed a lot of stitches to repair the impression of the glasses. I myself was injured badly enough that when I opened my eyes and saw my glasses lying on the ground in front of me with people running around my first response was _not_ to immediately protect them from danger. I suspect long time glasses wearers will realize how telling that is. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/106 "2013-10-29T16:50:34Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > I myself was injured badly enough that when I opened my eyes and saw my glasses lying on the ground in front of me with people running around my first response was _not_ to immediately protect them from danger. I suspect long time glasses wearers will realize how telling that is. Oof - yes indeed. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/107 "2013-10-29T17:52:40Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Which makes me wonder what happens when a bespectacled person gets an air bag slammed into his face. I can tell you [what it feels like when an airbag deploys](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16117426&postcount=23). I now return you to the thread about bicycle riding on the wrong side of the road. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/108 "2013-10-30T02:59:02Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > Riding against traffic is at least twice as likely to kill you as riding the legal way. See [Table 4](http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/riskfactors.htm) here. The study only included collisions at intersections. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/109 "2013-10-30T03:09:40Z")
Something I have learned in all my years on this planet. All roads have intersections. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/110 "2013-10-30T13:52:08Z")
Is this riding against traffic an American thing? Some piece of folklore/urban myth got started that it was more safe, and it’s slow to die (unlike those following that advice). I’ve been cycling in London for over 10 years, i’ve seen the odd person shoot down an empty section of one way road here and there, but i’ve seen anyone cycling against the traffic on a proper road about twice, and one of those times the guy was clearly drunk. It would never have occurred to me to do so, and i’ve never heard any cyclist here suggest it was a good idea. ---
**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 30, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/111 "2013-10-30T16:12:25Z")
> [@DeptfordX](#): > > Is this riding against traffic an American thing? Some piece of folklore/urban myth got started that it was more safe, and it’s slow to die (unlike those following that advice). > > I’ve been cycling in London for over 10 years, i’ve seen the odd person shoot down an empty section of one way road here and there, but i’ve seen anyone cycling against the traffic on a proper road about twice, and one of those times the guy was clearly drunk. It would never have occurred to me to do so, and i’ve never heard any cyclist here suggest it was a good idea. In the USA our car culture tend to look on bikes as not being vehicles, even though they legally are. As a result some folks think that when they are on a bike they are more a pedestrian than a vehicle and so act like a pedestrian in a road rather than a vehicle - and pedestrians are supposed to walk against traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/112 "2013-10-30T17:53:41Z")
> [@DeptfordX](#): > > Is this riding against traffic an American thing? Some piece of folklore/urban myth got started that it was more safe, and it’s slow to die (unlike those following that advice). > > I’ve been cycling in London for over 10 years, i’ve seen the odd person shoot down an empty section of one way road here and there, but i’ve seen anyone cycling against the traffic on a proper road about twice, and one of those times the guy was clearly drunk. It would never have occurred to me to do so, and i’ve never heard any cyclist here suggest it was a good idea. I know - it boggles my mind too. Of course, in London, a good proportion of the time bicycles are the fastest vehicles on the road 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/113 "2013-10-30T18:03:33Z")
Amen to that, it’s my prime method of getting about the place. I’ll be up to 4000km cycled this year by the end of the week. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/114 "2013-10-30T18:43:04Z")
Once in a while I will see somebody riding against traffic ON AN OVERPASS/BRIDGE! Where do you expect to bail out to if you’re 40 feet in the air with a guard rail to leap over? You’re worried about not being seen so you do something guaranteed to make you invisible until the last possible second… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/115 "2013-10-30T18:50:16Z")
Everybody rode against traffic when I was a kid. I think they started requiring bicyclists to ride with traffic in the last 70’s. Seemed terrifying and weird as hell at first to have cars sneaking up on me from the rear. But, I’ve gotten used to it and rely on my mirror. I always ride with traffic these days. I don’t ride on crowed city streets. Too darn many cars. I prefer leisurely county roads out in the country. I may only see one car every half hour. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/116 "2013-10-30T19:07:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Everybody rode against traffic when I was a kid. I think they started requiring bicyclists to ride with traffic in the last 70’s. Seemed terrifying and weird as hell at first to have cars sneaking up on me from the rear. But, I’ve gotten used to it and rely on my mirror. I always ride with traffic these days. > > I don’t ride on crowed city streets. Too darn many cars. I prefer leisurely county roads out in the country. I may only see one car every half hour. Yeah, I go out into the country where I won’t see a car for hours seems like 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![austerity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@austerity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/austerity)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/117 "2013-10-30T21:17:02Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WfUnwynwZvE/hqdefault.jpg "Man Crossing Road Gets Hit By Bike Going the Wrong Way") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfUnwynwZvE) wrong way cyclist vs pedestrian cyclist riding wrong way, one handed without covering brakes, and blames pedestrian. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/118 "2013-10-31T02:37:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Everybody rode against traffic when I was a kid. I think they started requiring bicyclists to ride with traffic in the last 70’s. Seemed terrifying and weird as hell at first to have cars sneaking up on me from the rear. But, I’ve gotten used to it and rely on my mirror. I always ride with traffic these days. > > I don’t ride on crowed city streets. Too darn many cars. I prefer leisurely county roads out in the country. I may only see one car every half hour. Must have been a local thing. I was always taught (1950s) to ride with traffic. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/119 "2013-10-31T04:00:51Z")
> [@DeptfordX](#): > > Is this riding against traffic an American thing? Some piece of folklore/urban myth got started that it was more safe, and it’s slow to die (unlike those following that advice). > > I’ve been cycling in London for over 10 years, i’ve seen the odd person shoot down an empty section of one way road here and there, but i’ve seen anyone cycling against the traffic on a proper road about twice, and one of those times the guy was clearly drunk. It would never have occurred to me to do so, and i’ve never heard any cyclist here suggest it was a good idea. It’s something I associate with very small children on quiet suburban streets where everyone drives 20mph. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an adult do it in traffic except for bike messengers in DC who enjoy riding like douches. ---
**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 31, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363/120 "2013-10-31T18:24:07Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Must have been a local thing. I was always taught (1950s) to ride with traffic. [One Got Fat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQgAMkMmsfg), made in 1963 agrees with you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-riding-with-traffic-or-against/672363.md?page=7)