# Walk/ride with traffic

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 30, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234 "2002-08-30T04:09:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234/1 "2002-08-30T04:09:41Z")

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I’ve always heard if one’s car breaks down on the side of road, said person is supossed to walk **with** traffic and not against it and this is safer for some reason. Likewise, for someone riding a bike. Why? If a car veers off the road towards the person and the walker/rider is moving with traffic, he or she won’t see the car; however, if the person is moving against traffic, he or she has a chance of doging or moving out of the way. Does this make any sense?

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234/2 "2002-08-30T04:13:57Z")

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You should always walk _against_ traffic, so that you can see the cars. You should ride _with_ traffic, because on a bike (in the USA) you are generally required to follow traffic laws (vs pedestrian rules).

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**Author:** ![im2evil4u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@im2evil4u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/im2evil4u)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234/3 "2002-08-30T04:25:29Z")

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Chief Crunch, thank you. You rule. I have always thought that. Laws-smaws. I feel much safer going against traffic.  
That includes while driving my car. 😃

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**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-ride-with-traffic/126234/4 "2002-08-30T05:14:43Z")

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Under the eyes of the law, bikes are the same as cars. I know this because my roommate my second year of college almost had his license suspended on account of a bike accident. So you are obligated to ride with traffic. However, it’s definitely safer to walk against traffic, so that you see oncoming cars.