Bicyclists - Do you ride with or against traffic?

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: GasX

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

I see them ride through red light signals all the time here.

I blow through lights all the time, but I have the mindset that I KNOW I am taking my life into my own hands. <shrug> I am okay with that.

I don't blow lights unless I'm at a signal and it won't change because there is no car traffic to trip the light. In those cases I will proceed when it is safe to do so. I generally just slow down for stop signs and stop to yield to car traffic when they have right of way...if there is no car or pedestrian traffic I don't come to a complete stop at stop signs.

Gain some weight and trigger them.

They work by induction... not weight. All you gotta do is lay your bike close enough to it to get the metal frame near the sensors.

What if your bike is made of carbon fiber?

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: GasX

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

I see them ride through red light signals all the time here.

I blow through lights all the time, but I have the mindset that I KNOW I am taking my life into my own hands. <shrug> I am okay with that.

I don't blow lights unless I'm at a signal and it won't change because there is no car traffic to trip the light. In those cases I will proceed when it is safe to do so. I generally just slow down for stop signs and stop to yield to car traffic when they have right of way...if there is no car or pedestrian traffic I don't come to a complete stop at stop signs.

Gain some weight and trigger them.

They work by induction... not weight. All you gotta do is lay your bike close enough to it to get the metal frame near the sensors.

What if your bike is made of carbon fiber?

Then you're stuck :laugh:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: GasX

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

I see them ride through red light signals all the time here.

I blow through lights all the time, but I have the mindset that I KNOW I am taking my life into my own hands. <shrug> I am okay with that.

I don't blow lights unless I'm at a signal and it won't change because there is no car traffic to trip the light. In those cases I will proceed when it is safe to do so. I generally just slow down for stop signs and stop to yield to car traffic when they have right of way...if there is no car or pedestrian traffic I don't come to a complete stop at stop signs.

Gain some weight and trigger them.

They work by induction... not weight. All you gotta do is lay your bike close enough to it to get the metal frame near the sensors.

What if your bike is made of carbon fiber?

Then you're stuck :laugh:

No, then I run the red.

 

[luv2liv]

i ride against the flow so i can see the cars coming ;-)

 

[moshquerade]

bike with traffic
run/walk against traffic

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Gain some weight and trigger them.

They work by induction... not weight. All you gotta do is lay your bike close enough to it to get the metal frame near the sensors.

What if your bike is made of carbon fiber?

Then you're stuck :laugh:

No, then I run the red.

:thumbsup:

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: GasX

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

I see them ride through red light signals all the time here.

I blow through lights all the time, but I have the mindset that I KNOW I am taking my life into my own hands. <shrug> I am okay with that.

I don't blow lights unless I'm at a signal and it won't change because there is no car traffic to trip the light. In those cases I will proceed when it is safe to do so. I generally just slow down for stop signs and stop to yield to car traffic when they have right of way...if there is no car or pedestrian traffic I don't come to a complete stop at stop signs.

Gain some weight and trigger them.

They work by induction... not weight. All you gotta do is lay your bike close enough to it to get the metal frame near the sensors.

It helps if you jump on them also.

 

[eleison]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
It's morning rush hour, what do you do? Are there laws that govern this. Thanks
-AE

In the city, safer to ride with the traffic. Thats what I do. Initially, I thought it would be safer to ride against the traffic, but then when you really think about it, its not. However, on a lonely, open county road, riding against the traffic would probably be more safe.

 

[Ramma2]

Or just get one of these.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008...re_green_lights-2.html

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

Yes. And if you don't, you sure as hell should be ticketed just like a car.

I'm all for "sharing the road" - in the actual sense of the word. Too many people on bikes don't really want to "share" the road - they want to do whatever the hell they want. Those people should NOT be allowed on the road.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus


Bullshit. I've been doing it for years.

tick-tock tick-tock

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: LS21

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus


Bullshit. I've been doing it for years.

tick-tock tick-tock

I call dibs on his porn.

 

[Capt Caveman]

What's there to debate? With, always.

 

[Throwmeabone]

WITH. Whoever is saying against is an idiot. It's actually much easier to keep up with traffic during rush hour so a decent bicyclist will barely even interrupt traffic.

By the way, it's against the law to ride against traffic, not to mention stupid, dangerous, and more difficult for the cyclist.

 

[imported_Imp]

With. Treat yourself like a car (aside from not stopping completely at stop signs), and things get a lot less confusing. I've even stopped riding the wrong way on one-way streets.

 

[Baked]

I'll probably steer my car into a bike if I see one coming towards me, and tell the police the sun's in my eye.

 

[edro]

Ohio DOT Bicycle Laws PDF

The following are laws in Ohio, but can be overridden locally.

1. You must stay on the RIGHT side of the road.
2. You CAN ride on the sidewalk.
3. You MUST follow all traffic control devices the same as a car. (Lights, signs, etc.)

 

[Stojakapimp]

You bike in the same direction as traffic, you walk/jog in the opposite direction as traffic.

 

[torpid]

How is this even a question? Nevermind... I just remembered how many times I've gotten seriously POd at other people on bikes going down the wrong goddamn way on the bike path.

 

[mxyzptlk]

I understand that I'm supposed to ride with traffic yet I feel safer when I can see the instrument of my death approaching from the front.

I ride against traffic or on the sidewalk but mostly on the sidewalk.



Although, I learned from the game Bart's Nightmare on SNES that it's safest to ride directly on the centerline of the road that way you avoid vehicles traveling in either direction.

 

[DrVos]

I'd say that one of the biggest reasons why bicyclists should ride with traffic is that they are more visible to motorists. If a motorist comes from behind a cyclist, they have more time to give a wide berth (many jurisdictions require a 3ft. passing distance). Also, when motorists are looking to make a turn, say a right hand turn from a side street to main street, they are looking for oncoming traffic from there left. A cyclist traveling opposite to the flow of traffic from the right wouldn't be seen and could get hit.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Originally posted by: DrVos
A cyclist traveling opposite to the flow of traffic from the right wouldn't be seen and could get hit.

If I "A cyclist", I'd see the car waiting to turn and adjust accordingly.

See, my whole thing is not wanting to have to rely on the kindness of strangers to not hit me. I just prefer to take things into my own hands and avoid the collision on my own. I'm not concerned with the law or who might be considered at fault after the fact because by then, afaik, its too late and completely irrelevant. I don't want to get hit by a car again. I learned that lesson at the age of 7 and I take great care to NOT be in the path of oncoming cars.

But I don't really like arguing this point because I KNOW I'm completely in the wrong here. Still, as a matter of my safety.. I avoid collisions with cars the best way I know how. by keeping them in my sight.

I'm sorry.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

hahaha, I see so many bikers blow through stop signs and red lights it isn't even funny.

 

[Coalfax]

Bikes are considered a vehicle. You ride with traffic and must obey all signs and lights as a car or motorcycle would. Also, no riding on sidewalks...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Ramma2
With traffic, and you obey all signals and signs as if you were a car.

this

Agreed. Except, around here, they never do and completely deserve it if they get hit.

It would be nice if they would consciously leave room for cars to get by as well. I'm sorry, but you might think you're going a sustained 45 mph...but you're not. Now move over so I can safely pass you.