Originally Posted by
bobthib
This behavior is typical of "sidewalk" cyclists who thing riding against traffic is safer. I was there a few years ago, but learned several important lessons. Riding sidewalks on my hybrid at 8 to 12 mph is very different than riding a "road" bike.
Riding sidewalks is very dangerous, as I have learned by experience, regardless of whether you go 'with the flow' or against it. Against it happens to be MUCH MORE DANGEROUS!
Riding in the road, at least in the state of FLA. REQUIRES the cyclist to OBEY ALL road rules, plus a few special rules.
The behavior cited by the OP typifies the ignorant cyclist thinking they are safer riding against traffic because they think they fast enough to swerve out of the way of an errant car. They forget that the force of impact is the SQUARE of the impact speeds, not the simple addition, which is bad enough.
All the points you make plus the unexpected.
Cars (and bikers like me) do not expect some loose biker coming at you from just any direction. As a car driver I have enough trouble looking for things in the way they are supposed to come. Live is miserable if we need to look up for airplanes landing, people walking the streets at random and biking at random.
I just like to know where this comes from. I mentioned in above post that my own son developed that goofy biking. He is or he thinks of him selves as a independent sort. OK, but you do not have to cause accidents to prove your independence.
BTW, that is why he started smoking. Go figure.