Advocacy & Safety - Guy riding on the left side of the road

I seen some guy riding on the left side of the road in wewoka,oklahoma on highway 59. Isnt that dangerous? Couldnt a car come over that hill and run him over? I think he went to the left side of the road to let us pass him but that would still be dangerous if there was a car coming over that hill.

yes, riding on the left is dangerous and illegal.

Yep; call him a 'salmon', he's 'swimming upstream'.

And what do the salmon do when they reach their spawning grounds? Spawn and die.

Yep; call him a 'salmon', he's 'swimming upstream'.I'm not so clear -- is he going the wrong way on the road, or just in the left shoulder/left most lane when he (being slower traffic) should normally be to the right?

If it's a divided road and he's riding on the road going the correct direction, but is in the left shoulder rather than the right shoulder, then he's not a salmon -- though that may still be illegal (dunno the laws there.) If that's the case, it's probably not such a big deal, not like actually riding against traffic would be anyways.

Theres no shoulder on that highway and it only has 2 lanes so he was going the oppossite way.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<He was in this lane going against the traffic.<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>We were in this lane>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not so bad on a country road where he can move out of the way like a pedestrian. Suicidal in town where a curb keep him in the path of traffic. Necessary when riding at night with no lights as you have to see approaching traffic and get out of the way.

I'll tell you what's worse- riding upstream in a friggin' bike lane. One of us has to go in the traffic lane, and the other has to go into the door zone. Ignoramuses.

Yep; call him a 'salmon', he's 'swimming upstream'.

And what do the salmon do when they reach their spawning grounds? Spawn and die.

Unless a bear eats him (her) first... And in the same manner, cars and trucks pick off quite a few salmoning cyclists.

We have a guy that rides around our neighborhood. Problem is he rides with no hands, no helmet and often on the left side of the road. He pushes a big gear and just slowly pedals around. Finally, one day we crossed paths. There was a steady line of traffic passing me. I kept my line on the right and then I see "Mr. No Hands" coming toward me on the wrong side of the road. As he was approaching I screamed "you are on the wrong side" and kept my line. He stopped and moved over to my right and I got fine past. As I went by him I said "you really need to ride on the right with traffic". Now when I see him he is always on the right. I plan to work on the helmet next.

We have a guy that rides around our neighborhood. Problem is he rides with no hands, no helmet and often on the left side of the road. He pushes a big gear and just slowly pedals around. Finally, one day we crossed paths. There was a steady line of traffic passing me. I kept my line on the right and then I see "Mr. No Hands" coming toward me on the wrong side of the road. As he was approaching I screamed "you are on the wrong side" and kept my line. He stopped and moved over to my right and I got fine past. As I went by him I said "you really need to ride on the right with traffic". Now when I see him he is always on the right. I plan to work on the helmet next.
Good for you getting him to ride on the proper side of the road; however,

Why do you care if he wears a helmet or not?

Good for you getting him to ride on the proper side of the road; however,

Why do you care if he wears a helmet or not?

Gotta go with you on this one -- he's an adult, let him 'go bareback'.

Good for you getting him to ride on the proper side of the road; however,

Why do you care if he wears a helmet or not?

Personal reasons. Funny, but I am starting to like the guy and feel certain that if he crashes having a helmet on will help him in some way.

[QUOTE=BartJ;.... I plan to work on the helmet next.[/QUOTE]

While I always wear a hemet, a helmet is not going to make anyone a better, safer rider. A helmet is the last line of defence in keeping youself safe from harm on the road.

If this rider was ignorant of which side of the road to ride on, I can only imagine that he does not even know a bike should be driven as a vehicle.

Above all, educate him that he is traffic and that he should ride accordingly and defensively.

I ride on the left all the time ....

... but I guess I do live in Australia where we all travel on the left side of the road. :)

Lots of us don't like those who do things differently. We have pet names for them and wish bad things on them when we are on the internet. . However in the big picture, two weeks from now, we won't even remember talking about them.

If this rider was ignorant of which side of the road to ride on, I can only imagine that he does not even know a bike should be driven as a vehicle.

I did not know this. It makes me think that I should stick to driving or walking, and leave bicycling to the highly trained and equipped specialists.

I did not know this. It makes me think that I should stick to driving or walking, and leave bicycling to the highly trained and equipped specialists.

Did you know that if you are walking (or running) in the road way you walk facing traffic? This stuff ain't rocket science it's mostly common sense.