Advocacy & Safety - Riding Against Traffic

In California in the 1950's we were schooled to ride against traffic with special attention to vehicles driving out of cross streets and driveways turning right crossing our path (since the driver is generally looking to their left). I never paid any attention to the fact that ridding on the left allowed you to view everything coming at you. The only down side was stopping for drivers at cross streets and driveways.

At some point California Code had finally been written or revised that required riding with the flow of traffic. I recall how sensible it felt to ride with the flow as a defined vehicle with almost the same rights. Since then I've been seriously rear ended twice and turned into many times as I'm sure many have.

I've since moved to Danville Ca. a very bike friendly laid out community with a large SUV population. There are a few 45MPH (45-60MPH actual speeds) four lane boulevards with luxurious 6'-10' marked bike lanes which are swept weekly, very nice. Still, with this huge buffer of space I've touched paint on a number of occasions well into the bike lane with preoccupied drivers.

Since last fall I've been riding against traffic only on these boulevards and while it's wrong it feels so safe. I've already avoided three serious incidents of preoccupied drivers drifting into the bike lane. There is no way I could track these drivers so clearly with a mirror and afford myself the time for the up on the curb evasive action needed for one incident in particular.

I'd appreciate your comments and experience, thanks.

It scares me to ride against traffic, I've done if for a few feet waiting to cross the road. The cars feel so much closer. Car's don't normally look right for traffic before turning right. And I can't move into traffic if I need to. And it's illegal.

It's just an all around bad idea. Not only are you a danger to youself with automobile traffic, you are a danger to any rider riding legally in the bike lane.

Motorists aren't looking for traffic going the wrong direction so accidents may be 3.6 times more likely than going with the flow of traffic.

If there is an accident, it'll be much worse with traffic the wrong way. Going the right way, a 45 MPH rear-end collision may mean a 30MPH speed difference. Head-on it's a 60 MPH difference.

Ride the right way.

STOP it! :notamused:

You're being a hazard to your fellow cyclists, motor traffic, and yourself.
Always ride with traffic.
There's no valid argument to do otherwise.

Riding against traffic is the quickest way, short of doing the same thing in the dark without lights or reflectors, to get somebody to organize a Ride of Silence in your memory.

http://www.RideofSilence.org

If you've 'touched paint' a 'number of occasions' in what seems to be a relatively short period you need to reassess what you are doing.

If you're going to be a bike salmon I hope you at least yield to your fellow cyclists who are correctly, safely, legally, and sensibly riding with traffic.

Think of an intersection and somebody turning right at a stop sign or a red light. They don't often look to the right when turning right. If you ride against traffic in the perpendicular lane (their turn lane) you would REALLY be putting yourself in danger by not only their inattentiveness.....but their close proximity to your bike as they turn somewhat blindly into your path.

The cars feel so much closer. Car's don't normally look right for traffic before turning right.

Sorry, I didn't see your points earlier.

interesting post

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that Vic Damone has a join date from 5 years ago but this is his first post?

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that Vic Damone has a join date from 5 years ago but this is his first post?

He just is very slow when typing.

A very interesting post. What do you suppose ever happened to that person from a few years back, who advocated riding against traffic, and also claimed (providing no proof whatsoever) that his father invented smoke detectors?

In California in the 1950's we were schooled to ride against traffic with special attention to vehicles driving out of cross streets and driveways turning right crossing our path (since the driver is generally looking to their left). I never paid any attention to the fact that ridding on the left allowed you to view everything coming at you. The only down side was stopping for drivers at cross streets and driveways.

At some point California Code had finally been written or revised that required riding with the flow of traffic. I recall how sensible it felt to ride with the flow as a defined vehicle with almost the same rights. Since then I've been seriously rear ended twice and turned into many times as I'm sure many have.

I've since moved to Danville Ca. a very bike friendly laid out community with a large SUV population. There are a few 45MPH (45-60MPH actual speeds) four lane boulevards with luxurious 6'-10' marked bike lanes which are swept weekly, very nice. Still, with this huge buffer of space I've touched paint on a number of occasions well into the bike lane with preoccupied drivers.

Since last fall I've been riding against traffic only on these boulevards and while it's wrong it feels so safe. I've already avoided three serious incidents of preoccupied drivers drifting into the bike lane. There is no way I could track these drivers so clearly with a mirror and afford myself the time for the up on the curb evasive action needed for one incident in particular.

I'd appreciate your comments and experience, thanks.

I have some bad news for you vic. you are what is known as a "salmon". even worse, you have entered that all important stage of your life when the idea of "swimming upstream" seems like the best option for you. I'm sorry to tell you this vic, but this most definitely means the end is near. It is time for you to find a female salmon that will let you spray your milky seed on her clutch of eggs, and then cover them up with a shallow layer of gravel so that one day soon, baby salmon (alevins) can be born, and make their journey to the sea.

Did I forget to mention what was going to happen to you in the meanwhile? you're going to die, and you're eyes are going to be pecked out of your skull by seagulls, or maybe a hungry eagle if you're lucky. What can I say? So is the life of Salmon.

Motorists aren't looking for traffic going the wrong direction so accidents may be 3.6 times more likely than going with the flow of traffic.
Ya sure it isn't 4.6 times, or maybe it was 6.3, or maybe it was .0123? Maybe you better check your dream book for today's number.

Yes, this is my first post since joining. Weird? OK. I type reasonably well it's the spell checking that I spend a lot of time with.

I apologize if this subject seems somewhat trollish but I've been able to avoid a few sketchy moments in the short time I've been doing this on the few roads I feel a danger. In 1973 I was hit from behind stopped at a red light with one foot on the curb. Low speed collision, no injury but my beloved Grand Criterium was totaled. Once again in 1992 at the back of a six rider group riding legally in a marked bike lane in a 25 MPH zone. Recently a women texting in an Escalade drifted well into the bike lane and brushed my shoulder with the passenger side mirror. My scariest incident occurred last week on a straight stretch 45 MPH zone. A gentleman in a large Benz sedan reading a document and holding the steering wheel with his left hand and a cell with his right. He suddenly entered the bike lane contacting the curb with his passenger side tire. I avoided this driver by bunny hopping the curb. Had I been riding legally with the flow of traffic I'd be...well you get the picture.

Hand held cell phone usage and texting are illegal in this State but the entitlement that many drivers feel they have is simply stunning to me.



The cars feel so much closer. Car's don't normally look right for traffic before turning right.

The cars ARE actually further away because of my tendency to steer away from the on coming traffic. Yes, drivers do look left before beginning their right turn. Even with eye contact I stop and let the driver make the turn. This is one of the few downsides.



Motorists aren't looking for traffic going the wrong direction so accidents may be 3.6 times more likely than going with the flow of traffic.
If there is an accident, it'll be much worse with traffic the wrong way. Going the right way, a 45 MPH rear-end collision may mean a 30MPH speed difference. Head-on it's a 60 MPH difference.

3.6? Where can I find this stat? The difference in impact speed is compelling but, IMO, much more avoidable than being rear ended.



You're being a hazard to your fellow cyclists, motor traffic, and yourself.
There's no valid argument to do otherwise.

Actually, the majority of the time I'm able give full berth to oncoming cyclist by ridding in the vacant traffic lane. When this isn't possible I simply stop at the curb as these are very wide bike lanes.



If you've 'touched paint' a 'number of occasions' in what seems to be a relatively short period you need to reassess what you are doing.

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm trying to do.

Wow, just wow. Incidentally, while working I nearly got hit by a car-salmon yesterday. Didn't even know that existed...

In California in the 1950's we were schooled to ride against traffic with special attention to vehicles driving out of cross streets and driveways turning right crossing our path (since the driver is generally looking to their left). I never paid any attention to the fact that ridding on the left allowed you to view everything coming at you. The only down side was stopping for drivers at cross streets and driveways.

At some point California Code had finally been written or revised that required riding with the flow of traffic. I recall how sensible it felt to ride with the flow as a defined vehicle with almost the same rights. Since then I've been seriously rear ended twice and turned into many times as I'm sure many have.

I've since moved to Danville Ca. a very bike friendly laid out community with a large SUV population. There are a few 45MPH (45-60MPH actual speeds) four lane boulevards with luxurious 6'-10' marked bike lanes which are swept weekly, very nice. Still, with this huge buffer of space I've touched paint on a number of occasions well into the bike lane with preoccupied drivers.

Since last fall I've been riding against traffic only on these boulevards and while it's wrong it feels so safe. I've already avoided three serious incidents of preoccupied drivers drifting into the bike lane. There is no way I could track these drivers so clearly with a mirror and afford myself the time for the up on the curb evasive action needed for one incident in particular.

I'd appreciate your comments and experience, thanks.

I have a nice 2 - 2 1/2" mirror on my helmet and I am able to track approaching traffic and if needed make defensive moves, as I am sure the vast majority of other mirror users on this site. Maybe you need to practice more with your mirror to build up the skill set needed to track and react to traffic approaching you from behind.

It would be a very rare and very limited occasion for me to ride either a sidewalk or as a salmon. And unless all of my batteries "decided" to "die" on me all at once I will never be a ninja.

What exactly were you doing when you "touch/traded" paint? And had you had a mirror and learned how to use it you would have avoided some of your close calls. Only once in my entire life of riding and that includes the vast majority of my adult life I have only been hit from behind once. And considering that I just recently turn 46 and only being rear-ended once I'd say that those are some pretty good odds.

I have some bad news for you vic. you are what is known as a "salmon". even worse, you have entered that all important stage of your life when the idea of "swimming upstream" seems like the best option for you. I'm sorry to tell you this vic, but this most definitely means the end is near. It is time for you to find a female salmon that will let you spray your milky seed on her clutch of eggs, and then cover them up with a shallow layer of gravel so that one day soon, baby salmon (alevins) can be born, and make their journey to the sea.

Did I forget to mention what was going to happen to you in the meanwhile? you're going to die, and you're eyes are going to be pecked out of your skull by seagulls, or maybe a hungry eagle if you're lucky. What can I say? So is the life of Salmon.

Actually, it ends up as Smoked Salmon, packaged and ready for me to eat. :D

Back on topic: I grew up in the 60's, and it seems many kids of that time were given a lot of misinformation about bicycling by well-meaning, but very misguided authority figures, such as parents, school officials, scout leaders, etc. Undoing this cycle of misinformation is a monumental challenge. i.e. "You should ride facing traffic, so you can see the cars!!" Or, "You should only ride on the sidewalk!!" My personal favorite: It came with reflectors, so I don't need lights!

Vic, you need to read John Allen's "Street Smarts". Mr. Allen is a well-known expert in the field of bicycle safety. He has posted this work on-line right here. (http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm) You should also read California's bicycle laws.

Riding against traffic is in fact the fastest way,, to the cemetery.

If you've 'touched paint' a 'number of occasions' in what seems to be a relatively short period you need to reassess what you are doing.

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm trying to do.

It sounds more as if you came here to tell us what you want to do.

-Kurt

I recently tried a couple miles of counter-flow riding just to see what I felt like.

Frightening!

I'm curious what the op's average speed is. One of the topics we have discussed locally is having the bicycle designated a dual mode vehicle/pedestrian the same as a Segway is. That is to say at a slow and cautious speed bicycles can safely operate as a pedestrian.

Riding against traffic is in fact the fastest way,, to the cemetery.


I recently tried a couple miles of counter-flow riding just to see what I felt like.

Frightening!

Oy!! The Drama!! Are you fellows really that helpless when cycling?

I don' t know which I dislike more - bike salmon or the term "bike salmon" :) . Rear end collisions are actually pretty rare. I find I can pretty much tell by sound how close a car is going to buzz me and I regularily shoulder check, and I really don't worry about being rear ended. Mind you I am mostly on normal speed city streets, and I'm not sure I would be as confident on a higher speed road.

However I find wrong way cyclists very irritating and dangerous to me as another cyclist. I don't want to be forced into traffic to avoid them (let them veer out into the street - at least they can see what's coming!), I don't want to guess if they are going to pass to my left or right, and I don't particularily want to slow or stop every time one approaches.

Even on one way streets where the wrong way cyclists are on the other side from me, they create a hazard for me as they push my overtaking traffic to the right and closer to me.

They should get the Hell off the road until they learn to ride properly.

Wow. Just... wow.

If the OP wants to ride in the bike lane on the opposite side of the road, big deal, as long as he ain't a danger to other users of the bike lane. Hell, in a lot of places the bike lane is only on one side of the road, and those places are not death traps of blood and carnage, that we know of.

Hopefully he's smart enough to ride on the correct side of the road when there isn't a bike lane. Indeed, to the OP, what do you do when the bike lane just up and disappears, as they usually do at some point?

A gentleman in a large Benz sedan reading a document and holding the steering wheel with his left hand and a cell with his right. He suddenly entered the bike lane contacting the curb with his passenger side tire. I avoided this driver by bunny hopping the curb. Had I been riding legally with the flow of traffic I'd be...well you get the picture.


Actually, had you been riding legally with the flow of traffic you would have been positioned safely far away from this guy, on the other side of the street! :P

Actually, had you been riding legally with the flow of traffic you would have been positioned safely far away from this guy, on the other side of the street! :P

that one's gonna leave a mark. :lol:

Oy!! The Drama!! Are you fellows really that helpless when cycling?

Of course they are. They've been reading this forum.

-Kurt

Oy!! The Drama!! Are you fellows really that helpless when cycling?

Mama-Mia!

But, if it's real drama you want, fear not. It's almost the season for summer theater.

Wow. Just... wow.

Was that for me?

I ride with traffic and I endorse that method, however I don't believe this is nearly as black and white as some people make it out to be. Clearly Vic understands the major issues with riding against traffic and he's mitigating those. Chipcom asked how fast he rides, and that's an important question. At 8 mph I doubt it matters that much (besides possibly annoying other cyclists). At 20-25 mph I think there's a night and day difference in favor of flowing with traffic. Somewhere in between it's harder to judge. On some routes I will take the sidewalk, even the left-hand sidewalk, and slow to 5ish mph and turn into a pedestrian.

Still, I would recommend making a concerted effort to try out riding with traffic. This will probably take a bit of adjustment (I'm thinking weeks or months?), because I it should take some time to relearn the issues. In particular, you have to learn to monitor traffic approaching from behind (get a good mirror and learn to use it), and learn when to take the lane (and be assertive, riding center in the lane). Your speed and traffic speed need to be considered when you take a lane. There's a point at which the differential becomes dangerous. You can also make things a lot worse by weaving in and out of parked cars or other obstacles when riding with traffic ("staying right" and "hugging the curb" are not equal). There's probably more, so read up, and be thinking about what's happening while you're doing it.

Even when riding on the right side, cross traffic remains a major danger, so don't abandon what you've learned about second-guessing cross traffic. It still applies while riding on the other side.

There is also some equipment that can help you out. I like the Planet Bike Superflash as a tail-light, because it's the most attention-grabbing for the money. I run it in the day too, although I'm not totally sure it's so helpful in broad daylight, but it's probably better than nothing. Yellow, orange, or bright green shirts help a lot in full daylight. I also ride with SSC P7 flashlights and an Airzound, usually. The P7s are bright enough to grab a little attention in full daylight, more especially the ones with flashing modes, and more especially mounted on the helmet. Often times the Airzound only gets used after the fact, since brakes take priority (can't do both on my setup), possibly it's more about making me feel better.

As far as I know it's possible you might conclude that you can't be comfortable with cars coming up behind you doing heaven knows what instead of watching the road. I'm not going to tell you I like it either, but I prefer it over the problems with going against traffic (especially considering unaware cross traffic and higher differential speeds), and especially since I'm trying to ride fast (mine is a long-ish commute). Whatever you do, be careful, and have a great time.

Bike salmon is not the only salmon out there. The other day I was making a right turn from a one-way street and a trash truck was turning into the street I was coming out of. I had to do a double-take.

If had come down this street 20 seconds later, would I have been confronted with this wrong-way trash truck?

Is this the route the trash truck takes every week?

Granted, he may have just been going a short distance - to an alley (I'm guessing the trash cans are in the alley).

And it's not like somebody is going to miss seeing a trash truck.

I can see how it might be that the trash truck driver can avoid going a couple of blocks out of the way by going 50 yards (or meters) the wrong way down a one-way street.

If it makes sense for a trash truck driver, it might make sense for a bicyclist.

Just because I see someone riding the wrong way, I don't automatically assume that they're some kind of nut. They might know something.

Just because I see someone riding the wrong way, I don't automatically assume that they're some kind of nut. They might know something.
That is where you differ from the know-it-all BF Drama Queens who get all in a tizzy and salivate in rage at the sight of any and every cyclist who apparently doesn't "know" what the Queens think he/she should "know."

Bike salmon is not the only salmon out there.

The only time a car ever nailed me was when a Mercedes did just that after making a tight left-hand turn.

-Kurt

.....I apologize if this subject seems somewhat trollish but I've been able to avoid a few sketchy moments in the short time I've been doing this on the few roads I feel a danger. In 1973 I was hit from behind stopped at a red light with one foot on the curb. Low speed collision, no injury but my beloved Grand Criterium was totaled. Once again in 1992 at the back of a six rider group riding legally in a marked bike lane in a 25 MPH zone. Recently a women texting in an Escalade drifted well into the bike lane and brushed my shoulder with the passenger side mirror. My scariest incident occurred last week on a straight stretch 45 MPH zone. A gentleman in a large Benz sedan reading a document and holding the steering wheel with his left hand and a cell with his right. He suddenly entered the bike lane contacting the curb with his passenger side tire. I avoided this driver by bunny hopping the curb. Had I been riding legally with the flow of traffic I'd be...well you get the picture.

Hand held cell phone usage and texting are illegal in this State but the entitlement that many drivers feel they have is simply stunning to me.
....
Other than the 1st example, I don't see how 'salmoning' would have prevented these incidents.

Get a flash flag, or make your own out of PVC so it sticks out further. It should be spring-loaded so it doesn't automatically knock you over, and fix some kind of sharp metal object on the end.


http://www.cycle9.com/c9store/accessories-lights-flags-c-8_9/flash-flag-p-34

After reading Digital Cowboys response and having one of those "I could of had a V8" moments, I purchased a CycleAware Reflex helmet mirror. After a few days of getting use to it, it's working for me. The biggest benefit is being able to get to the right when faster riders need to get by.

Unfortunately, the four mile stretch of road in question, filled with preoccupied commuters, is just too ridiculous for me to trust even with the mirror. Salmon, Schmelt, or schmuck, with its wide bike lanes and low amounts of both auto and bike traffic I'm ridding the against the flow for that time of the day.

Tuesday morning, while waiting at the crosswalk to get to the wrong side of this road a lady who had just slowed to a stop for a red light was rear ended by a guy who was looking down at his phone. I watched this guy for a good three seconds not looking up until the collision.

I'd pretty well bet we could all come up with some 'anecdotal evidence' to support the 'wrong' position here; all I'll say is, if you salmon, I hope i don't read your obit. You likely won't read mine.

A gentleman in a large Benz sedan reading a document and holding the steering wheel with his left hand and a cell with his right. He suddenly entered the bike lane contacting the curb with his passenger side tire. I avoided this driver by bunny hopping the curb. Had I been riding legally with the flow of traffic I'd be...well you get the picture.

If you'd been riding legally with the flow of traffic you'd have been on the other side of the street as far away as possible from this distracted driver.

;)

The way the OP is describing this part of road, I'd actually consider riding on the left side, too. A mirror helps, no doubt about that -- but it seems like it would be nicer to see the weaving drivers more clearly, watch them for a longer period of time, and even see where their faces are looking.

It also sounds like this is one instance where a street that's been made generously wide invites people to care less about how straight they're driving. I'll bet that if they had to go through a twelve-foot-wide corridor lined with Roman spears they'd pay a lot more attention.

I used to ride against the traffic on certain occasions until I got stopped by the police. Now I don't think I could ever get back into to the habit of doing it again.