Bat22

Are the wrong way riders coming out of the bike path you are heading to?
Using that generous shoulder as a shortcut?
Maybe you can stick a home made bicylists pass on the right sign along
the way then stick to your guns.

SSP

I play chicken with them, and then yell something like "You're on the Wrong Side!", or "Other Side of the Road!" as we pass.

ghettocruiser

My Answer hasn't changed since last week

TheDL

+1 This is what I do.

corkscrew

In my head, I kidnap them off their bike, and set them up in my basement Clockwork Orange style watching repeating videos of the local cycling laws.

In reality I move into the lane and give them a dirty look as they pass.

KitN

+1

I saw one of these wrong-way riders last night on my trip home. He also had no lights!! Luckily, he was on the other side of the road so he wasn't a direct hazard to me so I just muttered, "Damn bike ninja", and kept riding.

I've had a bunch of these wrong-way riders and the worst of them, the above mentioned wrong-way bike ninja, coming at me. I normally ring my bell and ride in a way that forces them to the outside of me, closest to traffic. They are in a better position to see traffic. I'm doing my best to make room for the scofflaw and not run into them or parked cars at the same time. Ugh.

I've considered calling out, "Wrong way!!", or ,"Get some lights! It's the law!!". But then I think, it's not my job to educate them. Let them die in a horrible head-on collision. As long as no one else but them gets hurt I consider it Darwinism at it's best.

pcrman

Who gives a crap. Deal.

daredevil

cared enough to respond.

GTALuigi

unfortunately there are a lot of those here in down town.
i hate it, but i remain cool, and give them plenty of room to travel.
i just take the left lane for the passing.

RLSchell

I encounter wrong way and sidewalk riders all the time. I completely ignore the sidewalk riders. I usually give a quick yell to the wrong way riders, "Hey, you're on the wrong side!" while pointing them to my left. I usually pass them to my right because they are curb crawling and look dumb and confused. And often these people have no helmets or lights. Scary. How do we educate people? I just do the right thing and hope others notice...

dwr1961

+1!!!

Kojak

This just in....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zen/2846151435/

ghettocruiser

I'd guess it would be the same way I'd walk along the shoulder of a road with a speed limit 10mph faster. Not pleasant, but hardly suicidal.

jdmitch

Yeah, but it's a LOT easy to bail over the curb when you're walking than when you're riding.

alexvpaq

Sometime I do it when it's getting dark and there's not a lot of cars+ when there's no bicycle track or anything, it's just easier for me to spot the cars cause I don't want to get hit by some drunk ******* so this way I can see them coming. But I use that too when I walk so it might just be some sort of habits.

ghettocruiser

I thought we were talking about a paved shoulder. Is there a curb too?

nola2172

Just to answer a couple questions that came up, I was about halfway down the 1.5 mile stretch of road (so not near an intersection), and on the side of the shoulder all along the road is some gravel followed by grass.

BA Commuter

I tell em, you're riding on the wrong side of the road! If they pretend they didn't hear me, I yell don't be a jackass"

People at work (who don't commute by bike) tell me that they were taught to ride into opposing traffic and that it's safer.

mr_antares

My commute goes through a part of town where these people abound. Usually they are riding *mart specials with plastic bags hanging from the handlebars. The standard uniform appears to be denim jackets and hoodie sweatshirts, appropriately dirty. They look at me (with my reflective yellow jacket and black lycra shorts) as if I am from another planet (and perhaps I am).

I just give them a wide berth, taking the lane if I need to. There's nothing we can do to change them, so don't bother.

lil brown bat

Mmmm...not really. The standard recommendation for pedestrians or runners is to run facing traffic; for bicyclists it is to run with traffic. Reason why = differences in speed and better ability of a runner or pedestrian to step off the road if need be.

The Big Wheel

I always ride against traffic so I can see cars that are coming my way.

imi

WTF is the "WTF gesture"? Is it a sort of one handed Italian shrug thing or have I missed something??

ghettocruiser

Yes.

But most of the riders I see going contra-flow are baring moving faster than a jogging pace.

And the OP specified someone riding on a shoulder with no curb. I've never, ever needed to step of the shoulder of a road into the ditch while walking against traffic to avoid a car. Have you?

I guess it's possible, but if cars randomly careened off the road that often, I wouldn't feel too comfortable cycling WITH traffic, either.

I think it's a pretty suspect way to travel, but it doesn't surprise me these people get along just fine.

rasamatoo

Right, personnally, I almost always ride counter-traffic on my commutes. On road bike expeditions or rides I always respect the law, but for commuting. nah....


When you go counter-traffic, you see what's ahead. It's up to the guy breaking the law to move his ass out of the way of the biker doing the right thing. It really irritates me bikers going on the right side who look back and pass me on my right, when I go counter-traffic. It's completely up to me to ensure that the biker has enough space to pass me. I can see the cars coming or not coming, it's up to me to let him through. Anyways, as for not peeing my pants, I try doing the same thing I do every day, except for when I pee... it works well, have you tried?

PS: not busy roads, from where I'm from, so...

DataJunkie

Absolutely terrible idea.