ItsJustMe

One significant thing to remember about riding against traffic is that NO driver will ever be looking for you there. Remember, BY FAR the most dangerous place on the road is intersections. When a car comes to an intersection to turn right, what does the driver do? He looks left, and when the way is clear, he goes. If he looks right at all, it's a cursory glance, and as any cyclist can tell you, even a driver that looks right at you probably doesn't see you. If you were proceeding through the intersection, you're gonna get T-boned.

Same goes for riding on the sidewalk; when you come to intersections, no car driver expects you and you will not be watched for.

Also, since you're riding illegally, you have NO standing legally if you get hit. Whatever damages you get are probably not going to be covered by the other guy's insurance, and you've got no chance in court.

chipcom 

Is this your cop friend?

jsmonet

hahah yep, but one serious question, do you guys (alot of you anyway) but mirrors on your road bike?[/QUOTE]

i don't have one on mine right now because i'm lazy, cheap, and haven't seen one I liked yet. *looks up in the thread* hm, I may have to rethink that "haven't seen one I liked" bit now

edit: spoke too soon. it's shimano-only. oh well, still looking. bar-end is a little tough because i'm short and have rotundos on my bike, putting that bar end pretty far down and back

fredgarvin7

Opinions are like *******s. Everybody has one and most of 'em STINK!

cellery

As has been said by others, your cop friend is 100% wrong. That type of riding creates a life-threatening situation needlessly, when the information on how to ride safely in traffic is a two minute Google search away. Not only that, but as a member of law enforcement, he is also giving cyclists a very bad name by breaking the law he is sworn to protect.

Here are a few links that will get you started on why you should not be riding against traffic and what the traffic laws are pertaining to bicycles are in each state. They explain exactly why riding on the right hand side of the road is the correct and safe way. If I were you, I would show this information to your cop friend; I would hate for a member of law enforcement to be injured or even killed as a result of being misinformed on the risks involved in what he is doing.

https://www.bikeleague.org/resources/.../roadrules.php

https://www.massbike.org/resourcesnew...ate-bike-laws/

https://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/wrong.htm

cellery

Also, as both a cyclist and a motorist, I can't tell you how many times I have had to literally slam on my brakes while driving, turning, to avoid hitting a wrong way cyclist going through an intersection that came seemingly from nowhere. I don't mean to sound rude, but I still can't believe the majority ride-share (in my city at least) can't make the very simple common sense connection in their minds that it's a bad idea to ride a bike head on towards cars...

AdamDZ

Cops are not generally very smart, or they won't be cops. But at least I would expect him to follow the law.

Leisesturm

I can't believe how many different kinds and styles of mirrors there are these days. But if you really can't find anything you like there are helmet mount mirrors (you use a helmet right?) or even eyeglass (sunglass) temple mount mirrors.

H

frymaster

that, however, would require most cops to even know the law they are charged with enforcing. go quiz some cop on the street about some of the only marginally less than obvious stuff about your local law (ie, is wearing a mask in public legal or does style of dress count as reasonable cause for stop and search) and you will quickly find out two things
1. they have only the most rudimentary knowledge of the law
2. anyone that points this out to them gets arrested for "obstruction"... which, given point 1, is, naturally, a false arrest.

vtjim

That happened to a co-worker's high school aged kid. He was salmoning, and got hit. Co-worker had to pay for damages to the car. Co-worker was not pleased. The lawyer said cost of repair would be way less than they'd pay in legal fees for a case they'd lose anyway.

Apparently the kid's helmet saved his noggin though.

I've used bar-end mirrors on touring and mountain bikes. Never had a vibration issue. Maybe I'm blessed with smooth pavement.

SactoDoug

While I agree that it is a very bad idea to ride against traffic, you cannot give a blanket statement like that. Yes, there would be liability to the bicycle rider for riding the wrong direction, but that does not completely negate any responsibility for the car driver. If the driver is more at fault, then the cyclist does have recourse.

Examples: Cyclist riding wrong way but motorist is drunk or under the influence. Cyclist is going wrong way but motorist runs a red light or stop sign.

electrik

Maybe your friend is trying to kill you?

ItsJustMe

Here's why: Whenever they have a close call, they think "I'd probably have been killed if I'd been riding the other way." They have never even thought about trying to ride the right way, so how would they know it's safer? Just because some weirdo who rides a bike when they could be driving a car says so?

therobotfuture

You need a new friend.

mrdelprete

Haha. Ordered my mirrorrs today

Thor29

Here's a real world example of why you shouldn't ride the wrong direction: I was heading down a one-way street in the bike lane and I saw a girl on a bike entering the intersection ahead of me from my right. She had a green light and turned right to enter the bike lane. Coming up the wrong way was an old dude on a bike. She came within inches of smashing right into him. Luckily she had skills otherwise it would have been ugly.

slcbob

Bad cop. No donut.

However, I'm not a fan of the "stupid cop" stereotyping going on here. Sure, there are some. But let's not paint with too broad a brush here.

Titmawz

You should consider your "friendship" after that advise LOL

capejohn

I guessing that cop has some political connections. Otherwise he would have been asking you if you wanted fries with your burger.

Titmawz

lol

shouldberiding

A) She was being disrespectful. He was laying it out to her that if she crosses the line she'll be arrested. I doubt it would go to trial. I'd bet she was held in lockup for the afternoon then got the boot . Sometimes you have to be a bully when you're a cop. I can't say for certain that it was strictly necessary in this case because:

B) We're not seeing that video in context. There's always more to the story. We don't even know what that little rally was about.

If you were dealing with a couple hundred idiots all day you'd probably be in a sour mood too. Give em a break, eh?

electrik

I'm not sure she was being disrespectful as playful, to be honest the constable who was beside Mr. bubbles was fairly calm about it. The little rally was one the g20 anti-poverty rally. She did stop blowing bubbles when asked.

Anyways, bullies deserve what is coming to them - and a good mocking is what this bully deserves.

Titmawz

you mean like this guy ?

Titmawz

Mods plz dont ban moi <3

electrik

Haha, no doubt cops were having a bad weekend - but that is how it is to be a cop and it's their responsibility to remain calm and do the correct things in the spirit of our laws.