Eli_Damon

A few weeks ago, I was riding as a passenger in a car on Rt. 33 in Chicopee, MA and saw someone in a wheelchair coming in the opposite direction on the shoulder and crossing a sidestreet. Now this particular road has three lanes per direction, no sidewalks, no crosswalks, and a lot of the intersections have right-turn ramps so that people turning right don't have to stop for the traffic lights. I've ridden through there on my bike several times and it's pretty damn scary. It's also a major commercial district so there is plenty of reason for someone to want to walk there if they live nearby.

This made me think. As a cyclist on this road, I am much safer if I use vehicular cycling techniques. However, what is the safest way to travel this road as a pedestrian or wheelchair user? You're probably okay on the shoulder until you have to cross one of those right-turn ramps. Then you're a 60mph blob of goo on someone's tire.

The Human Car

IMO Most state laws are whack in that they require a person in a wheelchair to follow the same laws as a pedestrian and in this case would be to wheel against traffic. As far as what is safer for someone in a wheelchair to ride, I really don’t know but the against traffic rule is so a pedestrian can see a car coming and step off the roadway, most wheelchair users can’t do that.

ken cummings

The ADA allows "mobility impaired" people a means to legally redress their problems. Generally, sue someone. In some places that is a good idea. In our town $2.00 buys a door to door ride for qualified people. Lots cheaper than making the roads accessible. If you want the "wheelchair" people to be motor-vehicle free try one of the semirecumbent tandems made by Bilenky or Angletech. I have one and have given rides to the disabled.

KnhoJ

Walking with traffic usually involves walking sideways or backwards into the intersection to keep an eye on the right turners while looking right to keep an eye on the left turners and hoping that the cross traffic will see you before they pull out far enough to mess up your knees. Most people don't watch though, they just trot right out there like it was the back yard.
Walking (or wheelchairing) against traffic allows a pedestrian to enter the intersection or driveway while keeping an eye on only the one cross traffic lane waiting to pull out. Then, you're out "in the road" in plenty of time to be seen by other drivers, with better angles to keep an eye on (or flee) the left and right turners. It's not perfect, but it's better. And, it's better for keeping an eye on the ramps, since you're facing them and not waiting to cross where the Andrettis are cutting a tight apex.

A side benefit is that walking against traffic allows you to see the projectiles thrown by passengers in time to dodge them.