Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

Met a WWC today at lunch

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

Met a WWC today at lunch

Old 05-03-06, 10:19 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
bikebuddha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Somewhere in time
Posts: 1,137
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Met a WWC today at lunch

So as I'm riding back to work from lunch a notice a bicycle far ahead of me. Two seconds later realizing that he's a little bigger now I think to myself "oh crap a wrong way cyclist." As he gets closer I call out "you really should be on the other side of the road." No response. He's almost right on top of me now forcing me out further into traffic. I say again, "you really should ride on the right side of the road." Still no response. As he passes I point to the other side of the road, he waves at me. That's when I notice the ear buds. I watch as he moves off in my rear view mirror straight at incoming traffic and say a little prayer for his safety.
__________________
The few, the proud, the likely insane, Metro-Atlanta bicycle commuters.
bikebuddha is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 10:39 AM
  #2  
SERENITY NOW!!!
 
jyossarian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: In the 212
Posts: 8,738

Bikes: Haro Vector, IRO Rob Roy, Bianchi Veloce

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
WWC's always insist on riding against convention. Rather than pass on your left (staying to their right), they take the line closest to the curb and expect you to pass on your right, pushing you further into traffic. Meanwhile, they have a better view of oncoming traffic than you do, even with a mirror. I usually just take the line closest to the curb and motion for them to pass me on my left. Otherwise, we're going to crash.
__________________
HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR



We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
jyossarian is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 10:43 AM
  #3  
more ape than man
 
timmhaan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: nyc
Posts: 8,091
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
i try to do that too. i don't feel i should have to move further into traffic because they're doing the wrong thing. sometimes i even play a little chicken with them and ride straight at them until they move.
timmhaan is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 11:01 AM
  #4  
34x25 FTW!
 
oboeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,013

Bikes: Kona Jake, Scott CR1, Dahon SpeedPro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
WWCs inspire a feeling of road rage in me. The one time I made a point of being heard the dude was not happy to hear it. I posted about it here for sure. I don't recall the exact details but I said something along the lines of "plenty of streets that go in the right direction for ya" and the obviously pissed commuter said in a whiny voice "keep yer comments to yerself". Whatever, dude, I hope you got a ticket from the cops in Times Sq (it was a block or two from there).
oboeguy is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 11:19 AM
  #5  
Arizona Dessert
 
noisebeam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 15,030

Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex

Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5345 Post(s)
Liked 2,169 Times in 1,288 Posts
Like this?
Attached Images
File Type: jpeg
wrongway0001.jpeg (6.8 KB, 106 views)
noisebeam is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 11:27 AM
  #6  
Electrical Hazard
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Manhattan / Vancouver
Posts: 974

Bikes: a bunch.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I generally play chicken with them, and lock up my back tire and do an exaggerated fishtail skid towards them. They generally stop and duck in between parked cars as I pass.
lyledriver is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 12:13 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
kf5nd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston, TX 77095
Posts: 1,470

Bikes: Specialized Sequoia Elite, Schwinn Frontier FS MTB, Centurion LeMans (1986)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
What I do is TOTALLY STOP and wave my arms wildly up and down signaling for them to stop... I literally block their progress. Then I chew them out. I never, ever see them again.

TA-DA !
kf5nd is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 04:31 PM
  #8  
34x25 FTW!
 
oboeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,013

Bikes: Kona Jake, Scott CR1, Dahon SpeedPro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by kf5nd
What I do is TOTALLY STOP and wave my arms wildly up and down signaling for them to stop... I literally block their progress. Then I chew them out. I never, ever see them again.

TA-DA !
Nice way to get your a55 kicked. Seriously, who has time to stop?
oboeguy is offline  
Old 05-03-06, 05:37 PM
  #9  
jur
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Albany, WA
Posts: 7,393
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 321 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by noisebeam
Like this?
Hey! That car is driving the wrong side of the road!
jur is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 06:09 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Posts: 541

Bikes: Nothing special, but it works.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by oboeguy
WWCs inspire a feeling of road rage in me. The one time I made a point of being heard the dude was not happy to hear it. I posted about it here for sure. I don't recall the exact details but I said something along the lines of "plenty of streets that go in the right direction for ya" and the obviously pissed commuter said in a whiny voice "keep yer comments to yerself". Whatever, dude, I hope you got a ticket from the cops in Times Sq (it was a block or two from there).
I think the NYC cops couldn't be bothered to ticket anyone for riding a bike the wrong way. Of course, they're perfectly happy to write tickets for not having a bell and reflectors (really).

Most of the WWCs that I've encountered are food delivery guys (the messengers seem to be better about riding the right way). They've got a couple of bags of Chinese food hanging off the handlebars of a (no doubt stolen) mountain bike with homemade fenders, and they're going to take the shortest route to their destination no matter what. I try to remember that these guys work like dogs in all weather for very little money, but still, it's annoying.
Saintly Loser is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 07:31 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
kf5nd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston, TX 77095
Posts: 1,470

Bikes: Specialized Sequoia Elite, Schwinn Frontier FS MTB, Centurion LeMans (1986)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
They'd have to work to kick mine. I just want them GONE, off of the wrong side of the road. Investing 30 seconds in a "teaching moment" is worth not having a head-on later.


Originally Posted by oboeguy
Nice way to get your a55 kicked. Seriously, who has time to stop?
kf5nd is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 07:31 AM
  #12  
34x25 FTW!
 
oboeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,013

Bikes: Kona Jake, Scott CR1, Dahon SpeedPro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Saintly Loser
I think the NYC cops couldn't be bothered to ticket anyone for riding a bike the wrong way. Of course, they're perfectly happy to write tickets for not having a bell and reflectors (really).

Most of the WWCs that I've encountered are food delivery guys (the messengers seem to be better about riding the right way). They've got a couple of bags of Chinese food hanging off the handlebars of a (no doubt stolen) mountain bike with homemade fenders, and they're going to take the shortest route to their destination no matter what. I try to remember that these guys work like dogs in all weather for very little money, but still, it's annoying.
That reminds me... yesterday I was headed out over the GWB to do some intervals (working from home these days). A Domino's delivery guy is drafting me on Fort Washington (no kidding) as I approach 177th from the north. As I slow down to make the turn, Domino man starts a little dance, unable to decide whether to go around me to the right (stupid) or left or simply wait for me to make the turn. Well Einstein decides after feinting left, making me think it's safe to dive into my right turn to squeeze in on the right, nearly causing an ugly collision. I screamed at him, of course, and he looked back confused as if he'd done nothing wrong. Note that I had CLEARLY signalled my turn to him with my arm, and was keeping careful track of his little dance with my mirror too. Grrrr!
oboeguy is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 08:12 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
FLBandit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 998
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by oboeguy
Nice way to get your a55 kicked. Seriously, who has time to stop?
(In my best Quickdraw McGraw voice) "I'll do the kicking 'round here!"
FLBandit is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 08:31 AM
  #14  
Sumanitu taka owaci
 
LittleBigMan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 8,945
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Bikebuddha, I'm glad your thread title wasn't, "Ran into a WWC today at lunch."

If there's no other logical argument to convince a wrong-way cyclist to flow with traffic, this is it.
__________________
No worries
LittleBigMan is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 09:14 AM
  #15  
Life is good
 
RonH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not far from the Withlacoochee Trail. 🚴🏻
Posts: 18,209

Bikes: 2018 Lynskey Helix Pro

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 522 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts
What's worse, a wrong way cyclists or a "normal" cyclist with ear buds? They're both a danger to themselves and others. One can't see traffic or road conditions. The other can't hear squat.
Combine the two and you simply have an accident waiting to happen. Just stay away from him/her.

I've tried to explain to WWC about bicycles being vehicles, just like a car or motorcycle. I ask if they'd ride a motorcycle on the wrong side of the road. I usually get the "deer in the headlights" look or some smarta$$ comment like, "you're not a policeman".
Hey buddy, I'm just trying to save a life ..... or two.
__________________
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8

I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
RonH is offline  
Old 05-04-06, 07:59 PM
  #16  
Member
 
jhershbine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Posts: 42

Bikes: Giant OCR Touring, Haro Werx mountain bike, Ross Signature Series, 69' Asso, Italian 3 speed racer

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I see it here in Birmingham everyday, I just don't understand how people feel safer riding the wrong way. I've tried to mention it to a few, but I'm always met with a look like I'm the one whose crazy. It's definitely an issue that needs addressed as all cyclist are judged by these few.
jhershbine is offline  
Old 05-05-06, 07:58 AM
  #17  
domestique
 
squeakywheel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: off the back
Posts: 2,005
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I used to ride on the wrong side of one certain street. The east side had a paved shoulder. The west side shoulder was mostly gravel. I met an oncoming cyclist one day. It was so awkward and unsettling. Which side do you pass on? What if there were a jogger there too? Once you start working outside the rules of the road, situations get ambiguous. That was the last time I rode on the left side. I just accepted that its gravel on the way to town. (Note: it's a 50 mph two lane road with fairly wide shoulders).
squeakywheel is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.