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-   -   What side of the road do you ride on? (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/948851-what-side-road-do-you-ride.html)

Northwestrider 05-19-14 08:48 AM

Yes, Wasn't it the actor , Alec Baldwin that was actually arrested for riding against traffic recently ?

RubeRad 05-19-14 08:51 AM


Originally Posted by daihard (Post 16770950)
Just to be sure, there are more countries than just the UK (assuming that's what you mean by "England") where they drive on the left side of the road. Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan come to mind. :)

Yes, I can vouch for this because on MarioKart Wii (which is a Japanese product), the Moonview Highway track runs on left-side drive city streets. Unless you are in mirror mode, in which case driving becomes normal.

RubeRad 05-19-14 08:53 AM


Originally Posted by Northwestrider (Post 16771749)
Yes, Wasn't it the actor , Alec Baldwin that was actually arrested for riding against traffic recently ?

Here's the New York Times article. I really love his work (esp 30 Rock) but he really seems like an a$$hole.

DogBoy 05-19-14 09:16 AM


Originally Posted by briney11 (Post 16770350)
My wife swears that you should ride into traffic but I think that you should ride with the traffic. What do you all say?

Have your wife read the Iowa laws applicable to bike riding. Particularly, 321.297 Driving on right-hand side of roadway.

himespau 05-19-14 10:14 AM


Originally Posted by briney11 (Post 16770350)
My wife swears that you should ride into traffic but I think that you should ride with the traffic. What do you all say?

Did you and your wife just have a big fight before she told you this?

Edit: hadn't actually read the thread before posting and was beaten by at least two other posters making the same joke. As usual, a day late and a dollar short.

lostarchitect 05-19-14 12:18 PM


Originally Posted by fietsbob (Post 16771624)
Situational , if its a one way street , then I have a choice. , because I am following with the Traffic Flow in either lane .

Or as said above , when National Traffic Standard is Drive Left Vs Drive Right.


The question was with or against traffic, not left or right.

steve0257 05-19-14 12:21 PM

My job requires me to drive. When I am making a right hand turn on to a road I frequently forget to look to the right for oncoming traffic. Why? Because there is not supposed to be oncoming traffic in the right hand lane.

fietsbob 05-19-14 12:29 PM

I only rode against the on coming traffic , because out of reflex ,after riding in Ireland and Scotland for 9 months ,
when seeing a car coming, on a narrow road, i took to the left shoulder ..


City of London English Capital, is such a Jumble of one way and other streets and tourists not used to seeing right drive cars and left lane roads

they paint 'look right' and 'look left' on most-all Zebra-Crosswalks.

himespau 05-19-14 12:35 PM


Originally Posted by steve0257 (Post 16772462)
My job requires me to drive. When I am making a right hand turn on to a road I frequently forget to look to the right for oncoming traffic. Why? Because there is not supposed to be oncoming traffic in the right hand lane.

That's a good way to flatten a lot of pedestrians.

2manybikes 05-19-14 05:27 PM


Originally Posted by fietsbob (Post 16771634)
Why, on horseback, do you wield your sword with your Left Hand?

I don't bring my sword when on a horse.

bragi 05-19-14 10:55 PM


Originally Posted by briney11 (Post 16770350)
My wife swears that you should ride into traffic but I think that you should ride with the traffic. What do you all say?

Is this serious? It's illegal to ride against traffic everywhere that I've ever been, and even more importantly, it's incredibly stupid. Never do that.

schiiism 05-20-14 12:07 AM

I also just want to add my .02... While it may be okay to CAUTIOUSLY ride against traffic if you're on the sidewalk and yield to pedestrians, you need to be really careful about riding through crosswalks, especially at busy intersections. I almost crashed into a family on beach cruisers today because they were using the crosswalk to ride up onto the sidewalk rather than walking their bikes. They were going too fast for me to see them in time, but slow enough that I could have easily plowed into them as I was making my right turn. I'm just glad it wasn't a car, because they probably would have gotten hit with how little time vehicles have to react to those kinds of situations.

Long story short, you need to ride where cars (and other cyclists) expect bikes to be: in the bike lane with traffic.

GriddleCakes 05-20-14 01:43 AM


Originally Posted by steve0257 (Post 16772462)
My job requires me to drive. When I am making a right hand turn on to a road I frequently forget to look to the right for oncoming traffic. Why? Because there is not supposed to be oncoming traffic in the right hand lane.

As a frequent pedestrian, this is super annoying. Do you know that you're supposed to stop before your car crosses a sidewalk or crosswalk, then look both ways to make sure that this is no pedestrian traffic coming, and only after that proceed to turn onto the adjoining road?

Looking both ways before crossing a traffic right of way: a good idea when you were a child, and a good idea now. Hell, I look both ways before crossing one way streets, on foot, on bike, or in car, because I'm not an idiot, and many others are.

TransitBiker 05-20-14 10:10 AM

As a vehicle it is illegal to ride against traffic (going the wrong way).

- Andy

jrickards 05-20-14 10:22 AM


Originally Posted by fietsbob (Post 16771634)
Why, on horseback, do you wield your sword with your Left Hand?

Cause I'm left-handed dummy!! Sheeesh!

fietsbob 05-20-14 10:26 AM

Well as French soldier meeting an English or Japanese right handed invader on the road, you would be at an advantage ..

If invading their countries you would be disadvantaged ..

mgw4jc 05-20-14 10:30 AM


Originally Posted by GriddleCakes (Post 16774288)
Hell, I look both ways before crossing one way streets, on foot, on bike, or in car, because I'm not an idiot, and many others are.

As a friend of mine once said, "Anyone crazy enough to be going the wrong way on a one way street is probably crazy enough to hit me too."

steve0257 05-20-14 12:03 PM


Originally Posted by steve0257 (Post 16772462)
My job requires me to drive. When I am making a right hand turn on to a road I frequently forget to look to the right for oncoming traffic. Why? Because there is not supposed to be oncoming traffic in the right hand lane.


Originally Posted by GriddleCakes (Post 16774288)
As a frequent pedestrian, this is super annoying. Do you know that you're supposed to stop before your car crosses a sidewalk or crosswalk, then look both ways to make sure that this is no pedestrian traffic coming, and only after that proceed to turn onto the adjoining road?

Looking both ways before crossing a traffic right of way: a good idea when you were a child, and a good idea now. Hell, I look both ways before crossing one way streets, on foot, on bike, or in car, because I'm not an idiot, and many others are.

I do check the crosswalk. What happens is I check the crosswalk, but at that point the front pillar of my car and parked cars block my view of oncoming traffic from the left. I then pull forward to get a view of the traffic and when it is clear I pull out. And that is when I see the bicycle being ridden the wrong way, in the street.

Nick The Great 05-20-14 12:18 PM

I've heard people say this about walking on the road (if there's no sidewalks).

It kinda makes sense, as it is easier to see cars coming at you, rather than over your back.

But I wouldn't on a bike.


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