Death Wish Day

[LillFilly]

I have one from on my way to work, and coming home.

On my way in on a 2-lane road with a 40mph limit I see a guy on a bike in the opposite lane, going AGAINST the flow of traffic. He also happens to be heading towards the crest of a hill where traffic will not be able to see him. I heard quite a bit of honking as I passed-by.

On my way home I see a row of cars getting onto the highway. This is 10pm at night in the rain. One of them was a dark red pick-up truck...with no lights. Bet that didn't end well!

[mikoyan29]

I see lots of people without lights here. I suppose it's better than brights.

[MrSunshineState]

I never understood the problem with riding against traffic. Granted I understand it's illegal, but the way I see it it's better to be able to see traffic than to have some drunk or piece of white trash that thinks he is in The Fast and The Furious jump the curb and take you out and have you never see it coming.

Now not having his light on does make him uber jackassary.

[Mottom24]

I never understood the problem with riding against traffic. Granted I understand it's illegal, but the way I see it it's better to be able to see traffic than to have some drunk or piece of white trash that thinks he is in The Fast and The Furious jump the curb and take you out and have you never see it coming.

Now not having his light on does make him uber jackassary.

there are a couple reasons you go with traffic on a bike, and i figured it out by riding my bike in a city, and by witnessing some events.

when you go against traffic, you have a better chance to go face first into someones windsheild and probably killing yourself. while going with, you have a better chance of either: A. being flung forward away from the car, B. being tosses aside, again, away from the car, or C. having the back of your head (hopefully with a helmet on) taking most of the damage. also keep in mind, if your going with the cars traffic you are taking away the speed damage. for example, if you are going 25, and the car 45, you are taking the brunt of 70 mph hit. while if you were going with him, its a 20 mph hit. I'd rather take the 20.

another reason is traffic has more time to see you and prepare for you. especially in a city, people usually stick to 25-45 mph. bikes usually are flying around between 20-30. so a car will most likely see you going the same way better than going on other way and have more time to react to you if you swerve for any reason.

the last thing is, a bike has to abide by road laws just like a car, so it has to follow traffic.

[LillFilly]

I guess it wouldn't have been such a big deal if the guy was on the shoulder; but he was IN THE ROAD; meaning the cars crested the hill, then had to swerve to the left to avoid him!

[Teskeria]

actually when I was a kid, we were taught that you go against traffic. So you can see them coming and they can see you. Changed when I was a teen. And that wasn't that long ago.

[Andara Bledin]

actually when I was a kid, we were taught that you go against traffic. So you can see them coming and they can see you. Changed when I was a teen. And that wasn't that long ago.

Around here it's been that a cyclist was to obey the same laws as motorists for as long as I've been alive. Pedestrians, on the other hand, should walk against the flow of traffic.

^-.-^

[Mottom24]

actually when I was a kid, we were taught that you go against traffic. So you can see them coming and they can see you. Changed when I was a teen. And that wasn't that long ago.

I can understand wanting to see a car coming, but that is really dangerous.

[Crossbow]

Around here it's been that a cyclist was to obey the same laws as motorists for as long as I've been alive. Pedestrians, on the other hand, should walk against the flow of traffic.

^-.-^

Same here, and our cops will ticket if you're in violation. A friend of mine actually got a speeding ticket on his bike.

[Andara Bledin]

Same here, and our cops will ticket if you're in violation. A friend of mine actually got a speeding ticket on his bike.

Bike couriers get tickets all the time, actually. Because they're small, they can speed a lot more easily than cars, if they have the time to build up. And bike couriers can build up a lot of speed really quickly.

I used to know a guy that was a bike courier who once got a ticket for doing 70 in a 40 zone.

^-.-^

[EricKei]

actually when I was a kid, we were taught that you go against traffic. So you can see them coming and they can see you,.

Same here, but then I looked in the manual that the DMV tests you on for your first license and found out otherwise ^_^

Bikers here do seem to think that red lights and stop signs are merely suggestions, though. I'm glad when they make it across alive, but still...