Why do we cycle with traffic, but run against the flow of traffic.

[Big H*]

Somewhere in the deep dark recesses of our beloved country, there are still people teaching children that it's safer to ride your bicycle against the flow of traffic.

If a motorist is suddenly confronted by a group of school children closing in on the wrong side of the road, what does he or she do?

Swerve into the oncoming vehicles (some of which may be bicycles) ?

Stay on course and take out the cyclists who by now have swerved all over the road?

Swerve left and take out cyclists who have by now left the road?

As a driver it's no-hoper, for a cyclist it's suicidal.

 

Bicycles are vehicles, they have rights and responsibilities, one of which is to drive like a (responsible) vehicle.

 

Imagine a group of misbehaving cyclists like those in the Cradle training for the August cycling on the wrong side of the road. The Cradle dwellers will then erect tank traps and lay landmines.

[Porra 1]

Here is another sinario . If I am riding on the left side of the road in the yellow line ,and there is a nother cyclist or runner coming coming towards me, on the same side who gives way? As I see it they are in the wrong in the first place ,and as I am riding in the correct direction they should give way . Why I say this is that I can't see what is coming from behind and they can . Is this the correct way of doing it ?

[Agteros]

Here is another sinario . If I am riding on the left side of the road in the yellow line ,and there is a nother cyclist or runner coming coming towards me, on the same side who gives way? As I see it they are in the wrong in the first place ,and as I am riding in the correct direction they should give way . Why I say this is that I can't see what is coming from behind and they can . Is this the correct way of doing it ?

 

WRONG!

 

As a cyclist (a vehicle), you are not allowed in the yellow line. The yellow lane is deemed the shoulder of the road, so pedestrians should be able to use it.

[Porra 1]

Well we could both be wrong as the yellow line is actually a emergency lane . But does etiquette not come into this . If you are running or cycling into on coming traffic you have a better view of what is behind me ? And should we not show some sort of respect to each other ? If you are running in the yellow line into traffic you are also in the wrong even if you are not classified as a vehicle .

[Minion]

As a cyclist (a vehicle), you are not allowed in the yellow line. The yellow lane is deemed the shoulder of the road, so pedestrians should be able to use it.

Possibly also wrong.

 

The section of the regulations regarding the shoulder lane specifically mentions motor vehicles, where the rest of the regulations mention only vehicles. The definition of motor vehicle is a bit hazy as to whether or not it includes a pedal cycle.

 

The regulations also say pedestrians must be on the pavement if there is one, otherwise they must be near the edge of the road, facing in the direction of oncoming traffic i.e. walking on the right hand side most of the time.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Edman

[The Drongo]

Because it is the law.

 

Simple.

 

Like STOPPING at STOP streets, and not overtaking on a barrier line etc.

 

Oh, hang on, I forget this is SA !

 

"I never thought of the law..."

 

"Better to be seen coming, than not see who's coming from behind..."

 

Brilliant comments nubbins!

[steve61]

^{I have an issue with runners in Deadfordview. They run towards me like they own the freakin road and I am the one that has to swerve out .... once while a car was tryyng to pass me. the driver hooted at me, I asked runners why they don't move over and this tosser say 'how can we move over ... the pavement is there" I told him what I thought of him and now will never offer any leeway to runners. They can all die under a bus for all I care. When they show me some respect I'll change my gloriously bad attitude!!}

[chris_w_65]

I have seen commuters going around a traffic circle anti-clockwise!!!!

[Agteros]

^{I have an issue with runners in Deadfordview. They run towards me like they own the freakin road and I am the one that has to swerve out .... once while a car was tryyng to pass me. the driver hooted at me, I asked runners why they don't move over and this tosser say 'how can we move over ... the pavement is there" I told him what I thought of him and now will never offer any leeway to runners. They can all die under a bus for all I care. When they show me some respect I'll change my gloriously bad attitude!!}

 

FAIL! You've fallen for the motorist vs cyclist trap.

 

edit: en

Edited February 19, 2012 by HEman

[Porra 1]

Steve 61

I tend to agree with you not as far as a bus run over them . But I do think that they can move and give way to us if they are running into the on coming traffic . But they do tend to believe that they have right of way. It is a lot easier for them to move and safer than for us to. If I see a runner coming I look behind to see if I can move to the right but some times it is not always possible . We need to share the road with runners and try to respect each other ,but you will always have that one person that will not give way no matter what.

[Blokman]

oops...

Was meaning correct side:) ha ha ha

 

My Afrikaans kom soms in die pad wanneer ek iets in Engels probeer se. Sal aan die (regte, nie REGTER) kant van die pad bly.

In the Vaal the Metro police are dishing out road safety flyers urging cyclists to amongst other things, ride on the "right " side of the road.

Weet nie of dit die regterkant of regte kant is nie.

[JasonDunwiel]

Because it is the law.

 

Simple.

 

Like STOPPING at STOP streets, and not overtaking on a barrier line etc.

 

Oh, hang on, I forget this is SA !

 

"I never thought of the law..."

 

"Better to be seen coming, than not see who's coming from behind..."

 

Brilliant comments nubbins!

 

As I said, new to cycling and it feels safe while running facing oncoming traffic. All over the hub you read "cyclest knocked over" "two cyclest killed".

Sometimes motorist fly past me so close that it feels 10cm this way or that way and I'm another statistic.

Yea I did'nt think of the law, same as I don't stop at certain traffic lights/ stop streets at certain times of the night for safety reasons.

Anyways Im staying on the correct(left) side.

Maybe oneday if all cyclest and runners face traffic then no one will have to give way and if you realy have to swerve then worst case you go offroad, puncture, rimbucle and scratches broken colar bone? But not cemetry.

[JasonDunwiel]

 

In the Vaal the Metro police are dishing out road safety flyers urging cyclists to amongst other things, ride on the "right " side of the road.

Weet nie of dit die regterkant of regte kant is nie.

 

LoL!! Eks bly dis nie net ek wat n dubbelsinigge woord gebruik het nie (lost in translation)

LoL!! Me is glad that not just me what double meaning word used did not

[scotty]

What makes you more visible riding against traffic as opposed to with it. A lot of roads also have pavements which makes it difficult to jump if you are riding against traffic and you believe a car is riding too close, something which is very easy to do as a jogger (been there done that). Hitting a car at 30km plus head on will be far more messy than if hit from behind.

 

I ride weekdays early morning and must say iv'e never had an issue with joggers iv'e encountered, I do however do my morning rides on road but with my MTB and where there is a gravel shoulder i use that,

Edited February 19, 2012 by scotty

[JasonDunwiel]

What makes you more visible riding against traffic as opposed to with it. A lot of roads also have pavements which makes it difficult to jump if you are riding against traffic and you believe a car is riding too close, something which is very easy to do as a jogger (been there done that). Hitting a car at 30km plus head on will be far more messy than if hit from behind.

 

I ride weekdays early morning and must say iv'e never had an issue with joggers iv'e encountered, I do however do my morning rides on road but with my MTB and where there is a gravel shoulder i use that,

Never meant more vissable, thinking take evasive action if realy have to.

My roads I ride on has no pavement just tar with gravel shoulder.

Was meant as we are at the mercy of motorist for seeing us and hopefully not driving into us, some of them talk on phones, drunk or distracted.

[jmaccelari]

 

 

All very true.... but as a runner (and this goes for pedestrians too) it is very difficult to navigate most residential pavements as people plants and places all kinds on 'obstacles' ; flowers / shrubs /

pretty rocks'. So we run on the 'wrong' side of the road. Not legaly correct, but that is the way it goes...

Yep. Agreed. It is often impossible to run on the pavement, so that's why I only slagged off the runners who obstruct the road (just like the cyclists who do so)...