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Riding facing traffic - a valid question


lechatnoir

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I recently moved to the west coast, and have noticed that other riders (casual commuters and serious trainers) out on the roads riding facing oncoming traffic

 

My intuition tells me riding facing traffic is wrong. It feels really really wrong and unsafe. Yes, facing traffic will give me that split second to take the lest-worst option and ride into a culvert to avoid an oncoming car, but that rule was made for pedestrians, which I'm not.

 

So serious question needing genuine help - if my safety depends on doing something other than what I'm currently doing, then I need some direction.

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Don't become part of the problem. 

 

All I can suggest is get used to calling people out for being on the incorrect side.

 

At the very least you must make sure you always keep the outside (pavement side?) line, don't let them push you towards the middle of the road - you can't see behind you, they can. If they're going to break the law then they can have the courtesy of not trying to get you killed.

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Does the law not state that cyclist must traverse in the same direction as normal traffic?

It does as far as I know.

I hate it when I see some oke riding straight at me. You go one way and he tracks you, you go the other way and so do they. You end up slowing down. It is very frustrating.

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Don't become part of the problem. 

 

All I can suggest is get used to calling people out for being on the incorrect side.

 

At the very least you must make sure you always keep the outside (pavement side?) line, don't let them push you towards the middle of the road - you can't see behind you, they can. If they're going to break the law then they can have the courtesy of not trying to get you killed.

 

Yeah I try and do the same with runners. I hug the shoulder to my left as tight as possible forcing them to go around me into the oncoming traffic. They can see, I can't, they should take the risk.

 

It does as far as I know.

I hate it when I see some oke riding straight at me. You go one way and he tracks you, you go the other way and so do they. You end up slowing down. It is very frustrating.

That's why I try and indicate my intent early. I will point to my left and visibily move over to the left as far as practically possible.

 

Edit 2: Despite the fact that I can't see what's coming up behind me, the speed differential would force me into the gutter if I was on the right-hand side of the road. Imagine you're doing 30 and someone approaches at 80. That's a delta of 110. If you're going the same direction it's a delta of 50.

Edited by bertusras
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Yeah I try and do the same with runners. I hug the shoulder to my left as tight as possible forcing them to go around me into the oncoming traffic. They can see, I can't, they should take the risk.

Funny you should say this. I had to shout at several cyclists this weekend to look up as they seemed more intent on their GPS than looking where they were actually going.

 

My gut feeling is the most vulnerable (in this case the runner) gets to hug the gutter and you need to go outside.

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My gut feeling is the most vulnerable (in this case the runner) gets to hug the gutter and you need to go outside.

 

I agree with your gut feeling, but which way does traffic flow? I have the same issue with people and their shopping carts. You drive on the left hand side of the road, so you have to keep left. Simple really, not.

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I agree with your gut feeling, but which way does traffic flow? I have the same issue with people and their shopping carts. You drive on the left hand side of the road, so you have to keep left. Simple really, not.

Speaking of shopping carts, what about those recycling collector guys with their flat bed trolley things. I have had a few near misses with those guys in the early hours of the morning.

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Similar issue with runners....there is zero shoulder on the descent from Chappies Peak to Noordhhoek but runners insist on running on the wrong side of the road up the climb to the viewpoint and put cyclists and themselves at risk of major collisions on blind corners...

post-35907-0-37823000-1610955148_thumb.png

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Similar issue with runners....there is zero shoulder on the descent from Chappies Peak to Noordhhoek but runners insist on running on the wrong side of the road up the climb to the viewpoint and put cyclists and themselves at risk of major collisions on blind corners...

attachicon.gifScreenshot 2021-01-18 at 09.29.46.png

Runners are the worst.

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Similar issue with runners....there is zero shoulder on the descent from Chappies Peak to Noordhhoek but runners insist on running on the wrong side of the road up the climb to the viewpoint and put cyclists and themselves at risk of major collisions on blind corners...

attachicon.gifScreenshot 2021-01-18 at 09.29.46.png

Runners aren't actually allowed beyond the top. But they do go over to the other side. Myself included.

 

Trick question. Have you noticed that the lane is wider on the South lane? Why?

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One dangerous aspect of that is that I have to make room to pass this cyclist and, in turn, endanger myself from vehicles approaching from behind. This self-centered rider also poses a threat to runners as they won't anticipate a faster moving object coming from behind.

 

I see it here around my 'hood every now and then. 

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Even though booze is banned the yellow lane is full of broken glass around the peninsula, so apart from being it illegal to ride in the yellow lane its puncture paradise, yet people moan if you dont ride in the yellow lane...

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Runners aren't actually allowed beyond the top. But they do go over to the other side. Myself included.

 

Trick question. Have you noticed that the lane is wider on the South lane? Why?

Probably because the lane is faster moving?

 

Another thing motorists never see on Chappies is the 40km/h speed limit signs. Even more invisible than a cyclist. (Besides a cyclist skipping a red light, those are the most visible.

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Runners aren't actually allowed beyond the top. But they do go over to the other side. Myself included.

 

Trick question. Have you noticed that the lane is wider on the South lane? Why?

Didn't know this....

As foryou...I dunno, from what I hear, you a walker!

South lane? 

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