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Always pedal in the same direction as the cars..

Going the wrong way.. face to traffic at speed is a hazard.. and better to be pushed from behind than do double the damage with head-on collisions..

Uh, I think it's supposed to be with traffic. I generally try to stay on the right if I'm going fast, but if it's a dangerous street and I have to be on the sidewalk anyway, I'll pick whichever is more convenient/has less driveways.

In some parts of the world though, you see cars going on the opposite sides of the street. I've seen some ebike videos and they were going against traffic in a bike lane. Maybe they were just trying to be "cool" for the video. It was probably Knoxie.

Odd...I've alway thought bike have to travel against traffic as close to the park car as possible unless there is a bike lane. This is so you can see car coming and you won't swerve out while car is comming up from behind like riding with traffic. I get mix group here. Sometime i see people riding against traffic but i ride with traffic in the lane.

In Ontario Canada it's with traffic.I most always go with the traffic,the odd time I'll cut over to the other side of the road ahead of time to beat traffic if I have to access a road on that side.

If that makes any sense?

Eric

In the US, it is always with the traffic.

A bicycle has exactly the same rights and responsibilities to obey traffic laws as a car. If you are in any sort of shape, you aren't exactly standing still relative to traffic, especially in town. In the thick of my city, most serious bicyclists keep up and even beat the traffic because they get to the front at each traffic light, or traffic jam.

Many other run right through traffic lights and all stop signs too. Don't think I would recommend that, though.

But as someone more likely to be walking if I'm not on motor scooter (don't call it a "moped"!). I find bicyclists using sidewalks pretty objectionable. It's also illegal, even if the police rarely enforce it. Most bicyclists I know are of the anarchist rather than the Lycra persuasion, and their philosophy is that we are supposed to be reclaiming the streets from the cars, and leaving the sidewalks for walking.

I know your not suppose to be on the sidewalks but the streets always seem to narrow when you get to intersections so I switch to the sidewalks if the light is red to get out of the way of cars that want to turn right or to just keep them from getting mad at you.

Here's another question: Are bicycles legally allowed to use the same lanes as cars and can they do left turns like cars in the left turn lanes/lights etc. Or do they have to stay to the right at all times.

D-Man said:

Here's another question: Are bicycles legally allowed to use the same lanes as cars and can they do left turns like cars in the left turn lanes/lights etc. Or do they have to stay to the right at all times.

Click to expand...

Refering back to what PJD said. Bikes have the same rights and responsabilities as any other vehicle on the road in the U.S, except were local or state laws prohibit bikes for saftey reasons.

And of course, in the US, bcycles (as well as motor driven cycles less than 5 hp) are prohibited altogether on Interstate and some other limited access highways.

There must be some kind of "bicycle handbook" with the laws in it and everything. I don't feel comfortable out in the "lane." I feel like a dog out there just waiting to get hit. Especially with all the dummies out there talking on their cell phones and doing all kinds of things while driving. Then there's the people who say well you just need to go at the speed of traffic which would be crazy unless your bike has a really good suspension for the unexpected hazard, and would be breaking the law anyway. I try to travel streets with bike lanes but I've found that the only ones around are near schools.

+1 man.

There is such a thing, and I'm pretty sure it's called something like a "bicycle handbook".

And yeah, some streets around here are downright suicidal to be riding in. 45mph traffic, cars parked all along the street, driveways every 50 feet, crappy/insane drivers, etc.

I don't care if it is illegal. There are some spots where I AM going to ride on the sidewalk. Living > ticket. :?