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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxi!houxm!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbdkc1!pyuxmm!pyuxnn!pyuxi!pyuxqq!fmc
From: fmc@pyuxqq.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: bikes & vehicles
Message-ID: <515@pyuxqq.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 18:44:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxqq.515
Posted: Mon Oct  3 18:44:02 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Oct-83 03:28:13 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Piscataway
Lines: 34

Note: All MY statements below refer to SLOW moving bicycles.

utastro!bill quotes an article saying that riding a bicycle on a
sidewalk increases the accident rate.  He then
 mentions a cyclist killed riding on a sidewalk over a bridge.
I dont see how riding in the roadway would have made any difference
if the vehicle was so out of control that it climbed the sidewalk.
    He goes on the say that only a few percent of cyclists ride facing traffic.
Where does he get that value?  I rode my bike to school for 4 years, putting
over 1000 miles on it, MOST OF THAT FACING TRAFFIC.  MANY TIMES I HAD TO
QUICKLY GET OFF THE ROAD CAUSE ON-COMING TRAFFIC (which I could fortunately
see) WAS NOT LEAVING ME ENOUGH ROOM ON ONE ESPECIALLY NARROW ROAD.
    He claims that the real danger in riding facing traffic is the vehicles
entering from the left.  I solved this problem completely by simply
yielding to the entering vehicle.
    The law says a pedestrian should face traffic.  Thus I assume
its safer for a pedestrian that way.  Now if I am running along
holding my bike, I am a pedestrian and should face traffic.  Yet
if I get on the bike AND GO AT THE SAME RATE OF SPEED, then I
am a "vehicle" and have to put my back to the traffic.  Isn't this
inconsistent?  A slow-moving bike is far more like a
pedestrian than a vehicle in size, speed, and weight.  I feel its
far safer for a careful cyclist (one who yields to left-entering
traffic, etc.) to ride facing traffic.
    Since many cyclists don't share my beliefs, I solve the problem
on bike trips by simply letting those who believe in riding with
their backs to traffic bring up the rear.  That way, if a drunk
driver comes along and doesn't leave space for the cyclists, I can
hear the screams and crunching metal behind me and get off the
road before the drunk gets up to me.
    I would like to qualify everything I said above by adding that
I believe if the cyclist is traveling fast - closer to the speed
of traffic than to that of a pedestrian, then he should follow
vehicular traffic patterns.