Should the entire Chicago community start biking on the left side of the street? - The Chainlink2024-03-29T14:54:58Zhttps://thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?xg_source=activity&id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe only reason I think it's…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-15:2211490:Comment:4130782011-08-15T00:05:10.467ZTim Dadabohttps://thechainlink.org/profile/TimDadabo
<p>The only reason I think it's a bad idea is because everything moves to the right. Slower traffic is always on the right (or supposed to be) and we're more apt to be seen and looked for on the right.</p>
<p>Just my opinion. </p>
<p>The only reason I think it's a bad idea is because everything moves to the right. Slower traffic is always on the right (or supposed to be) and we're more apt to be seen and looked for on the right.</p>
<p>Just my opinion. </p> Well said. If you're in a he…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-14:2211490:Comment:4120242011-08-14T11:26:43.482ZAnne Althttps://thechainlink.org/profile/Anne91
Well said. If you're in a head-on collision, basic physics makes the impact worse than an impact from behind. (see #3 below) Just use a mirror! <br></br>
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<cite>Liz said:</cite><br />
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=1#2211490Comment403192"><div><p><a href="http://bicyclesafe.com/" rel="nofollow">http://bicyclesafe.com/</a></p>
<p> …</p>
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Well said. If you're in a head-on collision, basic physics makes the impact worse than an impact from behind. (see #3 below) Just use a mirror! <br/>
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<cite>Liz said:</cite><br />
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=1#2211490Comment403192"><div><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://bicyclesafe.com/">http://bicyclesafe.com/</a></p>
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<p><font color="#003300"><b>You're riding the wrong way (against traffic, on the left-hand side of the street). A car makes a right turn from a side street, driveway, or parking lot, right into you. They didn't see you because they were looking for traffic only on their left, not on their right. They had no reason to expect that someone would be coming at them from the wrong direction.</b></font></p>
<p><font color="#003300">Even worse, you could be hit by a car on the same road coming at you from straight ahead of you. They had less time to see you and take evasive action because they're approaching you faster than normal (because you're going towards them rather than away from them). And if they hit you, it's going to be much more forceful impact, for the same reason. (Both your and their velocities are combined.)</font></p>
<p><font color="#FF0000" size="+1">How to avoid this collision:</font></p>
<p><font color="#660099"><b>Don't ride against traffic.</b></font> Ride <i>with</i> traffic, in the same direction.</p>
<p>Riding against traffic may seem like a good idea because you can see the cars that are passing you, but it's not. Here's why:</p>
<ol>
<li>Cars which pull out of driveways, parking lots, and cross streets (ahead of you and to the left), which are making a right onto your street, aren't expecting traffic to be coming at them from the wrong way. They won't see you, and they'll plow right into you.</li>
<li>How the heck are you going to make a right turn?</li>
<li>Cars will approach you at a much higher relative speed. If you're going 15mph, then a car passing you from behind doing 35 approaches you at a speed of only <b>20</b> (35-15). But if you're on the wrong side of the road, then the car approaches you at <b>50</b> (35+15), which is <i>more than twice as fast</i>! Since they're approaching you faster, both you and the driver have lots less time to react. And if a collision does occur, it's going to be ten times worse.</li>
<li>Riding the wrong way is illegal and you can get ticketed for it.</li>
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<p><b>One study showed that riding the wrong way was <i>three times as dangerous</i> as riding the right way,</b> and for kids, the risk is <i>seven times greater.</i> <font size="-2">(</font><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/riskfactors.htm" target="_blank"><font size="-2">source</font></a><font size="-2">)</font></p>
<p>Nearly one-fourth of crashes involve cyclists riding the wrong way. <font size="-2">(</font><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/riskfactors.htm" target="_blank"><font size="-2">source</font></a><font size="-2">) </font>Some readers have challenged this, saying if 25% of crashes are from going the wrong way, then riding the <i>right way</i> is more dangerous because it accounts for 75% of crashes. That thinking is wrong. First off, only 8% of cyclists ride the wrong way, yet nearly 25% of them get hit -- meaning wrong-way cyclists really are three times more likely to get hit than those who ride the proper way. Second, the problem with wrong-way biking is that it <i>promotes</i> crashes, while right-way biking does not. For example, cyclists running stop signs or red lights is 17% of their crashes. <font size="-2">(</font><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Library/TaleOfThree.htm" target="_blank"><font size="-2">source</font></a><font size="-2">)</font> But do we therefore conclude that <i>not</i> running signals causes 83% of crashes?! (Hint: No.)</p>
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</blockquote> I keep wondering why someone…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-14:2211490:Comment:4120222011-08-14T11:23:48.898ZAnne Althttps://thechainlink.org/profile/Anne91
I keep wondering why someone thought that having that Dearborn bike lane on the left side was a good idea. There are too many places where that is a disaster - especially Ohio.<br></br>
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<cite>Michelle said:</cite><br />
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=2#2211490Comment403418"><div>I don't even like riding on the left side of the street when it's a one-way street. The…</div>
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I keep wondering why someone thought that having that Dearborn bike lane on the left side was a good idea. There are too many places where that is a disaster - especially Ohio.<br/>
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<cite>Michelle said:</cite><br />
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=2#2211490Comment403418"><div>I don't even like riding on the left side of the street when it's a one-way street. The worst part of my commute home is the bike lane on Dearborn, north of the river. No one expects a bike on the left, tons of left turning cars in afternoon traffic trying to get on the Ohio feeder ramp. Ugh. I can't imagine riding on the left and against traffic as well.</div>
</blockquote> The new design for Jackson wi…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4110852011-08-12T23:59:07.508ZJohn Wirtzhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/JohnWirtz
<p>The new design for Jackson will likely be on the left to avoid conflicts with buses. That's on a one-way street though, which isn't what I think you mean. It sounds like you think being a salmon riding against traffic is safer, but research shows it is more dangerous than riding with traffic.</p>
<p>The new design for Jackson will likely be on the left to avoid conflicts with buses. That's on a one-way street though, which isn't what I think you mean. It sounds like you think being a salmon riding against traffic is safer, but research shows it is more dangerous than riding with traffic.</p> Whoever taught Paul to ride o…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4111732011-08-12T20:46:25.346ZBarry Niel Stuarthttps://thechainlink.org/profile/BarryNielStuart
<p>Whoever taught Paul to ride on the left is in error. A bicyclist is safer to ride with traffic than against traffic because if hit from ahead, the effect is worse because the bicyclist's speed is added to the motorist's speed. If hit from behind, the bicyclist's speed is subtracted from the motorist's speed. Moreover, if the bicyclist hits the motorist head-on, the bicyclist had better be wearing a helmet, or be ready to donate his vital organs. If then cyclist is hit from behind, he/she…</p>
<p>Whoever taught Paul to ride on the left is in error. A bicyclist is safer to ride with traffic than against traffic because if hit from ahead, the effect is worse because the bicyclist's speed is added to the motorist's speed. If hit from behind, the bicyclist's speed is subtracted from the motorist's speed. Moreover, if the bicyclist hits the motorist head-on, the bicyclist had better be wearing a helmet, or be ready to donate his vital organs. If then cyclist is hit from behind, he/she will probably land on the motor vehicle backside first. To get adequate warning of a motorist approaching from behind, a bicyclist can install a relatively cheap rear view mirror. </p>
<p> </p> Some cars have that and they'…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4110742011-08-12T20:36:44.698ZShttps://thechainlink.org/profile/s2485df
Some cars have that and they're called suicide doors. Basically if the door unlatches or opens a bit while the car is moving, the force of the moving air pushes the door open rather than closed and closing the door becomes really difficult since you have to fight air resistance to close the door.<br></br>
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<cite>Carter O'Brien said:…</cite>
Some cars have that and they're called suicide doors. Basically if the door unlatches or opens a bit while the car is moving, the force of the moving air pushes the door open rather than closed and closing the door becomes really difficult since you have to fight air resistance to close the door.<br/>
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<cite>Carter O'Brien said:</cite><br />
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?page=5&commentId=2211490%3AComment%3A410170&x=1#2211490Comment410167"><div><p>What if car doors had the hinges reversed and opened in reverse? Then if you hit a door it would just slam shut instead of deflecting the cyclist away from the car.<br/> <br/> <cite>Michael J Blane said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?xg_source=msg_com_forum&id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=4#2211490Comment410775"><div><p>I'm thinking that even the "glancing blow" would deflect the bike and rider directly into oncoming traffic.</p>
<p>Cool, a gentle dooring before the headon.</p>
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</blockquote> And while it is fairly easy t…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4101702011-08-12T20:22:48.031ZRyan Lakeshttps://thechainlink.org/profile/RyanLakes
And while it is fairly easy to 'take the lane' to go around a bus, double parked car or just for increased visual presence, forcing motorists to slow down behind you, we would not be able to do that if we cycled against traffic.
And while it is fairly easy to 'take the lane' to go around a bus, double parked car or just for increased visual presence, forcing motorists to slow down behind you, we would not be able to do that if we cycled against traffic. What if car doors had the hin…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4101672011-08-12T20:13:36.266ZCarter O'Brienhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/CarterOBrien
<p>What if car doors had the hinges reversed and opened in reverse? Then if you hit a door it would just slam shut instead of deflecting the cyclist away from the car.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Michael J Blane said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?xg_source=msg_com_forum&id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=4#2211490Comment410775"><div><p>I'm thinking that even the "glancing blow" would deflect…</p>
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<p>What if car doors had the hinges reversed and opened in reverse? Then if you hit a door it would just slam shut instead of deflecting the cyclist away from the car.<br/> <br/>
<cite>Michael J Blane said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?xg_source=msg_com_forum&id=2211490%3ATopic%3A403289&page=4#2211490Comment410775"><div><p>I'm thinking that even the "glancing blow" would deflect the bike and rider directly into oncoming traffic.</p>
<p>Cool, a gentle dooring before the headon.</p>
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</blockquote> I guess I'm dating myself, bu…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4104652011-08-12T20:08:20.054Zpjarchrnhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/PaulJArchibald
I guess I'm dating myself, but I remember I was taught to ride on the left early in grammar school.
I guess I'm dating myself, but I remember I was taught to ride on the left early in grammar school. You're supposed to use the mi…tag:thechainlink.org,2011-08-12:2211490:Comment:4101442011-08-12T17:56:10.406ZCarter O'Brienhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/CarterOBrien
<p>You're supposed to use the mirror or look behind the car before you exit on the driver's side, period. In fact, last I checked the letter of the law states you really aren't even entitled to exit on the driver's side - when one does, they assume all liability for an accident.</p>
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<p>This is a also a problem with cabs, who are not supposed to allow passengers to exit on the driver's side but often do downtown.</p>
<p><br></br> <cite>Joel said:…</cite></p>
<p>You're supposed to use the mirror or look behind the car before you exit on the driver's side, period. In fact, last I checked the letter of the law states you really aren't even entitled to exit on the driver's side - when one does, they assume all liability for an accident.</p>
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<p>This is a also a problem with cabs, who are not supposed to allow passengers to exit on the driver's side but often do downtown.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Joel said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/should-the-entire-chicago-community-start-biking-on-the-left-side?commentId=2211490%3AComment%3A410112&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2211490Comment410803"><div>It amazes me that people can look for a car before opening their door into traffic, but not look for a bike. <br/> <br/></div>
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