Wrong way cyclists- an observation

Whenever someone is riding the wrong way towards me, I notice that as they approach they will expect me to veer into traffic that I can't see coming while they go on the side closest to the sidewalk.

This is really annoying! I can't see the cars coming and they can.

What do you do in these situations?

To some degree I usually "play chicken" and go straight towards them and try to force them to go around me but more often than not I lose my nerve to have a confrontation and end up going to the traffic side to avoid a head on collision.

Normally wrong way bikers (salmoners?) don't bother me except for this tendency to want to pass me in this manner.

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Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 16, 2017 at 8:52am

False equivalency.

Permalink Reply by Waymond Smith on April 17, 2017 at 10:14am

I do the chicken thing! Watch the fear in their eyes and when we pass i tell to use the other side.

Permalink Reply by Allan on May 13, 2017 at 1:18pm

Speaking of this, I wonder if some of those people were taught by elders years ago to walk against traffic on 2 lane rural roads without sidewalks, and they're doing this same approach for biking? I see this occasionally, and it's weird to me. It's much better to just bike in the same direction and side as traffic, on 2 way roads. The other day I saw this on Lincoln south of Devon when I was coming back from a trip(friend had a car, and I went with him), and that just confused both of us. At least the traffic was very slow and backed up, so luckily that biker probably had no problems getting through.

Long ago my late grandmother taught me that, when it came to walking on 2 lane roads without sidewalks. Of course for biking, I always have found it better to bike in the same direction as traffic, and have your biking be clear and understandable to drivers.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 14, 2017 at 11:43am

"My Mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on."

Permalink Reply by TonyP on May 14, 2017 at 1:16am

A couple of years ago I rode up on a couple of uniformed suburban bicycle cops riding on the wrong side.  Oh boy, and I just shook my head.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on May 14, 2017 at 3:36am

I invariably move to the right as soon as i see them so if they want to not collide they'll have to move accordingly 

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on May 14, 2017 at 8:43am

The worst bike accident I ever had was when a wrong-way rider creamed me from the side when I was crossing an intersection.  I have had plenty of other near-accidents as both a rider and a driver because of cyclists going down streets the wrong way.  They might not be my greatest worry, but they are on the list for sure.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 14, 2017 at 10:01am

You might feel that way until you have a head-on collision with one, or one t-bones you, as Jim described. It's not as if they don't create any risk for other cyclists.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 14, 2017 at 11:37am

AVOID MAKING EYE CONTACT??? I try to make eye-contact with ANY vehicle that is in my path.

Personally, I can't believe people here get so riled up about "shoaling."

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on May 16, 2017 at 3:15am

Shoaling is boorish. People will always get riled up about selfish, rude behavior especially by members of their own community. Such is the nature of people everywhere.

Wrong way cycling is typically ignorant but not usually boorish. I think people "here" have a concern about what to do when encountering a wrong way cyclist. There is potential danger.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 16, 2017 at 3:25am

For what it's worth, I find the discussions regarding "shoaling" to be whiny and petty. Just my opinion -- no assessment "here" of the nature of people everywhere.

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on May 18, 2017 at 3:35am

Perhaps you are an avid shoaler and are simply being defensive to the point that you bring it up in a thread that is not even discussing it.  If you don't want to read discussions about shoaling maybe don't read those threads and don't bring it up in other threads?

We live in a selfish society. That selfishness has been driven hard by marketing. Shoaling is selfish "me first" behavior and the ultimate whine.

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