Direction etiquette or lost cause?

As is the cliche, long-time lurker, first-time caller.

 

Recently, lots of people are riding bikes which is you know, mostly great and exciting and there's so much to talk about with your bike work buddies who commute in and compliment you on your bike!

 

There are, however, quite a few one-ways and summer detours with construction and other things that cleave up this grid in the Loop. Maybe I'm a nerd who gets excited about finding new ways to commute in, but I generally try to, you know, stick to riding the right direction on a one-way (with traffic).

 

I do understand its a pain to have to circle back, but I feel like there's been a mad spike on people just flying the wrong way down these streets. Is there any sort of courteous or humorous way to try and, essentially, point out they're biking the wrong way? I got so annoyed at a guy flying out at me the other day that I perhaps, peevishly, hollered he could head east on Madison, just a block over.

 

Thoughts? Also, in my experience this seems to be a Loop thing, although not restricted to one demographic.

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on June 8, 2011 at 8:20am
I just play chicken with salmons.  If that doesn't make them get a clue then nothing will.
Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 8, 2011 at 8:32am
this method could hurt if neither chicken nor salmon give in...

envane x said:
I just play chicken with salmons.  If that doesn't make them get a clue then nothing will.
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on June 8, 2011 at 8:43am

If there's something to be said to these people, I don't know what it might be. I mean, is there really someone out there that doesn't know that you're not supposed to go the wrong way down a one way street? Or that they're endangering themselves or other people? Or that they're perpetuating an image in the minds of many motorists that many cyclists have nothing but contempt and lack of regard for traffic laws or even common decency? 

 

It's like the nuns used to say, they're just going to spoil it for the other kids.

Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on June 8, 2011 at 8:59am

Yesterday, I came across two girls that were taking Roosevelt east to Lake Shore.  I encountered them at Columbus where, rather than cross to the Museum campus and take the underpass to the LFP (as the posted signage directed them), they proceeded to ride with the traffic onto Lake Shore Drive.

 

During rush hour.

 

I attempted to pull up next to them to help them (I was in a car), but this just happened too quickly.  I have to admit, I was literally dumstruck at the sight of these hapless girls pedalling onto LSD.

 

At least they followed the traffic signals.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on June 8, 2011 at 9:37am

I saw a salmon rolling along by the trailer parks on 134th Street and yelled, "You're on the wrong side of the road!" at him, only to have him glare at me and yell, "No, you are!" 

 

I am now done with yelling at salmon.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on June 8, 2011 at 9:40am

It has been my experience that there seems to be 2 types of "salmon". The ones that truly look clueless and probably do not even know they aren't allowed to go the wrong way down a one way street if they are on a bicycle; and, the ones who obviously know they are doing something wrong, but are just doing it because it is the quickest way to get to where they are going. 

I live farther north, and I see the clueless people all the time. I also have to note, that when one of these clueless ones are sailing towards me going the wrong way down the street or bike lane, they do seem to have a dead fish-eye type of look on their faces.  I just try to say to those who are biking the wrong way in the lane or street that "hey, it's safer if go in the direction of traffic" or "please ride on the other side of the street". I usually just get a dead fish stare in return as they almost clip me going the wrong way, but at least I try to tell them politely. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 8, 2011 at 10:53am

Riding down an empty one-way street in the residential neighborhoods: OK by me.  I do it all the time.  Navigating the back streets without ever going the wrong way is next to impossible.  FUGGIT.

 

Riding down a multi-lane arterial the wrong way against traffic (bike and/or car) is uncool.

 

HUGE difference. 

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on June 8, 2011 at 11:33am

I do it all the time, too, on empty one-way residentials. Now that it's nicer out, I'm actually more willing to take the longer ways around, but let's face it - it's not easy to always ride a bike exactly like driving a car...either way, whenever I do ride the wrong way, I TOTALLY know it.

 

Saying - or yelling - something to me about it in the moment is not really going to change my behavior (except to bum us both out/distract us from riding), but posting here is a good way to reach out and make us wrong-way riders think about it. Thanks for bringing it up constructively.

 

Sarah

Permalink Reply by Vondo on June 8, 2011 at 12:32pm
I can understand riding wrong way down an empty side street, I do it also sometimes.  It is people going wrong way in the bike lane that kills me. Especially becauxe there is an arrow showing which direction you should be going. If it is a kid I try to yell something like "its safer if you go with traffic". If it is an adult, I  yell something like "this is why its dangerous to go the wrong way", and then proceed to make sure they are the ones who have to swing out into traffic. I'm not going to put myself at risk for a salmon, sorry.
Permalink Reply by Sue Clark on June 8, 2011 at 1:15pm

Lost cause. I tend to see at least one salmon each time I ride on a street like Fullerton, Clark, or Halsted.

 

The slow sidestreet salmon don't really bother me.

Permalink Reply by Gin on June 8, 2011 at 1:26pm

People who are speeding obliviously along maybe need something like "Hey, be careful--cars and bikers might crash into you b/c they aren't  expecting you." ( but with fewer syllables)

I sometimes ride the wrong way on a short stretch of residential street, sheepishly and hyper vigilantly--ie waggling my head around at every driveway and intersection b/c I know folks are not looking for me.

(not that I think this is a good idea--instead it makes me want to turn some key--to me--one ways back into two ways :)

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 8, 2011 at 1:26pm
I wish it was just a Loop thing.  I've had too many near-collisions with bike salmon in bike lanes on streets like Halsted - well outside of the Loop.  Also had near-collisions with bike salmon riding the wrong way on dark streets like Glenwood through Andersonville - folks with no lights or reflectors who were completely invisible until our near-collision.   In a case like that, I yell at them, because they deserve no courtesy in a situation like that.  If it's a situation that's less hazardous to me, I'll usually say something like "it's a lot safer for you AND other cyclists if you ride WITH the traffic, not against it."

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