Safety and Education Committee Report - Archive

Wrong Way Cyclists

When riding a bicycle in traffic you encounter many hazards. Probably the most dangerous common hazard is another bicyclist riding on the wrong side of the road.

These candidates for the Darwin Award honestly feel their actions are making them safer. To reach such a conclusion they obviously haven’t done much thinking, or have chosen to ignore readily apparent relevant facts.

The wrong way cyclist fully intends to dodge any oncoming hazard. While a person on foot (walking or running) can easily dodge an oncoming hazard in one or two steps by simply going sideways; bicycles have a speed dependent turning radius. These riders cannot possibly achieve their goal and have obviously never tried.

Momentum = Mass x velocity (squared); impact of a head-on collision at 15 MPH vs 30 MPH is nine times that of being rear-ended. An overtaking vehicle will have a much slower closing rate than an oncoming one. This gives both operators more options and time to react.

“Ignorance is the lack of needed facts; stupidity is the neglect of the facts at hand.” New Hampshire Department of Transportation has published an excellent brochure (Don’t be a Road Warrior/Road Hog) which outlines the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists on the roadway. Giving this brochure to non-compliant individuals may help. Reasoning with a stupid person is a waste of time. If the same wrong way cyclist is a recurring problem, I mention it to the Police.

Drivers will often swerve to avoid a wrong way cyclist and use the part of the road that law-abiding cyclists are in. Even worse, sometimes the wrong way cyclist is coming at you. You never know where these people are going to go. Sometimes traffic is too fast to enter the travel lane and stopping soon enough is difficult. Riding after dark and meeting an oncoming (usually unlit) cyclist is terrifying. The wrong way cyclist is endangering others and we should do what is needed to protect ourselves and other law-abiding citizens. You can only tempt fate a limited number of times.

Nobody likes to tell others how to live, but stupid people do not have the right to endanger us. People who do not consider their bicycle a vehicle shouldn’t be playing in traffic with their toys.

Bill Fisk- Safety and Education

Safety and Education Coordinator