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You all know (unless you are very new to the forum) that I'm an old geezer and my memory may be fading but I seem to remember that when I was riding bikes in the 1950s I was taught to ride in the berm facing the traffic so I could see what the drivers were going to do - and cars could not approach me from behind. People in parked cars could see you coming and usually not open their doors until you were past them.
Yes, I was riding the old one speed bikes as we had not had what we called "English Racing Bikes" yet. Seems to me that when that style bike arrived here, the rules changed. Everyone that had them wanted to ride in the street/road at high speeds you could not get riding in the berm, so you were told to ride with the traffic.
Same thing with walking. I was taught to walk facing traffic, if walking at night wear light clothing so you could be seen and always stop and look both ways before crossing the street/road since cars cannot stop instantly. Now it is the law that a car must stop if a pedestrian steps into the street/road (even when not in a crosswalk) to the point there are big yellow signs in the middle of the street stating that it is the law to stop for pedestrians. I've seen, and almost hit, people who don't even slow down when crossing at a crosswalk (without a traffic light) and don't even look to see if there is any traffic. I've also almost hit people walking with traffic wearing black pants, black hoodies/shirts/jackets and black shoes.
A lot of this seems to be common sense - I'm not as big and hard as a car/truck/motorcycle/bicycle and I try to walk (and if I'm lucky enough to ride a bike) ride so I can see what is happening and to make sure I can be seen when walking.
Like I said, I learned in the late 1940-1950s time period and roads were narrower, usually with wider berms, speed limits were lower (highway speed 50mph), no freeways, no bike lanes, no high-speed bikes.
Most of those rules (and maybe laws - I don't know, I was a kid) seem to be common sense stuff. Then again common sense seems to have gone out the window these days.
Mickey
Mickey -- I too was riding bikes in the 50's ... riding facing traffic is NOT a good idea ... and all the other common sense guides you list, while common sense indeed, still rely on driver focus as well as rider focus, and on driver courtesy and concern as well as cyclist concern and courtesy -- and, most obviously, sobriety on both parts.
History teaches us that actual practice of good ideas is not trustworthy. Bicycles and motor vehicles do not mix. Period. Not in a world where human nature is as it is.
Originally Posted by MickeyE You all know (unless you are very new to the forum) that I'm an old geezer and my memory may be fading but I seem to remember that when I was riding bikes in the 1950s I was taught to ride in the berm facing the traffic so I could see what the drivers were going to do - and cars could not approach me from behind. People in parked cars could see you coming and usually not open their doors until you were past them.
MickeyE:
I remember that as well. About your age too. Seems sensible then and now, except for the human aspect and brain synapses of drivers failing to DRIVE, or busy texting, talking, or anything, BUT driving. At least you could see impending dangers. These days, biking far away from ANY cars or human intervention is best. Even walking can be dangerous - get robbed, attacked, or a car run over you from any direction. Worse, take a flight and get assaulted by TSA under pretext of security. Carry a copy of the US Constitution and hope for the best, and, martial arts.
I've commuted to school/work by bicycle for several years in the US and Europe. I was taught to ride on the right, with traffic, and always did so, along with everyone else.
In Hawaii, I have seen kids and adults right on the left, against traffic. I thought it was just the way they were taught here, maybe a leftover from the older days that MickeyE talks about. Now I wonder if it isn't just a survival technique, in order to see and be seen much more. I do have to say, they often swerve across the street when safe to do so, in order to avoid being in the same lane as a car. When the car goes by, they swerve back to the left side of the street, when safe to do so.
As for people walking/biking at night in dark clothes and without lights, I've seen that everywhere. Just like I've seen bad cyclists (and bad car drivers) everywhere. However, in places like the Bay Area where there is a critical mass of commuter cyclists, it is far more common to see properly lit and respectful cyclists just trying to keep another car off the streets.
I've commuted to school/work by bicycle for several years in the US and Europe. I was taught to ride on the right, with traffic, and always did so, along with everyone else.
In Hawaii, I have seen kids and adults right on the left, against traffic. I thought it was just the way they were taught here, maybe a leftover from the older days that MickeyE talks about. Now I wonder if it isn't just a survival technique, in order to see and be seen much more. I do have to say, they often swerve across the street when safe to do so, in order to avoid being in the same lane as a car. When the car goes by, they swerve back to the left side of the street, when safe to do so.
As for people walking/biking at night in dark clothes and without lights, I've seen that everywhere. Just like I've seen bad cyclists (and bad car drivers) everywhere. However, in places like the Bay Area where there is a critical mass of commuter cyclists, it is far more common to see properly lit and respectful cyclists just trying to keep another car off the streets.
I also prefer seeing traffic as it's coming at me. At least I can respond to it.
I've also been taught to walk or ride a bike with traffic....but you cannot react to anything whatsoever, if you can't see it coming.
If I were a traithalon bicyclists going 70mph, I can see the 'with traffic'....but not when I was a little kid on a dirt bike, puddering around with a baseball glove on the handle at 10mph.
I also prefer seeing traffic as it's coming at me. At least I can respond to it.
I've also been taught to walk or ride a bike with traffic....but you cannot react to anything whatsoever, if you can't see it coming.
If I were a traithalon bicyclists going 70mph, I can see the 'with traffic'....but not when I was a little kid on a dirt bike, puddering around with a baseball glove on the handle at 10mph.
Yep, thats what I was talking about. Most cyclists these days ride a multi-speed, banana seat, dropped handlebar bike and are hunched over peddling at a speed that rocks them side to side as they push a pedal down. We rode single speed, saddle seat, raised handlebar bikes and rode sitting upright, most of the time just ambling along. Makes a difference - if you are running at the same speed as cars, ride with the traffic, if you are ambling along ride against the traffic.
What about The Bus? When we visited Hawaii the first time I researched the bus thinking we would take it if we wanted to go anywhere. Well... we pretty much didn't want to go anywhere when we got there because the beach by our hotel was so amazing we just became beach bums the whole time!!
But before our trip I had a bunch of bus maps loaded onto my phone via Google Maps. It seemed to me like you could get anywhere you wanted or needed to go by the bus.
We were staying on the north shore of Oahu and I even had bus maps that would get us to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and Waikiki and the Dole Pineapple Plantation.
Maybe we'll hit those places next time... we were just so happy to be in the sunshine (we're from Oregon - we're majorly sun-deprived) on our first trip, we couldn't bear to leave our spot on the north shore beach!
What about The Bus? When we visited Hawaii the first time I researched the bus thinking we would take it if we wanted to go anywhere. Well... we pretty much didn't want to go anywhere when we got there because the beach by our hotel was so amazing we just became beach bums the whole time!!
But before our trip I had a bunch of bus maps loaded onto my phone via Google Maps. It seemed to me like you could get anywhere you wanted or needed to go by the bus.
We were staying on the north shore of Oahu and I even had bus maps that would get us to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and Waikiki and the Dole Pineapple Plantation.
Maybe we'll hit those places next time... we were just so happy to be in the sunshine (we're from Oregon - we're majorly sun-deprived) on our first trip, we couldn't bear to leave our spot on the north shore beach!
Anyway - so what about The Bus?
I used The Bus for a month and it was great. Especially if you're within Honolulu itself. Once you try to get around the other parts of the island, you'll be waiting for buses quite a bit longer. But, within Honolulu, it seemed more than sufficient for my needs anyways.
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