Cycling Tip: Ride With Traffic

Always ride in the same direction as other traffic – including on one-way streets. Some people believe that bicyclists are like pedestrians and should travel facing motor vehicle traffic. This is illegal and has been shown to dramatically increase the risk of a collision because:

• Drivers don’t expect you to be there and won’t be looking for you
• Bicyclists traveling in the proper direction will have difficulty avoiding a collision with you.
• It forces you into oncoming traffic if you need to swerve
• You can’t see road signs
• You can’t make proper turns

The “closing speed” (velocity at impact) between you and another road user makes a collision more dangerous.

Share & Be Aware materials were developed through a partnership between the Wisconsin Bike Fed and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Safety.