[phil_s_stein]

Biking against traffic (even in a bike lane) is a bad idea. It forces someone into traffic, either the guy going the wrong way or a bicyclist going the correct way. It surprises pedestrians jaywalking and it surprises cars pulling out of parking spots both of whom assume they only need to look one way. It's just a bad idea all around.

[gohrt]

"jaywalking" is a slur against people walking. Just say "pedestrian in the street".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywalking#Origin_of_the_term

[Symbiote]

"Pedestrian" is almost a slur, since the word is also used to mean "boring".

[avn2109]

Yup definitely a bad idea. But a less bad idea than getting murdered by a cabbie on 2nd avenue while riding with traffic in the nonexistent bike lane.

[phil_s_stein]

Not really no. You increase the chance that you'll kill yourself and someone else. Ride in the lanes and with traffic. Everyone is safer when everyone can anticipate what's going to happen. This is especially true in the chaos of NYC traffic.

If there is no bike lane. Take the whole lane.

[allengeorge]

As a pedestrian it's a horrible idea. I've almost been struck 5 times (and counting) by cyclists riding the wrong way down avenues. It's incredibly frustrating - and definitely gives me a very jaded view of cyclists and their respect for traffic rules.

[thrownblown]

this is the thing about cyclists is they are scarier than they are dangerous.

in a collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian there is an almost equal potential for harm for both the cyclist and the pedestrian. the rates of rapid deceleration are just as forceful as the rate of acceleration.

the pedestrian could potentially be struck with a metal part of the bike. an almost equal potential exists for the cyclist to be injured by a metal part of the bicycle hitting the ground or a parked car before the cyclist does.

So while i'm sure that your close encounter with a scofflaw cyclist was scary, it was just as dangerous for you as it was for them.

[mc32]

That doesn't excuse the behavior. One is deciding to engage in it despite the danger the other is a passive unwilling participant. Or, to put it in auto terms, a reckless driver and other drivers have the roughly the same potential damage if a collision were to occur, but we definitely don't equate the reckless driver with the one who drives predictably.

[allengeorge]

It may be as dangerous to them as me, but I doubt they're considering that. And I'd rather not get hit by a bike; I was once, by a cyclist going at a decent clip and was lucky to leave with only minor injuries (if I'd fallen at a different angle my head would have hit the edge of a concrete stair.)

[ams6110]

If you're worried about dying you really shouldn't be cycling at all.

[stbtrax]

contraflow bike lanes are common in paris

[phil_s_stein]

Some bike lanes in NYC have two lanes as well. I don't believe 1st Ave does though.

edit: I misunderstood. Yes, if the bike lane is contraflow of course use it that way. Everyone expects bikes from the "wrong way" in that situation. It's all about minimizing surprises to anyone in or near the street.