I came really close to being hit today. There were two lanes and I don't know why the person couldn't just go in the other lane. I'm going to upgrade to the 5303 that I have pretty soon. I was riding and I saw a patch of glass and right then a car came like 12 inches from hitting me and I had no choice but to just go through the glass and the guy almost hit me. Not to mention when I ride on the side of the road, I hit every single drain and those drains are sometimes 7 inches deep, it's like hitting a big pot hole. It's only like 35 mph on the road and I"m going about 27 mph most of the time and it's still not enough.
I'm going to start riding in the middle of the road
- Thread starter morph999
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Lessss
1 MW
A little flag sticking out from your left handlebar will give you a little more room. You can tip it with metal so if they hit the flag they get a scratch.
It's a good idea to take the lane. You'll get some A-holes, but you'll likely be a lot safer as people will be forced to "pass you" instead of merely scraping you, causing you to fall and roll under their right wheel as they think they're legally entitled to as much of the lane they're in as they want no matter the hazard it might cause to other problem-causing bikers.
Having said that, though, I feel much more vulnerable taking the lane when I'm going significantly under the speed limit. But 3 mph or so isn't that bad.
Having said that, though, I feel much more vulnerable taking the lane when I'm going significantly under the speed limit. But 3 mph or so isn't that bad.
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dogman dan
1 PW
Depends on the road, the time of day, the local drivers, etc etc. Sometimes I take a lane, sometimes I ride a few hundred feet on the sidewalk, sometimes I sit on the corner waiting 5 minuites for a break in the traffic. Allways I am aware of cars behind me, and the route is designed to avoid as much as possible of sharing the road with people in a hurry. It's an electric bike, so if my route has an extra mile on it so I can ride safer, that's no problemo. 95% of my route to work is a bike lane, bike path, or 25 mph residential street with low traffic.
On crosscountry rides, unfamiliar road, sometimes no shoulder, I am riding slow enough to make range to be able to dive into the ditch if I need to. One thing about a 35mph bike, is you are just as vulnerable but your speed just cut your options for escaping a car by 75%. You're too slow at 35 mph to nick out ahead of cars, but too fast to want to lay it down either. I think 35 mph is the most dangerous speed you can ride. You will get right crossed more and left crossed more since people think you are slower. But when shit happens, you are too fast to stop quickly. The most dangerous thing I ever owned was a 35 mph moped.
On crosscountry rides, unfamiliar road, sometimes no shoulder, I am riding slow enough to make range to be able to dive into the ditch if I need to. One thing about a 35mph bike, is you are just as vulnerable but your speed just cut your options for escaping a car by 75%. You're too slow at 35 mph to nick out ahead of cars, but too fast to want to lay it down either. I think 35 mph is the most dangerous speed you can ride. You will get right crossed more and left crossed more since people think you are slower. But when shit happens, you are too fast to stop quickly. The most dangerous thing I ever owned was a 35 mph moped.
I often take the lane when there isn't room to be passed or I feel passing is inappropriate. However, I don't let the cars behind wait long before they can pass. At the next opportune moment I'll pull to the side.
What helps the most though is to just avoid the highest traffic areas and times. When drivers aren't stressed they behave so much more responsibly.
What helps the most though is to just avoid the highest traffic areas and times. When drivers aren't stressed they behave so much more responsibly.
dogman dan
1 PW
Yeah, I've noticed that at five minuites till 8:00 am, all the cars start running red lights a lot more and speeding. At that point, you aren't safe even if you are driving a cement truck. By 8:15 it's calmer, with the late to 8 panic subsided.
I agree that speed is one of the biggest dangers when your on a bike.dogman said:
I think it is safer to take up a lane in a two lane road as long as the traffic isn't going much faster than you so cars are backing up for miles behind you. its certainly safer when cars overtake you from the lane next to yours, than when they're overtaking you while your between them and the curb. Bikes have the right to use the road too.
dogman dan
1 PW
Yes we have legal road rights, and in NM they are clearly written into the vehicle code statewide. The fatality we had this year was excercising his legal road rights when a left crosser squashed him like a dog. The point is, use the road rights wisely, this particular dead dumbass could easily have avoided this intersection, that I like to avoid even in a car. It's better to ride an extra 1/2 mile behind wallmart, than to get squashed in the busiest street in town in front of it.
If you cycle regularly, close calls are a common occurrence. Injury is all too common and eventually likely. Hopefully the worst of it will be inconvenience. Laws will not bring you back to life.
Motorists cant keep from killing each other daily. You can bet a few cyclists will get caught up in the carnage as well if you want to share roadways with 3000+ pound motor vehicles.
Motorists cant keep from killing each other daily. You can bet a few cyclists will get caught up in the carnage as well if you want to share roadways with 3000+ pound motor vehicles.
v_tach said:
Because as bikers we are more exposed and vulnerable I think we notice these close calls more than motorists. This vulnerability may (counter intuitively) be what can make bicycling safer than car driving. Individually we can learn from experience to avoid dangerous situations. Collectively it makes it easier to rally for safety improvements when the majority of people who regularly bike have felt the same dangers.
By contrast, car drivers have a false impression of confidence and safety in their steel cages. They go out driving without thinking much about how to how to pick the safest route or best time. Yet the statistical chance of having a serious accident or fatality while driving is very high.
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vanilla ice
1 MW
lolzor.
It usually takes evil to smoosh a guy riding in the middle of the lane. Well meaning idiots can more easily smoosh you when you're off to curb side.. Not saying I think everybody should ride in the middle all of the time, just sayin.
It usually takes evil to smoosh a guy riding in the middle of the lane. Well meaning idiots can more easily smoosh you when you're off to curb side.. Not saying I think everybody should ride in the middle all of the time, just sayin.
John in CR
100 TW
I like riding in the middle of the road. It's particularly exhilarating in the center of a 2 lane road with car traffic in both lanes. I wouldn't recommend it to people who are "likely" to have accidents, because to stay reasonably safe you must anticipate cars turning left from either direct. Of course it requires that you are faster than the traffic going your direction, and here it helps that drivers are accustomed to motorcycle and scooters riding that way so much that the transit police don't consider it illegal. 
As far as middle of the lane, by all means take it. Then you decide when it's appropriate to move to the side to let faster traffic pass. To avoid trouble with motorists it definitely pays to be a very courteous rider and avoid slowing traffic as much as possible. I agree wholeheartedly that you're far safer in the middle than easily getting squished at the curb.
John
As far as middle of the lane, by all means take it. Then you decide when it's appropriate to move to the side to let faster traffic pass. To avoid trouble with motorists it definitely pays to be a very courteous rider and avoid slowing traffic as much as possible. I agree wholeheartedly that you're far safer in the middle than easily getting squished at the curb.
John
chargedbiking.com
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it goes both ways. biking people have to start obeying the laws as well. i bike to work everyday, and i never see people on bikes obeying the law. we have to share the roads.
John in CR
100 TW
chargedbiking.com said:
Which laws are the problem? Here traffic signs and signals other are pretty much just guidelines to establish fault in the event of an accident, though they are finally tough on drunk driving and do set up speed traps. eg Rolling stops when the view is clear and proceeding after stopping at a red light when no traffic is coming are no problem even in front of a transit cop. On my bike I always try to advance through a red light, because I feel that it's safer, and the head start generally ensures that cars never have to wait on me to accelerate up to speed, so it's more courteous too.
John
rguy56
100 W
As nuts and volts quoted earlier, the Highway Traffic Act here says I have to ride as close as practicable to the right curb. I don't know if anyone actually uses the word practicable, but I am aware of that requirement, and as I ride 4 feet out from the curb, I'm ready with my explanation to the judge. To my right are numerous catchbasins, manholes, rocks, sand and gravel, glass...not to mention a barrier curb that would be deadly to hit.
I stay out that far, even when the road ahead is clear, because to swerve for debris is more dangerous than being out there all the time. A few years ago, the police here were advising, as part of their bicycle patrol program, to establish your position in the lane, and not move left out of it because of the inherent danger in the maneuver.
I noticed in the news this week that 5 cyclists were hit by a hit and run driver in Ottawa. I wish the best for them all.
Bob
I stay out that far, even when the road ahead is clear, because to swerve for debris is more dangerous than being out there all the time. A few years ago, the police here were advising, as part of their bicycle patrol program, to establish your position in the lane, and not move left out of it because of the inherent danger in the maneuver.
I noticed in the news this week that 5 cyclists were hit by a hit and run driver in Ottawa. I wish the best for them all.
Bob
dogman dan
1 PW
In New Mexico the law is written similarly. We have to ride as far right as pracitceable. But then they go on to clarify that here. So we are expected to use a bike lane if there is one, and if not, ride single file allowing cars to pass safely IF the road is wide enough. If there is no space for a car and a bike, we can take the lane. If we take the lane, we still are expected to ride single file when a car needs to pass, as far right as it's safe to. We are not asked to get off the road to let cars pass, or ride through the gutter though potholes and broken glass, but are not allowed to hog it with a peloton 4 riders wide either.
Commonsense says though, If you take the lane, do it with eyes in the back of your head. I had a lot of close calls last year, getting the road wisdom back after a long time in 4 wheels. I still have somebody try to kill me daily, but it never gets as far as a close call now. When I drive the car now, I drive a lot better too.
Sometimes, especially near the colledge, I think I'm the only bike rider in town that stops at a stop sign, or signals a turn. Near the school especially, you see a lot of dumbshits riding up the wrong side of the road, weaving through the stopped traffic at a light to run it, etc. And these are the smarter ones! Never saw a bigger collection of dumasses in my life than in some of my freshman classes when I went to school. We'll get no respect with these characters on the road.
Commonsense says though, If you take the lane, do it with eyes in the back of your head. I had a lot of close calls last year, getting the road wisdom back after a long time in 4 wheels. I still have somebody try to kill me daily, but it never gets as far as a close call now. When I drive the car now, I drive a lot better too.
Sometimes, especially near the colledge, I think I'm the only bike rider in town that stops at a stop sign, or signals a turn. Near the school especially, you see a lot of dumbshits riding up the wrong side of the road, weaving through the stopped traffic at a light to run it, etc. And these are the smarter ones! Never saw a bigger collection of dumasses in my life than in some of my freshman classes when I went to school. We'll get no respect with these characters on the road.
I always take the middle lane on a one way street with three lanes, it seems to be the best place, no one honks at me like they do when I am in the right or left lane, I feel much safer in the middle (35mph limit)
I don't follow traffic laws all the time on my bike, but I am careful. I don't stop at lights or signs if there is no one waiting to go, and I don't see anything wrong with weaving around stopped traffic(as long as there is room), that one of the benefits of being maneuverable. Some of the fixie and singlespeed riders around here are nuts though
I don't follow traffic laws all the time on my bike, but I am careful. I don't stop at lights or signs if there is no one waiting to go, and I don't see anything wrong with weaving around stopped traffic(as long as there is room), that one of the benefits of being maneuverable. Some of the fixie and singlespeed riders around here are nuts though
