Riding to right of white line

Mortdubois

"mary" <tombates@city-net.com> wrote in message news:<40cf08ca$0$251$4d5ecec7@reader.city-net.com>...
> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to
> the right of the white line on the berm of the road.<

In eastern Pennsylvania, especially in Lancaster country,
the roads are often made with especially wide shoulders so
that the Amish can ride their buggies and bikes on the
shoulder. I doubt that it is illegal to ride a bike to the
right of the line. In my experience, if I am on a road with
a wide and clean shoulder I will ride on or to the right of
the line - especially on high speed 2 lane roads. Around
here, drivers who see that you are doing your best to stay
right, and don't have to make drastic manouvers to pass you,
are happy drivers. Once I get into a town, where traffic is
slower, I get farther out into the lane to avoid the right
hook and the opening door. Also, I make an attempt to keep
my speed up close to that of the traffic, clearly signal
where I am going, stop at stop signs and lights, and give a
thank you wave to any driver who is even slightly courteous.
If I am riding out in the lane to avoid debris, and a car is
stuck behind me, I point at the debris so that the car has
some understanding of WHY I am out there - this also helps
keeps things friendly. You always have to be on the lookout
for that right hook, though, and be aware of any situation
where turning traffic can bean you.

Paul

Frank Krygowski

Dennis Ferguson wrote:

>
> I've found that the general difference between riding on
> the right and further out in the lane is that, in the
> former case, the close calls with drivers more often occur
> in front of you, where you see them and get scared, while
> in the latter case the close calls with drivers more often
> occur behind you, where you are more likely to be
> blissfully unaware of them unless they actually get you.

That's not my experience. Riding further left generally gets
me _more_ clearance from passing cars.

True story, related to me by a guy who took an Effective
Cycling class from me:

He and his wife were on vacation, riding their tandem on an
unfamiliar and somewhat busy highway. The road was narrow,
and there was very little shoulder.

He had been riding as close as he could to the right, and
cars were continually scaring them by squeezing by too
close. He said to his wife "You know, Frank said that if
you go further left and take the lane, the cars will pass
with more clearance." She agreed that they should try it,
so they did.

He said it transformed the ride. Sometimes cars did have to
wait to pass, due to oncoming traffic. There was no rude
reaction to this. And in every case, when a car passed,
there was at _least_ 4 feet of clearance.

Almost all drivers, when they have to partially enter the
left lane to pass, will enter it pretty thoroughly. They'll
get _way_ over. You'll get _more_ passing clearance.

>
> There's no good solution, I think. I do it both ways
> depending on where I am, but generally will keep right if
> there is space over there, letting the cars go by
> unimpeded but treating intersections and driveways with a
> considerable degree of paranoia. I'd rather have as much
> stuff as possible occur in front of me, where I might have
> some control over my fate, rather than behind me, where
> I'm entirely dependent on the drivers to not kill me.

Strictly speaking you're _always_ dependent on drivers not
to kill you. But they won't kill you. They hate the
paperwork.

It's true you have to use some judgement. I use a rear view
mirror to help with that judgement. But don't be afraid of
taking your right to the road.

--
--------------------+ Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove
rodent and vegetable dot com, replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

Bernie

Frank Krygowski wrote:

> Dennis Ferguson wrote:
>
>>
>> I've found that the general difference between riding on
>> the right and further out in the lane is that, in the
>> former case, the close calls with drivers more often
>> occur in front of you, where you see them and get
>> scared, while in the latter case the close calls with
>> drivers more often occur behind you, where you are more
>> likely to be blissfully unaware of them unless they
>> actually get you.
>
>
> That's not my experience. Riding further left generally
> gets me _more_ clearance from passing cars.
>
> True story, related to me by a guy who took an Effective
> Cycling class from me:
>
> He and his wife were on vacation, riding their tandem on
> an unfamiliar and somewhat busy highway. The road was
> narrow, and there was very little shoulder.
>
> He had been riding as close as he could to the right, and
> cars were continually scaring them by squeezing by too
> close. He said to his wife "You know, Frank said that if
> you go further left and take the lane, the cars will pass
> with more clearance." She agreed that they should try it,
> so they did.
>
> He said it transformed the ride. Sometimes cars did have
> to wait to pass, due to oncoming traffic. There was no
> rude reaction to this. And in every case, when a car
> passed, there was at _least_ 4 feet of clearance.
>
> Almost all drivers, when they have to partially enter the
> left lane to pass, will enter it pretty thoroughly.
> They'll get _way_ over. You'll get _more_ passing
> clearance.
>
>>
>> There's no good solution, I think. I do it both ways
>> depending on where I am, but generally will keep right
>> if there is space over there, letting the cars go by
>> unimpeded but treating intersections and driveways with
>> a considerable degree of paranoia. I'd rather have as
>> much stuff as possible occur in front of me, where I
>> might have some control over my fate, rather than behind
>> me, where I'm entirely dependent on the drivers to not
>> kill me.
>
>
> Strictly speaking you're _always_ dependent on drivers not
> to kill you. But they won't kill you. They hate the
> paperwork.
>
> It's true you have to use some judgement. I use a rear
> view mirror to help with that judgement. But don't be
> afraid of taking your right to the road.
>
I agree. When I get careless, or nervous, and ride too far
to the right, the semis pass without moving over at all.
Leaves zero room for error and most legitimately scares the
crap out of me.

If in doubt or uncomfortable with drivers' behaviour,
ride wider. Motorists will do a better, safer job of
passing. Bernie

Pat

> That's not my experience. Riding further left generally
> gets me _more_ clearance from passing cars. --------------------
> + Frank Krygowski [

I have noticed from our club rides that when we hug the
right edge of the road it tempts car drivers to pass us
without leaving the lane. That's scary, and I don't intend
to ride that way any more!

Pat in TX