Originally Posted by Helmet Head
Congratulations, Gene, this is an important skill that's absolutely required to be able to cycle vehicularly. The power of the communication effect of a good look back over the shoulder is very cool to experience, isn't it?
Vehicular cycling gives the cyclist a sense of control, freedom and satisfaction in traffic that is simply not possible with traditional "keep to the right/BL" cycling. Messenger-style cycling achieves this as well, perhaps even to a greater degree, but with compromises in safety and legal status that I find unacceptable.
Serge
Good advice on the over the shoulder look, though I don't think it can be emphasized enough how important it is to hold your line during this manuever. I saw a few posts mention trying not to swerve, but I see many cyclists doing more of a slow drift as they look behind, rather than an out and out swerve, and this could be just as dangerous.
And not to hijack this thread, but how would you define messenger-style cycling, and what portions would you define as unsafe and illegal?