Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
As a year-round cycle-commuter in Boston for decades, here are three of mine:
- Jim’s Law of the Road: “No matter how well-paved or lightly-traveled the Road, a vehicle is likely to pass on the left as you encounter an obstacle on the right.”
- "Like a gun, approach every parked car assuming it is loaded (with a driver or passenger ready to exit)."
- "When riding in the dark, watch for cars, not just headlights."
I've noticed your # 1 myself. It's uncanny. You can be on a quiet country road that hasn't had any traffic at all in minutes, and then in the distance you see a jogger pushing a running stroller on the shoulder on your side of the road. As you near them, sure enough, in your mirror you see a vehicle approaching from behind. Invariably, you can tell right away you'll all be at the same spot on the road! Of course it happens in busier places as well too, it's just amazing how it is almost like a law of nature.