sam83
I was a motorcycle safety instructor for 6 years and have ridden well over 250,000 miles on motorcycles. The training the MSF provided was very strict and based on data. It focused on both the physical skills of motorcycling as well as the mental approach.
I’ve been bicycling going on my 6th year and have ridden over 11,000 miles. One of the biggest difference between the motorcycle and the bicycle is that on a motorcycle you generally don’t get passed all that often. In most situations, a motorcycle will be left of center, so if being overtaken, the overtaking vehicle will move completely into the other lane.
I recently posted a pole regarding what to do when it appears that an oncoming vehicle, and overtaking vehicle and you were about to be in the same place at the same time.
There were a lot of different views on what to do and why. It was evident that some input was driven by local conditions (road types, city v. rural, regional differences, etc.), but there was a lot of good stuff and a lot to think about.
Most of my miles are on 45-55 MPH narrow 2-lane roads, generally with no rideable shoulders. I have been riding about 8” off the white line. Usually people give me 3 to 5 feet when passing. A few actually get mostly in the other lane, but every so often I’ll get passed within a couple feet.
All this talk about “taking the lane” might seem assertive or even aggressive, kind saying “This is my lane, so there!” Aside from those who think this is dangerous (like being dead right), I think some of us are also concerned about provoking people with large vehicles.
But exactly what are we communicating when we ride to the far right? I realized that I hadn't even considered the question. Here’s what I think I’ve been saying: “Come on and squeeze by. There’s room for us both. I’m comfortable if you are.”
So today I set out on a 100-miler and moved left about 10 more inches, or solidly into the right tire track. What happened was amazing. Most people started moving over a lot earlier, slowing down and gave me even more room than normal. The closest pass was 4’ (THP!).
Nobody seemed peeved. A couple times when some folks got slowed down to my speed and followed me for a while, I moved over as far as I could go, and guess what? They came by me in my lane.
Well, that seems to work here, on these roads.
As for the drunks, text-messagers and people who are just bent on hurting us, well, the most effective strategy is exercised before clipping in. After that, it is somewhat of a crapshoot.
I’ve been bicycling going on my 6th year and have ridden over 11,000 miles. One of the biggest difference between the motorcycle and the bicycle is that on a motorcycle you generally don’t get passed all that often. In most situations, a motorcycle will be left of center, so if being overtaken, the overtaking vehicle will move completely into the other lane.
I recently posted a pole regarding what to do when it appears that an oncoming vehicle, and overtaking vehicle and you were about to be in the same place at the same time.
There were a lot of different views on what to do and why. It was evident that some input was driven by local conditions (road types, city v. rural, regional differences, etc.), but there was a lot of good stuff and a lot to think about.
Most of my miles are on 45-55 MPH narrow 2-lane roads, generally with no rideable shoulders. I have been riding about 8” off the white line. Usually people give me 3 to 5 feet when passing. A few actually get mostly in the other lane, but every so often I’ll get passed within a couple feet.
All this talk about “taking the lane” might seem assertive or even aggressive, kind saying “This is my lane, so there!” Aside from those who think this is dangerous (like being dead right), I think some of us are also concerned about provoking people with large vehicles.
But exactly what are we communicating when we ride to the far right? I realized that I hadn't even considered the question. Here’s what I think I’ve been saying: “Come on and squeeze by. There’s room for us both. I’m comfortable if you are.”
So today I set out on a 100-miler and moved left about 10 more inches, or solidly into the right tire track. What happened was amazing. Most people started moving over a lot earlier, slowing down and gave me even more room than normal. The closest pass was 4’ (THP!).
Nobody seemed peeved. A couple times when some folks got slowed down to my speed and followed me for a while, I moved over as far as I could go, and guess what? They came by me in my lane.
Well, that seems to work here, on these roads.
As for the drunks, text-messagers and people who are just bent on hurting us, well, the most effective strategy is exercised before clipping in. After that, it is somewhat of a crapshoot.