Score one for Cyclists! More from Wisconsin

[Severian]

So there are a number of problem roads in the city of madison where it is best not to ride a bicycle if you can help it. Some of them are even two lanes each way, which would leave a cyclist to believe that he could ride in one lane and have cars pass him in the other.... I've been honked at when I've done that.

And so we have an answer from the local answer guys about bike laws:

Do Cyclists Have To Ride Single File On Roads?

http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2006/09/01/0608310418.php

[little5rider]

Two things:
1. I moved to Madison a month ago, and I'm still getting to know the good roads and not so good roads. What are some of the two lane roads you would avoid? I generally stick to the bike lanes and neighborhood streets when I'm riding in town. I would guess Gammon, Whitney and maybe Odana are a few of the west side roads to avoid.
2. So cyclists have to ride single file on one-lane each way roads? Do most people actually follow this rule? In Indiana, cyclists are allowed to ride double file as long as they aren't impeding traffic. It seems silly to ride single file all the time, especially on a group ride out in the country.

[Severian]

Answer 1: Whitney's not bad unless you're on the section near the malls. Odana tops the list. Gammon's not bad except between the beltline and mineral point. Most of Mineral Point is not for the faint of heart. Regent is up there on my list of unpleasant ones as is all of Park, all of Fishhatchery, University is a scare till you get past Park, Gorham is ucky too. But if you're going fast enough none of them are truly bad. You also have to be rather agressive, which pisses off the drivers.

Answer 2: single file on one-lane each way roads and double file in two lanes or greater. In the country all the people who own SUVs to drive to work at WPS insurance or the Capital Square Area get ticked off at cyclists who ride in packs because "Doesn't Madison have lovely bike paths that our gasoline taxes are going towards?" yes, I have heard this argument.

[recursive]

This is a big topic on a mailing list I'm on. The article is misleading in that implies that there must be two lanes in each direction to ride two abreast. This is not true. I think people have been writing letters correcting them. I have. Feel free to contribute to the cause. I don't want any motorists emboldened to teach me a lesson because I'm riding in a way that the WSJ implies is illegal.

[DCCommuter]

I'm more upset at the mis-characterization of the keep-right law than the two-abreast law. Oh, and the fine is $20, not $135. And the 3-foot passing distance applies to cars passing bikes. It's hard to imagine an article that short has that much misinformation.

[joejack951]

So there are a number of problem roads in the city of madison where it is best not to ride a bicycle if you can help it. Some of them are even two lanes each way, which would leave a cyclist to believe that he could ride in one lane and have cars pass him in the other.... I've been honked at when I've done that.

Two lanes each way are the best cycling roads around (keeping traffic constant). On a two lane each way road, a cyclist is relieved of any obligation to keep to the right as there is an open passing lane to the left which is all we are obligated to give to faster traffic. If someone honks at you while riding in "their" lane when there is a passing lane to the left, they need to go back to traffic school.

As to two abreast on a roadway, every state allows this as long as it can be done in a single lane and when not impeding traffic (remember, on a two lane each way road, there is no such thing as impeding traffic if using the right lane). The only times two abreast could impede traffic (any more than a single cyclist could) is on a road so narrow that passing traffic could not give the required 3 feet passing distance even if they moved all the way to left. At these times, it's required to go single file if riding under the speed limit and in an area where passing is allowed.

[edit] I forgot to add that some states require cyclists to ride single file any time they are being passed on a roadway with only one lane in each direction.[edit]

[Severian]

This is a big topic on a mailing list I'm on. The article is misleading in that implies that there must be two lanes in each direction to ride two abreast. This is not true. I think people have been writing letters correcting them. I have. Feel free to contribute to the cause. I don't want any motorists emboldened to teach me a lesson because I'm riding in a way that the WSJ implies is illegal.

Color me very confused. What's not true about what the article said about riding two abreast?

Can cyclists do this at any time? Or not?

Aack!

[recursive]

Color me very confused. What's not true about what the article said about riding two abreast?

Can cyclists do this at any time? Or not?

Aack!

Cyclists can ride two abreast at any time in Wisconsin as long as they are not "impeding the flow of traffic".

Edit: Source: http://folio.legis.state.wi.us/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=45288494&infobase=stats.nfo&jump=346.80%283%29%28a%29

[Severian]

ahh.. dig, thanks for the clarification. :)

This makes me wish I could sew an LED panel into my pack that I could display messages on. Like, "dude, just go around me in the other lane" or "piss off I'm a vehicle too" or something witty involving feces and monkeys.

[jimisnowhere]

Pass on left!! Right pannier contains feces chucking monkey!!!

[joejack951]

ahh.. dig, thanks for the clarification. :)

This makes me wish I could sew an LED panel into my pack that I could display messages on. Like, "dude, just go around me in the other lane" or "piss off I'm a vehicle too" or something witty involving feces and monkeys.

For the drivers that can't figure out to just pass in the left lane, I've found a simple hand motion using the left arm to wave them around helps. I encounter this often on roads with a shoulder where some drivers expect me to be even though there's a fallen tree there, or a turning/merging lane (more common than the tree thankfully).