Commuting - Cycling practices in an urban area during rush hour

OK...posters on this site have educated me on a many things...now I seek more wisdom/opinion from you all.

If brave is the word...I'm starting to become more brave, savvy, and experienced when operating my bike on busier streets during rush hour with dense traffic. There is a bridge going over an expressway along my route to work. Today I said the hell with it...instead of riding on glass laiden sidewalks...I timed my entry uphill on the bridge...I waited for traffic to clear based on the stoplight cycle 4 blocks before the bridge and went up in the right most lane...I reached the top, waited for and crossed the stoplight that lets traffic onto the street from the expressway and then went about 50 feet to the curb to the right to assess when traffic would be clear again. Heavy traffic passes me safely then WEE! a nice descent pushes me to 27mph down the bridge...and I go about my way.

I don't know if I could do any "better" than this on this stretch of road...there is really basically no room to ride "with traffic", there is heavy semi traffic and "taking the lane" on this street during rush hour is just NOT an option. The rest of my route is urban/suburban sidestreets...so there are no issues. This is where is need the most help...what is "taking the lane" in this scenario a function of? Comfort level? Personal safety? Common sense? Testicular fortitude? Asserting my right to be on the road? The number of cars you want to hold up behind you? I guess what it comes down to is, what is (if there is an "is") the correct riding practice in this situation? Or is it really a personal choice based on the variables listed above?

Please chime in to tell me if I'm a wuss or if I'm doing the right thing, or if there is no right or wrong answer...I could take the criticism. Also...if I was not clear in my description above...question away. Keep in mind that I am a relative noob to cycling...so, tell me the truth...but be nice. :)

EDIT: If it means anything...no...there are no bikes lanes or MUP's that I could utilize as an alternative either.

I personally can't visualize the intersection, is there a small diagram/map or more detail you can give? I was confused with the bridge going over the expressway, but then you arriving at an intersection with the expressway.

One great advantage of riding a bike is the flexibility it offers. It sounds like you embraced that fact completely, making adustments, pausing and manuvering between blocks of traffic. I think it's foolish to be dogmatic about "cyclist's rights", taking the lane etc. When it's the safest thing to do, I take the lane. When it makes sense to pause and let the beasts pass me I do that. A certain amount of agressiveness and predictability are essential in traffic. Arrogance will get you in trouble.

If your routine gets you across the bridge safely, then I'd say you nailed it. I would only add that you should make sure you always have a place to bail if you get a flat tire or break down. Will your timing scheme work if a head wind or slick road slows you down?

To my understanding, you only take the lane if it is impossible for cars to pass, such as in a construction site where the road is heavily partitioned. Vehicular cyclists might want to chime in on this.

If there are no shoulders, then you can't move over to let traffic by (a legal maneuver in most states). That makes it legal to hold up traffic, although I admit I find such situations uncomfortable. Like you, I'd much rather wait for a gap in traffic than have a line of cars behind me.

I don't know what kind of expressway you're talking about-- around here I take "expressway" to mean a freeway, meaning that in almost all cases bicycles are prohibited. Where bicycles are prohibited from using the main road on a bridge, i would just use the sidewalk, glass or no. But then, I take extraordinary measures to prevent flats so it's practical for me to ride over large amounts of glass.

I personally can't visualize the intersection, is there a small diagram/map or more detail you can give? I was confused with the bridge going over the expressway, but then you arriving at an intersection with the expressway.

Flimflam...if it helps:

http://home.comcast.net/~mnkwrobes/Route1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~mnkwrobes/Route2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~mnkwrobes/Route3.jpg

I would probably have just went along my way and let the traffic behind me figure out how to get around me. Drivers are amazingly capable of moving into the oncoming lane even across a solid line if they are being delayed. I would be far out enough to force a partial move out of my lane however; thereby minimizing the chance of a buzz by in close quarters.

That being said, as long as you were not significantly delayed in waiting for the traffic to clear, I think you probably did the right thing. I see no reason to delay traffic unneccesarily and it certainly hurts nobody to do what you did.

One great advantage of riding a bike is the flexibility it offers. It sounds like you embraced that fact completely, making adustments, pausing and manuvering between blocks of traffic. I think it's foolish to be dogmatic about "cyclist's rights", taking the lane etc. When it's the safest thing to do, I take the lane. When it makes sense to pause and let the beasts pass me I do that. A certain amount of agressiveness and predictability are essential in traffic. Arrogance will get you in trouble.

Thank you...
This is my philosophy as well...
Yes...arrogance always gets one in trouble.

Like you, I'd much rather wait for a gap in traffic than have a line of cars behind me.
Or get buzzed, hit, things thrown at me etc. Good...I'm not the only one.

You're part of traffic so you have to make adjustments based on traffic conditions to keep yourself save and moving, even if it means taking the lane and possibly delaying traffic behind you. There was a video floating around w/ bikers riding on a highway and traffic just changing lanes to pass them. Most drivers can change lanes to get around slower moving traffic and the ones that can't will just be delayed a few seconds.

Thank you all for responding. :D

I don't know what kind of expressway you're talking about-- around here I take "expressway" to mean a freeway, meaning that in almost all cases bicycles are prohibited.

I believe he's talking about a bridge over an expressway.

Without knowing your route better, it looks like you're doing the best you can with a difficult situation. One of the toughest things I've found riding in and around Chicago is figuring out how to cross expressways and rivers. You've got both there.

There are some guys on the Chicago lists (Critical Mass, Chicago Bike Fed, Oak Park Cycle Club) who probably ride around there. They might be able to give you some route pointers.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. Taking the lane on busy roads like that seems like it's next to impossible. Personally, I'll ride a few miles out of my way if it means staying away from nastier streets/intersections. It just makes the legs stronger. :)

And I don't know the area specifically, but I know Harlem. It's a BUSY 4 lane that is used as a major throughway in lieu of taking highways. It crosses over a major expressway there (55/Stevenson), so you've got a busy road, entering/exiting traffic, all kinds of stuff to keep drivers from looking out for cyclists. The river prevents many crossing points, so looking at the surrounding map, it's pretty clear that there aren't many good options for NOT using Harlem. That area SO needs a rails-to-trails.

It sounds like at least part of this segment doesn't have a wide outer lane, so you have to take a lane in traffic right? That's too bad, I have a somewhat similar freeway overpass, but I have a wide enough lane that I don't have to take over the lane. But your road is four lanes (at least), right? So you aren't going to hold anybody up much.

Just a general statemetn, do be sure when passing entry/exit lanes that you stay in the through lane (as far to the right as practicable, of course) and don't cross the entry/exit lanes to ride next to the curb. It was hard for me to do that when I started commuting, because there is traffic on both sides, but it's much safer.

What is the speed limit on the highway in question?
Based on your pictures I would ride in the right most lane traveling your direction the entire way across the intersection. You must ofcourse be aware of the lanes merging from your right but there is always atleast one other lane in the direction you are traveling. So I would take a lane by moving at least into the right most tire track of the traffic. This should force the traffic to use the other lane and not try to crowd by you. It does take a lot of guts to do this but it is often the safest way. Moving into traffic from a direction they do not expect is usually more likely to cause an accident unless you exercise great care.
Craig

Wow.
I cross two highways on my way to and from work, the 407 and the 401 here in Toronto, and the two of them put together wouldn't be as tricky as that stretch of road of yours.
I would keep on riding the way that you are for now but work on looking behind you and assessing traffic as you ride instead of stopping. Work on it but don't necessarily give up stopping.
Don't do anything you don't feel comfortable about ( maybe a little uncomfortable is ok ).
Cheers, Dave

When it is narrow 2 lanes, it is 2 lanes going in your direction, so you wont hold anyone up if you take a lane. It is good to use gaps created by traffic lights, to avoid swinging out into the lane immediately in front of cars. A glasses mounted mirror helps you watch for gaps in traffic.

Without knowing your route better, it looks like you're doing the best you can with a difficult situation. One of the toughest things I've found riding in and around Chicago is figuring out how to cross expressways and rivers. You've got both there.

There are some guys on the Chicago lists (Critical Mass, Chicago Bike Fed, Oak Park Cycle Club) who probably ride around there. They might be able to give you some route pointers.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. Taking the lane on busy roads like that seems like it's next to impossible. Personally, I'll ride a few miles out of my way if it means staying away from nastier streets/intersections. It just makes the legs stronger. :)
Here you go madopal!

If this turned out right...this should look pretty cool. Good thing today is a slow "database maintenance and backup" kind of day...and no coding projects or deadlines. YES...I know...I'm a geek...bigtime computer geek...at least I'm getting paid for it.

I created a fictitious starting and ending points for obvious reasons...the little yellow boxes indicate most of the turns, 1 being at the start 40 at the end.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Emnkwrobes/MapImage3.gif

http://home.comcast.net/%7Emnkwrobes/MapImage2.gif

http://home.comcast.net/%7Emnkwrobes/MapImage1.gif

What is W39 like? Just curious. This might be an option on two accounts lower speed, and smaller lane (where you can take it.).

Well in Phoenix the shoulder is not considered the road and your not allowed on freeways, however I use it when I can and it is feesible. Not the freeway of course.

Second taking the lane is dicey. If I feel I can't safely ride to the right I take the lane no questions asked. You do have to watch out for WCLs Wide clearnce lane. I still at night take the lane on them anyways provided I am on a 5 lane road.

Taking the lane is a case by case study.

On the Highway I would ride on the first tire track or the shoulder.
Just my thoughts.