Do you know anyone with excessive fear of from-behind traffic?

[Helmet Head]

Do you know of anyone with an excessive fear of from-behind traffic, such that they will not ride a bicycle on roads with motor traffic, largely if not exclusively due to that fear?

[Portis]

Nope.

[Helmet Head]

yes or no is fine.
I mean, if you don't know of anyone like that, what else could you say about it anyway?

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Do you know of anyone with an excessive fear of from-behind traffic, such that they will not ride a bicycle on roads with motor traffic, largely if not exclusively due to that fear?
No, but I know of one BF poster who has an excessive fear of motor vehicles"drifting" to the right that causes him to ride his bicycle all over the road instead of maintaining a predictable course.

[N_C]

No, but I know of one BF poster who has an excessive fear of motor vehicles"drifting" to the right that causes him to ride his bicycle all over the road instead of maintaining a predictable course.

Who would that be? How would you know? You've ridden with him?

[Helmet Head]

No, but I know of one BF poster who has an excessive fear of motor vehicles"drifting" to the right that causes him to ride his bicycle all over the road instead of maintaining a predictable course.
:eek:

Seriously, the reason I take a centerish position away from the margin space on the road whenever possible (including whenever same direction faster traffic is not present) is much more about being better positioned to deal with potential hazards in front of me (improved sight lines to/from me, larger escape/safety buffer to the right, riding in a more conspicuous lane position, etc.) but I do feel it also helps those behind me to be more likely to notice me up ahead, and be less likely to choose to attend to a distraction, and be distracted, as they are passing me 10 or so seconds later. But that requires me to monitor periodically and regularly to the rear with my mirror, so I know when to pull aside.

(If we had an FAQ where I can explain this once and for all, I wouldn't feel compelled to explain this every time someone brings it up)

[N_C]

:eek:

Seriously, the reason I take a centerish position away from the margin space on the road whenever possible (including whenever same direction faster traffic is not present) is much more about being better positioned to deal with potential hazards in front of me (improved sight lines to/from me, larger escape/safety buffer to the right, riding in a more conspicuous lane position, etc.) but I do feel it also helps those behind me to be more likely to notice me up ahead, and be less likely to choose to attend to a distraction, and be distracted, as they are passing me 10 or so seconds later. But that requires me to monitor periodically and regularly to the rear with my mirror, so I know when to pull aside.

(If we had an FAQ where I can explain this once and for all, I wouldn't feel compelled to explain this every time someone brings it up)

HH, I'm pretty sure he does it to bait you. When you answer to it it gives him satisfaction. What movie was that, that had the line "Don't give the ***** the satisfaction."? He's probably sitting there at his 'puter thinking, "yes, I did it again, baited him & he fell for like every other time!" Take the advice from that line in the movie & don't give him the satisfaction.

Or do you not realize this is happening? If you do, why do you give him the satisfaction? Are you afraid it is the only attention he get's from people? Maybe it is, but what do you care?

[Bekologist]

The only guy with an excessive fear of traffic I've ever heard of IS you, mr. head.

your powerweave is an expression of your fear of traffic. ride predictably, not swervy, brother.

[barba]

No.

If you don't mind the question, what is the point of these polls? Do you use the data collected for any purpose, or is simply a discussion starter (or argument as seems more common on this board)?

[kf5nd]

I have to agree. If you're out there in the lane, you have to stay out there and keep a line like a laser beam and ride like the wind. If you dodge back and forth like a chihuahua it will confuse the hell out of everyone.

You only have to dodge to the right if you're think the guy in back is being inattentive or malicious. Of course you get this detailed information from a Mirror! Not by snapping your head around every 5 seconds until you end up like Linda Blair in The Exorcist (of course... turn and look before you make a move).



your powerweave is an expression of your fear of traffic. ride predictably, not swervy, brother.

[kf5nd]

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/e/e6/200px-Treasuretroll1.JPG

If you don't mind the question, what is the point of these polls?

[slvoid]

This sounds like some kind of prison question.

[bmclaughlin807]

I know lots of people with excessive fears of being struck from behind on a bicycle. Not one of them has ridden a bicycle since they were about 10. They're the same ones that think I'm crazy for riding my bike to work everyday, but ... here I am.

[Nycycle]

I do avoid heavy traffic that is traveling 50 MPH, I find 30 MPH limit areas the drivers are more considerate.
Don't know why.
I do not get to ride every day, my job forces too much overtime.

[donnamb]

My stepdad fears riding on the correct side of the road because he thinks he'll get hit from behind. He's a stubborn guy, nothing will convince him. Doesn't stop him from riding on the road, though, he just rides on the wrong side.

[Helmet Head]

I have to agree. If you're out there in the lane, you have to stay out there and keep a line like a laser beam and ride like the wind. If you dodge back and forth like a chihuahua it will confuse the hell out of everyone.

You only have to dodge to the right if you're think the guy in back is being inattentive or malicious. Of course you get this detailed information from a Mirror! Not by snapping your head around every 5 seconds until you end up like Linda Blair in The Exorcist (of course... turn and look before you make a move). Peter, no one I have ever ridden with has described the way I ride as "dodge back and forth like a chihuahua", or anything close to that. Please do not buy into Bek's mischaracterization of the technique.

Have you read Cyclecraft by John Franklin? Basically, I'm just following his advice, choosing a centerish position for my default position, and only moving aside when safe, reasonable and necessary to let faster traffic pass. The amount of back and forth is much less than you seem to imagine, and is anything but confusing or unpredicatable. To the contrary, it's very "in tune" with traffic around me. It's obvious what I'm doing when I move aside, just as obvious as whenever any driver of a slow moving vehicle moves aside to allow faster traffic to pass. And I don't move back until there is no one behind me, so there is no one to see that, much less be confused by it.

[AlmostTrick]

Seriously, the reason I take a centerish position away from the margin space on the road whenever possible (including whenever same direction faster traffic is not present) is much more about being better positioned to deal with potential hazards in front of me (improved sight lines to/from me, larger escape/safety buffer to the right, riding in a more conspicuous lane position, etc.) but I do feel it also helps those behind me to be more likely to notice me up ahead, and be less likely to choose to attend to a distraction, and be distracted, as they are passing me 10 or so seconds later. But that requires me to monitor periodically and regularly to the rear with my mirror, so I know when to pull aside.

When motorists see you move to the side for them, doesn't this just reinforce the "bikes must get out of the way of cars" notion? Even though I see merit in using a centerish position by default and l will often do so, (depending on conditions) this aspect does slightly trouble me.

[kf5nd]

http://www.chihuahua.hu/kepek/tucsisztar.jpg

Awwwwww.... ain't he cute ?!

Well, I guess I can't argue with moving over to let one car pass you. It's only polite sometimes. Problem is, the guy who is tailgating right behind the person you're in the process of moving over for doesn't know you're there, and you don't know he's there, and you're going to conflict with each other because you haven't negotiated his pass. And then the guy behind him, and the guy behind him. Pretty soon, you've allowed yourself to be made into a chronic curb-hugger. Not good. Which is why I subscribe to staying out there in the lane.


Peter, no one I have ever ridden with has described the way I ride as "dodge back and forth like a chihuahua", or anything close to that. Please do not buy into Bek's mischaracterization of the technique.

[sbhikes]

I voted other.

I know people who have an excessive fear of traffic, but they still do ride in the roads. But they hop on the sidewalk as soon as they get the chance and are very vocal in their fear while riding in the street. They just can't wait to get away from the roads they fear.

I really don't understand such an excessive fear. I mean, sure traffic can be dangerous, but when I've ridden with them the stuff they are afraid of seems pretty benign to me. I sometimes end up leading a small group to ride more VC than they do, to endless heckles about how crazy and determined to die I am (but also to grateful thank yous from those who don't share such fears.)

Yes, that's true. ME. I lead the charge. I'm the VC person in the group of riders I know. I'm not kidding.

Being VC, not having a fear of traffic, and being able to navigate and negotiate traffic with confidence is not mutually exclusive with use of or advocacy for on-street cycling facilities.

[SingingSabre]

:eek:

Seriously, the reason I take a centerish position away from the margin space on the road whenever possible (including whenever same direction faster traffic is not present) is much more about being better positioned to deal with potential hazards in front of me (improved sight lines to/from me, larger escape/safety buffer to the right, riding in a more conspicuous lane position, etc.) but I do feel it also helps those behind me to be more likely to notice me up ahead, and be less likely to choose to attend to a distraction, and be distracted, as they are passing me 10 or so seconds later. But that requires me to monitor periodically and regularly to the rear with my mirror, so I know when to pull aside.

(If we had an FAQ where I can explain this once and for all, I wouldn't feel compelled to explain this every time someone brings it up)

Oh? Explain this:
Of course, the argument to use a more conspicuous position in the main traffic lane to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to inadvertent drift is presented in the OP of this thread.

That's from this gem (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=233044) of a thread.

[Bekologist]

The ONLY cyclist I've EVER heard of the fears of 'inadverdant drift' from, is Mr. Head.

I've NEVER heard of wavering to and fro in front of every car on the road, to prevent 'inadvendent drift'

I've even been hit from behind, by a cabbie, on his cell phone, and don't FEAR "Inadverdent drift" like Mr. Head does.

the Original poster is the most fearful of being hit from behind of any of the vehicular cyclists I've seen posting in Bike Forums.

[sggoodri]

I was walking along a narrow two-lane rural road last year when two teenage cyclists on mountain bikes passed me. One was in the roadway, the other riding behind him on the soft shoulder next to the pavement. The one in back yelled to his friend: "You'd better not ride in the road, or you're going to get hit by a car!" His friend responded by steering off the roadway onto the soft shoulder, where he then lost control and ended up falling in the drainage swale.

There were no cars in sight.

[Bekologist]

I've biffed it hitting a soft shoulder with no cars in sight too. loaded touring bike, stopping for a map check or pee or something. boy, places should improve those shoulders, eh?



did the kid mention 'inadverdant drift' at all, steve? ;) bet he'd never heard of it.

[Helmet Head]

When motorists see you move to the side for them, doesn't this just reinforce the "bikes must get out of the way of cars" notion? Even though I see merit in using a centerish position by default and l will often do so, (depending on conditions) this aspect does slightly trouble me.
I understand the concern, but I think context is important.

I think drivers of slow moving vehicles, including bicyclists, are obligated to move aside for faster same direction traffic when it is safe and reasonable to do so. It's common courtesy, in the same league as yielding right of the way to the person who arrives at the intersection first. I have no problem demonstrating this.

The key is that prior to faster same direction traffic getting close enough to me for me to move aside, I am demonstrating proper assertive/conspicuous lane usage to not only those approaching from behind, but to anyone else who happens to see me. Perhaps someone waiting at a cross street, anyone in oncoming traffic passing me going the other way, etc.

The key difference between cyclists and drivers of other slow moving vehicles, is cyclists have many more opportunities where it is safe and reasonable to move aside, because of our relatively narrow width. But I don't see a problem with a cyclist demonstrating proper driving practices for a driver of a slow moving vehicle.

Finally, my experience with riding this way is almost exclusively positive. When I ride in the center and then move aside, it is very common for drivers to wave, nod and/or smile at me when they pass. I'm viritually never acknowledged at all, much less acknowledged in a positive manner, when I'm simply riding off to the side at the road margin maintaining a straight path where I'm easy to ignore (and therefore easy to overlook).

[Helmet Head]

Well, I guess I can't argue with moving over to let one car pass you. It's only polite sometimes. Problem is, the guy who is tailgating right behind the person you're in the process of moving over for doesn't know you're there, and you don't know he's there, and you're going to conflict with each other because you haven't negotiated his pass. And then the guy behind him, and the guy behind him. Pretty soon, you've allowed yourself to be made into a chronic curb-hugger. Not good. Which is why I subscribe to staying out there in the lane. If the lane is not wide enough to safely share, then, yes, absolutely, I will not move aside!

But I'm talking about a road with either a WOL, or a bike lane. For lack of a better term, I've been using the term "road margin" to refer to the space nearest the curb on such a road, whether that space happens to be demarcated with a bike lane stripe or not.

So on such a road during significantly long gaps in same direction faster traffic, I will normally be in the "default riding position" somewhere between the left and right tire tracks. Then, as faster traffic from behind approaches, whether it's one car or a long line of cars, I will usually wait to see (with my mirror) some acknowledgment from the driver of the lead car that they have noticed me (a slow down, and/or a move left), then I look back over my right shoulder (which let's them know instinctively what I'm about to do), to make sure it's clear (it's just a good habit, as you know), and then merge right into the road margin, where I stay until the whole platoon of cars passes me. If I managed to get the driver of the first car to slow down and/or move left before I moved aside, which I usually do, so much the better, because at least 9 times out of 10 everyone behind follows the lead car, whether they noticed me or not.

But, again, I only use this technique on roads where almost all cyclists would be riding in the road margin (not necessarily hugging the curb, but the standard 3' to the right of motor traffic "Forester speed positioning position") on this road, whether faster same direction traffic was present or not.

[Helmet Head]

Oh? Explain this:


Of course, the argument to use a more conspicuous position in the main traffic lane to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to inadvertent drift is presented in the OP of this thread.

That's from this gem (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=233044) of a thread.
Good one! I forgot about that masterpiece! ;)

The explanation is in FAQ #10 of "that gem".

10. Are you suggesting the primary reason one should move left is to improve conspicuity? - Robert Hurst No. See explanation in Post #66 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=3147643&postcount=66).

[CommuterRun]

Yes, I know several people that are afraid of being hit from behind. That's one reason they are motorists and will remain motorists.

[Bekologist]

wow, a lot of explanation to explain your fear of inadverdant drift, mr head.

[sggoodri]

I've biffed it hitting a soft shoulder with no cars in sight too. loaded touring bike, stopping for a map check or pee or something. boy, places should improve those shoulders, eh?


The existing road has 10'-11' lanes and no paved shoulders. This road is planned to be widened with 14' wide outside lanes. Design is complete; construction will start as soon as the remaining right of way has been purchased.

[Bekologist]

no shoulder, steve? you think it will just be new road and a crumbling fog line...? in fact, i could care less. this thread is not about my touring adventures or about road improvements in Cary. I think i was on a gravel road, no pavement

THIS thread is about cyclists like helmet head and their excessive fears of being hit from behind.

"the fear of inadverdant drift" is mr. heads' baby.

[sbhikes]

Most people I've spoken to who have a fear of from-behind traffic usually mention cell phones. I'm not certain, but they might have less fear of traffic if they believed people were paying attention. But I tend to think they'd have some other issue if cell phones weren't there.

[LittleBigMan]

Do you know of anyone with an excessive fear of from-behind traffic, such that they will not ride a bicycle on roads with motor traffic, largely if not exclusively due to that fear?
Yes, I knew someone who wouldn't ride on roads with motor traffic with speed limits of 35 mph or more. That person was me. But I've gotten over it. :)

Over the years, very many people I've spoken with, when they learned I rode my bike to work "on the regular street, with the cars," looked at me with shock and awe :eek: and said "they would never get out on the road with cars on a bicycle, it's too dangerous out there." Only after years of knowing me have these people mellowed enough to actually say things like, "...that must be great exercise," or, "you must be in great shape." But still, they often end by saying something like, "...but I'd be afraid to do it, myself."

But I do have a problem when it comes to recommending what I do to others, because when I was in my 20's I encouraged a teacher of mine to start a walking program, and she was hit by a car and killed in the process. Even though I know it wasn't my fault, when it comes to recommending to someone else to do what I do, I get a little nervous, even though I'm not afraid, myself.

I'm just telling it the way I've experienced it.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

"the fear of inadverdant drift" is mr. heads' baby.
Tar Baby would be a little more colorful and accurate to describe HH's over the top fear of inadvertent drift and power weave countermeasures with which he is permanently stuck and unable to disentangle himself. It can join its siblings in HH's rhetorical Briar Patch like - the traffic herding powers of a bicyclist's alpha dog attitude or the mind bending tricks unleashed with steely eyed gazes.

[sggoodri]

no shoulder, steve? you think it will just be new road and a crumbling fog line...?


Here is the design for the planned widening of this road. Cary's new standard cross section for arterials includes 14' wide outside through lanes, 2.5' curb/gutter, and sidewalks on both sides. This 35mph street runs through a residential area and a school zone. There isn't much traffic outside of rush hour; I regularly ride it (in its existing form with 2 lanes and no shoulders) with my family including my 3-year-old son in his Burley trailer on the way to downtown Cary.

http://www.townofcary.org/depts/dsdept/engineering/engproj/evansroad/evansroad.jpg

[Helmet Head]

Most people I've spoken to who have a fear of from-behind traffic usually mention cell phones. I'm not certain, but they might have less fear of traffic if they believed people were paying attention. But I tend to think they'd have some other issue if cell phones weren't there.
That's a very astute observation, Diane.

I agree. I think cell phones (and other "modern distractions") have become the icons for traffic phobes.

[Bekologist]

steve-

I DON'T CARE in the context of this thread. repeat: I DON'T CARE about road improvements in Cary in regards the context of this thread.

this thread about cyclists fear from the rear was started by one of the most fearful vehicular cyclists on bike forums.

Mr head has even developed his own semantic terms for his fear of drivers.

[N_C]

HH, do you purposly power weave? If you do, why? Is it to assert your right to the roadway in front of motorists? Do you singnal every time you are going to turn or change lanes or direction? I hope so, you're supposed to you know.

Hate to tell you this but some of them do not care, some probably do not know & others probably think you're an idiot for weaving around in front of them. When you say power weave what comes to kind is a cyclist who swerves all over the road & doesn't hold a straight line or be predictable. If anything that pisses motorists off. No wonder we have so many enemies who do not want us on the roadways. If this is your style of riding I suggest you knock it off & stop making things harder on the rest of us.

If this is not what I think power weaving is & frankly I do not see how it could not be, before you even mentioned it I never heard of it. Is it something you invented

[Bekologist]

I misspoke, N_C.

the "powerweave" is a method employed by some traffic cyclists while dicing and dodging and traffic pacing congested traffic on crowded streets. I powerweave traffic while motorpacing at the same speed of traffic.

mr. heads "inadverdant drift dodging" is his fearful shuffle of distracted drifters. bunk methodology invented by mr head and his fear of traffic.

[Helmet Head]

HH, do you purposly power weave? If you do, why? Is it to assert your right to the roadway in front of motorists? Do you singnal every time you are going to turn or change lanes or direction? I hope so, you're supposed to you know.

Hate to tell you this but some of them do not care, some probably do not know & others probably think you're an idiot for weaving around in front of them. When you say power weave what comes to kind is a cyclist who swerves all over the road & doesn't hold a straight line or be predictable. If anything that pisses motorists off. No wonder we have so many enemies who do not want us on the roadways. If this is your style of riding I suggest you knock it off & stop making things harder on the rest of us.

If this is not what I think power weaving is & frankly I do not see how it could not be, before you even mentioned it I never heard of it. Is it something you invented
No, I do not power weave, nor have I ever used that term to describe how I ride. On some occasions when others have used that term to refer to the way I do ride, I let it slide in order to avoid getting into a semantic argument. But I never meant to imply that I "swerve all over the road & doesn't hold a straight line or be predictable." What I do do is maintain a straight course parallel to the path of the road 99+% of the time, but I do change my lateral position within the lane from time to time, in an orderly and predictable fashion (including looking back over the shoulder on the side to which I'm intending to merge), in response to changing traffic conditions.

Please read Peter's and SS's questions and the answers I gave in this thread. I believe all of your questions are already answered. If you still have any questions after doing that, let me know.

[kf5nd]

Timing matters greatly in this "dynamic lane positioning" question.

If I am compelled to change positions within my lane, I do so only when the cars are way back behind me, like a clump of cars 10 sec behind me that are coming off of a traffic signal. That way, by the time they are close to me, they see me keeping one consistent position. They don't know it's a relatively new position that I just adopted, because they most probably weren't paying attention to me when I was that far away.

But if you shift quickly laterally while a car is right behind you, that's just all kinds of stupid, as far as I'm concerned. In that case I'd have to call it a "stupidweave", not a powerweave. That's like how most 13 year olds on too-small BMX bikes ride.

[chipcom]

but I do feel it also helps those behind me to be more likely to notice me up ahead, and be less likely to choose to attend to a distraction, and be distracted, as they are passing me 10 or so seconds later. But that requires me to monitor periodically and regularly to the rear with my mirror, so I know when to pull aside.

(If we had an FAQ where I can explain this once and for all, I wouldn't feel compelled to explain this every time someone brings it up)

Logic dictates that if you are worried about your visibility and constantly monitor your behind, you are worried about being hit by from-behind traffic. If we extend this using your own logic, you have from-behind traffic phobia. So now I guess I gotta vote yes on this poll, because I obviously know at least one cyclist who has an excessive fear of from-behind traffic - you.

[AlmostTrick]

Riding farther out into the lane when there is no faster same direction traffic feels plenty safe to me. Moving aside when faster traffic does come along has never freaked out a driver in my experience. They see a cyclist riding a straight line somewhere near the center of the road, then the cyclist calmly glides right and continues riding a straight line, allowing them to easily pass. Done properly there is nothing unpredictable or unsafe about it. It does require that you monitor traffic from behind, but not doing this is not an option in my mind no matter where I ride.

I enjoy riding farther out into the road as much as possible for a variety of reasons. Fear of inadvertent drift is barely on the list.

[LittleBigMan]

Riding farther out into the lane when there is no faster same direction traffic feels plenty safe to me. Moving aside when faster traffic does come along has never freaked out a driver in my experience. They see a cyclist riding a straight line somewhere near the center of the road, then the cyclist calmly glides right and continues riding a straight line, allowing them to easily pass. Done properly there is nothing unpredictable or unsafe about it. It does require that you monitor traffic from behind, but not doing this is not an option in my mind no matter where I ride.

I enjoy riding farther out into the road as much as possible for a variety of reasons. Fear of inadvertent drift is barely on the list.
+1

[ghettocruiser]

To the original question, yes, I know several casual cyclists who will not ride on most city streets because of this fear.

And for those that feel this way, I cannot call it an "excessive" fear. I've previously mentioed the study in Toronto some years ago determined "motorist overtaking" to be the most common type of fatal car-bike accident. Anecdotally, I can also mention that the four cyclist fatalities I read about in the GTA in 2006, ALL of them appeared to be "hit from behind" type accidents based on the information available.

I don't feel it to be an excessively risky activity myself compared to driving or walking in high-traffic areas, but it's not my place to judge acceptable risk levels for others.

[joejack951]

But if you shift quickly laterally while a car is right behind you, that's just all kinds of stupid, as far as I'm concerned. In that case I'd have to call it a "stupidweave", not a powerweave. That's like how most 13 year olds on too-small BMX bikes ride.

You can't be serious with this post. When you change lanes while riding your bike, say to make a left turn, do you do it gradually or do you try to make two 90 degree turns to get into the new lane then head straight again? Do you negotiate with any faster moving traffic before changing lanes or do you just merge into the lane and hope they adjust to you?

All that HH's technique involves is a position change to let faster same direction traffic pass without forcing them to change lanes (when appropriate to do so of course). Position changes are made in the same way that one would negotiate left to make a turn, only in this case, the negotiation is that the driver has simply noticed you up ahead and has seen you change positions to move out of his path instead of into his path.

[deputyjones]

I would have to say that as a newcomer to cycling I do struggle with this fear. I believe a good deal of that fear comes from my anecdotal experience in investigating traffic accidents. We have very few VC cyclists here (we have MUP's along just about every roadway that are widely used by cyclists) so this experience is 99% related to car crashes, but in my experience the rear-end crash is by far the most common in dry road conditions.

This gives me at least two reasons for pause when considering being struck from behind:

#1. The obvious, most accidents happen this way

#2. The rear-end accident itself being the end result of two problems: too much speed and not paying enough attention to what is going on on the road.

Both of these can be serious problems for a cyclist. I have found that I rather enjoy riding in the roadway in my small town with all 25 MPH speed limits, and lots of pedestrian traffic that tends to keep motorists "on their toes" more. What I fear is riding in the roadway where I work which is mostly 4 and 5 lane roadways that have 45 and 55 MPH speed limits.

The motorists are different as well. In my small town most of the people I encounter are fellow citizens of the town that take pride in it their little berg, and choose drive more slowly and responsibly. Whereas, where I work is more suburban and spread out with lots of commuters are just driving through to get home somewhere else.

Anyway, I realize since lots of other cyclists are still alive after doing this quite a lot (Chip, Bek, HH, etc.) that my fear is probably somewhat disproportionate to the actual risk, but it exists nonetheless.

So, any advice for the n00b?

[Helmet Head]

Timing matters greatly in this "dynamic lane positioning" question.

If I am compelled to change positions within my lane, I do so only when the cars are way back behind me, like a clump of cars 10 sec behind me that are coming off of a traffic signal. That way, by the time they are close to me, they see me keeping one consistent position. They don't know it's a relatively new position that I just adopted, because they most probably weren't paying attention to me when I was that far away.

But if you shift quickly laterally while a car is right behind you, that's just all kinds of stupid, as far as I'm concerned. In that case I'd have to call it a "stupidweave", not a powerweave. That's like how most 13 year olds on too-small BMX bikes ride.
When someone is riding a motorcycle, hears a siren, glances in his mirror, notices an ambulance with lights flashing quickly approaching from behind, glances over his right shoulder, and shifts quickly laterally while the ambulance is right behind him, do you refer to that as a "stupidweave" too?

When someone is driving a VW microbus relatively slowly up a long grade on a 2 lane rural highway, glances in his mirror, sees someone in a sedan approaching from behind up the hill relatively quickly, signals right, and shifts quickly laterally into the shoulder while the sedan is right behind him, do you refer to that as a "stupidweave" too? If so, how much experience do you have driving slow moving vehicles (other than bicycles)?

[deputyjones]

One more thing about "being noticed":

With all due respect to HH (he IS trying to do a good thing here) regarding making yourself more noticeable:

I honestly don't believe that in the area where I work that this can be accomplished satisfactorily. At night it is better because you can add light which makes you more conspicuous, but during the day it would be almost impossible.

In my experience most drivers are trained to look for what they expect to see and often miss the obvious because it is outside of their expectation, and they have trained themselves over miles upon miles to look no further.

Case in point: I am a Paramedic unit so I drive with my lights and sirens on more often than most cops do. What I have found is that when I am coming down the road with lights and sirens activated at a higher speed than other typical vehicular traffic people will often pull out in front of my often dangerously closely. The reason for that IMHO is that drivers have trained themselves to look only as far down the road as they would need to pull out safely onto any given roadway. Lets say that is 0.1 miles (just using that figure as an example) on a 45 MPH roadway. Well when I am at 0.15 miles away travelling at 60 MPH on that same roadway with lights and sirens activated (blinking like crazy and wailing like a banshee) they fail to see me because they have trained themselves to only look down the road 0.1 miles even though given my speed (and the fact that they should be yielding to me anyway) they would need me to be further away to pull out in front of me safely.

This is just one example, and I can give many more. This one illustrates the point well I think. The result might be different (in regards to cycling) in an area where there are more cyclists as they would become one of those things that people expect to see.

[Helmet Head]

Logic dictates that if you are worried about your visibility and constantly monitor your behind, you are worried about being hit by from-behind traffic.
Not at all, because the reason I monitor to the rear is to know when to pull aside for reasons of social cooperation, not safety.

[Helmet Head]

Riding farther out into the lane when there is no faster same direction traffic feels plenty safe to me. Moving aside when faster traffic does come along has never freaked out a driver in my experience. They see a cyclist riding a straight line somewhere near the center of the road, then the cyclist calmly glides right and continues riding a straight line, allowing them to easily pass. Done properly there is nothing unpredictable or unsafe about it. It does require that you monitor traffic from behind, but not doing this is not an option in my mind no matter where I ride.

I enjoy riding farther out into the road as much as possible for a variety of reasons. Fear of inadvertent drift is barely on the list.
:beer:

These are the words of someone who has experience with the practice that I use and advocate.