Advocacy & Safety - Great Advice on When and Why to 'Take the Lane'

http://garyridesbikes.blogspot.com/2008/08/coexistence-2-bicycles-taking-lane.html

Good advice expect for the "cyclist is allowed" wording in a couple sections.

I wish my local paper would just print this in its entirety. There has been a ridiculous back-and-forth in the letters section - cyclists blaming motorists and vice versa. I doubt if either faction is aware of the others' rights and responsibilities.

It would be nice if, when stuff like this appeared in the paper, they did a little investigative journalism. I'm thinking, go to an intersection in town and count the number of cars and bikes that actually come to a complete stop, keeping track of when they have to due to cross traffic.

Honestly, I can't even recall the last time I saw a car (besides one I was driving) actually come to a stop at a stop sign unless there was cross traffic. I've seen cars run stop signs after barely touching their brakes, going through at speeds that I don't even reach on my bike without a hill or a big tailwind.

I'm sure they'll find cyclists blowing the stop signs, but they'll CERTAINLY find cars too. It'd just be interesting to see what the responses would look like if right in the article it says "we watched an intersection, and only 20% of cyclists came to a full stop. But only 10% of cars came to a full stop.

Bad advice:
"I find it best to to find a good middle ground, being far enough right to not be too annoying to car traffic, potentially still within door range, but enough left that I give my self room for reaction time and to swerve if necessary. Here are some additional tips:"

What good is swerving if there is traffic to your left? And if there isn't then why not ride further left? This method is unreliable and gives a false sense of being in control as those tips to predict doors opening are not fail safe. Why should one increase ones risk just so one it 'not annoying'?

More concerning instruction to motorists:
"Safety Lesson For Motorists: If you see a cyclist trying to get over to make a left, be patient and allow the cyclist some space.[agreed] Keep in mind that cyclists are expected to ride to the far right until it is time to turn, unlike a car which can enter the left lane long before a turn is made in anticipation."

This is a very bad expectation of cyclists vs. motorist. All drivers can merge left in preparation for a left turn and it may be more appropriate and safe to merge sooner when driving a slower vehicle.
A last minute merge is possible when you are traveling at the same speed as other traffic, but when traveling slower one needs the time and space to negotiate gaps and/or get in front of other drivers with sufficient space for them to see you ahead and slow.

This is a very bad expectation of cyclists vs. motorist. All drivers can merge left in preparation for a left turn and it may be more appropriate and safe to merge sooner when driving a slower vehicle.
A last minute merge is possible when you are traveling at the same speed as other traffic, but when traveling slower one needs the time and space to negotiate gaps and/or get in front of other drivers with sufficient space for them to see you ahead and slow.
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It's not a good practice that bicyclists do this, but many (most, probably) will wait too long to cross. The motorist should expect that. That is, this is advice to the motorist not the cyclist.

It's not a good practice that bicyclists do this, but many (most, probably) will wait too long to cross. The motorist should expect that. That is, this is advice to the motorist not the cyclist.
But they way this is phrased with the intended audience being motorists:

"Keep in mind that cyclists are expected to ride to the far right until it is time to turn, unlike a car which can enter the left lane long before a turn is made in anticipation"

To me is telling motorists that cyclist who make last second turns across traffic are doing it right (doing what they are expected to do) and those who 'enter the left lane long before a turn' are doing it wrong 'unlike a car which can'

Sure motorist should look out for last second swervers making turns, but they should also expect cyclists to be merging much sooner - and this method should be respected and accommodated with courtesy as well.

I don't think they're saying that turning left at the last minute is what cyclists should do - I think they're trying to point out that since cyclists are generally expected to be on the right side of the road, they will often merge later than cars do. I get over in the left lane as soon as there is space available but I can see some cyclists being hesitant about spending more time than absolutely necessary out in the open. When I first started biking on the road, I felt very vulnerable whenever I had to make a left hand turn.

More concerning instruction to motorists:
"Safety Lesson For Motorists: If you see a cyclist trying to get over to make a left, be patient and allow the cyclist some space.[agreed] Keep in mind that cyclists are expected to ride to the far right until it is time to turn, unlike a car which can enter the left lane long before a turn is made in anticipation."

This is a very bad expectation of cyclists vs. motorist. All drivers can merge left in preparation for a left turn and it may be more appropriate and safe to merge sooner when driving a slower vehicle.
A last minute merge is possible when you are traveling at the same speed as other traffic, but when traveling slower one needs the time and space to negotiate gaps and/or get in front of other drivers with sufficient space for them to see you ahead and slow.


I agree with you here, when I am coming home from the library traffic permitting I start to move to the left about two blocks from my turn. So far other then one old gal who pulled up on my right side to tell me that I "wasn't allowed in the middle of the road" I haven't had any real negative experiences doing that. If traffic doesn't allow me to move over as soon as I like, I just hook a right, then a U-turn and am usually able to cross the road.

I've even have had several of St. Pete's finest pass me headed in the opposite direction and NONE of them has ever looped back to say anything to me.