View Full Version : I take the entire lane
glomarduck
08-20-04, 11:37 PM
This is my new strategy in a multi lane road such as park or broadway I take up the entire left lane regardless of what speed I'm going and in side street I ride in the middle . This I feel is safer because of the much greatly reduced chance of getting doored(very unpleasant) and of course pissing off motorists. how much space do all of you take up?
So keep it all like and something
Spencer
Wow not only is that asinine that's also illegal. The laws in most areas state that a cyclist id to ride as far right as practicable. Which means riding down the center of the RIGHT hand lane is cool but it damn sure doesn't give you license to cruise the left lane with impunity
LittleBigMan
08-21-04, 12:19 AM
...in a multi lane road such as park or broadway I take up the entire left lane regardless of what speed I'm going and in side street I ride in the middle...how much space do all of you take up?
My strategy varies according to the situation.
I usually take up only as much space on the right of the pavement as I need (of course, if I were in Australia or England, that would be the left of the pavement.) It's true whether I'm riding on the shoulder, or in a bike lane, or in the regular traffic lane. I avoid pavement that's rough, uneven, or littered with trash of any kind (including sand or gravel,) even if it's a marked bike lane. If there are parked cars, I maintain a straight line of travel far enough away from them that I won't have to swerve to avoid an opening door. In general, I ride on the right side of the usable pavement.
But there are times I ride smack in the middle of the lane. I do this when the lane is so narrow that it wouldn't be safe to encourage motorists to even think about sharing the lane with me. This is different from, "taking the lane," which means moving far enough out into the lane that motorists have to cross into the next lane to pass. It's very rare that I take up the entire lane, but there are times that I consider it prudent, and it's legal. Sometimes I do this in lanes other than the rightmost lane, such as on a one-way street.
But to take the entire lane all the time as a basic strategy is not advisable. It's usually best to allow motorists as much room as possible to make an avoidance maneuver around me if they have to (or if they are not paying proper attention.) While the law allows me the entire lane if I need it, I am careful how and when to use that right.
Wow not only is that asinine that's also illegal. The laws in most areas state that a cyclist id to ride as far right as practicable. Which means riding down the center of the RIGHT hand lane is cool but it damn sure doesn't give you license to cruise the left lane with impunity
Most, if not all, states permit you to ride on the left side of the road if it is a one way street. I assume that the streets mentioned are one way, otherwise it would be illegal to occupy the left lane unless you are making a left turn. Riding down the center of a right lane to avoid getting doored or having a car pull out in front of you is perfectly acceptable. Doing something just to be 'pissing off motorists' makes no sense and decreases safety.
Most, if not all, states permit you to ride on the left side of the road if it is a one way street. .This is true, but he did make a blanket statement.
Is there any possible way to give someone advice without insulting either them or their intelligence? If I disagreed with any one you for any reason no matter how right you may think you are, and I used a harsh manner of 'speech' such as some of you have adopted, you would probably take great offense.
:) play nice.
And as far as cruising in the left most lane it is most definatly against the law. One, it is illegal to pass anyone on the right. Two, it is impeding traffic.
Is there any possible way to give someone advice without insulting either them or their intelligence? If I disagreed with any one you for any reason no matter how right you may think you are, and I used a harsh manner of 'speech' such as some of you have adopted, you would probably take great offense.
:) play nice.
And as far as cruising in the left most lane it is most definatly against the law. One, it is illegal to pass anyone on the right. Two, it is impeding traffic.When the original poster's intent is "pissing off motorists" insulting that person's intelligence (or lack there of) is fair game.
Dchiefransom
08-21-04, 09:23 PM
When the original poster's intent is "pissing off motorists" insulting that person's intelligence (or lack there of) is fair game.
I think from his sentence, he believes there is a greatly reduced chance of pissing off motorists. I'm not an English professor, but that's the other way I read it.
nocoins
08-21-04, 10:02 PM
I have to say that I agree with taking the lane. I live in Center City Philadelphia and I have had so many accidents from getting forced into the curb or doored by parked cars. My girlfriend just got dragged by a cab that was trying to squeeze between her and the minivan in the other lane (she was carrying boxes and the cabs back fender hooked onto her, it was a bad situation). I always take the lane when riding through the city streets, give drivers an inch and they will try and squeeze a minivan in there. Of course, I ride faster than traffic usually... unless its some ******* from suburbia who wants to speed through, but I would have to say, taking the lane in this city is the safest way to travel.
Yes, yes, take the lane. Take the RIGHT one not the LEFT one. Unless you're in a right-hand drive country, or making a left turn, or (in some cases) on a one way, and/or avoiding a hazard in the right lane you've got no business in the center of the LEFT lane.
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/bike-vt.htm#sec1234
NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
Section 1234. Riding on roadways, shoulders, bicycle or in-line skates lanes and bicycle or in-line skates paths.
(a) Upon all roadways, any bicycle or in-line skates shall be driven either on a usable bicycle or in-line skates lane or, if a usable bicycle or in-line skates lane has not been provided, near the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or upon a usable right-hand shoulder in such a manner as to prevent undue interference with the flow of traffic except when preparing for a left turn or when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that would make it unsafe to continue along near the right-hand curb or edge. Conditions to be taken into consideration include, but are not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, in-line skates, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or traffic lanes too narrow for a bicycle or person on in-line skates and a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane.
In Florida our version which is legally similar reads
Florida Law Link (http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0316/SEC2065.HTM&Title=-%3E2002-%3ECh0316-%3ESection%202065#0316.2065)
316.2065 Bicycle regulations.--
(5)(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid any condition, including, but not limited to, a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, animal, surface hazard, or substandard-width lane, that makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For the purposes of this subsection, a "substandard-width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.
I have to say that I agree with taking the lane. I live in Center City Philadelphia and I have had so many accidents from getting forced into the curb or doored by parked cars. My girlfriend just got dragged by a cab that was trying to squeeze between her and the minivan in the other lane (she was carrying boxes and the cabs back fender hooked onto her, it was a bad situation). I always take the lane when riding through the city streets, give drivers an inch and they will try and squeeze a minivan in there. Of course, I ride faster than traffic usually... unless its some ******* from suburbia who wants to speed through, but I would have to say, taking the lane in this city is the safest way to travel.
If you can keep up with traffic, you can ride in any lane you wish.
If you can keep up with traffic, you can ride in any lane you wish.
That's it, more or less in a nutshell. When you become, percieved or otherwise, an impediment to traffic, that's when the fun starts.
My basic strategy is get out of the way, stay out of the way.
Yes but he takes the left lane regardless.
I take up the entire left lane regardless of what speed I'm going and in side street I ride in the middle .
Everyone has their own opinion, and their personal prefrence on how they ride.. Let them ride how they'd like.
LittleBigMan
08-22-04, 07:05 PM
Everyone has their own opinion, and their personal prefrence on how they ride.. Let them ride how they'd like.
Anyone who posts on this forum is submitting their opinion publicly. Therefore, their posted opinions are subject to public scrutiny.
And, being on a cycling forum, I would hope we cyclists would try to convince others to ride responsibly.
Through much of downtown Encinitas, Pacific Coast Highway ["Surf Route"] 101 has four 11-foot lanes, a 30mph speed limit, and diagonal parking. Riding far enough to the left to avoid being backed into puts me essentially in the center of the right lane.
Here's the Oregon code. Note that item (d) allows operation on the left side of a one-way street.
Also note that, although this may not be a problem in most areas, double-parking is common on the streets of NYC and as a result many bike lanes are installed on the left side of the street in NYC to avoid conflicts with double-parked vehicles.
ORS 814.430 Improper use of lanes; exceptions. (1) A person commits the offense of improper use of lanes by a bicycle if the person is operating a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic using the roadway at that time and place under the existing conditions and the person does not ride as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway.
(2) A person is not in violation of the offense under this section if the person is not operating a bicycle as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway under any of the following circumstances:
(a) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle that is proceeding in the same direction.
(b) When preparing to execute a left turn.
(c) When reasonably necessary to avoid hazardous conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or other conditions that make continued operation along the right curb or edge unsafe or to avoid unsafe operation in a lane on the roadway that is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side by side. Nothing in this paragraph excuses the operator of a bicycle from the requirements under ORS 811.425 or from the penalties for failure to comply with those requirements.
(d) When operating within a city as near as practicable to the left curb or edge of a roadway that is designated to allow traffic to move in only one direction along the roadway. A bicycle that is operated under this paragraph is subject to the same requirements and exceptions when operating along the left curb or edge as are applicable when a bicycle is operating along the right curb or edge of the roadway.
(e) When operating a bicycle alongside not more than one other bicycle as long as the bicycles are both being operated within a single lane and in a manner that does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
(f) When operating on a bicycle lane or bicycle path.
glomarduck
08-23-04, 03:39 PM
Look guys it's new york and it gets pretty gritty here so you have got to fight to stay afloat and all those rules laid down by the gov are nonsense. All I'm talking about is getting a safe space to ride in and now mind you some drivers get pissed but most don't care. Let me ask how many of you have been doored or have had problems with j walkers, New York is insane and riding in the way left of the left lane is very dangerous all those cars are like ticking time bombs and if I was ridding up state on a local road ( which I do ) I'l take the shoulder because it is the safest space to ride. Like I said before some times the rules in the book are not always the best. We live in the postmodern age ,every thing is not clear cut and simple and I only use logic to guide decisions when I'm on my bike.
glomarduck
08-23-04, 04:03 PM
why the hell would i be on the right side of the road to make a left turn? that just... is sensless.. dangerous even.
can someone post the texas laws? (we need a laws sticky)
Like I said man.........Logic it's all about Logic and, biking is very postmodern and fragmented so again logic is the best tool.
timmhaan
08-23-04, 04:06 PM
Look guys it's new york and it gets pretty gritty here so you have got to fight to stay afloat and all those rules laid down by the gov are nonsense. All I'm talking about is getting a safe space to ride in and now mind you some drivers get pissed but most don't care. Let me ask how many of you have been doored or have had problems with j walkers, New York is insane and riding in the way left of the left lane is very dangerous all those cars are like ticking time bombs and if I was ridding up state on a local road ( which I do ) I'l take the shoulder because it is the safest space to ride. Like I said before some times the rules in the book are not always the best. We live in the postmodern age ,every thing is not clear cut and simple and I only use logic to guide decisions when I'm on my bike.
yep - you just gotta do what you feel is safe in this city. a lot of the drivers don't follow the law either, so even if you have the best intentions you can still get killed.
glomarduck
08-23-04, 04:09 PM
yep - you just gotta do what you feel is safe in this city. a lot of the drivers don't follow the law either, so even if you have the best intentions you can still get killed.
Rock on man!
Look guys it's new york and it gets pretty gritty here so you have got to fight to stay afloat and all those rules laid down by the gov are nonsense. All I'm talking about is getting a safe space to ride in and now mind you some drivers get pissed but most don't care. Let me ask how many of you have been doored or have had problems with j walkers, New York is insane and riding in the way left of the left lane is very dangerous all those cars are like ticking time bombs and if I was ridding up state on a local road ( which I do ) I'l take the shoulder because it is the safest space to ride. Like I said before some times the rules in the book are not always the best. We live in the postmodern age ,every thing is not clear cut and simple and I only use logic to guide decisions when I'm on my bike.
I agree that common sense is the most important thing when it comes to your personal self-preservation while cycling, and riding in the door zone is not a very smart thing to do, regardless of the law. Having said that, however, I must point out that the Oregon code, and probably the code in most other states, provides specific exceptions to the "as far to the right (or left, on a one-way) as practicable" language, allowing you to legally ride somewhere other than in the dooring hazard zone.
In the Oregon code, ORS 814.430(2)(c) is the major exception to the "as far to the right (or left, on a one-way) as practicable" language; it allows you to take the lane in a variety of situations where hazards are present, including the potential of being doored. In addition, the "as far to the right (or left, on a one-way) as practicable" doesn't apply if you are operating at the normal speed of traffic, i.e. you are able to keep up with the motorists on a section of road that has a low speed limit, timed lights or sufficient traffic congestion to keep the traffic moving at a speed you can ride along with. It also applies if the lanes are too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely share a lane. Usually that means less than 12' of lane width to me.
And everyone posting here should take note that it is generally up to the cyclist to make the decision when to take the lane; you make that decision to protect yourself from physical harm - you don't base your judgement on how it might or might not affect the delicate emotions of the motorist behind you. :rolleyes:
"ORS 814.430(2) A person is not in violation of the offense under this section if the person is not operating a bicycle as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway under any of the following circumstances:
(c)When reasonably necessary to avoid hazardous conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or other conditions that make continued operation along the right curb or edge unsafe or to avoid unsafe operation in a lane on the roadway that is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side by side."
PS - in all my years of riding I have had only one serious accident involving a motor vehicle, and it was a dooring incident (which incidently occurred in the NYC suburb of Rockville Center). I have also been doored two other times less seriously. I always make it a point to ride outside the door zone, which usually means taking the lane, as it has become less and less feasible to check for drivers and passengers in parked cars due to the increasing use of tinted and reflective glass in the rear windows of newer cars.
Also, FYI, dooring accidents are also probably significantly under-reported in the official gov't stats, since most probably go unreported...
brokenrobot
08-23-04, 07:26 PM
Transportation Alternatives has a good page on NYC dooring law...
http://www.transalt.org/features/doored.html
-chris
madpogue
08-24-04, 11:14 AM
No need to overinterpret the law. In most states, it uses the same phrase. And note that it's "as practicable", not "as possible". If you're hanging a left, it's "practicable" to use the turn lane. If you don't wanna get doored, it's "practicable" to ride more than a door's width away from the parked cars. If it's hippie Christmas in Madison and the bike lane is strewn with discarded futon frames and barbecue grills, it's "practicable" to use the car lane. All the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (2) of the above Oregon code aren't "exceptions" to the "as practicable" language, they are examples (thus, the "including, but not limited to" language) of its meaning and interpretation.
That word was very carefully chosen when these statutes were first drafted, in effect to leave "practicable" in the eye of the beholder.
can someone post the texas laws? (we need a laws sticky)
http://bicycleaustin.info/laws-tx-bike.html
LittleBigMan
08-24-04, 05:35 PM
Look guys it's new york and it gets pretty gritty here so you have got to fight to stay afloat and all those rules laid down by the gov are nonsense. All I'm talking about is getting a safe space to ride in...
I agree that the law cannot guarantee your safety. You have to have a "feel" for all traffic situations, which comes by experience and predicting what people might be about to do.
Being predictable is the safest thing. The problem with throwing the law out the window is that it makes you unpredictable, which makes you more likely to have a collision.
Stor Mand
08-26-04, 06:02 AM
I lot of time, riding/driving requires one to use a little common sense and courteousy, which sadly, all do not have.
glomarduck
08-26-04, 09:08 AM
I agree that the law cannot guarantee your safety. You have to have a "feel" for all traffic situations, which comes by experience and predicting what people might be about to do.
Being predictable is the safest thing. The problem with throwing the law out the window is that it makes you unpredictable, which makes you more likely to have a collision.
First off have you ever been to New York and second how many drivers have you seen that know exactly what do do when they see bikers. New York is one of the hardest places in the world to bike and try being predictable when the taxies are not (thats exactly how I got doored recently).
Helmet-Head
09-01-04, 04:29 PM
If you got doored, it's your fault for riding in the door zone. There is no way to get doored if you are riding outside of the door zone.
You keep saying "taking the left lane" is the only safe thing to do. I haven't seen a clarification from you with regard to whether you are talking one-way or two-way streets.
By the way, I prefer the phrase "use the full lane" rather than "take the lane", for taking implies it might not be yours to "take". If you are talking about a two-way street, why do you think it is better to use the full left lane rather than the full right lane. You can't get doored using the right lane if you are riding outside of the door zone.
nocoins
09-01-04, 08:24 PM
If you got doored, it's your fault for riding in the door zone. There is no way to get doored if you are riding outside of the door zone.
You keep saying "taking the left lane" is the only safe thing to do. I haven't seen a clarification from you with regard to whether you are talking one-way or two-way streets.
By the way, I prefer the phrase "use the full lane" rather than "take the lane", for taking implies it might not be yours to "take". If you are talking about a two-way street, why do you think it is better to use the full left lane rather than the full right lane. You can't get doored using the right lane if you are riding outside of the door zone.
I guess that is the answer, you dont ride in NYC.... all of NYC is a "door zone" as you put it. Its the same with Philadelphia, if you have cars parked on both sides of the street, in a one lane one way street, where else CAN you ride except either the middle of the lane (which i do) or off to the side and watch every idiot in an SUV try and buzz by you running you into either a parked car or an opening door. Thats why I TAKE THE LANE!
glomarduck
09-01-04, 09:06 PM
Did I say left........ I guess I meant left of the curb (right lane) about six feet past the curb and I guess I forgot to mention I'm dyslexic. ( I actually am if anyone doubts that )
LittleBigMan
09-01-04, 09:22 PM
First off have you ever been to New York and second how many drivers have you seen that know exactly what do do when they see bikers. New York is one of the hardest places in the world to bike and try being predictable when the taxies are not (thats exactly how I got doored recently).
Riding anywhere with cars is a challenge. I just think that riding predictably will help drivers avoid us.
In Atlanta, there are far fewer bikers than in New York.
Did I say left........ I guess I meant left of the curb (right lane) about six feet past the curb and I guess I forgot to mention I'm dyslexic. ( I actually am if anyone doubts that )Now THAT is the explaination I was looking (hoping) for. By all means continue doing that.
Riding anywhere with cars is a challenge. I just think that riding predictably will help drivers avoid us.
In Atlanta, there are far fewer bikers than in New York.
You imply that cyclists are merely 'objects' to be avoided by motorists; therein lies the problem, I think.
And yes, the more cyclists there are on the streets, the better they fare both individually and as a group.
:)
LittleBigMan
09-02-04, 04:26 PM
Riding anywhere with cars is a challenge. I just think that riding predictably will help drivers avoid us.
You imply that cyclists are merely 'objects' to be avoided by motorists; therein lies the problem, I think.
I think you misread my post. Anyone who's followed the main thrust of my posts in this forum knows that I advocate these two things: rights and responsibilities.
CPcyclist
09-02-04, 10:15 PM
That's it, more or less in a nutshell. When you become, percieved or otherwise, an impediment to traffic, that's when the fun starts.
My basic strategy is get out of the way, stay out of the way.
Does doing 25-30mhp in a 25mhp zone count a impeding traffic because here they get me the look as they pass like I'm doing something wrong. LOL motorist
I think you misread my post. Anyone who's followed the main thrust of my posts in this forum knows that I advocate these two things: rights and responsibilities.
I understand perfectly, and I do value and respect your positions and opinions; the "therein lies the problem" part was directed at motorists-at-large, and not at you. My apologies for not being clearer.
:)
Hello
I live in England. Cyclists get verbal abuse here and some drivers think we shouldn't be on the road. I find confident riding about one third of a lane from the roadside is safest. We have a lot of intersections here called roundabouts which are multi lane and circular. Riding round these requires a special strategy, otherwise it can get very nasty. The cyclist needs to be in the lane centre moving at a good speed at each turn off point if he is not going to turn off at that particular place, then move to the left of the lane until the next turn off. This annoys motorists but prevents the cyclist from being driven over.
At lights it is best to stop dead centre of the lane behind the car in front, so nobody will squeeze past - then on green move to the left of the lane and accelerate. (we drive on the left)
Impatient truck drivers trying to get by on narrow roads are the biggest danger because most land here is not open so there is no vision around corners. I was nearly killed just last week by a massive truck that had to suddenly pull right in front of me because of a vehicle coming the other way that he didn't see till the last second.
Cliff
LittleBigMan
09-03-04, 08:58 PM
Hello
I live in England. Cyclists get verbal abuse here and some drivers think we shouldn't be on the road. I find confident riding about one third of a lane from the roadside is safest.
Hello, Cliff. I agree.
Impatient truck drivers trying to get by on narrow roads are the biggest danger because most land here is not open so there is no vision around corners. I was nearly killed just last week by a massive truck that had to suddenly pull right in front of me because of a vehicle coming the other way that he didn't see till the last second.
Cliff
Wow, that's very bad. That was the trucker's fault, totally. Sometimes I think drivers should be required to take not only a driving test, but also a cycling test. Many would scoff, but I think it would give motorists a proper feel for the needs of cyclists on the road with other traffic. (If they are physically handicapped and therefore unable to ride a bike, they could take a written test.)
LittleBigMan
09-03-04, 09:02 PM
I understand perfectly, and I do value and respect your positions and opinions; the "therein lies the problem" part was directed at motorists-at-large, and not at you. My apologies for not being clearer.
:)
Thanks for clarifying that... :)
glomarduck
09-03-04, 09:37 PM
The city should be bike central like in china were everyday is critical mass day and the sticks will probably stick to cars just because of practical reasons. It's just those burbs that are the sticky wicket..............what to do about the burbs.
I read an article recently about how bicyclists in China are having to deal with rapidly increasing numbers of cars and motorcycles in the cities and that the cyclist fatality rate is getting out of hand.
I found a couple links to articles on the situation:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0628_040628_chinacars.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/04/01/china.drivingdanger/
http://www.workingbikes.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=16
I guess China is neither a workers' nor a cyclists' paradise.
LittleBigMan
09-03-04, 10:01 PM
The city should be bike central like in china were everyday is critical mass day and the sticks will probably stick to cars just because of practical reasons. It's just those burbs that are the sticky wicket..............what to do about the burbs.
I remember when China (after the Tiennamen [sp?*] Square incident) allowed "free world" television cameras to take pics. A major intersection at rush hour looked like a twelve-lane bike path. The street was crowded with bikes, like our freeways are crowded with cars. Men and women on the commute.
Now, China's following the U.S. transportation model (at least, they are trying.) More and more people can afford cars and bikes are being banned from many roadways.
We need to keep insisting bikes be allowed (and respected) on roadways.
(I live in the 'burbs. Somehow, I still find a way to beat the car-centric system...)
*since Chinese characters are totally different from English spelling, I'm not sure there is a correct way to spell, "Tiennamen." :D
If you want to get the cars out of your city, even if for starters it's just in a small area for one day, September 22 is Car Free Day all over the world. Participate or organize an event in your city. Portland has organized a street fair during which we're going to reclaim some public space for a day with workshops on how to be car-free, art, music and bike fun.
Portland: http://shifttobikes.org/carfreeday/
Seattle: http://www.thinksmall.org/car-free/
Canada: http://www.carfreeday.ca/
Europe: http://www.22september.org/
Somewhere in the UK: http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/index/news/car-free-day-04.htm
Int'l index: http://www.ecoplan.org/carfreeday/cf_index.htm
History of Car Free Day: http://ecoplan.org/carfreeday/general/origins.htm
LittleBigMan
09-03-04, 10:47 PM
I guess organizing is the key.
(I would probably bike on Sept. 22 anyway--or it might be an off day--but by myself I can't do as much as I could if I joined with all the others...)
One thing the original poster neglected to mention is that roads in New York City are, with very few exceptions, all one-way streets (even the big multi-lane ones). Furthermore, parking is generally allowed on both sides of a one-way street. Considering that all cars parked on the road must at some point have had a driver, but not all cars must have a passenger, your odds of being doored are much greater if you ride on the right side of the road (adjacent to the driver side door of a parked car) than the left side (adjacent ot the passeenger side door).
Helmet-Head
12-13-04, 07:09 PM
I guess that is the answer, you dont ride in NYC.... all of NYC is a "door zone" as you put it.
The "door zone" is the area to the side of a car through which the car's opening door travels. If you ride in the door zone, and the door opens right in front of you - you'll hit it. If your ride outside of the door zone - say 5 feet away from the left side of a car parked on the right side of the street - then you are safe from getting doored.
If you have cars parked on both sides of the street, in a one lane one way street, where else CAN you ride except either the middle of the lane (which i do) or off to the side and watch every idiot in an SUV try and buzz by you running you into either a parked car or an opening door. Thats why I TAKE THE LANE!
How wide, curb-to-curb, is the one lane one way street? And weren't you talking about being forced into the left lane? Regardless, as long as you ride out of the door zone, you should be fine. If the door zone extended all the way to the middle of the street on both sides, the street would be too narrow for any car to fit in it. I cannot believe that any one lane one way street is so narrow that the only place you can ride to avoid door zones is the middle of the street.
Yup. I take the entire lane as well. Most of the time it is either delivery trucks or out-of-city drivers who take offense to this, which I find interesting. I ride fast enough to keep up with traffic most of the time, which can be a bit scary on the right side of the roads I go down... The right side's usually got more potholes and sinkholes which will eat your bike if you're going ~20mph. The heavily wheeled vehicles tear holes in the asphalt every winter, so it is often dangerous.
I usually take the right lane when I'm going down Broadway, south of Union Square. To the north of USP, I have no reservations about being in the left -- Sometimes the doubly parked double parkers clog things up so there's only one lane of traffic moving anyway. Bowery, I'll take the right lane, but will sometimes find myself in the left, because of the nature of traffic.
I'll take the lane on Centre. There's only one usable lane out of two anyway. The cops are all double parked there and on Adams in Bklyn. When the cops are double parking in the bike lane, who should our role models be?
I'm not sure the less urban among us know the madness of riding in our fair city, which is fine. And yeah, sometimes I'll ride slow if some cab was cutting too close or cuts into the bike or bus lane to pass on the right. They'll usually get the idea and back off.
I say take the lane as part of getting to where you need to go in one piece.
rich007
12-14-04, 08:40 AM
Same here,
I'm taking the entire lane (all of them), only move to the left/right (on one way streets) when traffic is lot faster (which rarely happens in Manhattan)...
On the note of cabbies and limo drivers: Those guys constantly piss me off... They are the most unpredictable drivers in the city, double parking, sudden stops, turning around when prohibited... Seriously, if you ever rode a bike in NYC, you know it's all about instincts and less about keeping trafic laws... You have to ride aggressively, by that I mean confidently, otherwise every yellow cab will push you out, or worse run over...
BTW, the worse time to be in the streets in NYC (especially Midtown Manhattan) is the rush hour between 5pm and 7pm, too many people, too many cars and everyone on madness run to get home... The air is full of aggressivity...
barenakedbiker
12-24-04, 12:22 PM
Wow not only is that asinine that's also illegal. The laws in most areas state that a cyclist id to ride as far right as practicable. Which means riding down the center of the RIGHT hand lane is cool but it damn sure doesn't give you license to cruise the left lane with impunity
Riding in the left lane seems crazy. But, it does make a lot of sense. You will have high visibility, the most significanct crash countermeasure.
When a goomba insists on laying on the horn when I am in the right lane, I will check the rear-view mirror, merge into the left lane, and wave the middle finger to allow the goomba to pass in the right lane.
The law, the police, and the criminal (in)justice system favor motorists' convenience over bicyclists' safety. Until they repeal the "ride right" rule, fock the law.
Why should bicyclists be restricted to that portion of the roadway that is as far to the right as "practicable" when motorists are allowed the whole lane? Are bicyclists second class users of the roadway? Do bicyclists endanger motorists encased in one ton of steel and glass? What is "practicable?" 1 feet, 2 feet, 6 feet?
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