Advocacy & Safety - Share the road road signs...

Hello all,

I just got back from a nice long ride and managed to have 4 cars honk at me for "taking the lane". I want to get one of those share the road signs (like my avatar) to hang off the rear seat of my bike as I ride, kind of one of those kids on board triangle signs in cars. Anyone know if someone makes those... or will I have to make it myself? Thanks

Except your sign shows the cyclist riding on the right - not taking the lane.

Maybe you need a sign that shows a cyclist at the head of a long line of cars. :)

Just get a reflective triangle like Amish buggy, maybe write POLICE on it!, maybe a tall orange flag? I think these type of signals tell people that something slow is in the road and they need to wait untill it is safe to go around. Probably won't stop them from honking, though. I think they already know you DON'T want to share the lane with them, which is what I think "share the road" means to most motorists. I never liked the slogan "share the road".

Funny... I just want to maybe have something that tells motorists that we have as much right to the lane as anyone else...

I like the idea of a bicycle in the road between two cars on the road.

I can not believe how many times people honked when they could have just gone around... oh well

Yes, but you had a good ride anyway. Don't let them get to you. Four times is alot but I regularly encounter people like this. I think it would be hard to show with icons the message you want to give. Bike between cars might look like splitting lanes, your avatar might be biker in bike lane or shoulder, hard to tell. Maybe some one else can think of a way to show what you are meaning to convey.

By riding in the middle of the lane you are telling motorists that you have a right to the road. They get the message but they don't like it. Be safe, don't get too confrontational, they do want to run you over but usually won't do it because they know there will be some paper work if they do.

How about a "Honk if you are stupid" sign?

Today a car honked at our group for taking the right turn lane, then zoomed around us and cut in front of us. It made me really mad, but what can you do? I don't think a sign of any kind would make a difference.

Tom

I think they already know you DON'T want to share the lane with them, which is what I think "share the road" means to most motorists. I never liked the slogan "share the road".

I don't feel very comfortable when I see the "Share the Road" sign either for the following reasons.

1. Fast Roads --- When I see those signs, it usualy because the traffic is going fast. Too fast. These tend to be roads you don't want to ride in unless absolutely necessary.

2. Blind turns --- I see "Share the road" signs on roads that have blind turns with fast traffic. Again. You don't want to be on those roads and should really look at an alternate route.

3. Cyclists was killed ---- I found out the other day that Transportation Alternatives had put a "Share the Road" sign on a stretch of road where a cyclist was killed. This in my opinion is bad karma

4. It doesn't slow down traffic ---- I've biked on these "Share the Road" routes and it does nothing to slow down aggressive driving. In my opinion, this sign is a dead giveaway that the motorist will NOT share the road and you ride at your own risk.

How about a "Honk if you are stupid" sign?

Today a car honked at our group for taking the right turn lane, then zoomed around us and cut in front of us. It made me really mad, but what can you do? I don't think a sign of any kind would make a difference.

Tom

I like it a lot, I knew bikeforums could come up with a good sign! I bet there are other good ideas out there!

Hello all,

I just got back from a nice long ride and managed to have 4 cars honk at me for "taking the lane". I want to get one of those share the road signs (like my avatar) to hang off the rear seat of my bike as I ride, kind of one of those kids on board triangle signs in cars. Anyone know if someone makes those... or will I have to make it myself? Thanks

Try: BACK OFF, DPISIHT!

How long did you "take the lane" for? I only take the lane when necessary or if the road has no cars coming. When I do see a car I move to the right and they seem to appreciate that. My husband and I have been yelled at on our tandem for stopping at a stop light in the middle of the lane (we were being nice and letting people who wanted to turn right be able to do that). The woman yelled "your not a car!" at us. For the most part people are pretty goods about giving me room. There will always be the jerk out there trying to run you off the road but you just have to ignore them (which is very hard sometimes) and think of all the nice people out there.

Hell, I have people honk when I stop at a red light in a car.

I got honked at yelled at yesterday for taking the lane. There was a very short stretch of road where there is no shoulder, it also happens to be part of a major connection between two main roads. So I am riding up this section, maybe 1/4 of a mile at most that I have no shoulder, when a car pulls up to me and we have the following exchange:
Driver: "Get off the road &*#&head and use the sidewalk."
Me: "No thanks I like the road better."
Driver: "Your an &*^hole, use the sidewalk"
Me: "I'll ride whereever the ^&*@ I want, Happy New Year"
He then gave me the finger and drove off, it was a young kid maybe 18 hanging out of the side of his friends car. The funny thing is he was mad because traffic slowed behind me because I was in the lane yet he was slowing down and blocking traffic to yell at me.

Don't really have an answer to your question, but I'm curious about your avatar. Is that sign from San Timoteo Canyon Road?

I'm in nearby Redlands, that's the only place around here I've seen one of those signs.

-Trevor

I pulled it off the net and heavily modified it... Not any particular sign.

If there is one lane on a side and I can ride in the bike lane than I will do that so cars do not have to avoid me. If there is two lanes than I will most likely take the lane. People will just have to wait and go around if there is a car next to them. If traffic is heavy then I will do my best to accomidate cars. It is the people in the cars that cause the problems most of the time in my case. I have all right to ride in a lane if there is two lanes... now if the road is very wide then I will not.

At intersections I will usually allow the cars to have the lane and wait to their right unless it is a group ride. I always lets cars go on the right when practical. I just want to get along with cars. It is the a$$hole that can not wait and honks that piss me off...

We were talking about this after out group ride today and coming up will all kinds of unreal sugestions to the problem... of course the real solution is to just share the road.

Hello all,

I just got back from a nice long ride and managed to have 4 cars honk at me for "taking the lane". I want to get one of those share the road signs (like my avatar) to hang off the rear seat of my bike as I ride, kind of one of those kids on board triangle signs in cars. Anyone know if someone makes those... or will I have to make it myself? Thanks

BCM ( Bicycle Coalition of Maine) makes a big sticker that you could stick on a piece of plastic. It isn't your avatar, but it is yellow and it says, "Share the road", with a picture of a bike. It is roughly 4"x6". I have one on my own vehicle. The link will get you there and then go to their store section. They have a wide variety of bike stickers for a buck or less.


Bicycle Coalition of Maine (http://www.bikemaine.org)

Santa Monica (California) installed 158 "Share The Road" signs not too long ago. A nice effort towards promoting bike safety.

Los Angeles has a non profit group trying to get cities to install Share The Road signs.
http://www.lasharetheroad.com

This pic is not from Santa Monica, but this is what the sign looks like:
http://www.lasharetheroad.com/photos/photo10thumb.jpg