Flyboy718

Been riding on the road for a few months now and I did my first Century on Saturday. I ride all sorts of roads in Texas, they generally have really nice wide shoulders on the more heavily traveled roads it seems. But I don't really care for all the noise from the cars constantly passing by I guess its a trade off for the wider shoulder. I really like the FM roads that aren't near as busy. When I do ride on the busy roads and the shoulder narrows to almost nothing and you only have 6" of shoulder beyond the white line I just hug the white line as much as I can and also try to ride in the 6" as cars pass me by. Now that I have some experience on the road I have often thought that maybe its just safer for me to ride in the lane close to the white line and force cars not to pass me? On sunday after my ride we were out riding in the car and we came up on two guys doing this and it just made me think that it looked a lot safer than allowing cars to pass you at 60-70 mph while you hug the white line hoping they don't get too close to you especially when its a string of cars and maybe the next car behind the lead car doesn't see you.

davester

Having ridden in a number of different states and countries (though not Texas), I think that traffic behavior and manners varies significantly from area to area. Thankfully, California just passed the "3 foot" law, which makes it incumbent on drivers to maintain a 3 foot clearance from bike riders. That takes care of about 95% of the vehicles, just leaving the 5% complete #$%#$%^@!s who will try to clip you no matter what the rules say. I've ridden in some states where the drivers act as though bikes are simply invisible and make no attempt to clear you, thinking it more important instead to give a wide berth to that line of pigment running down the middle of the road.

I generally don't hug the white line when the shoulder is super narrow because that means that if I get clipped or close to clipped I will end up in the ditch or weeds (plus I wobble and weave a lot when riding up steep hills). In most states, that white line is simply a lane edge marker…bikes by right can ride within the traffic lane and are not compelled to ride outside of it. Thankfully, traffic lanes in most of the US are vastly wider than those in Europe so there is plenty of room for both cars and bikes in major thoroughfare lanes in much of the country. I also don't think car drivers give you any more clearance if you are riding close to the edge than if you are riding perhaps a foot or so into the lane. Of course, on some roads with lots of oncoming traffic, super narrow lanes and zero shoulder (narrow bridges for example) it is simply unsafe for a car to pass so I ride smack dab in the middle of the lane (beware of road rage when you do this though). Anyway, the best policy in general is to plan your routes to minimize travel on heavily trafficked highways.

mparker326

If you hug the white line, cars will pass you much closer and even squeeze by you when there is oncoming traffic. I ride in the right tire track. It also give me some bailout room.

Personally, I would avoid the road if cars are doing 60 or 70 mph on it. One look down at their incoming text could mean the end of you.

John E

Take the lane to maximize visibility and to reduce the probability of being sideswiped. Whenever the shoulder widens for a good stretch, politely move over to let cars pass, but being defensively assertive is generally safer than cowering in the gutter.

Lascauxcaveman 

I like my roads like I like my women; curvy and broad-shouldered.

In all seriousness, I tend to avoid any road that doesn't give me plenty of shoulder space where the traffic is fast. Just takes one inattentive driver to end my riding days forever

jimmuller 

Good question. There are times when I hug the white line but it depends on the circumstances. A good friend who used to race but doesn't ride so much any more once commented on my riding style and offered this suggestion:

Sometimes drivers just don't see you because they are so focused on the road immediately in front of their car. If you are close to the side of the road you merge into the shoulder detail and they really don't notice. If you asked them a quarter of a mile later "What color was that bike?" they'd answer "What bike?" So you help prevent that by riding in a way that forces them to notice and react. If you need more space to go around an obstacle you take the lane if you can, or brake and wait if you can't take it. Sometimes you just have to ride a bit further into the road and make them go around.

Of course you don't want to be discourteous and perhaps even more important you don't want to be seen as being discourteous. You can do subtle things to send the message that you are trying to be accommodating and that you realize they are there. For example, when I need to take the lane briefly with a car approaching from the rear (far enough away that I can do it safely) I will turn my head quickly to the left as if looking over my shoulder even when I could see the car in my mirror. This tells the driver that I see him, that I realize he is there and I am pulling out with deliberation out of necessity rather than just blindly swerving unexpectedly. When I am reaching the end of the obstacle I start angling the bike back to the shoulder as early and as exaggeratedly as I can to let the driver know I am getting out of the way. I'll wave and smile or mouth "thank you" at drivers whenever I have inconvenienced them or they were being nice. Maybe it doesn't matter but maybe they'll be nicer to the next cyclist they encounter.

lostarchitect 

I make it a point to stay away from fast roads with bad shoulders, whether I'm in the city or the country. I will go miles out of my way for better roads.

RobE30

What he said. One of my favorite routes used to include a 1 mile stretch on a fast narrow 2 lane section with minimal shoulder that terminated with a guardrail. It is terrifying to have an 18 wheeler blow past you at 65mph and you have nowhere to go. I have since altered the route (which has added 9 miles) but 3 of those miles are closed to vehicle traffic d/t a closed bridge that I can still ride across. Moral of the story, if I can avoid high traffic roads, I do.

Oh, watch out for landscape trailers! You think the truck has passed, it hasn't! There's a trailer behind it that sticks out another 2ft!

Ed.

What he said!!!

Flyboy718

I think I will take the lane as suggested...it just makes more sense safety wise than hugging the white line or riding on six inches right side of white line. I will also start to choose lower traffic roads unless there is a wide shoulder on high traffic roads that I can ride. In the back of my mind though I keep thinking about how I should be able to ride wherever I please...but safety is going to trump that.

JohnDThompson 

I try to avoid roads with much traffic. Fortunately, here in Wisconsin the Dairy lobby has ensured that even the most minor roads are paved, so at least we have low-traffic options.

rootboy 

That is safer, in some regards. Until, however, you run into those louts who just can't abide a cyclist riding in "their" car lane, and lean on their horns, curse at you out the window and/or throw stuff at you. Or try to edge you out of their lane by coming very close.
Though that is quite rare, depending on where you live, it's all happened to many of us.

I hardly ride on vehicle roads anymore. Nearly killed here, twice. Half the population of Cape Cod is over 65. And 30 % of the rest are young racers looking at their cell phones instead of the road. And then there are the young, blond women in red cars. The scariest of all. Lots of generalizations and stereotypes, I know. But these have proven to be true, for the most part. IMO.

scozim 

Most of the roads I ride are rural with 50 mph speed limits. Drivers are courteous for the most part. A few of these roads have shoulders but they are about 12 to 18 inches wide. The problem is the county chip seals everything so riding on the shoulder really isn't possible because it's 1) really rough and 2) full of debris. I usually ride in the right side tire track from the cars which tends to be a little smoother. This seems to work well enough and drivers seem to get it. Most riders here do the same thing. Riding on the white line on those few roads with shoulders typically ensures many drivers will not move fully into the other lane to pass.

I have a 5 mile climb I like to do but it's on the interstate with a really nice wide shoulder. Did it this past weekend but the noise was definitely irritating? No problems with the drivers - most moved to the far left lane to pass even though I was on the shoulder.

Bianchigirll 

That 3 foot to pass law only works if people know about it and obey it. They passed a 4 foot to pass law in PA but other than a sign in front of the bike, that isn't visible most of the time, there is no publicizing of it.


I am with the maximize visibility crowd. I try and ride just to the right or left of the fog line (white line) depending on how wide and messy the shoulder is. The bottom line is if a car wants to get around you they are going to get around you if they have to rub against you.



Frankly after spending almost 8 months doing this escort thing I am almost afraid to ride, especially since I don't have insurance. When I was driving the big trucks I was always amazed at how careless drivers were, car, truck, motorcycle and bicycle. Now that I am down at eyelevel and really have to watch every driver out there and anticipate every stupid move people could possibly make it is down right scary. People just cruising along with their phone up to their ear chatting away like they are sitting at home in front of the TV, people head down texting, makeup you name it I have seen people doing it while driving. Not that I don't too but to me driving is primary and everything else even that delicious Boston Crčme is secondary and that will go on the floor in a second if need be.

One of my biggest pet peeves these days is walking and texting! I see lots of people walking, with traffic, earbuds in and head down texting. OH it is amazing more people are not killed on the roads.

davester

I guess we're lucky here in California. The new law has been pretty well publicized, and I believe that it shows up as a question on driver's license renewal exams too. As soon as it was enacted I noticed that most of the cars were giving me extra space. However, like I said, there's that 5% of drivers are scofflaws and jerks that you still need to worry about. The only consolation is that they can be ticketed and if they do in fact hit you they have no legal excuse for why they were so close to you.

RobbieTunes

I ride on the white line, outside it if possible, and hug it if not. I simply assume cars will be there; it's a road, after all.
I really don't care what my legal rights are, they wouldn't fit on the tombstone if some car driver didn't know them.

I simply ride so that cars can get by if they need to.
I also try to convey that I'm giving them as much room as possible.
As a driver, I appreciate that.

Few cyclists ever delay a car for more than a few seconds, but it sure seems like the cars don't like it.
I work often on the edges of an urban/suburban area, and the cyclists there often take the lane, 2x2.
It may be legal, and it may be safer, but it definitely riles up the local drivers. Nothing gained there.

I've been "skimmed" before, and the texting driver is a concern, of course.
It's not like taking the lane will change that. Dead is dead, from the middle of the road or the side.

My biggest fear, and closest calls, have been on 2-lane roads with an on-coming car passing, coming right at me.
The driver is not focused at all on possible cyclists, and likely doesn't even see me/us until he's right on top of us.
The on-coming car, at 70mph, inches from your face, not that's a real wake-up.

curbtender

Some people who drive just can't see. Why do you think there are so many tailgater's? They feel comfort when thing are in focus. I'm always more worried about the second car... and I ride anyway it takes to be safe.

Notgrownup

LED blinkers adorn my bike now and I ride the lane , it makes the cages slow down a bit...they need to see you and if you can make them slow down it adds a lot to the safety factor, hopefully that is.
Yall be safe.

brianinc-ville

This. Actually, the right tire track often isn't enough -- ride right in the center to make it absolutely clear that you're using the whole lane and anybody who wants to pass you needs to move over. Generally, if you make yourself visible and take the lane assertively, people will move over to pass before they even get close to you.

On fast rural roads, my move is usually to take the full lane, but watch closely behind me to make sure that they're moving over or slowing down -- and be ready to swerve for the shoulder if something weird happens.

You should definitely take a Traffic Skills 101 class from the LAB or, even better, a CyclingSavvy course. People have spent a lot of time researching this stuff.