Helmet Head

Redding (pop. 104,295)
San Diego (pop 1,256,951)



Perhaps you're assuming that when faster traffic is present and I'm riding in the shoulder or bike lane or margin of a WOL that I'm not using my technique. But I consider that still using my technique in the 90% estimate. After all, even in those cases, I'm still maintaining rearward situational awareness by monitoring to the rear by glancing in my mirror every few seconds for long enough gaps to warrant moving left.

Helmet Head

Actually, the technique works everywhere 100% of the time because it really boils down to this: if it's safe and reasonable to do so, take a centerish lane position because this improves sight lines to and from you, your conspicuity, improves buffer space, and thus makes you less vulnerable to conflicts ahead of you and approaching from behind.

In order to know whether being centerish is safe and reasonable, you need to maintain situational awareness, including rearward situational awareness, regardless of whether you are riding in the center or the margin, for whatever reason. Experienced mirror use is indispensable for achieving this.

If the presence of faster same direction traffic (fsdt), shortened sight lines due to a blind curve, crest or weather/light conditions, or some other factor makes it unsafe or unreasonable to ride centerish, then ride in the margin (assuming the margin is no less safe or reasonable than riding centerish for some reason, like the lane being too narrow to be safely shared). Of course. But if it is safe and reasonable to do so, take a centerish lane position.

That's it in a nutshell. That's why I would ride centerish in a situation similar to the one depicted in the photo in the OP.

Can anyone cite a reason for objecting to this?

MSPD

Helmet Head: "Actually, the technique works everywhere 100% of the time because it really boils down to this: if it's safe and reasonable to do so, take a centerish lane position because this improves sight lines to and from you, your conspicuity, improves buffer space, and thus makes you less vulnerable to conflicts ahead of you and approaching from behind.

In order to know whether being centerish is safe and reasonable, you need to maintain situational awareness, including rearward situational awareness, regardless of whether you are riding in the center or the margin, for whatever reason. Experienced mirror use is indispensable for achieving this.

If the presence of faster same direction traffic (fsdt), shortened sight lines due to a blind curve, crest or weather/light conditions, or some other factor makes it unsafe or unreasonable to ride centerish, then ride in the margin (assuming the margin is no less safe or reasonable than riding centerish for some reason, like the lane being too narrow to be safely shared). Of course. But if it is safe and reasonable to do so, take a centerish lane position.

That's it in a nutshell. That's why I would ride centerish in a situation similar to the one depicted in the photo in the OP.

Can anyone cite a reason for objecting to this?"



I'll agree to that 100% and forever remain silent if you'll agree to silently allow everyone's definition of "safe and reasonable" to vary from, or even directly oppose your definition.

Deal?

Helmet Head

Only if "safe and reasonable to ride in a centerish lane position" is acknowledged to be almost certainly true any time faster same direction traffic is not present and is not about to be present (within, say, the next 10 seconds). Note that this assumes the rearward situational awareness is good enough, probably due to good sight lines, to be able to determine that.

Deal?

MSPD

Refer to post #186. No conditions. The offer/deal is simple: You either respect those whose opinions differ from yours or you don't. This is an opportunity to prove what kind of person you are.

rajman

In conditions where there are a lot of wide vehicles, particularly those that throw a lot of rocks or debris, like logging trucks - I have ridden in the gravel rather to reduce the impact of chaff on my back and in my eyes. Why is this not an option - or is that what option 1 suggests??

Helmet Head

In #186, you are asking for this from me: agree to silently allow everyone's definition of "safe and reasonable" to vary from, or even directly oppose your definition.

Yet here you're conflating conveying respect for those whose opinions differ with meaning that one is to remain silent even though he disagrees.

One can respectfully disagree without being silent.

I'll agree to respect those whose opinions differ from mine. That's easy - I already do that. I certainly respect you, SSP, Blue Order, Robert and even Bek, Peter F. and ILTB. But I am not going to agree to remain silent when you guys say stuff that I believe is contrary to reason. I will state the reasons I disagree, as I always do. If that doesn't prove what kind of person I am, for better or worse, nothing does.

Helmet Head

That option was overlooked by the OP because he rides 700x23s. Sorry!

LittleBigMan

The lane position I take on roads where I live varies so much with circumstances and time of day that a simple pic when there's no traffic tells me very little, my friend.

I prefer to ride comfortably to the left of the stripe by at least an arm's length. But I have no hard-and-fast rule, I prefer to be flexible.

I see no traffic on that road. No visible speed limit, either. Not enough info.

At the moment that pic was taken, I might hug the center line while screaming at the top of my lungs.

Helmet Head

The distribution among the first 5 choices is almost even. Interesting.

LittleBigMan

That doesn't leave you too many options.

Helmet Head

? Anything paved works for me.

SSP

With respect to his pet theories, HH is a zealot.

If you look through his posting history, you'll see he has posted literally hundreds of posts, and tens of thousands of words explaining it, defending it, refining it, whining that nobody understands it, etc., etc.

As a zealot and a True Believer, he is incapable of stopping.

He will claim to respect the opinions of others, but will continue to post Walls of Words to illustrate how killed and maimed cyclists could have prevented their injuries if only they had been aware of "inattentional blindness" and the HH theory of how to deal with it through proper lane positioning.

LittleBigMan

Yesterday, I was coming home from the store, only two miles from home along a quiet back street paralleling a RR track. One of my favorite pleasant 7 minute jaunts.

But that day, the parallel 4 lane artery (on the other side of the RR track) was blocked due to RR construction at the crossing.

On my favorite route home from the store, there were about 50 cars backed up, not even knowing how to get to their destinations, having been detoured.

My road is so narrow that they hugged the road edge (no stripes with an uneven grass shoulder.) I tried passing on the left (as traffic was backed up for half a mile,) but oncoming traffic made it very difficult (they were also detoured.)

I passed on the right, on the bumpy, grassy shoulder on my MTB.

Beautiful.

Pavement is wonderful, but there's more to cycling than pavement, sometimes.

Helmet Head

Actually, I'm on the verge of adding a cyclocross bike to my stable, though not for those reasons. I've honestly never enountered a need to go "off road" in order to improve my ability to get somewhere. Besides, even on 700x23s I can ride off the pavement if I really have to. Actually, I did once ride on an unpaved road on a recreational ride.

Helmet Head

My goal is to find a way to present it such that no one can reasonably object to it.
It's very difficult to make it comprehensive and yet clear and succinct.

Allister

Thankyou for your concern, but you clearly are making assumptions about my skill level and experience of riding on the road that are simply incorrect.

How much exerience do you think I have on the road? Do you really think you're the only one around here that can make valid decisions on lane position? Get over yourself.

Allister

It does if you're going to have to make a decision regarding your lane position for every single vehicle that passes you, something not required if you're travelling at the same speed as the traffic.

It's exactly that higher speed that requires less rearward attention. Have you ever actually driven a motor vehicle? They're really quite different to bicycles.

Allister

LOL. Good luck with that. Gotta admire your optimism though.

AlmostTrick

Whether you succeed or not, what's next? I'm serious when I ask. Are there any other techniques or theories in the works?

LittleBigMan

That's really ok with me, I support your personal preferences.

All I'm saying is that, even though Helmet Head is a purist in the sense that he wants the road like any other, he should allow himself more options than strict adherence to motorist-like behavior.

If we ride as if we belong, same as motorists, we've won a major battle. This I do, "In your face," so to speak. Let motorists take the initiative to pass me, not me moving over to "help."

But if we forget our versatility as cyclists, we've lost a battle. In fact, my timidity to ride off the designated pavement has given me pause to consider that I might be suffering from the fear of non-conformism to vehicular principles. Yet, as a child, I rode both on and off the road, whatever seemed appropriate, and I never had the slightest inkling that I "didn't belong."

I just rode there on my bike (mostly in the street with cars.)

As cyclists, we should support all the freedoms cycling can offer: on road, off-road, whatever. As long as we don't sell ourselves short.

Universalism?

Bekologist

what makes you think I DON'T use a mirror on rides out of town? I most certainly do, head. I began using one for touring over 20 years ago.

once? get some experience under your belts, head.

I cannot believe you insist you have to slow every overtaking car down or get them to change lane position for you. talk about nervous nellie.....


head, you might think you're preaching some salvation, but you're really just showing your fear of empty, country roads with good sight lines.

sorry, but it's a bit of a stretch. you DO amuse the forum with your fear of near vacant country roads with good sightlines, however.

tallard

What a waste of nature, doubling the difficulty in crossing the road for wildlife, doubling the ugliness.

tallard

Well the entire width of the pavement seems in good condition and flat, so I would ride MOSTLY on the line. I like the line because I like one eye to be roving to nature and the other eye to look to the line to keep me in line.

However, where I'm from, this type of road would be infested with a bunch of hoakies that don't know the rules of the road and cyclist ROW so when nearing intersections on flats, I would look behind me and then align myself somewhere to the left of the line (the right tire track not being visible or anything).

On a tough uphill, I'd probably stay farther right, in case I go into "valseuse" mode and need for pavement.

On a downhill, I will assess rear clearance and then take near center of lane, depending on length of downhill, I will keep an eye out for nearing vehicles and their speed of approach.

tallard

I love those thick lines for exactly that reason. In addition, it gives me an impeccably straight predictable line for motorists to assess me by. To me there is nothing worse than a weaving cyclist!!!! From the motorist's understanding of the cyclist, I think it's generally easier to think: "this cyclist is riding the line" whereas, if not on the line, there is no indication to the motorist if the cyclist is on a on a "slow weave" or "distracted" or "preparing for a turn". And as the poll demonstrates, cyclists (on this forum anyway) seem to choose different locations to ride, but I suspect in the general population, right of the line would be more common.

Still, the line is also good training for heavy traffic to learn to keep within a 4" width, it allows you to safely negotiate motorists at much closer range and still feel confident. Ever watch that episode of Fear Factor where the safety lined cyclists had to make their way between to high buildings on a skinny beam? I'll admit their major challenge was getting enough speed, but still, they all did pretty horribly