Originally Posted by noisebeam
Interesting, I find that my morning commute is a 3c/d (average 3-4x speed traffic), my evening a commute ranges from 3c/d (average 3-4x speed traffic) and 2c/d (dense 2-3x speed traffic) with sometimes narrow lanes - in fact the densest 50mph traffic is where there are the narrowest lanes.
I often find it difficult and stressful to deal with negotating with traffic especially with narrow lanes. Maybe I shouldn't be riding in 2c conditions with narrow lanes. For some reason I though that riding in the center of the lane was safe.
Fortunately none of these have on street parking. That is only on the 25-25mph residential streets where traffic is relatively light.
Al
Kifer suggested that short trips on such roads are possible... he also recognized that " A purist might insist that the cyclists continue to use the road anyway..."
How far do you go in those "2c" conditions? Of course you do mention that you find it stressful.
Personally, where parked cars are present, I always take the lane... in that I ride in the right tire track and toward the center. My reasons are two fold... doors suddenly swing open, and sometimes vehicles suddenly swing out.
50MPH with parked cars... that would be tough even for a motorist to handle... how in the world do motorists get into and out of the parking spaces?
Helmet Head does mention such speeds on his commute... and the road is indeed posted at 45MPH... but traffic does not move at that speed. The spacing of the lights does not allow it. Even parking in 35MPH traffic can be a bit hectic. It can be done of course... but it involves spotting the parking space well in advance, using turn signals and slowing such that the motorists behind either stop or go around.
Those same actions on a bike often result in angry responses. Of course... we don't have to "park" that way on bikes, and I usually find that I can quickly change a lane or whatever I need to do quickly... much faster than one can parallel park, thus keeping the "responses" to a minimum.