Originally Posted by
3speed
... That's why they have 55mph speed limits and car lanes. ...
One thing many people don't know, and maybe it's just a WI thing, is that you're actually supposed to honk your horn to let a cyclist know a vehicle is approaching. I suggest that everyone encountering a cyclist in the car lane on a busy road holding up traffic or a narrow higher mph road without safe passing should make sure they lay on the horns for a good long time as they pass to ensure the safety of the cyclist you're approaching.
I don't think it's even a WI thing - there's no such provision in the WI vehicle code in the section on passing bicycles (other documents put out by the DOT do not have the force of law). OTOH, there is an explicit prohibition on unnecessary use of a horn in Section 347.38:
"no person shall at any time use a horn otherwise than as a reasonable warning or make any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound by means of a horn or other warning device." Sounds like you're advocating that people violate the vehicle code.
And where are these roads that have "car lanes?" I've ridden my bike around Madison and don't remember any roads that had lanes designated as car lanes.