Originally Posted by
paulypro
The OP was riding down the middle of the lane and probably blocking motorists from coming around when he could just as easily been hugging the curb & allowing most to pass safely. For most of the video there were no parked cars along the right -- completely viable cycling space to allow a few cars to pass.
It doesn't appear they devoted a bike lane there, so sorry to say, I think the officer was correct in this instance & handled the situation politely and professionally. Believe me, I am not generally one to stick up for the 'man' but I think posters on this thread are misinformed. I see this is all over the web now & apparently I'm in the minority, but the fact remains the officer was justified at advising the cyclist to keep right.
http://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/2.../sharrows-101/
But the link you cite above directly disagrees with the officer's admonition to stay far to the right and your suggestion that the OP should have been "hugging the curb." From the link that you cited:
"Sharrows have the added benefit of encouraging bicyclists to ride further out in the road where drivers can see them in much the same way they see other cars. A bicycle traveling at 12 feet from the curb is likely to make a car move over to the left lane when they want to pass. When a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and car to share the space, a Sharrow puts a bicyclist in the safest position.
In the spirit of
Hans Monderman, forcing these types of interactions between cars and bicyclists can seem more dangerous while actually making the street a safer place for both. When drivers think their interaction with a bicyclist is dangerous, they will take more care in their actions. It is when a driver thinks their interaction with a bicyclist is safe, or when a driver fails to even consider a bicyclist, that a driver and a bicyclist are at the greatest risk of getting into an accident."
So the link you cited explicitly states that one purpose of the sharrow markings is to encourage cyclists to ride farther out into the lane thereby forcing any drivers that wish to pass to have to move over to their left. That was exactly where the OP was riding and therefore the patrol officer should not have made any objection.