Originally Posted by Helmet Head
If i'm being passed by a steady stream of cars, and one or two get too close obviously because they don't want to move out of the lane at all, then I will merge left until that behavior ceases. The close passes are a cue to me that I need to move left. Once my position requires them to cross that double yellow stripe to pass me, and they're resigned to having to do so, they tend to leave me much more room as they pass.
Note for bike lane supporters, who tend to need these types of clarifications: "merge" does not mean "suddenly swerve". It means looking back, making sure that I can safely move left the 1-4 feet that I feel I need to move, move and then maintain my new position.
Please refrain from making assumptions and snide comments about people based on their political or facilities preferences in this thread. Thank you.
To the rest of your post, first you mention a steady stream of traffic, then you claim you only merge safely. To me a steady stream of traffic means few, if any gaps...so either:
A. You are waiting for a gap to present itself before merging.
B. You are jumping out into oncoming traffic unpredicatably, which is an unsafe practice.
C. You are attempting to modify the behavior of motorists by 'squeezing' them, which is patently unsafe.
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