Originally Posted by livedarklions

So, you think stopping, then moving slowly because the car up ahead was moving slowly is a signal that a passenger side door is about to open?!?! Cool story, bro! I think virtually everyone would see that as a vehicle proceeding at the speed of traffic. And if you guys are claiming it's not normal to pass a car in traffic on the right while riding a bike in a city, I contend you're either lying or you don't get out much.


I just had a situation where my back wheel got rubbed by a front bumper at speed because I took the lane with a signal just as I was supposed to (road split, took middle lane, which was the rightward lane of the two going left). I checked and the nearest vehicle was a block behind me when I signalled and took the lane. Driver was obviously not paying attention to the road ahead and continued in that lane well over the speed limit. She could easily have slowed down or changed lanes with the distance between us, but apparently didn't get that was where I was until she was pretty much right behind me. Squealing brakes behind me and I can feel a slight bump and feel friction on my back wheel. Much to my surprise, I just kept rolling forward and actually didn't deviate from my lane in the slightest. The driver, of course, then changed lanes to pass me and swear at me.

Two reasons I tell this story--first is that I was basically riding as you all propose here, which is take the lane and hope the driver behind you is paying attention or even gives a crap. Second, this was an instance where if I had even touched the brake or slowed down, or try to scramble out of that vehicle's path, I likely would have been killed. I was doing better than 20 mph and my speed likely saved my life. A bunch of people who weren't there telling me how they would have handled the situation and asserting that their way would have had a better outcome rings pretty hollow. The reason hindsight is so useless is because your assertions never can get tested because you will never be in that exact same situation.
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