Originally Posted by Paul L.
Originally Posted by Helmet Head
If you got yelled at more than once or twice a year then you were not riding how I advocate.
Well lets say, you would say ride to the left of the bike lane, been honked at doing that.
Oh, now it's honked. That's different. I do get honked at a bit more often I get yelled at, which, again, happens only once or twice a year. Honked? Maybe once a month, on average. Sometimes months go by without any honks, sometimes I'll get a couple in the same week.
I would say ride to the left of the bike lane unless you have a good reason to be in the bike lane, like faster traffic approaching from behind. If the person who honked at you for not being in the bike lane was someone behind you, then you were not riding how I advocate, because, in that case, I would be in the bike lane, unless there was a good reason (e.g., pile of glass) to not be in it.
You would say ride in the center of the lane when the lane is narrow, been honked at doing that.
I would say take a centerish position when the lane is narrow, meaning somewhere between the left and right tire tracks, inclusive, exactly where depending on the situation and circumstances. If there is no one behind me I would bias to the left, increasing the length of sight lines to me, and making me more conspicuous. If there was someone faster approaching from behind me, and it was safe and reasonable to do so, I would probably bias towards the right, facilitating their passing of me. All of this is made much easier and almost automatic with judicious use of a rear view mirror.
You would say use the cars left turn lane to turn left (I still do this by the way) have been honked at doing that.
Hmm. Under what circumstances did you get honked at? I don't recall ever being honked at for using a left turn lane. The situation Gene describes, which involved him getting honked at, was approaching a left turn pocket (a short left turn lane not enabled by a signal) still in the leftmost lane. I'm not sure, but I think he might have been further right than he needed to be. Had he been closer to the left side, facilitating reasonable passing on his right, perhaps he wouldn't have been honked at. That's how I position myself every morning in a similar situation.
What exactly do you do that I haven't caught on to to keep the motorists from getting irritated at you when you are out there in their way purposely not riding in the bike lanes, .,..
Is this a trick question? What I DON'T do that you apparently haven't caught on to is ride "out there in their way purposely not riding in the bike lanes".
Maybe you avoid roads with bike lanes to begin with? Please illucidate.
Half of my commute is bike laned. I'm near the edge of the road, in the bike lane if there happens to be one there, only when I need to be (turning right, or letting someone pass, etc.).