Originally Posted by
Helmet Head
You see, your words imply that one should not be riding 'default centreish' when there is no compelling reason to do so; that one should identify a reason to be centerish before moving there from the margin. And that's the problem, because from the margin your sight lines are shortened or blocked so that sometimes you can't identify the reason to be centerish because you're not centerish.
Don't be daft. Sightlines are designed for the speed of motor vehicles using the road. The only time sightlines are dangerously shortened is when you're travelling at or above the speed limit (or the suggested signposted speed for a particular corner). In those cases, yes I ride centre of the lane, and I don't let anyone pass me.
Originally Posted by
Helmet Head
And once you do identify the compelling reason, if it's not already too late, there are all the delays involved in terms of reacting to the already delayed recognition, making sure it's safe to merge, and finally merging. This is also where the likelihood of being "less engaged" when riding in the margin comes into play, which also adds to the delay.
Waiting for a compelling reason to ride centerish is like waiting for a compelling reason to put on your seatbelt or helmet. By the time you identify the compelling reason, it may be too late.
LOL. You really are a nervous nelly. You don't get any more surprises riding as far right as practicable (riding in the 'margins', whatever that means, is your term, not mine) than you do riding in the centre,
unless you're not paying attention to where you're going, which is possible I guess if you're looking in your mirror all the time for people that might run over you.
The only compelling reason I have experienced for riding in the centre of the lane is if you're riding at the speed limit, or at the ambient speed of traffic, whichever is slower. In heavy traffic where I'm matching speed with it, the only reason I'll ride centre is if I think it'll slow down and I may have to move into the next lane to pass. On country roads, I'll take the 'racing line' over the whole lane on fast decents, and anyone behind me can wait (if they can keep up at all - a bike can corner a lot faster than a car). None of that comes up on you so suddenly that there's no time to react. Otherwise I'll be hovering around the fog line, or in the outer tyre track if it's narrow, and I certainly never change my line for passing vehicles, it is up to them to pass safely. Your assuption that they won't unless you can see for certain that they are is irrational, not pragmatic.