Originally Posted by
John C. Ratliff
Helmet Head,
There is a potential flaw in your reasoning here. You are making an argument that auto drivers could use for their "weaving" technique of cutting into lanes. It's basically the same argument. Look at how it reads:
"If the traffic lane is in the place where proper driving behavior would put me, then that is where I ride. If the traffic lane is not designed to be in the place where proper driving behavior would put me, then I drive properly, even if that is outside the drive lane."
At any given time, for the current conditions, "proper driving behavior" may put a driver in one particular lateral position, while it may put him several feet away (laterally) some other time under very different conditions. Under some of those conditions, the "proper driving behavior" may put him in space that happens to be demarcated by the drive lane; at other times it puts him outside of the exact same drive lane.
That's one big inherent problem with drive lanes. They, being static demarcations of supposedly appropriate lateral positioning for drivers, are based on the assumption that proper lateral positioning for drivers are largely determined independent of current conditions. But, actually, the opposite is true: drivers should be adjusting laterally all the time. It is a very dynamic process, based on current conditions (including but not limited to: weather, surface conditions, auto's speed, auto's intended destination, speed, volume and location of other traffic, presence of parked cars and other potential hazards, lighting conditions, etc.).
If you are truly a "vehicular cyclist," wouldn't substituting "auto" and "driver" for "bicycle" and "cyclist" be appropriate? If that's not appropriate for drivers of autos, or motorcycles, why is it appropriate for bicycles?
John
Where is the flaw in reasoning? I don't see what's wrong with your modified version of my words (actually, they're Forester's words + my words).
I don't see how it is "making an argument that auto drivers could use for their 'weaving' technique of cutting into lanes."
Obviously any lateral change (for motorists as well as cyclists) must be preceded with a rearward/blindspot check, appropriate signaling and yielding to any relevant traffic. No "cutting into lanes" because that would be blatantly violating the rules of the road.