Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Yes, a few times here over the last 6½ years. All passes by me on my bike are at least at a 40mph differential, so I never know one pick up truck from another.
Currently most drivers give me at least 7 feet by moving totally into the left lane to pass, a few don't move all the way into the next lane but very, very few give me less than 5 feet. I can't remember any passes closer than 3 feet ever since I started using my raised pole of lights (about 4 years ago).
Being passed on the right in Philadelphia by drivers going straight through, using the right turn only, no parking/ bus stop zones at intersections as a passing lane was a daily occurrence while cycling (or driving) in the rightmost legal lane. In fact it was surprising when any space on the right, legal or not, was not used by some hot rodding driver as a quick passing/acceleration lane to get a car length ahead of other vehicles stopped at an intersection. Lane position of the legal vehicles was immaterial; if there was enough space, some impatient dummy would use it to pass.
People pass on cross hatched areas, center left turn lanes, and left turn lanes all the time - whats wrong with right turn lanes IF you're positioned in the center of the thru lane? I'm not trying to spark a debate, but when there's a thru lane and a right turn lane, I typically ride the line between the lanes to avoid road rage and aforementioned unsafe passes.