Originally Posted by
dizon510
I was riding close to the curb/parked cars because I had read @
http://www.bikelink.com/law_safety.htm that this was the policy in California.
"Duty of Bicycle Operator: Operation On Roadway. VC 21202
a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
- When overtaking and passing another bicycle or motor vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
- When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
- When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane."
The last section seems to imply that it is fine for vehicles to pass you in the same lane, rather than have to switch lanes to pass.
Has anyone ever been pulled over in California, especially Southern California, for riding in the middle of the lane (closest to the curb)? The major street I was referring to initially was Wilshire Blvd from Westwood to Santa Monica. I'm pretty sure I would piss off quite a few drivers if I occupied the entire rightmost lane.
What we have been discussing here falls solidly under the "reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge." Riding in the door zone is unsafe. The list of example conditions in that statute is not all-inclusive, and failing to maintain a straight, predictable path so the rest of traffic knows where you are is also unsafe.
I also wonder if there is any such thing as a "standard width lane" according to that. Let's do the math: the average car is six feet wide but SUV's boost that to 6' 6" or more. I don't think as a cyclist, you should reasonably expect a car to safely ride any closer to the left edge of its lane than 18". A bike needs five feet at a bare minimum to allow for minor swerving to avoid glass or other road debris, besides, any less than that and traffic is closer than 18" from your handlebars. So adding that all up it's 1.5 + 6.5 + 5 equals 13 feet, and I consider all of those measurements on the conservative side. A little quick googling tells me that highway lanes are built to a standard 12 feet width, but streets in many cities have 11 or even 10 foot wide lanes.
Now consider your situation on an 11-foot wide urban lane. A reasonable person should assume the car coming behind him/her is 6.5 feet wide, and can safely ride no closer to the edge of the lane than 18". That leaves three feet of lane for you. Assuming your handlebars are two feet wide, now there's only six inches of clearance on either side. And that's very, very unsafe.