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Old 10-21-09, 10:43 AM
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ItsJustMe
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
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Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)

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Read up on the law as it applies to bikes. Not trying to be condescending, but if you didn't know that, you may not know a few other things that you need to keep yourself safe.

This is as good an intro as I've seen; I think it's well worth a look. I don't personally have much argument with anything they say:

http://www.bike-pgh.org/101/bikecommuting101.pdf

Legally, you're a vehicle and are expected to follow all the same rules as if you were in a car. Also, the law may say something like riding "as far to the right as practicable" - something that many don't realize is that the word "practicable" has a specific meaning, and it does NOT mean that you're required to put yourself in danger to make way for cars.

It's up to YOU to decide where the safest place in the road to be is. If there are storm drains, potholes, loose gravel or sand, glass, debris, roadkill, sticks, whatever, you're not required to ride through them. You're not required to ride so close to parked cars that someone can throw a door open and injure (or even kill) you. You're not required to squeeze to the curb to let someone pass when there's not really room for you and the car to safely pass within the lane.
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