Originally Posted by Ninety5rpm

Great idea.


Probably that the cyclist is some kind of goofball. Why do you ask? Surely you realize no one is advocating any cyclist do this?



I'm lost. Have you watched the CyclingSavvy videos demonstrating control and release? It's not what you describe here, whatever that is.

When a cyclist moves from the control to release position, that's probably the only move any motorist will see. Once in the release position, any motorists back there that can see the cyclist will probably have passed the cyclist before the cyclist moves back to the control position. The whole idea of moving into the release position is to allow all the motorists behind to pass.

The only exception is when the situation changes while the cyclist is in the release position and suddenly passing is about to become no longer safe, and so the cyclist now seeks to move back to control to discourage passing. But even so, by this time enough cars should have passed so that the motorists who can see the cyclist now probably had not seen the cyclist earlier (they were probably too far back to see the cyclist earlier when the cyclist initially moved from control to release).

In my experience, the reasons for taking control of the lane (again) in these situations are obvious enough for the motorists behind to get it. Perhaps there is a parked car ahead that will pinch me out, or the oncoming lane which was clear of traffic and free for passing now has cars approaching in it, etc. In any case, I clearly signal, look back, and wait for them to let me in, and they do. It's not a problem. Then, as soon as it becomes safe for them to pass, I move aside again, and they're often expressive of their appreciation.

I've never encountered all the problems you're envisioning in over 10 years of operating in this manner. I wouldn't do it if it caused problems, obviously.

Originally Posted by StanSeven

Let’s keep this thread on topic, which is about close passes. Anyone is free to start a new thread on other subjects. If the subject is vehicular cycling, there’s a subforum just for that.

Originally Posted by Paul Barnard

I understand the concept of control and release as you have described it. I have employed it without even knowing that's what it was called. I am a little hesitant to use the word "control." I control nothing beyond myself. The best I can hope to do is influence other road users through my actions. So far I have been very successful in influencing motorists to pass me safely.

Originally Posted by Ninety5rpm

If someone is advocating the part in bold, please identify. I missed that. That makes no sense, if the "next car" is close enough to see the cyclist move from release to control. Besides, even if there is a reason to do this, the cyclist will signal, look back, and ensure the driver of the "next car" is yielding. It's very civil and methodical. Not some madcap unpredictable swerving you seem to imagine.

Again, every description of control and release I've read or seen on video describes the cyclist remaining in the release position until all cars have passed. You only move back to control when there are no more cars, or the next car is a long ways back, or there is a safety reason to move left.

Originally Posted by Ninety5rpm

B I N G O

This simple concept seems to be lost by so many.

We're basically talking about two positions within a lane. Cyclist A in position A and cyclist B in position B:
|MMAMMM|
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Now, this is what most people seem to imagine for position A (with Xs representing a vehicle):
|MMAMMM|
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|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|
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and for Position B:

|MMMMMB|
|MMMMMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|

OH MY GOD! CYCLIST A IS ABOUT TO BE RUN OVER!!!

But the reality is that though this is how it looks initially:
|MMAMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|

Once the cyclist in Position A notices the vehicle approaching, he moves aside, as you say, to the identical position in which B was positioned the entire time:

|MMMMMA|
|MMMMMM|
|MMMMMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|
|MXXXMM|

The only difference is that the motorist is much more likely to have noticed Cyclist A, and to be paying more attention, to have slowed down, overtaking with more passing space, probably even having changed lanes, and to be waving, nodding and/or smiling as he drives by. In other words, it's FAR better.

Originally Posted by Ninety5rpm

Moving laterally while moving forward on a bicycle has little significant impact on forward progress. This is demonstrated in bike racing sprints as racers make broad sweeps from one side of the course to the other without ceding ground to those behind. So moving from A to B and from B back to A - which is only a few feet anyway - is not a big deal at all. It's totally workable - I do it all the time. You could do your entire commute constantly weaving between the two positions, not that I'm suggesting that at all. Just saying since that's doable certainly the small fraction of that number of transitions which I am suggesting is doable too.

Originally Posted by StanSeven

Let’s keep this thread on topic, which is about close passes. Anyone is free to start a new thread on other subjects. If the subject is vehicular cycling, there’s a subforum just for that.

Originally Posted by rachel120

So below are your quotes where you say go to the side for a car and then back to center and then the side for the next car.

Originally Posted by Paul Barnard

I understand the concept of control and release as you have described it. I have employed it without even knowing that's what it was called. I am a little hesitant to use the word "control." I control nothing beyond myself. The best I can hope to do is influence other road users through my actions. So far I have been very successful in influencing motorists to pass me safely.

Originally Posted by AlmostTrick

Influence and disengage!