Helmet Head

What do you believe should be the default/primary riding position for a cyclist on a road, particularly when there is no same direction traffic that needs to pass, or the rightmost lane is too narrow to be safely shared?

Consider these choices:

The default/primary riding position for a cyclist on a road, particularly when there is no same direction traffic that needs to pass, or the rightmost lane is too narrow to be safely shared, is:

1. As far right as possible, even in the gutter if that's the only space available.
2. As far right as is necessary to stay out of the way of faster traffic when it does show up, even if that means yielding enough space to the left in a narrow lane to invite motorists to squeeze in next to the cyclist.
3. As far right as is necessary to stay out of the way of faster traffic when it does show up, but not if that means yielding enough space to the left in a narrow lane to invite motorists to squeeze in next to the cyclist (in that case, ride further to the left to preclude motorists from squeezing in).
4. In the center of the lane -- somewhere between the left and right tire tracks of cars -- until there is reason to move to the side, and it's safe and reasonable to do so.
5. Other (please specify).

H23

Is this a trick question?

The position to be taken is up to the cyclist. There are multiple "right" and "wrong" answers. Assuming a solo cyclist here.

Here are some situations and my answers in automobile coordinates, presented for your approval:

1) low-traffic two lane black top (ie farm road): center of lane. Move over to right tire track as a courtesy if car comes from behind.

2) Urban road, parked cars on right: just clear of door zone with some margin of safety

3) urban road, minimal shoulder, fast traffic: between center of lane and shoulder depending on many things.

4) neighborhood residential road: center of lane, move to just outside of door zone if motorist is behind, as a courtesy.

5) limited access highway: Its illegal, so what?, I've done it when I had to. Never got in trouble. Ride well into the shoulder.

barenakedbiker

If car drivers can take the whole lane, why shouldn't bicycle drivers do the same? It's only fair.

Roody

I guess my answer is d. I ride in the center so entering traffic can see me, and so I have more space/time to react to "surprise" traffic from driveways and cross streets. When a car comes from behind, I pull over to the right so they can pass me, so long as it is safe. On a busy, multi-lane highway, I will ride to the outside if the lane is wide, or ride in the center of the outside lane (take the lane) if it is narrow. This has worked well for me. I have never had close calls with cars, and I very rarely have cagers get pissed off at me. (Knock on wood.)

markhr

99.999% of the time

noisebeam

c

Al

sbhikes

I don't think it is up to me or any of you to decide where on the road anyone else should be. Decide where you should be and leave everyone else to make their own choices.

Bekologist

lot of variables, but generalizing; in town, right tire line, out on the highways and speedy roads, as close to the line or onto the shoulder if it's in good shape and rideable.

genec

Sort of "d"

I don't like the exact center of the lane as that is where the oil droppings are, and they tend to build up at cross streets. Add a touch of morning dew or misty fog and you have a very slick spot.

So I generally travel in the right tire track, of the right most straight thru lane, unless I expect to make a turn soon.

noisebeam

That sounds a lot like position c, which I voted for.

Al

genec

I don't always "stay out of the way of faster traffic when it does show up." As an example, on my commute there is at least one place where a right turn lane exists, a bike lane and three straight thru travel lanes. I stay in and HOG the right most straight thru travel lane...

I do it with reason... although the motorists might not understand... they tend to be too shortsighted to see across the 6 lanes of the next intersection to understand that the BL and even my right most thru travel lane, cease to exist across the intersection... and the parked cars that also imped on my ability to stay to the right (once across the intersection)... and just before the intersection the BL is so far to the right as to make merging over difficult... especially with a shopping center driveway right there... So I take the right most (soon to disappear) lane at the first opportunity, behind any motor traffic... and HOG it. I then merge over left as I cross the intersection and hold what becomes the right lane... until such time as I pass all the parked cars and the next intersection.

Now this tends to p!ss off drivers that know that the right lane dissapears and they just wanted to be there to jet ahead of the rest of traffic when the light flickers green... F 'em. They are doing it to be race drivers, I am holding the lane to be safe. Vast difference in our reasoning.

So I don't always "stay out of the way of faster traffic, when it does show up."

Da Tinker

Way too many variable factors to generalize here, but I tend to travel in the right hand tire track, or about an arm's length from the curb or paving edge. This is provided that there is not for being further left, such as turning, or preventing a motorist 'squeeze play'.
If you cringe in the gutter, in cowering obediance to the suzeranity of the SUV, you will be crowded, cut off, cussed at, and generally treated as an intruder in domain of the infernal combustion vehicle.
Take your rightful place in traffic, take the lane when necessary, act like you belong there, and drivers will tend to respond in kind.

noisebeam

I definitley don't always either, especially (in fact almost always) around intersections and NOLs where I position myself to prevent unsafe passing. Some of my examples are just like yours, like where lanes end or merges occur, I may ride significant distances in left side of lane.
I guess I read the survey wrong, I thought it meant when just riding along a straight no intersectioned road, where if there is a WOL I'll ride to the right side still well away from curb so drivers can pass me with easily 3ft clearance.

Edit: yep, just re-read the survey, for a NOL I ride about on the right tire track, unless this puts me too close to the curb. some roads are so narrow that the right tire track is 18" from curb, which is 6" from pavement edge, start of concrete gutter, often the curb is blackened from frequent hits by tires. Then I ride in center of lane. But on WOL roads, I ride about 3ft from curb which lets faster cars pass me very safely.

Al