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Side or Center? (video attached)

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Old 05-10-17 | 09:54 AM
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Side or Center? (video attached)

Some sections of the road has a bike lane and some dont. The road itself is classified as a shared lane as indicated by the sharrow but there is also a wide shoulder. Would you rather take the lane or ride on the shoulder?

https://vimeo.com/216858472

The segment in question appears between 01:00 and 02:00 of the video.

Last edited by bowser29; 05-10-17 at 11:32 AM.
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Old 05-10-17 | 10:44 AM
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I only watched about 6 minutes of your video, but I would do it just as you did. Bike lane when available, then as far right as possible when there is no bike lane.
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Old 05-10-17 | 11:16 AM
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Which part? Which road? Your video is long and you're on different roads with many different designs.

The one at the very beginning, though is a tough one. Single lane each way with a raised median is particularly difficult because there's really no good way for a motorist to pass. I personally would avoid such a road as best I could.

If there's a bike lane I'll use it if I determine that it's safe enough to use, otherwise I use the full lane. If there's no bike lane and the lane is too narrow to share (the majority of vehicular travel lanes), then I use the full lane. If there are no lanes, or the outside lane is very wide, then I'll ride farther right but still 4-5 feet from the edge. If there are parked cars then I use the full width of the "effective" lane which is the width from the lane line or center line over to an imaginary line created by potential opening car doors.
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Old 05-10-17 | 11:48 AM
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Looks pretty wide and clean. I'd do what you did even though the sharrows direct you to the middle of the lane. I would probably move center at intersections, though.
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Old 05-10-17 | 03:29 PM
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No need to take up all that road and give motorists more reason to get angry. I would stay to the shoulder when safe/clear.
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Old 05-11-17 | 06:42 AM
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I use a hold-and-release technique. I use a rear view mirror and try to stay abreast of what's going on behind me, on my sides, and in front. Before a car comes close, I like to be in the middle of the lane so the driver sees me. Then as it gets close, if I think I can spare room for them to pass, I'll give it up. If I don't, I keep the lane until I can give them room. I acknowledge their presence by turning my head back, even though, with my mirror, I don't need to do that to see them. A trick I've developed is doing two head turns in rapid succession. I believe this indicates clearly that I definitely know the driver is there.

I think it's possible to care too much about making drivers angry. If I work too hard to prevent that anger, I could endanger myself. The road is for people, not users of one type of vehicle or another. I try to make it clear that if I'm impeding someone, it will be for the shortest time necessary. Sometimes I even signal to a driver behind me that they should wait to pass me, such as when there is a blind turn ahead and the lane is too narrow for both a bike and a car.

If context matters, I ride in New York City and upstate New York. Traffic is dense in the city, and there are lots of bikes. Upstate, roads are very narrow and have little or no shoulder. I turn this into my advantage because I can make it clear when I will and won't share the lane.

I recommend against moving into and out of the lane. It reinforces the idea that you don't really belong in the roadway and that you're a guest who could be dis-invited.

My techniques may sound nervy, and they take practice, but I believe they enhance safety, and that may be counterintuitive.
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Old 05-11-17 | 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by yamsyamsyams
No need to take up all that road and give motorists more reason to get angry. I would stay to the shoulder when safe/clear.
Lots of driveways and side roads along that section with the sharrows, with poor visibility around the corners. Riding at the edge can be especially hazardous in those areas. Consider a motorist pulling out of a driveway, and having to move forward into that shoulder area to see past the walls and hedges along the side of the road. If either the motorist or the cyclist isn't paying attention, a crash is bound to happen.
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Old 05-11-17 | 02:31 PM
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I watched up to 2:00, I would ride AFRAP on all of that, to the right of the white line is easy for most of it, a few areas have bushes that would push me onto the white line or maybe a few inches past it.

But I assume when that shoulder area is wide, it's technically a parking lane? If there are cars, then I would check my six in the helmet mirror before riding out into the traffic lane to go around. Same as sometimes now I encounter a car parked in the bike lane -- usually calling a tow truck, or a maintenance vehicle.
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Old 05-12-17 | 02:44 PM
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I'd stay right, but I have a bright a$$ rear light, so no one has an excuse to not see me. I also have a camera recording and the camera is white (Yi Action Camera) and the LED in blinking, so drivers also know they're being recorded. Also have a camera on my helmet that sticks up and out, so I haven't had a close call in awhile.
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Old 05-12-17 | 02:59 PM
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About 5 minutes in, when you're approaching the intersection with a left-turn-only lane and a right-turn-only lane, you look like you're trying to ride the line between those lanes, maybe even a little to the right of the line (slightly in the right-turn-only lane). Since you're turning left there, I'd take the center of the left-turn-only lane. It's a short span and cars really don't need to be passing you there. If there are cars stopped at the light waiting to turn when you get there, line up behind them.
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Old 05-12-17 | 03:03 PM
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Between 1 and 2 minutes I think it's a matter of what you're comfortable with. There's a bike sharrow in the center of the lane, so the local government is certainly inviting you to be in the center. If you feel comfortable riding to the right, drivers would probably appreciate it. I don't think I'd hug the right side of the road, but I'd ride within a few feet of the edge and maybe even move over a little more to allow a pass if I judged it to be safe.
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Old 05-12-17 | 03:25 PM
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Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate your insights since I'm relatively new to this. Regarding taking the center of the left-turn lane, I need a car to pull to the front to trigger the traffic light change

happy commuting and stay safe
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Old 05-12-17 | 03:46 PM
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Have you tested whether your bike can trigger the light? If you roll the bike over either the left or right edge of the circular sensor, you should be able to trigger it, if not you should be able to call the city and have them recalibrate the sensor.
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