question about my route (new commuter)
 

Hey guys. I do believe this is my first post in these forums. I've been reading them a lot lately because of my increased interest in commuting and non-recreational biking in general.

I have a question about my route and my place on the road:

My ride to work takes me down Taylor Road and then north onto Jones Bridge Road taking a right. I've made a couple of test rides on the weekends and I'm still not quite sure where on the road I belong. This mile stretch of Jones Bridge Road is strange in that it is a two lane road but on one side (going north) there parts where the curb is probably more than a lane-and-a-half's distance from the line. This doesn't go on the whole way. Should I be riding on the far curb or should I take advantage of my right to use the road?

On one of my rides, I was riding a bit to the right of the line with the curb probably more than fifteen feet away from me to the right. Because the road was about to taper down into the width of only two lanes, I prepared myself by first looking back to make sure there were no cars and then merging into the lane. However, after I was in the lane with maybe thirty feet left until the road tapered, a land yacht sped past me and the passenger in the car scolded me and yelled about how much road I had.

Mind you, I live in the northern suburbs of metro Atlanta and bike commuting, from what I've seen, is non-existent.

Thanks guys; sorry for the lenghty post.

Hard to say without being there, but it sounds to me like you did the right thing. Many times I'm in a similar situation, in which it could appear to a motorist that I should be further right, but if I waited to the last minute to merge into the lane, I'd lose the chance to merge into a gap.

Like Brian kinda said he does, I look for a gap in traffic to merge into. That's what determines when I merge from the wide spot into the lane.

Yeah, what he said. :)

I'm not sure I understand the details. Whenever I ride in a shoulder or bike lane I use the line, not the curb as my guide. Without a line, I'd still ignore how far away the curb is and use the traffic lanes as my guide. The laws in your state may say you need to be as far to the right as (insert a word stating with P here, but not the word possible). So, if it's safe to be way over by the curb, go for it. But it sounds like you already figured out it's safer to be away from the curb, so you did what's right.

I assumed this was a case where there was a shoulder, but it disappeared up ahead, so a merge into the lane was necessary at some point.

So basically you are riding in a very wide paved shoulder to the right of the fogline?

I might ride there, if, like Brian and richard said, you are careful when merging back into the lane before the shoulder narrows down. Three other considerations:

• Drivers crossing your path from the left or right might not look for vehicles in that area.
• There could be a debris or a crappy surface, requiring you to swing suddenly into the traffic lane.
• There could be pedestrians walking there or cars stopped there, also requiring a quick return to the traffic lane.

So, I might ride there but I would be extra careful.

If there's room to SAFELY share the lane with an auto, then you should ride to the right. If there's not room, then take the lane. It's that simple. If a cager doesn't like it, then **** 'em and the horse they rode in on.

Does "non-recreational biking" mean you can't have fun ? :p

My advise to your question is : Trust your instinct and improvise as you see fit to protect your structural integrity.

Good Luck!

Practicable!

Ahh! =D Thanks for all the replies guys.

(oh and by non-rec I meant single-tracking and stuff which was the only biking I'd done previously)

I think I've got a pretty good idea now as to the wide shoulder. Thanks again everyone

WHOA! i went to taylor road school as well as chattahoochee high school and til early this year lived near by off of jones bridge , small world heh

i've ridden to school a couple times when i missed the bus and my understanding is that going down taylor road is fine b/c it's mostly down hill but on the way up and especially going right towards the publix/abbots bridge, i would just cut through the subdivision silver ridge was it? whatever that first subdivision on the right past the highschool is. it may not be the most direct course but it definitely is less traffic i'd imagine.

well good luck on your commute, that area(jones bridge) definitely is not a fun place to ride as everyone and their mothers are hauling their SUVs in a homicidal tempo. cheers! ^^