taking the lane a driver told to move to the right
 

I've been commuting in Oklahoma City for 7 months now, and I've been riding just right of center in the lane on our 4 lane streets. On our 2 lane streets I ride close to the right of the lane to let cars by becasue I'm not trying to prove anything, and also those lanes tend to be big enough for a car and a bike. But on the 4 lane roads, especially those with a turn lane in the middle I always take the lane because of dirt and debris, sewer drains with metal grates as wider than my tires, and of course curbs, which terrify me the most.

I've had plenty of people in cars honk etc...but today was different.

So as always I was to the right of the center of my lane; in the right rut where a car tire would be. and behind me there's someone close, then they're to my left in the left lane, and while moving the driver tells me "You need to ride as close as possible to the right as you can. I'm a cyclist. I know.", and he drives on...

He indeed was wearing one of those tight cycling shirts with advertisments etc on it... ...but I have to say I completely disagree with him. I've ridden as far as I can and it's so much more dangerous for the reasons mentioned above, but most of all, when you're riding far to the right people in cars seem to become much more adventurous and feel like as in a video game they can zoom by me without changing the lane etc... I think that cyclist or not, he was just angry that I was in his way.

So in this city of no bike lanes and very little awareness of bicycling as commuting...what do you think? I mean I'm already pretty sure I'm going to stay riding where I do, but maybe it's more dangerous than I thought? Perhaps a car's going to smash me from behind and it's worth risking pedal strike on the curb, flipping forward when my tire goes in the gutter drain grate, and always riding over glass, pebbles and sand?

still I'm not dejected. I love riding my bike around this hellish city. I'll just take the lane as always and come what may.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Too many times I've let stupid comments from motorists ruin perfectly good outings. Not anymore.

If you weren't breaking the law then you have nothing to worry about. Has a cop ever pulled you over for riding where you do?

He was wearing a cycling shirt in his car??? Maybe he was on his way to a race?

The problem with his analysis is that it is usually phrased "as close to the right as practicable", not "possible". That gives you more room for interperation based on the situation. I interpret it to mean "as close as is safe", which could well mean your riding position. I don't know your road, but from what you've described, I'd say you were within your rights. But check your state bicycle statutes so that you know exactly what it says. Try Googling "Oklahoma bicycle statutes" or related.

Maybe he honestly thinks that as close to the right as possible is correct, and he tries to do it (not realizing he doesn't have to), then he sees you and gets all self-righteous that he works so hard to do it "right" (he thinks) even though it's a hassle with all those cars passing him too close and everything (maybe the reason he's driving instead of biking on that road), and here's this other guy giving cycling a bad name by doing it "wrong" (he thinks).

Once, riding just as you were, I got the bird from a guy wearing a Livestrong bracelet and a bike on top of his car. I just ignore 'em and figure they were raised with poor manners.

If they are sincere and want to have a discussion about safe riding then I know the laws, I know what keeps me safe everyday, and I'll be happy to chat.

keep on like you're doing.

"I'm a cyclist, I know"
Lah Tee Frickin Da. YOU'RE a commuter and YOU know what's practicable for that road.

Let him worry about what's safe for him. You know what is safe for you.

That's right, the law doesn't say "as clost to the right as possible" as he probably knew; I got the feeling he was giving me advice...there seems to be a feeling out there by some cyclists and most drivers that we bicyclists should always be concerned with trying to stay out of the way of cars, let them pass etc... But I know the law and have a copy of it with me at all times if someone wants to get serious with me while I'm following it on OUR city streets... "stay as close to the right as practicable". I see many "cyclists" such as this guy riding around the lake etc..but it's so rare to see high dollar cyclists commuting on bikes in this city. And of course nothing against those who don't want to ride on these streets... ...just lay off the free advice. I've given it plenty of thought, trust me. and I follow all of the laws, signalling, stopping at lights and stop signs etc...

Strange how this "cyclist" assumes that I'm somehow NOT a cyclist and could benefit from his experiencial wisdom evident just by ...his...shirt...... ...I haven't spent hundreds of dollars on a Lance Armstrong costume no.... but I'm out there every day in normal clothes, working to get more people aware that cycling is totally possible and a great thing to do to get around even in Oklahoma City. There're 3 people at my work who have talked about biking to work too, and one actually has so far. I work in a grocery store too, not exactly a high minded liberal environment. So that's cool... The positive benefits always outweigh the goofballs who hate us. anyway thanks a lot for all the responses!

I tend to ride exactly where you described. Where the passenger tire in a car would ride. I find that if I'm any closer to the curb, cars will buzz by me. Any closer to the curb, a driver might not notice you either. By being directly in their line of sight, I feel safer.

Ususally if I get buzzed, I move further away from the curb. That way the driver doesn't have the option, but has to move fully into the other lane.

Buying a bicycle does not make him instantly the knower of all things bicycle.

Lane positioning is an argument with no end, and possibly no right answer. It can change depending on the road, conditions, and situation. You're almost certainly more right than he is.

He didn't hit you, so you're right.

+1

I had an issue with a motorist taking exception to me doing this exact same thing this morning.
Reported him to the Colorado State Patrol for harrasing me. :p
This street is low traffic with 2 to 3 lanes each direction. Somehow being in the right lane just pissed this driver off. Due to being buzzed by drivers that have 2 or 3 other lanes to use, I now ride dead center in the right lane.
Hopefully, the CSP reeducates him.

I'm only concerned that certain common, everyday obstacles 'terrify' you when you venture out into traffic. You need to be able to ride competently and confidently near debris, grates, gutters and even curbs. You've already sighted the lack of drver awareness. (Unfortunately, this is a problem in the great majority of U.S. cities.) And sooner or later one of these motorists is going to force you towards the side, or even off the road, and without even the uninformed verbal advice the aforementioned cyclist/motorist took the time to offer. So you should be practiced in riding through the tough stuff. It might save your life. Better to run over some debris or bunny hop a grate or pothole than get hit by a brain dead cager.

Although I take the lane when necessary, usually I try to ride as far to the right as practical and let traffic have it's way when lane width allows it. And I run 38cc wide, semi-knoby comfort tires for when I find myself running less than ideal pavement.

DanO

I hadn't really thought of it, but you're right. His telling you he's a cyclist is all but saying out loud that you are obviously not. What a jerk!

I'm totally with you. The only "cycling" clothes I own are a flourescent yellow windbreaker for visibility, Gore-Tex pants and clear plastic shell in case of cold precipitation, and one polyester cycling jersey that was given to me for a project I helped to lead, which I've only worn a few times. (It's not very warm here in Maine yet!) Otherwise I'm all "plainclothes", even normal sneakers or boots.

I think it makes some sense that lower-paid grocery store workers (sorry if stereotyping) are more likely to try bike commuting than, say, higher-paid white collar workers. I know that most of the people in my office live quite a ways away, and are not likely to consider biking due to the distance and a better financial ability to withstand higher gas prices.

I ride the way you do, and I agree. If you feel threatened in any way for driving too close to the curb, I do not think you are reaking any law if you think you'll be safer(by avoiding debris and car doors, preventing cars from buzzing you, etc), I think you're not doing anything wrong at all.

You shouldnt be holding up traffic.
If riding to the right is that big of a deal and dangerous to you
choose another route. For every person that yelled at you
for holding them up there are 30 others thinking the same thing.
Those people have jobs and places to go too.....why do you think
your reason for holding them up is more important than their reason
for being upset. Its sad the biggest obsticle for us, car-bike animosity,
is one largely created by us.

The OP did not say if he\she was holding up traffic or not.
Unless I am missing something....
As for me, my issue was on a street where I was doing this with plenty of room and other lanes for the motorists to pass me in. I don't take lanes on busy streets unless I have one heck of a good reason. As in construction, wrecks, etc
Take lanes, don't take lanes, capitulate to motorists, don't capitulate to motorist, etc
It's all so dang opinionated. Only the OP or someone else in his\her situation would know what is right to do in that particular instance. Passing judgment via a message board is not very accurate in some instances.

^^^ I know these threads bring out the worst in everybody...
And you are correct about message board opinions....He
does ask "what do you think ?" towards the end of the post though....
I never knew that internet people where so opinionated :D

Well, at least the entire net is not like A/S :p
I think I would toss my computer in the trash if it were.

Over time, my philosophy on "riding to the right" has evolved. I used to hug the curb, and was pretty stressed by it. I now allow myself no less than 18" from the curb, and up to 3' if there are too many hazards and the lane is wide enough. Cars deal with me as they need to, but I either take the lane or move over, no in between.

Sure, I could ride through most of the hazards, but in the event that I need to dodge a well placed alternator or exahaust system, I prefer to snap to the right, where I know there are no 3000lbs cars.

I also started taking the lane (far left) at lights. This works for both cars and me, as it allows right turns on red for them, and no right hooks for me on green.

I have been commuting for several years, and am aware of the conventional biker wisdom to "claim the lane". On faster streets where the traffic is cruising at 35 mph or better I think "claiming the lane" is a recipe for trouble, because it totally blocks the lane. This does two things. It pisses off the drivers who are blocked, and it creates a situation where you are relying on the driver to see you in time to slow down sufficiently after realizing that you have "claimed the lane".

I survived one very close call on this that was witnessed by a friend. On that occasion I had claimed a third lane, for Pete's sake, on a six-lane road, that usually was occupied by buses. That should have been safe, right? A driver in the second lane decided to pass a car on the right, by veering into the third lane where I was, and he barely got onto his brakes in time.

I realize there are no magic answers here, but I feel that the better course is to ride as far to the right as is practical. Typically that is about three or four feet out from the curb. On a normal street that still leaves a clear lane for a car to get through, and everybody is happy.

I don't do this, however, if the lane is narrow, so that a car really couldn't get through. In that case I don't want to create the false illusion that there is room for both me and the car, so I go ahead and claim the lane. HOWEVER....I don't think a road that requires claiming a lane like that should be a normal part of an everyday commuting route, because it is asking to be rear-ended.

well..
 

Well, an important point is that I'm a PART of traffic, so it's not at all a matter of holding it up. I certainly don't say that cars should stop "going too fast" and threatening slower traffic... And to clear something else up, I'm not terrified of riding over debris etc... the idea that I should be made to always ride in that 18 inch wide gutter terrified me at the beginning of my commuting career... We all share a responsibility to one another on the road; cyclists and motorists can certainly live together without harming one another. My wife is French and I've gotten a couple chances go go to France and other European countries. The streets in France are much worse than they are here in OKC, 2 lanes, winding around etc... but the cyclists and the motorists seemed to coexist much better than they do here. My wife is quite shocked at the treatment we cyclists recieve daily. So, I think it's a bit unfair to place the blame for short tempered drivers on us cyclists.

I ride over the right in the right hand lane unless I have an opening and I need to turn left. The only problems I've ever had are people thinking I'm spastic or something and refusing to go around me unless they can give me a berth of more than a car-width. That bothers me the same way someone incessantly calling me "sir" when it's not appropriate, does. You know, you're just a regular shmoe and you're at regular place, like a store or restaurant, and it's a not a "sir" kind of place, but the person calls you sir at the beginning and end of every sentence like they're doing it because you just have to be called sir... no? just me?

Anyway, the driver is slowing everyone down, it's their fault they're holding things up, but they're putting it on me as if they have to give me 8 feet of room. I don't like that because I don't like for there to be any reason for people to get pissed that I'm on the road. Some people are just jerks and will get pissed no matter what, but for the most part if the worst that happens is people have to slow down a little and swerve a little, they don't get bent out of shape which means maybe they don't drive angry. That's why I stick to the right.

The only time I slow things down is when the road is too narrow for 2 cars and myself, but when that's the case I get to the light or stopsign just as quickly as a driver would anyway.

First, it wasn't me in the car. I do however find myself riding as he describes. I'll take a lane if I absolutely have to but I hate it. I've been in about ten accidents while driving. All but one were rear enders. In one of these I was stopped on the front row of a red light on one of the four lane with center turn lane roads the OP talked about. A car hit the car behind me, pushed it into me and we all three went all the way through the intersection. I killed two kids in the back seat of the middle car. If I had been sitting in the same spot on a bike they never would have found all my body parts. Too many drivers have their heads somewhere else and won't see a bike in front of them. Or another car, or even a dump truck. I would rather be buzzed than ran over. But that's just me.

SB

How about "Stuff it @$$hole."
Seriously. I don't operate ANY vehicle with the wheels an inch from the curb. All for the same reason: It isn't prudent.

Hey, that's what I was saying but I said it less succinctly. +1