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I just wrote and sent this to the local paper

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I just wrote and sent this to the local paper

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Old 03-03-08 | 08:31 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by evblazer
Probably rare and potentially shows my age but in drivers ed on my first "drive" I remember going around a tight corner and being more worried about cars coming across the line and drove a bit towards or in the shoulder.
I then got reemed by the instructor about staying off the side of the road because of peds and cyclists and if I had to choose I should clip or hit a car instead of a person.
Beginning drivers tend to hug the middle line actually because of the appearance of the vehicle being larger than it actually is. It takes some time to break that habit.

Driver ed teaches several lane positions (5 to be exact) depending on the situation. Those positions can take you from the middle of the lane to over either the middle or fog line. Students are taught that if a vehicle is coming that prevents the far left lane position to pass a cyclist, wait until the traffic clears so you can.

Again, don't blame driver ed. Blame impatient drivers.
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Old 03-03-08 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by paulwwalters
Ironically as it is I'm going into audio production, where most of the better schools don't factor act scores in. Although I'm equally interested in political science and/or philosophy.

You know the best cager moment was when this trashy teal Ford Escort did the whole "get your @$$ off the road!" thing. It had a fish logo on the back as well.

WonderMonkey, I have a good friend of mine that lives in Beavercreek, OH. Do you know where that is?
I have a few friends that make their living in the music industry and one of them went to school for audio "something" and is working in it. He loves it.

Beavercreek is about 20 minutes from me, a bit south east.
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Old 03-03-08 | 08:47 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by daredevil
Driver ed teaches several lane positions (5 to be exact) depending on the situation. Those positions can take you from the middle of the lane to over either the middle or fog line. Students are taught that if a vehicle is coming that prevents the far left lane position to pass a cyclist, wait until the traffic clears so you can.
Just out of curiosity, is the "far left lane position" staying within the same lane? It seems that it never occurs to a lot of drivers that they can leave their lane to pass a cyclist. They seem to think their only options are either buzzing or tailgating until you pull over.
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Old 03-03-08 | 08:53 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by DCCommuter
Just out of curiosity, is the "far left lane position" staying within the same lane? It seems that it never occurs to a lot of drivers that they can leave their lane to pass a cyclist. They seem to think their only options are either buzzing or tailgating until you pull over.
The far left lane position is over the dividing line.

I've noticed this same behavior. Maybe a lot of them just act like they can't cross it to more or less to give us a message to move over or get off the road.
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Old 03-03-08 | 10:06 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by WonderMonkey
I have a few friends that make their living in the music industry and one of them went to school for audio "something" and is working in it. He loves it.

Beavercreek is about 20 minutes from me, a bit south east.
I'm just worried that if there's a recession that entertainment won't be marketable. But then I'll just work in a bike shop!
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Old 03-04-08 | 10:49 AM
  #31  
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I have several 90 degree wide bends in the road between town and my house (this is not my cycling route, 99% of the time). The road has about a 2 foot shoulder. Almost every car cuts the corner so tight that they're OVER the shoulder and on the gravel. People on the outside lane are sometimes 2+ feet into the inner lane.

When I'm in my car I make it a point to stay inside the lines. If there's a car coming the other way, I try to hold my line and make them get the hell back into their lane. Sometimes I wind up giving a little to avoid a collision, but they get an earful of horn for my trouble.

I think I've seen a SMALL amount of change in the number of people that stay in their lanes around those corners since I've started doing that.

I DO ride that way sometimes, and I'd prefer it if people weren't coming up behind me (usually 20+ over the posted limit) driving straddling the shoulder...
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Old 03-04-08 | 10:54 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by maddyfish
Well seems nice. But this driver thinks to himself, "I almost kill him and he is nice" I think it's better to leave a driver thinking " Boy I'll never pass a biker again too close, I don't want my mirror ripped of again, or get killed"

I disagree. If you confront someone by yelling, screaming and tearing off parts of their motor vehicles, then all they are thinking of is retaliation no matter what they did. Most times people don't even realize what they did wrong and never will if you tear off their mirror. Have you ever made a mistake while driving? Did someone tear off your mirror for it?

Officer, I had to run over that biker because that crazy s.o.b. had already ripped my mirror off and was trying to kill me. It was self defense.
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Old 03-04-08 | 11:12 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by mparker326
I disagree. If you confront someone by yelling, screaming and tearing off parts of their motor vehicles, then all they are thinking of is retaliation no matter what they did. Most times people don't even realize what they did wrong and never will if you tear off their mirror. Have you ever made a mistake while driving? Did someone tear off your mirror for it?

Officer, I had to run over that biker because that crazy s.o.b. had already ripped my mirror off and was trying to kill me. It was self defense.
I agree. Very rarely would a person go "Gee I'm glad that my wrongness didn't end up badly, I sure do need to do better!". It's more "That is one more reason I hate bikers!".
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