DX Rider

My co-worker/fellow commuter told me that his father read an article in a bicycling magazine. According to this article, when riding on a paved single lane road, it is best to ride to the left of the white line.

Anyone else ever heard of this?

On my daily commute, I've noticed that I do instinctively ride just to the left of the line when I'm in areas where the isn't a lot of room (less than 3 feet) between the white line and the shoulder. I just like the extra space to my right. Otherwise, I stay to the right of the white line.

lil brown bat

The white line is what separates the travel lane from the shoulder. If you're to the right of it, you're on the shoulder.

d2create

No matter what road i'm on, white line, bike lane, whatever... i ride where I deam it to be the safest for me at that particular moment.

ian123

i ride in the lane, unless i am letting someone pass me, then i get over to the right for them (maybe over the line), then i go back to the lane to control the traffic behind me when i dont think its safe for people to pass, because they dont seem to have good judgment themselves!

ChipSeal

I never ride on or to the right of a fog line. In Texas, we have a right to the roadway and anything to the right of the fog line is defined as not being a part of the roadway.

Furthermore, on single lane roads (one lane each direction) where the lanes are less than 14 feet wide- about the space needed for two standard sized cars to fit side-by-side in the lane- we can lawfully ride anywhere in the lane we choose. I ride in the left tire track on these roads around here, as well as on the state highways. On our multi-lane hwy 287 with signed 65 MPH speed limits I ride in the right tire track.

There is no better place to be seen by a motorist than directly in front of him. There is no better place to see and be seen by crossing traffic. There is no better place to be seen by oncoming overtaking vehicles.

bdcheung

I ride to the left of the white line.

DX Rider

I've always believed that to be true. Unfortunately, I have at least one cager a day yell at me to get out of the road, even when I'm riding to the right of the white line, because there is also a sidewalk on that stretch of that particular stretch of road and in their opinion that's where I belong.

The local cops tend to avoid my daily commute route like the plague, because it is also a main commuter artery for cagers. If the police actually made at least a monthly if not weekly show of force and enforced the traffic laws, like the speed limit, that stretch of road would be a whole lot safer.

degnaw

I ride to the left, but only because I have to. (There is nothing but a ditch to the right of the white line)

Citizen78

I often keep to the right. (why'd I get a shiver typing that?)

I know thats not the common wisdom on BF, and frankly I'm going to test what the left feels like and how it plays out for me on certain legs on my route. But when I spend a large part of my ride-in climbing at slow speeds and the cagers are going by at 40+mph.... that six foot wide shoulder just feels like a warm blanket.

degnaw

FZ1Tom

3 feet? Shoulder? wat shoulder? I have 3 INCHES and that's it. Apparently all twats in white Acuras think I need when buzzing me at 50+ too

Tom

bkrownd

Dogma is not wisdom

modernjess

+1 I follow the rules of the road as much as possible, but keeping my a** safe is the over riding law.

To answer the question: In general it's to the left of the white line. I'm a vehicle I have the right to the road and I'm following the rules.

woodenidol

To the right if there is a shoulder. If I get hit by a dump truck, it will make no differance to me if I had the right to be in the lane or not, Im still just goo on the bumper.

Lots of cyclists want carve out their territory, but I have not found it to be safer doing so. It gives me more room for error by me and the motorist, I would rather be alive than right.

subclavius

I ride to the left, there's too much broken glass to the right of the line. I once rode right of the line with the idea it might be safer and I got two flats on two trips.

UberIM

great thread!!!

I am surprised at how many people ride to the left of the white line.

In the winter when the snow is piled high I ride on the left of what used to be the white line.
During the rest of the year I try to stay on the right except where it isn't possible.

I have stated before that when I am on the right of the line cars pass closer to me than if I am on the left.
I guess I have the same sense of security they do and that is why I stay on the right.......

Here in Maine we do have a three foot rule that is essentially unenforceable...........but nice in theory

degnaw

OK, I understand when people ride in the lane due to debris, narrow shoulder or safety at intersections, but taking the lane on a freaking FREEWAY, for no other reason than to exercise the same rights as cars, is a bit much...

ChipSeal

In the first place, it is the cyclist's choice to ride on the road or not. Who are you to say why I do? You seem to be a particularly poor guesser. You could have asked.

Cyclists are hit occasionally while riding on the shoulder of the road. How could that be? In fact, sometimes disabled cars stopped on the shoulder are struck. Do you have an explanation as to how that could have happened? <---- hint: This is a clue.

This road is not a freeway. It is lawful in Texas ride a bicycle in any lateral position in the lane because the lanes are 12 feet wide.

nashcommguy

Whenever possible and if there isn't a significant amout of debris I ride to the right of the fogline. If there's no line I just try to pick a reasonable distance to the right while avoiding the 'stone zone'. Just to give the faster moving traffic a couple of more feet in which to operate. May not be 'conventional wisdom', but that's how I roll...deal with it. Been at this over 20 years now and consider myself a 'co-operatively assertive' commuter. If forced, I'll take the lane and point where I'm going. Cagers seem to respect that. I rarely get harrassed, anymore by auto drivers. Now, dogs are a whole 'nother thing...

degnaw

If they put disabled cars in the right lane instead, they'd be hit even more often.

That road might not be a full controlled-access freeway, but it might as well be one based on the shoulder, dual carriageway setup.

And I'm well aware you can ride you bike wherever you want, and you've stated that dozens of times in the past, thus why I believed that was your reason for taking the lane.

JimF22003

I'm not a militant. If there's a nice, wide, clean shoulder, I'll ride it.

But how often does that happen? In practice, when there even IS a line 95% of the time I'm to the left of it.

sonatageek

Depends on the stretch of road. Normally I am to the left of the white line. In some areas, if the traffic level is high and the shoulder is in great shape and wide, I will ride over there.

On some specific stretches I will limp along on the sidewalk. My least happy option (have to go so slow so things are safe for me and any pedestrians) but there are just some areas with such narrow lanes, so many cars/trucks and too many angry people heading home from work that I push pride (and what is the right/correct/lawful thing) to the side.

Oh, and I will use a designated bike lane if it is available.

chipcom 

I don't pay any attention to lines...where I ride is based upon the conditions at the moment.

UberIM

I love this thread. I would never have guessed that so many of us ride to the left of the white line.
Also, I have never heard the white line referred to as the fog line.......from where is that derived? regional?

I have always been ambivalent about whether I would prefer a sytem of true bike pathways......I would feel safer in some ways but then they never seem to go where I want them to......

I will go to my state DOT and find out what the law is. I do know about the 3 foot law. How many of you out there have a state where you have this rule?
I guess I will do some more research into this.

As an aside, I was hit by a motorist this last spring while riding on the right of the white line. It was a visually impaired elderly gentleman who tried to go around to the right of a car turning left and hit me with his mirror..........Scared the $h-t out of me but I was not hurt at all-just very, very emotionally shaken up.........I was too upset to take his license and ask the police to investigate his ability to drive.
Another topic about who should even be driving cars......

I would love to hear from more of you out there..........

Car/bike accidents are rarely won by cyclists........

As I get older I feel more vulnerable..........

tarwheel 

It depends. I don't think it's wise to stick to hard-and-fast rules with regard to the white lines. Generally I ride about 2-3' to the left of the white line, particularly if there is no paved shoulder or the shoulder is littered with rocks and glass. However, if it is a busy road with fast traffic and the shoulder is wide and clean, I will often ride to the right of the white line. Sometimes I do both. I stay to the left, keeping my eye out for traffic in my mirror, and then drift right as the traffic approaches. Personally, I think it is foolish to slavishly "take the lane" on a busy road with fast traffic when there is a wide clean shoulder to the right of the white line, but go for it you have enough confidence in drivers to see you and pass safely.