Riding on a sidewalk filled with kids and elderly people IS riding on the sidewalk in an unsafe manner. Riding on an empty sidewalk can be done safely in many cases. Some roads with a 40 mph speed limit are NOT safe. There is one in particular I tried to ride and gave up on because I got tired of how hostile the vehicular traffic was. Everything depends.

Don in Austin

But if riding opposite from traffic, who holds a gun to the cyclist's head and forbids him from watching for cars slowing enough that they could be turning in? Its not hard to do, but i suspects its not done enough.

Don in Austin

Just pedal 40 mph

You know.. I have to say... I've been riding and commuting a bunch of years. A bunch. In all this time I have never seen a cyclist " take the lane". Is this TTL stuff like voting for Bush? I mean... do you know anyone who did? Somebody must have, but I digress. There isn't a four lane road (two in each direction) that can afford to have one of them tied up by a 12 mph bicycle. Where i used to live the cyclist would be killed and that would be that. Where I live now, the cyclist would not be killed, but s/he would make road traffic very unhappy. Why do that? IMO if you are afraid to be passed in a lane by cars and/or trucks(!) you should find an alternate route or take mass transit. I am not afraid to be passed at close quarters by vehicle traffic but the o.p.'s route, as described, would have me looking for an alternate. .

H

This is illegal in most places, if you're speaking of using the center turn lane as your cycling lane. The turn lane is for TURNING, and you being there is a risk to the drivers around you. You will get ticketed for that, if you don't get hit by someone trying to turn first.

On the other hand if you're speaking of taking the entire righthand lane, kudos. I'm STILL not brave enough to do that and I've been at the commuting thing for 2+ years. (yeah, young'un I know.)

Great answer! You really need to make your own decision. Included in this consideration should be the attitudes of drivers. If they are constantly close to your rear wheel, makes for a most unpleasant ride.

Most of us have faced this at one time or another. My personal preference would be to find another route even if it meant a couple of extra miles.

(raises hand) I take the lane when I think it's safer.
I'm a newbie to commuting, I've been riding daily for almost a month. This is something that didn't take very long to learn in this city. If there's no bike lane or shoulder, then it's safer to take the lane.

When I crowd myself over to the side, the motorists do not allow room, they simply brush me off the road. Technically, our state law and municiple code says to keep right as far as practible. For me, that's taking the center of the lane. Only when I take the center do the cars pass me giving the state required 3'. Only twice has a motorist tried to crowd me out while in the center of the lane. It was happening routinely when I rode the white line.
EXAMPLE (photo taken from Google maps street view)

link to larger picture
https://home.comcast.net/~eddyseals/pix/road.jpg

typical traffic, busier during the peak, 5pm-6pm window. The speed limit is 40mph. The cars typically travel faster than the posted speed.

Thanks for the straighten and correction! Well taken too.


It was a survival move for me. The center seems much more safe than taking the full of a dual lane, specially when they are passing at 45mph+.


Putting an end to the center lane from this point on. Might have to take the sidewalk on some parts of my route. When cars are passing you at 50mph+ it is no time to be meek, and undecisive. One must take an
action that is best for their safety or don't ride..

Another route is an option too. However, it is much, much longer. They are working on putting a bike lane in those areas. I wish they hurry up.

When taking that full lane on a dual, with speeding cars, IMO, a rider MUST have ample lights..Not any meekly lights, I mean BE SEEN LIGHTS!! You don't have to be brave, just SMART!!

Thanks again,