Sarcasm? What sarcasm? ;) Riding in center-mass of the path of (as you call them, not me) idiot drivers sounds like a perfectly reasonable and courteous manner to compel these reckless, irresponsible, and murderous motorists into seeing the error of their way. ;) I completely support you in this endeavor and wish you a long & prosperous life. ;)

I've got no problem having a party with Jack Johnson and Tom O'leary. Try it sometime, you'll feel like a caveman.

This should make you feel better, and hopefully later on I can grab some pictures. A kid down the street just bought a brand new crotch rocket. I have to admit I hate them, but his looked really sharp. Well, his first ride out, he was turning around in the street, hit the throttle to hard, slinging him back a little, therefor causing him to throttle even more, until the bike launched from beneath him and went a good 50 feet down the street tumbling. The bike is totaled, he is rashed, and his ego is gone! I will wait for him to get home from the hospital, pull his bike out to look at it, then go and stand in front of his house to take pictures so he knows I am doing it. Then laugh as loud as I can and point!

While I agree with this sentiment, I'm more worried about getting hit by the careless driver who's not watching the road and doesn't see you. Hence why I stay as far right as possible even thought it may encourage the occasional buzz.

I agree with SkinnyLegs. It's the people not paying attention that I worry about. My motto is: everybody stay on their own side of the white line, and I'm happy.

Lightly traveled rural roads with no shoulders are a different situation. There, my position on the road all depends on the circumstances, though I tend to stay far right for similar reasons. I've developed the habit of glancing over my shoulder when there are only occasional cars approaching from behind--to make sure they're not in a trajectory that's going to hit me. I figure I've got time to go ditch diving if they are.

I had a few guys on Harleys ride up next to me as I was doing 35- 40 down a hill and ride next to me and had a little chat about the weather and how nice it is out. Kinda cool about half way down they we said have a good day to each other and they drove off without hammering it to hard.

I was buzzed by some numb nuts on a crotch rocket a couple of days ago. Doesn't happen that often, but it startled me and made me pretty angry. He kept on going. I got over it.

For the most part, my interactions with the "bikers" have been pretty good. It's the two-wheeled thing.

With regard to Harley riders, car drivers, crotch-rocket riders etc., there are a few miscreants in any group you can name.

thats why it bothered me so much, you would think he would understand.

I had 3 guys on crotch rockets screw with me on 3 separate occasions on a solo century ride last year. Just because they are on 2 wheels dont mean they get it.

around here most roads have maybe a 6 inch shoulder if that. if i ride on the white line, the same driver that didn't see me on the right tire track area won't see me on the white line and hit me just the same.

I dont ride on the roads much but when I do I basically use the white line as a "path" im all over it. Because of that people usually dont give me much room.

My sister has a friend that drives an f350 dually, this chick thinks her truck is so big it cant fit on some roads. The other day she came in complaining that she almost ran over a group of cyclists and how they shouldnt be on the road anyway. Talk about pissed off, I hope she does that to me sometime.

Nothing worse than when people wont share the road, especially when its obvious the other lane is clear.

If you don't demand your portion of the road drivers will whizz their mirrors right by your head (which can kill you if hit directly in the back of the head). I generally ride in the smooth section of the road created by the right wheels of cars. Then, just as a car is approaching I get over as far right as possible. You are more visible to drivers if you keep a constant line in the middle of the road.

Wanna guess what happens when you are "demanding your portion of the road" and the driver isn't paying attention/doesn't see you? You lose big time. Whizzing mirrors may be annoying but most are not life threatening. Only the mirrors on big vans and pickup trucks stick out far enough where they can hit you without running you over at the same time.

That's the most dumbass thing I have ever heard. If you move over when a vehicles approaches, you are giving the driver a signal to come through in the lane, thereby encouraging close passing. Swerving in and out of the way of traffic like that is just asking for the Darwin award. :rolleyes:

The same thing that'll happen if you're riding on the white line, if a driver doesn't see you directly in front of him he won't notice you're there as he steers with his knees while texting and swerves into you as you ride the white line.

Is it better to ride a tad bit in the road then?

Fail argument. The farther right you are the less likely you are to be hit by an inattentive driver. Riding in the center of the road you are all but guaranteed to get flattened if someone's driving along on autopilot. Off to the right you have a chance the vehicle will leave a large enough gap to pass by.

That's the way the idiots ride. Somehow they get the idea there's supposed to ride at the exterme ends of the lane in an alternating path. They don't move for cyclists, walkers, or runners in their path.

Do you talk this way to people in person?

Yep. If I saw someone on a group ride constantly swerving in and out as traffic approached, I would most certainly call them out on it.

I've been buzzed a few times by motorcyclists, it sucks because it often catches me by surprise. It's always some kid. In my experience the older guys on motorcycles are courteous.

Riding on the road one needs a good helmet or glasses frame mount mirror. It may take a week to get used to it.
Do not set it in your line of vision. It needs to be off to the side so you need to turn your head to see back. Otherwise it gets in the way. Bar mirrors only work when your head is in one place, with road bars a different grip moves your head to a different place where the bar mount mirror won't work sometimes.
The motorcyclists have two good mirrors, and they don't get passed all the time like a bicycle. They won't be surprised by something from behind. With a good mirror one can see vehicles coming from a long way off. As the vehicle approaches move left and see if the car moves left to get by you. Then when the vehicle gets close move to the right into the space you made for yourself. With enough practice this gets pretty easy. I can actually see forward and backwards at the same time for just a second or two. Then I need to do one or the other.

I'm amazed people don't use mirrors on the road especially in traffic. Not having one makes no sense at all. Yes I can turn around and look back without making the bike weave. But it is much better to not have to. I stopped being startled from something behind me ten years ago, when I got a helmet mirror. The first time I used one, I gave it back,it caused eye strain. Then when I realized the first rider in my group could always see cars before I could, I tried it again.
It did take me a few days to get use to it, and I was told to have it off to the side more.

It was sort of ironic that at the top of this thread were some ads for Harleys.

[QUOTE=SkinnyLegs;10971075]Wanna guess what happens when you are "demanding your portion of the road" and the driver isn't paying attention/doesn't see you? You lose big time. Whizzing mirrors may be annoying but most are not life threatening. Only the mirrors on big vans and pickup trucks stick out far enough where they can hit you without running you over at the same time.



Getting hit is a risk of cycling. I feel better making my presence known rather than staying too far over making it easier for somebody to not see me. There could be a total dumb ass not watching the road at all. And the point of staying a few feet off the line is you force a driver to make a decision on how they are going to deal with you ( & obviously you are more visible), they generally choose to pass you at a constant speed yielding plenty of room. Thats why I tend to dart over more just as they are passing, plan B in case they don't see me. You ride your way. I will ride mine. We will see who gets hit first. (Lets just hope it doesn't matter and nobody gets hit)