Patrick, Really good article thanks for sharing this, I echo what Ron said, this information needs to get out to the general public.
I used to think as cyclists we needed to keep right and not impede traffic, effectively appeasing automobile drivers and creating goodwill for cyclists...I rode with a fellow who would take the lane which I considered rude behavior and propagated the image of the selfish cyclist, so I asked him why he took the whole lane? He essentially said because it's the law and it's safer! I let that process and became more observant of motorists driving habits while riding my bike and noticed that the margin for error as the article points out between motor vehicle and cyclist is uncomfortably narrow. I often ride up a street here in Sunland which has bike lanes, the street has four lanes two in each direction and a speed limit of 45 MPH and cars and trucks exceeding 50, 60 MPH! What I noticed was that when I rode to the right that auto's and trucks despite have a clear lane to they're left would still come extremely close (it seems intentionally close) without reducing speed. Then I read Grants passage in "Just Ride" about the safety swerve...I have since implemented the swerve and taken the lane sending a clear message to approaching motorists to give me a safe buffer, it helps that I ride with a rear view mirror. Just yesterday I rode the same street with my wife a novice cyclist and she thought I was being rude...I explained to her my logic and the misconception by the general public about the laws of the rode and cyclists. I am also aware that despite my understanding of the laws and safety there will remain motorists who will undoubtedly find my swerving lane taking as an imposition (generally yelling from their windows) on their dominance/divine right to the road ways for which I am prepared as well as I can be. As others have mentioned at intersections I no longer stay right as Anne mentioned the right hook is always present. Safe riding to each and all. ~Hugh -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
