Understanding Safe Lane Position

[Warren Lopour]

The Florida Bicycle Association publishes these guidelines for group bike riders:

www.floridabicycle.org/rules/groups.html

The above site includes the following PDF of where bikes should ride on the road:

www.floridabicycle.org/rules/pdfs/grouplanepostion.pdf

I've heard this point debated on several rides, and I'm wondering if there is any consensus. Personally, I tend to hug the shoulder (and I'm guessing most newer riders do as well). And I have had the experienced cars passing me too close because another car was coming in the opposite direction. These guidelines say we should be 2 feet out from the edge of the usable pavement. Does that work?

By the way, I think it is cool that Florida has a bicycle association. Minnesota has a bicycle federation, but it looks like the primarily organize competitions. I did not see similar information on the "Share the Road" web site.

Warren

[lochrider]

Minnesota has an association that advocates for recognition of the benefits of bicycle transportation and recreation, promoting "share the road" safety, and acting as a clearinghouse for bicycle-related information and education:

www.bikemn.org/index.cfm

Also, a good source for bicycling skills information for the enthusiast is the League of American Bicyclists:

www.bikeleague.org/

Several books address safe riding on the roads, including "Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips ...," Dave Glowacz (Wordspace Press 1998). The most recent edition is published in 2004 and a new edition is expected this month:

www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=urban+bikers+tricks+

Cheers,

Ian

[Doug Chartrand]

Warren - take a look at that brochure again. 2 feet is not enough to prevent the squeeze play. See points 3 and 4. 2 feet is what you need in order to avoid falling off the road inadvertently and to give yourself some maneuvering room.

I tend ride right wheel track, adjusting as needed based on what is coming up behind and in front. That's on roads that have a narrow enough lane that I would consider it unsharable (the bike and car can't both be safely in the lane side-by-side together - with the bike doing 15mph and the vehicle doing 65 mph). If the lane is shareable, I certainly ride as right as is safe - and I will definitely take the shoulder if it is present and ridable (paved, not too narrow, not excessively potholed and dirty). I consider most of the county roads and city lanes around here to be of an unsharable width. States that have legislated what is sharable generally come up with about a 14' width as the minimum. The ones that are sharable in the city they've generally marked with a separate bike lane (though I would question that bike lane on 7th street west of valleyhigh as pretty marginal. Passes on that street can be pretty close if you are in the bike lane and the car or truck does not move over)

The problem with these types of discussions is that the circumstances are pretty variable based on a lot of factors, and people like to talk in generalities.

Proper road position is a balancing act between safety and road-rage, but I tend to emphasize safety first. The road-ragers are going to rage no matter what we do.

[Brian D]

I think riding where a car needs to slow down or wait until it is safe to pass makes perfect sense if the car sees you. It is definitely not cool to have someone pass you with a foot to spare as another car is in the opposite lane going the opposite direction. If they think they have room to pass, they will pass.

Having said that, there are too many kids aged 16-24 who are driving around while texting. I don't know how many times I have been driving and seen someone beside me looking up to make sure they are still on the road, then look down to see what they just typed, then look back up, then down, etc. I have a friend who was rear ended in her mini van while sitting at a red light. The girl who hit her was doing 30 mph and didn't see either the red light or the mini van. She was too busy texting.

Another way to ride would be to assume you are invisible and ride where a driver would miss you no matter what they saw or didn't see. I am less concerned about the side swipe by the person who thought they had room than by the full on rear ending by an oblivious teenager. For that reason I always ride well to the right.

[Doug Chartrand]

Hi Brian - I guess that philosophy would rule out riding on the road at all

Of course, the trails aren't totally safe either.

[Brian D]

Taken to its extreme, yes. I just tend to ride the white line rather than 3 feet to the left of it (unless it is raining in which case I realize that is slippery). I also plan my routes to be shoulder friendly, which in recent years has become more difficult due to the gentle love of the wake up bumps the county has so thoughtfully added.

It really amazes me how cautious I have become now that I am basically the sole bread winner for a wife and three kids. I used to race criteriums, be large and in charge on the bike and on the road, etc. Now I only ride at noon with reflectors, two blinky lights, and an HID headlight pointed at the windshields of oncoming traffic.

[jno]

It really amazes me how cautious I have become now that I am basically the sole bread winner for a wife and three kids. I used to race criteriums, be large and in charge on the bike and on the road, etc. Now I only ride at noon with reflectors, two blinky lights, and an HID headlight pointed at the windshields of oncoming traffic.

...or on gravel with the X-RC.

[Brian D]

Gravel? I heard that is dangerous. Besides, don't you need at least one tatoo, a blog, and be nicknamed after a small furry creature?

[Warren Lopour]

I sent a note off to one of the "Share the Road" folks, but I haven't heard back yet. I did, however, find some interesting links on their web site.

The first is to John Forrester's web site -- an advocate for bicycle safety and reforms. Seems like a pretty passionate guy.
www.johnforester.com/
www.johnforester.com/articles.htm

There is also a link with this web site that gives a lot a practical advice. It seems to agree with the article in the original post:
www.bicyclesafe.com/