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Top 5 Reasons to Claim the Lane (and why it’s safer)
March 18th, 2008 by Tim Grahl
There is a lot of debate as to where a bicycle commuter should position themselves in relation to the road. New bike commuters, especially, are often intimidated by riding in the road and often choose something that isn’t necessarily the safest place. Here are the top two:
- Sidewalk - While the odds of you getting hit from behind diminish greatly, there are other dangers that come into play.
- Drivers are not looking for fast moving objects on the sidewalks so when you come to a cross street there is a good chance you’ll get hit by a turning car.
- Sidewalks are available for pedestrians and, in many states, it’s illegal for bicycles to ride on them.
- You are forced to (and should) go extremely slow. Besides dealing with turning cars and pedestrians, you are riding are surfaces that are not maintained for traffic and often have other obstacles to deal with.
- The extreme right side of the road - In my opinion this is the most dangerous place you can ride. You are risking two dangers:
- Cars will repeatedly try to squeeze by you in the same lane and will almost always come very close to you which, obviously, increases your chance of getting hit.
- The Peek-a-boo bike. Picture two cars approaching. The second car is following closely to the first. As the first car moves to miss you, it is seen by the second car as merely drifting in the lane since the car isn’t moving that much out of the way. The second car doesn’t realize you are in the road until it is to late.
Because of the above dangers and contrary to many people’s “common sense”, the best thing for a bike commuter to do is claim the lane. I ride at least a third of the way into the lane and, around curves, I roll right down the middle.
Here’s the top five reasons why I started claiming the lane (and why you should to):
- Drivers give you more room - The day I started claiming the lane is the day I stopped getting regularly buzzed to close by cars. As mentioned above, when you are all the way to the right then cars will almost always try to squeeze by. When you claim the lane, they are forced to slow down and wait for an opportunity to pass you which means they take plenty of room to do it.
- You are more visible - Drivers are used to looking for other large, metal boxes. And they’re used to looking in the middle of the lane ahead of them. When you hug the side of the road you are often outside their field of vision. By claiming the lane you are much more likely to be seen by oncoming traffic.
- You avoid dangerous debris and obstacles - the sides of roads are usually covered in debris. Stuff that can slash your tires and/or fly up and hurt you. There are also things like sewer grates and uneven shoulders to worry about. By claiming the lane you avoid all of this.
- It’s an easier, more enjoyable ride - When stuck squeezing the side of the road or riding on the sidewalk, feelings of stress abound. Constantly watching the terrain ahead of you, swerving out of the way of obstacles, slowing down for pedestrians and many other things that you are forced to pay attention to are reduced when you claim the lane.
- You are making a statement - While not as important as the previous safety related reasons, this has long term effect. On many roads bicycles are seen as an annoyance that shouldn’t be allowed in the road with other “real” vehicles. By claiming the lane you are making a statement that we belong on the road and have all the same rights as cars.
I came to these views after a lot of time spent bike commuting in my city of Lynchburg, VA. We don’t have bike lanes and I’ve come to believe that the people that built our roads had never heard of the bicycle. Not to mention most drivers are oblivious to the “share the road” mentality (and laws).
I firmly believe my place on a bike is in the road and claiming the lane and, in a large portion of our country, that is where you belong to. It’s safer and more convenient.
What do you think?
March 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
If taking the lane is uncomfortable (and it is for many people), consider taking a League of American Bicyclists Bike Class. click here for courses and instructors.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
It gets my vote every time . . . except I do feel like I’m taking more than my ‘fair’ share of the road when I’m 23″ wide, in the middle of a 10′ wide lane. That probably speaks volumes about my self esteem
March 18th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Karl McCracken: That’s funny… sometimes I think I deserve both lanes. I guess that speaks volumes of my self esteem as well!
March 18th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
The topic of claiming the lane came up in the local bike club email list as well. one of the members posted this link to an article written by an attorney who has written a book about law and cycling:
http://velonews.com/article/72849
I found his article really helpful. If i read him correctly, sometimes there are regulations with regard to when a cyclist can take the lane. Most of the benefits you listed are justifiable causes for a bike to take the lane (avoiding hazard, etc.). Other reasons include sub-standard width lane, bike traveling at speed comparable to speed limit, etc. Some states have law saying that cyclists should travel as right of the road as “practicable”, which is not the same as “possible”, though there is probably some line in the sand about what that means.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Tim,
while I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments (and I try to hog a lane wherever I can to “send a message” to motorists), I wonder if these techniques run afoul of the “as far to the right as practicable” wording that appears in so many states’ road-use laws. Your thoughts on this, anyone?
“As far to the right as practicable” is pretty vague wording, ain’t it?. What I think is far enough to the right might be wildly different from what a law enforcement official thinks, even though I’m safer by taking more of the lane (which I am entitled to by law in most areas).
March 18th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I’ve long believed that plenty of people will take a chance and squeeze by you and might end up hitting you. There are very few people that will intentionally hit you even if you’re out blocking the lane. The few that will intentionally hit you then will probably hit you just because you’re on the road even if you aren’t in their way.
If I feel that traffic is giving me enough room, I’ll stay as far right as possible. If I feel people are passing too close, I’ll move a couple feet into the lane. It does upset a few people but I’m always given more space.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
No question — I take the lane. The hairier the traffic is, the more aggressive I am about making sure I can be seen.
Obviously there is some room for nuance here. If I’ve got a good bike lane, I’ll use that. And I don’t want to gum up lanes that would otherwise be humming along at 40 mph. But there aren’t too many circumstances that I’m riding on that kind of road anyway.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I figure it’s better to be seen and piss off the motorists than not be seen and get hit by them. Fortunately for me, the Eugene/Springfield area is full of bike lanes and trails.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
What “practicable” means: This essay is based on California law, but the concepts are similar in all states:
http://www.vcbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm
Aside from the flexibility built into the word “practicable”, most “far to the right” laws have explicit exceptions which further define what “practicable” means.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
In Texas, you can legally take the lane unless it is more than 14 feet wide (which most lanes are not). The relevant statute (Texas Trans. Code Sec. 551.103) states, in relevant part,
“shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, unless … the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is [either] (A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or (B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.”
My commute in Houston, TX, is on a few two lane, two-way streets (one each direction) and then on multi-lane, one-way streets. None of the lanes are over 14 feet wide. Found that the only close buzzing comes from the a**holes that race around me (in the next lane), but change back to my lane right in front of me (as opposed to the usual 10 feet or so in front of me).
The rare bikelanes in Houston are, usually, too narrow and, as they are at the edge of the road, full of grime, dirt, glass, and other objects so I just take the lane on those rare roadways too.
Unfortunately, yet again the Texas legislature failed to pass a 3 feet passing law (mainly due to a lawmaker whose district has a lot of two-way, two-lane farm roads so he added an amendment excepting roads with no shoulders). Fight another day.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I agree that claiming the lane is the hardest thing to get used to when you start riding. Fortunately, when I started riding for a commute, my route took me 8 miles each way along roads that carried traffic ranging from 35 to 75 mph. That trial by fire allowed me to be far more comfortable getting in the lane on the narrower (and slower) roads that I now traverse.
When it warms up a bit here and the sun starts coming out earlier I’m going to start teaching my wife how to commute on her bike. Claiming the lane will probably be the hardest part for me to teach her. (Luckily her route consists mostly of bike lanes).
March 18th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I stay to the extreme right. But I also avoid narrow roads and blind corners. I’ve claimed my lane before, but I usually worry about the one that doesn’t see me -I think it’s only a matter of time. I’ve only been ‘buzzed’ a few times in all my years of commuting on the right. On low traffic roads, however, I’ll ride right down the middle of the street and pull close to the right to let cars pass after they’ve seen me.
March 18th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I came up with the same idea two years ago while on a bike trip in North Carolina with my wife. We were on a 60mph road, a long and nice one, but every minute a car would pass a high speed and its wind would almost throw us on the side gravel. I have been riding for years, but that time I got angry and thought about it. I decided to try riding closer to the middle of the lane, which seemed a bit heroic to me.
To my surprise, it worked very well. Drivers would see an “obstacle” and slow down. This was a road with only one lane in each direction, so the driver would either change lane, or slow down even more, waiting for the other lane to clear. Cars started passing us at a much lower speed, and we felt much more safe. We never got an aggressive response from the drivers.
Since then, when I ride in the city, I claim the lane. During a year of commuting, I came across half a dozen of aggressive drivers, and another half-dozen would just honk at me. I think ignoring them is fine. Sometimes I wait for a light with them, and I explain what I’m doing.
In conclusion, my advice would be to claim the lane in all situations where there is not at least two feet of space at the right of the line. If there are parked cars at your right, do as if there was a line drawn 2 feet from the cars, and ride at least 2 feet left of that imaginary line (total 4 feet from the cars).
March 18th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I’ve taken the League of American Bicyclists BikeEd course that Fritz mentions, and I ride more to the left than most cyclists.
However, there is usually at least one dingbat a week that feels that he or she (last week was a she) has to prove that you “don’t belong in the road.”
This week, I’m wearing a yellow t-shirt with ARMY in huge block letters on the back. So far, no dingbats. Hmmmm.
March 18th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I agree, Claim the lane, Save your life!
There is one caveat however, and I have personal experience with it (as I’m sure many of you do as well). That is when claiming the lane, I have, on rare occasions, been greeted with some pretty extreme road rage in the form of pulling up next to me and sharply forcing me into the curb generally with the driver screaming something like “Get out of the lane and onto the sidewalk where you belong”. Of course these morons may have done the same thing if I was already hugging the curb. All said and done, I do feel much safer taking the lane when the road doesn’t have a suitable shoulder.
March 18th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
To Tim:
The wording is vague by-design so that the bicyclist can make their own determination about what is most practicable considering the conditions they are faced with. It is meant to give leeway and allow the vulnerable cyclist to make their own “practicable” decision.
As a League Cycling Instructor, I prefer not to use the terms “Taking the lane” or “Claiming the lane” - as these imply impropriety. Why would you have to “take” something if it is already yours? Can we as a cycling community shift towards “Controlling the lane”? You’re there, you have a right to it, control it.
It’s just semantics, but language and the words we chose are very powerful, even subliminally.
March 18th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
MikeOnBike,
thanks for that link…an interesting read, to be sure. However, after reading it, I am concerned that cyclists can be accused of “obstructing normal traffic flow” if they are taking the lane “just because” (rather than for a specific reason like avoiding parked cars, debris, etc.).
The wording of many traffic laws remain, at least in my eyes, somewhat ambiguous.
If it causes motorists to proceed past me with caution, though, I will continue to hog the right-hand lane!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Dominic,
your quote “It is meant to give leeway and allow the vulnerable cyclist to make their own ‘practicable’ decision” concerns me…is our own decision also one that will stand up in court? I surely hope so! I am thinking of the snowplow case being covered by Bob Mionske on Velonews of late…although some of the particulars are different, part of the case revolves around that word “practicable”.
Looks like I should take the L.A.B. course, eh? Maybe that will help clear up my confusion (or at least better familiarize me with applicable laws)…
March 18th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
There’s nothing in the law that requires any road user to do something they know to be dangerous. And it’s without any doubt that hugging the right hand fog line is dangerous. It encourages motorists to ’squeeze by’ between a cyclist and on-coming traffic. Think of it this way - as a motorist yourself, do you have difficulty judging whether there’s sufficient clearance between the right side of your car and an object or a cyclist? Do you have difficulty judging when someone or something is directly in your path? When trying to make that decision as to whether to slow down or pass, a motorist dithers for a moment. When a cyclist is further left, effectively in front of him, he doesn’t hesitate. He either changes lanes to pass (assuming the oncoming lane is clear) or he slows down and waits.
Taking the lane is counter-intuitive for many new cyclists and even some experienced ones. But it is a truly effective way to gain road space and increase safety. Some cyclists and motorists will never ‘get it’ unfortunately, but the technique is astonishing to those who try it and use it regularly.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
GhostRider,
There was a case in Ohio were a cyclist was ticketed for impeding traffic. It ended up going to court, then being appealed. The cyclist was found not guilty. Here’s a short write-up:
http://www.ohiobike.org/Selz/Selz_Appeal_Explanation.htm
March 18th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
In Illinois the Vehicle code was recently amended to (among other things) change “as far to the right as practicable” to “as far to the right as practicable and safe” in order to clarify the rules that were already on the books. (Look up Illinois SB0080 if you’re dying to know more.) I don’t know how well this has been working as far as real data goes, but I have noticed fewer gutter bunnies setting themselves up for right hooks at intersections, which is a relief. Unfortunately, I’ve also noticed more drivers giving friendly taps on the horn to let cyclists know that there’s a car behind them, as though they expect us to move out of their way as soon as we can do so “safely” in order for them to pass us with the newly specified 3 feet. So I’m hoping the new wording won’t backfire.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Ghost Rider,
It held up with the Chief of Police here in Long Beach, CA. He pulled me over one day for what he thought was “obstruction of traffic”, but after a calm roadside chat and a little bit of education, he apologized for making me late for work and sent me on my way.
March 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Riding my bike has made me a better motorist as well.
On the interstate, a lot of people are pressured into driving faster and faster by tail-gaters. I don’t like driving above the speed limit because of safety and the expense of gas.
Cycling in the lane has given me confidence to “take my lane” on the interstate and drive as slow as I feel is appropriate.
Also, a mirror on the bike helps a lot. If nobody is about to pass me, I drive directly in the middle of the lane. That makes me more visible to cars at the intersections.
March 18th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Absolutely right on in every respect!
This doesn’t mean taking the lane everywhere and everywhen. When conditions warrant, take the lane as a responsible vehicle operator on the road.
March 18th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Thanks everyone for helping enlighten me — good to hear also that a “friendly roadside chat” with the police had a positive outcome! Thanks also to Rick and others, for the links that further illustrate these types of cases.
March 19th, 2008 at 3:50 am
I have the luxury of bike lanes most of the time here in CA. But, when I don’t have a bike lane it’s because of parked cars (that I give a wide berth to anyways).
March 19th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I live & commute in a rural area
so my experience is probably atypical
but I am firmly in the “take the lane” camp.
On more than one occasion
I have watched motorists
do the right thing as far as
the law was concerned
at stop signs and STILL
not see me as I approached
while wearing an orange & yellow
reflective vest in broad day light
I will do everything I can to make
myself visible and that includes
taking the lane
March 19th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I agree, mostly.
I’ll take the lane when conditions warrant. However, in snow, riding up a 1/2 mile hill at 4-6 mph with 40-50mph traffic is where I draw the line.
On my commute, in this unavoidable section, I’ve got a perfectly wide sidewalk on my right with a total of 2 intersections to be cautious of on this stretch; and I’ll use it.
Generally, I agree with the advice given in the article and have had similar experience. I’m only pointing out that taking the lane isn’t always the safest way to get where you’re going in every situation.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:49 am
As another bike commuting blogger, I get a lot of questions about riding the road, and the two things I tell people is:
STOP CARING IF YOU’RE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC.
If traffic is going slower, it’s safer for everyone, not just you. I take the same tact when I drive a car, which thankfully isn’t too often. Tailgaters? I slow down for them in a car, too.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I commute through intown Atlanta, and I always take the lane where there isn’t a bike path. Mostly the traffic is slow enough that I’m not slowing anyone down. I also wait in line - and in the lane - at traffic lights. Predictability, in other words, is the name of my game.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:30 am
In Reno, every day, or almost, I piss off some one for traveling down the right tire track and often wonder just when a dis gruntaled driver is gonna go postal on me, for taking That much room.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I was reluctant to claim the lane at first, in a huge part because so many of the people who wrote to say it was the right thing to do seemed to emphasize “making a statement,” and I so much don’t want to make a statement that people can talk about in my eulogy. Seemed I would have to get out in dead center of the lane to “take” it, too.
Two of us were riding and my friend noted that the drivers were buzzing by awfully closely… which (my silly verbal mind; it takes words to make anything happen) made me think “oh, yea! I’ve read that if we move out…” so we did.
Now, I cringe whenever I hear somebody say “but I worry about the one who doesn’t see me” and hugs the line, because so many more people *don’t* see you when you’re doing that. It’s a perceptual thing… it *feels* more dangerous. Sometimes feelings aren’t right; think of every optical illusion you’ve ever looked at.
I’m very fortunate in that I rarely actually slow down traffic, and there are enough bicycles around here so people are less likely to go off on a rider, and I do think it helps that I look like a commuter, not a recreational rider.
I, too, learned to take my lane with a baptism in fire on a busy road. In forty miles you get a pretty good sample size
Danged if suddenly the drivers didn’t get a whole lot better at giving us room! Instant education! And we weren’t dead center; just crossing into that “you’re in the car part” threshold.
We stopped for a bite to eat, and when we started riding again, the drivers forgot how to pass us agian. Oops, make that we were too far to the right, because as soon as we nudged out again… the drivers got better. Amazing how educable they are!
I am sure that it is important that only about five times did a driver have to hang back and wait for oncoming traffic. None of those drivers expressed hostility, but that *is* a small sample size.
If things had gotten more congested, I probably would have made a point of pulling off just as my dad did every few miles when we took that VW Bus into the mountains and we’d get a train behind us.
Oh, and out in traffic… I pedal harder, and I should
March 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Oh… and I think that the “learn how to ride in the street if you’re trying to get somewhere ” should be a, if not the, priority in encouraging cycling as transportation. It would seem lots of people are going to consider bicycle commuting and there’s a lot of it that *is* counterintuitive… just as aspects of motorized transportation are.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I wholeheartedly I agree with Siouxgeonz on the education aspect!
Sometimes while riding I’ll be in the zone and not realized that I’ve drifted to the right and cars start passing close so I move back out. My rule of thumb is to force them to go AROUND you instead of giving them perceivable room to squeeze by.
March 19th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Wholeheartedly agree.
March 19th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Posted a story about this today on my blog:
tomorrowmorningsweather.blogspot.com
Still haven’t really figured out trackbacks yet, sorry.
March 19th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Actually, I think “taking the lane” is a lot safer than using a bike lane. In the discussion of the hazards of riding to the right, you didn’t mention that there is a higher likelyhood, at intersections, of people making right turns across your path or turning left in front of you. You are much less visible when you are on the far right. While bike lanes may help with the “squeeze” problem, they don’t help at all with the most common dangers of intersection collisions.
You are MUCH better off getting into the right-hand side ( if there is room, otherwise take the lane) of the lane that goes the direction you want to go - the right turn lane if you want to turn right, the right most straight-through lane for straight, the left turn lane for left.
So stay in the bike lane away from intersections, but get out of it when you come near an intersection.
March 19th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I definitely like taking the lane. I usually do it as I approach an intersection or when I see parked cars on the side of the road. I have to set myself up so I’m visible. I’ve been hit by a car when I wasn’t taking the lane. She right crossed me and kept going though the motorists around me tried to stop her.
I usually make every driver around me mad when I do take the lane, but in Tennessee it’s my legal right. I agree that learning this strategy has made me a better driver; it makes me check my blind spots and sides more often.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Great post - though I agree with John (Post #28). I do have a steep, windy hill, about a mile long, that is one, narrow lane in each direction with parked cars on both sides, and so I take the sidewalk for that stretch, though I then feel apologetic to the pedestrians I pass! But especially when there’s a median on a one-lane-in-each-direction road, I take the middle of the lane - no room for a car to pass, and I want to get that point across to drivers.
March 20th, 2008 at 7:56 am
I have been hit by a car twice; once by a drunk driver, and the worst time was when I was riding on a sidewalk.
The impede traffic law in South Dakota states that MOTOR vehicles cannot impede traffic. So this law does not affect pedal power bicycles.
March 20th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I’d like to know how much anyone has heard stories of cyclists being pulled over by police for taking the lane. I have had this happen twice. It’s very frustrating to me when police don’t know the law, It’s even more frustrating when you live in a town where the police all work for a mayor that is a self proclaimed cycling advocate. Other than writing him a letter that will never be read, I’m trying to put together a strategy that will get his attention.
March 21st, 2008 at 8:20 am
I’ve been stopped just once for taking the lane, but my friend Brian seems to be a cop magnet at times. Most of the time, a police officer understands the reasoning for the practice when a cyclist presents it in a reasonable, non-confrontational way. Most of the time. Some cops, just like some cyclists, just don’t get it. Still, even a traffic stop can be an opportunity to educate. After Brian was stopped by an especially obtuse cop who issued him a ticket, Brian’s attorney contacted the Chief of Police who not only had the ticket withdrawn, but used the opportunity to put out some information on bicycle traffic law to the rest of the PD.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Here’s my experience of “taking the lane”. In two words, I love it… but! It really does piss off the cars, just like I’m pissed when there’s a car parked/rolling in the bike lane so I tend to avoid it and keep it for extreme cases. I’m from up north (Montreal Quebec) and we’ve had a *lot* of snow this year (over 300cm afaik!). When the roads are still not cleared I prefer taking the lane, the cars are slowing me down anyway at that point so I’m not pissing off anyone and I can be seen from far, even in reduced visibility.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:11 am
One thing I forgot to mention… I do take my lane _every time_ when turning left. And for some reasons motorists seem to find it odd (how the heck and I supposed to turn left? get off the saddle? You get off from my face!)
March 26th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Re: those who just don’t ‘get it’: i’m amazed that, based on my commuting experiences, 9 out of 10 motorists would rather move into the oncoming-traffic lane, when there is traffic approaching in that lane, than use the empty right lane to pass a bicyclist who is in the left lane (such as when approaching a left turn).
Re: honkers: I do my best not to provide positive reinforcement to the honking–i don’t want them to get the message that they can intimidate cyclists into giving them their way. So, if someone honks at me (or rides my tail, or otherwise indicates they’re unhappy with my safe & legal cycling behavior), i move further left and/or slow down. After all, i’m already as far right as is safe, and moving as fast as i can, and they apparently deem this behavior unsafe (after all, we all learned that the horn is for dangerous/emergency situations, right?), so i’d better correct it, right? They probably can see an impending danger that i (with no obstructing metal cage, a higher vantage point, and a more-forward position) am missing. (now removing tongue from cheek. But the behavior really is helpful–whether they get the message, or just decide i’m in incorrigible asshole, it almost always gets them to back off.)
March 26th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
If I recall correctly, in California if you have more than 5 cars backed up behind you, you are obliged to pull over and let them pass. This applies to automobiles, so it may apply to bicycles as well. Not every state has such provisions.
March 26th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Re: the “Turning Out of Slow-Moving Vehicles”
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21656.htm
Yes, it applies to bikes, too, because of 21200.
The conditions are pretty narrow and specific. It only applies when you can safely pull over, and it doesn’t apply at all on multi-lane roads.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:04 am
I have learned to take the lane. Yes, cars slow down to pass me, rather than buzz past if I am hugging the curb. However, there are still places where I ride the sidewalk for my own safety, such as the tunnel at the top of a hill that I pass through each day.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I have recently moved to Phoenix, AZ and became the lone commuter. Does anyone know the steps involved in creating bike lanes? I would like to take this on.
The commuting culture in Phoenix is disgusting.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Andrea, Phoenix has about 500 miles of bike lanes, signed bike routes and bike paths. Srinivas Goundla is the city bicycle coordinator in the planning department , and the Maricopa Region of Governments has a Bicycle Task Force that works to implement the regional bicycle plan. Attend the meetings, meet the people who are involved, and watch things happen.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Fritz:
Thanks! I will do just that. I have been surprisesd at the biking culture here and would like to advocate for more bike lanes, especially on the wider roads which can afford to add a lane (or so it seems to me - but there might be good reason why there are not bike lanes on those roads).
The problem I have found so far with the bike lanes (and, I am just learning where the bike lanes are, mind you, having been in town for just three months) is that they dont seem to connect. But, and again, I am just learning.
I came from Portland Oregon where there are bike lanes that connect the city and the suberbs. Perhaps, I was spoiled.
Anywho, thank you for the information and I am excited to get involved.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
As per ‘taking the lane’, i’ve taken a page from the Nevada (and originally California) D.M.V. rules of the road. We cyclo-commuters have the same rights and responsibilities as any motorist (proper signaling of lane changes, etc.) with the logical exception of the usage of certain highways and freeways (where we’re banned). I do have my bag of illegal dirty tricks but, those i use VERY carefully. Expensive tickets or potentially crippling accidents are NOT my bag.
A true test of one’s street skills is mountain passes (Mt. Rose Highway, Geiger Grade, etc.). Your overall street skills will be thricely sharpened. Just do this with an (very) experienced guide at first if you’re a newer cyclist. With little or no shoulders one has to ride more assertively and aware by necessity. The downhill sections are best done using the lane-you’re doing slow to medium car speeds (40-50 m.p.h). Use an alternating front/back braking technique with a light touch in the straight sections, ’straighten’ out the corners, counter-weight your pedals and lean appropriately. Remember, there is little to no room for error in the mountains and asphalt +human flesh=’singing’ showers and/or stitches (or Worse if you fly over a guard-rail). [If you do crash (it happens), fall loosely and DON'T fall stiff-limbed. Limbs break that way much easier.]
Keep the faith,
Bart
April 8th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Re: Bike lanes in Phoenix (or anywhere). This seems like an odd question considering the subject of the original post.
If a road doesn’t have an explicit bike lane, then the lane you’re riding in is the bike lane.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I was just curious and thought that people who are interested in biking issues might have some advice about how to get further involved.
So, not an “odd” question to reach out to people who are interested in similar issues.
April 8th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Re: Odd question: I didn’t mean that it was an odd question in general. Getting involved in the local planning process is valuable and Fritz provided the contacts for that. But that’s a very long, very slow process.
I only meant that it was an odd question in the context of this particular blog post. By claiming the lane, you create your own bike lanes. That’s immediate gratification.
Even when there are bike lanes, those same 5 reasons still apply when there are intersections, parked cars, debris, etc.
To paraphrase a famous quote: “You ride your bike on the roads you have. They’re not the roads you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
April 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I understand better now what you were saying. I like the quote and will rememberr this…
April 8th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Re: bike lanes
If the road is wide enough for a bike lane, it’s probably already as safe as it’s going to get for cyclists. Both my experiences and the research i’ve been able to find point to a wide lane as giving all of the benefits of a narrow lane + bikelane (of a similar total width), and without some of the downsides of bikelanes. Specifically:
– Bikelanes tend to be disproportionately full of gravel, glass, and other stuff you don’t want to bike in, because the motorists avoid the bike lane whether or not there are bicycles in it, so the crud on the road only gets blown as far as the bike lane, instead of being blown into the gutter or completely off the road.
– Even with a bikelane, you’ll probably have to move out of the bikelane and claim a different lane in most of the same circumstaces you would’ve had to before the bikelane–when people are buzzing you too closely, when approaching intersections, to avoid debris, etc. And the motorists then get even more upset than when you adopt the exact same lane position on a road that doesn’t have that extra stripe on it.
– Bikelanes seem to encourage in motorists the mistaken notion that they don’t have to be–or shouldn’t be–in the curb lane for right turns, increasing the incidence of right-hook style turns across cyclists. And encourage the mistaken notion in cyclists that they can or should make left turns from the curb lane.
April 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
What if I am more comfortable riding slow on the sidewalks- is that ok? I’m not comfortable riding fast in traffic or in the bike lane.??? Thanks for such a helpful site!
April 9th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
This is one reason bike lanes are important: safety or perceived safety.
For inexperienced cyclists and for the purposes of growing the community of bike commuters bike lanes are very important because regardless of any real effects and how arguable those may be, they create the perception of safety and study after study has shown that that is what gets people on their bikes. A real infrastructure gives cyclists some standing on the road and that encourages people to be there.
The ‘I’ve commuted every day for ten years’ club doesn’t care about bike lanes because they’ve got both a wild west attitude that their safety is in their hands and theirs alone and because they know the tricks and prefer not to be regulated. They are correct about their own experience as far as that goes. Also, in bike-shitty cities road crap does tend to get swept into the bike lanes, no doubt.
However, any real bike friendly city — like the european cities — creates a bike infrastructure that’s targeted at people who are not experts and sets policy on their behalf. That’s the only reasonable step, because one important reason you have a bike lane, a bike box, bike boulevards, sharrows and the like is to increase overall visibility of the activity even if that’s irrespective of any particular and real effect it has at any specific time or place.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
You’ll want to get to know the bike culture and the car culture before you decide where to pour your efforts. YOu seem surprised that the bike lanes don’t connect. Welcome to our very, very, very car-dominated culture.
True: the absolute best way to cultivate a bike culture is to get people out on bikes.
The huge however, though, is that if bicycle lanes *only* create the perception of safety, and in fact the safety isn’t there, then much more harm will be done as those riders will graduate from “I would ride if there were bike lanes so I could be safe,” to “OMG! Those cars! I tried the bike lane and almost got killed by a guy making a right hand turn this morning! YOu must be SOO BRAVE to ride your bike! Even bike lanes aren’t safe!”
(welp, I take a different route than that *because* of the intersection you’re talking about…) We’ve been advocating here for “Complete Streets” - the idea that any time you design any street it should consider all its users… and that there are different ways to meet those needs, depending on the setting.
There are commuters like me who don’t fit neatly into your categorization. I frequently have to convince people that no, I don’t have a wild-west attitude… that I’m pretty much a weenie. I’m thinking that’s one of our big problems - it *almost* sounds like even you believe that if somebody is riding confidently in the street, they’ve got a wild-west attitude… that any *reasonable* rider should want to be in a bike lane.
And then there’s the fact that our non-expert riders can be **extremely** non-expert. Bike lanes don’t get the wild-westers or the simply uneducated riding *with* traffic, with lights, riding safely…
Have you’ve conflated “bike lanes” and “bike infrastructure?” Look at those bike lanes that don’t connect, bike lanes that are inherently flawed … and, basically, a culture that considers cyclists a political special interest group that’s a nuisance to be given as little as possible… bike lanes don’t cure that; they don’t develop infrastructure *or* set policies (such as having housing developments designed for more than cars).
I think if you get out there and help push for bike lanes you’ll do lots of good… but I suspect you can do more if you are sure to listen carefully to what happens around those bike lanes (which, of course, you’re doing).
April 10th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Re #58 (sidewalks): First thing to check is whether it’s legal. That varies from town to town and even within a town. It might also vary by cyclist age. And it’s not always posted. However, I suspect sidewalk cyclists are rarely charged, unless they’re in a collision, or maybe in a crowded downtown area.
As long as you’re very slow and very careful, you can probably get around on sidewalks without much additional danger. That might be okay for short distances. Here’s some info about some of the trouble spots:
http://cyclistview.com/inclusivepdintro/index.htm
Another option would be to seek out lower-volume roads, assuming they connect to where you’re going.
April 28th, 2008 at 12:17 am
I had an inccident about 2 weeks ago, that scared me onto the side street and prompted me to buy a new bike.
a “gods gift to the road” Tahoe came about 6 inches from me as I was riding in the right side tire track, he was traveling about 40 mph in a 35. I did get a chance to stop and inform him of the law, he just blew it off saying that me traveling in the right tire track, say to him “move around me” Not “move into the other lane to pass me”.
afterward I realized that I am treated differently when riding my XXIX(28.5 lb) vs my Jake(24 lbs). Though it is heavy to do any serious commuting on, so Friday I picked up an SE Stout, with my mods (cockpit & fork), SS it will be down to 24 lbs.
April 28th, 2008 at 12:18 am
I had an inccident about 2 weeks ago, that scared me onto the side street and prompted me to buy a new bike.
a “gods gift to the road” Tahoe came about 6 inches from me as I was riding in the right side tire track, he was traveling about 40 mph in a 35. I did get a chance to stop and inform him of the law, he just blew it off saying that me traveling in the right tire track, say to him “move around me” Not “move into the other lane to pass me”.
afterward I realized that I am treated differently when riding my XXIX(28.5 lb) vs my Jake(24 lbs). Though it is heavy to do any serious commuting on, so Friday I picked up an SE Stout, with my mods (cockpit & fork), SS it will be down to 24 lbs.
I figure I should be ok with that
May 9th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I’m considering commuting by bike, but I might have to begin taking steriods to screw up the courage. Houston is a car town, an agressive car culture. Oil town, car town. Once in a blue moon I see someone on a bike, but usually nowhere near a road. I’ve seen one guy on a bike this week, in fact, and he was traveling through parking lots and on sidewalks.
My question is this regarding taking the lane. I drive the speed limit in Houston wherever I go, and 1 of 3 cars tailgates. I’ve got this or that car on my ass constantly. Won’t the same be true if I’m on a bike?
Road rage is a real concern for me. I’m not talking about someone simply flipping me the bird, which I can handle. I’m talking about someone trying to make a point by physically harming me with a 2000 LB vehicle. I had a guy ram me on the freeway a couple years ago. I was going 55, so he must of been going at least 100 when he hit me. Folks are hugely impatient with other cars in this town. I can’t imagine it being any different for a guy on a bike.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Reply to MASE
I live in Houston. I commute about 14 miles to work often. From Bissonnet to Clay. I have never even considered taking the road until I read this post. I will definitely put this into practice now. Hugging the curb is just too dangerous. And yes, the bike paths/routes here are just too sparce and ill planned.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Dave asks: “My question is this regarding taking the lane. I drive the speed limit in Houston wherever I go, and 1 of 3 cars tailgates. I’ve got this or that car on my ass constantly. Won’t the same be true if I’m on a bike?”
Assuming he has the opportunity to change lanes and pass you, he’d have to be *really* patient to tailgate your bike for very long.
Most people have enough sense to realize that cyclists aren’t going to go much faster even if they’re tailgated.
A few stubborn jerks think it’s your job to jump off the road whenever there’s a car present, and they think it’s their job to enforce this fantasy. But most drivers quickly figure how to use the empty lane to the left.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
. I commute to work by bike and will say that I find most the car drivers more considerate than some of the other bike riders. I have had other cyclist curse at me because I stopped while riding in front of them- at a stop sign.
While I understand my right to take the lane and have no problem doing so in the right situation most of the time I try to plan my route on slower posted mph, lighter traffic routes. I add about a mile each way to my commute, but it makes for a more pleasant ride for me. I am amazed at some of the people (like Nat) who seem to be willing to intentionally antagonize other people on the road by picking the speed they think everyone else should be going and then deliberately holding up traffic behind them. I think it really does a service to no one except to help bolster the person-who-is-holding-up-traffics ego (Look, I can make all these people upset/go slower/have to switch lanes). I think if we ride with courtesy and respect we will get that back.
I know there are situations where it is safer to claim the lane and really support people doing so. I also know that some bicyclists have other safer options available (riding one street away) but choose to claim the lane on a high-speed /high-traffic road just to prove a point. If I was in a car and could not go the posted speed limit, I would pull over to let people pass me or pick a safer route. I do the same on my bike.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I know that in California, at least, if the lane is a “sub-standard width lane” then you are allowed to take a full lane. Sub-standard is defined as any lane that cannot comfortably fit both a car and bike side-by-side. I also carry the CA vehicle code sections pertaining to bikes at all times. Maybe overkill, but having a nice orange highlighted passage to shove in someones face in the event of a collision is very helpful.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Wow! I posted on here about 2 months ago about being more comfortable riding on the sidewalks. How things change….I got a new bike, faster, fits perfect. After a few hundred miles under my belt commuting to and from work on my bike(s) about 90% on sidewalks - I have a new found confindence and strength in my legs and a higher fitness level to be able to ride in the lane. Atlanta traffic is terrible, aggressive and my commute doesn’t offer a lot of options for low traffic routes without adding 15 more miles each way. This has made me more “creative” in my routes, I’m now about 90% in the lane in the morning when traffic is more calm. And about 80% in the evening, but I also added 4 miles to the route home through neighborhoods to cut down on the terrible spots on the road with the traffic.
I still think that bike lanes are required for ‘newbies’. And what about kids? Do we support them riding in the street vs the sidewalks?
Also, the law does state here in Atlanta that bicycles are to use the road, not the sidewalks, but yet the City of Atlanta police only use sidewalks from what I’ve seen, and they are very friendly towards other cyclists on the sidewalk.
“Claiming the lane” only works if cyclists OBEY the traffic laws- like red lights, stop signs, etc.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Striped bike lanes are useless at best, as far as I can see.
On any road where it is necessary for a cyclist to take the lane, it is inappropriate and dangerous to stripe a bike lane. On any road where it is not necessary for a cyclist to take the lane, a bike lane isn’t needed.
In practice, bike lanes are worse than useless:
http://www.bicyclinglife.com/EffectiveAdvocacy/blvswol.htm
Better to spend the money on educating inexperienced cyclists and motorists on how to safely operate their vehicles.
July 6th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Let see. 1000 lb car versus 200 lb biker. Not very good odds for the biker in an accident. That’s the key.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
All great points. Within the first few days of cycling I figured out it’s much, much safer to claim the lane and now I own that lane and could care less if cars honk or get frustrated behind me (if there’s room for me to move to the side safely I’ll do so, but otherwise that’s my lane). My opinion is if you can’t move your vehicle around my skinny bicycle that’s a sign of your poor driving skills, not mine. You might find this story I published about a recent run-in with a driver who completely lost his cool when I claimed the lane on a multiple lane road interesting.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Are you implying then that “taking the lane” is not safer for the cyclist?
July 9th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Thanks so much for this article. I’ve been riding my bike to work for two weeks and have found the drivers in Miami unwilling to give me enough, if any room. If I claim my own space, they still honk and yell but I’m alive.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
The last time I was able to commute by bike, it was 3/4 of a mile from my house to work. To take control of the lane, I would have to first merge into 5 lane 45mph+ oncoming traffic to turn left, then turn left onto another 5 lane 45mph+ road which is so busy, one time by car I counted that the light changed from green to red 7 times before I could turn left. Suicide. I took the sidewalk and got there in 10 minutes or less.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I’m a ft bike commuter in Denver, and I always take the lane. Only had a driver get angry with me once in the last year. Of course, I bike with my daughter in the trailer-drop her at daycare (before I hit downtown-I’m not that crazy!) on the way to the office-so people are pretty respectful overall.
I figured out quickly that it’s far more dangerous to let drivers think they can squeeze by me. Interestingly, after a biker was killed this spring, the paper published some brief comments about safety, and included the statement that you should not only bike in the lane, but bike in the one you are using, i.e. don’t be in the turn lane if you are going straight.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
test
July 18th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
any bicyclist riding in the middle of the lane, putting along at 15mph during rush hour traffic, had better get over or to the right side of the road or taste bumper. you people are a bunch of self-serving pompous idiots who think the world revolves around them…it does not. Just keep thinking you are the most important person in the world as you clog up the highway, I’d be willing to bet you are failures in other areas of your lives as well. Statistics don’t lie, a bike against a car means the biker is a loser.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
So much angst! You should bike more.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I have never understood why anti-cyclists post on pro-cycling blogs or list serves. Just to prove the point that there are people out there who hate cyclists being on the road? We all know that every single time we ride on the road…the point has been made numerous times by many people.
July 18th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
actualy, I kind of like it when angry car drivers post stuff, I finally understand what they are saying… Its hard to hear them on the road as they drive by telling you what they think at 50 mph to your 15-20.
It actualy happened today, I almost got the impression that it was a positive statement, but it was a huge truck, so that can’t be.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Jen Says:
“While I understand my right to take the lane and have no problem doing so in the right situation most of the time I try to plan my route on slower posted mph, lighter traffic routes. I add about a mile each way to my commute, but it makes for a more pleasant ride for me. I am amazed at some of the people (like Nat) who seem to be willing to intentionally antagonize other people on the road by picking the speed they think everyone else should be going and then deliberately holding up traffic behind them. I think it really does a service to no one except to help bolster the person-who-is-holding-up-traffics ego (Look, I can make all these people upset/go slower/have to switch lanes). I think if we ride with courtesy and respect we will get that back.
I know there are situations where it is safer to claim the lane and really support people doing so. I also know that some bicyclists have other safer options available (riding one street away) but choose to claim the lane on a high-speed /high-traffic road just to prove a point. If I was in a car and could not go the posted speed limit, I would pull over to let people pass me or pick a safer route. I do the same on my bike.”
Well, maybe you would consider my behavior selfish and ego-centric, if you observed it, and maybe i’m just not communicating very well.
First of all, slowing down when someone tailgates you is Drivers Ed 101. It’s the standard procedure to shake a tailgater, and the single most-effective way to both minimize danger while they tailgate, and encourage them to do something else–as you slow down, you give yourself more reaction time so that you don’t have to slam on the brakes with someone too close behind you; you do not reward the tailgater for their behavior; and you make it easier for them to pass you, if they’re in a hurry. I’ve been a professional driver for more than a dozen years, and i deal with tailgaters in a car the same as on a bike: i slow down.
Secondly, when i’m biking, I only slow down *after* someone else has attempted to assert that *they* know how fast everyone should be going–and they’re saying that i shouldn’t be on the road. I’m responding in kind, not initiating confrontation. And i don’t keep it up, or hold up a line of traffic–just make sure they’ve gotten the message that they’re not gonna intimidate me into getting out of their way. If it’s safe, i’ll happily get out of the way–i spend most of my time deliberately being out of the way of motorists, out of consideration. But when i need to be in the lane, i need to be in the lane. I’m not gonna put myself somewhere dangerous out of “consideration” for others. For that matter, a lot of the people that think i’m “holding up traffic” aren’t even in the same lane i’m in. They have their very own lane to drive in, that i’m not in at all, and *still* can’t seem to figure out how to pass me.
Third, i can maintain the speed limit, most days (when i’m not low on energy). So these folks who are honking at me for “blocking traffic” are upset that i’m merely doing 24-26 in a 25mph zone and not letting them do 35 in a 25 zone. In fact, during rushhour on most main streets around here, i have to ride my brakes much of the time, because the traffic is much slower than i am. And that’s not a testament to my cycling prowess, that’s an observation of the inefficiency of motor vehicles en masse. 17mph is a very realistic average speed for urban traffic.
Fourth, let’s look at that “safer option one block away”. My current route: a 2-4 lane (the outside lane is given over to parking on one side or both, at various times of day) road with signals and 25mph. When parking is allowed on my side of the street, i can usually ride safely in the parking-allowed lane, being clearly out of both the door zone and the other lane. When parking isn’t allowed, even if i have to claim the outside lane the whole way (which i normally don’t), that would leave a clear lane. And since the timing on the lights is such that i can usually catch the whole string, i can keep up roughly the speed of traffic. Now, that side street: a just-barely-2-lane-plus-parking-on-both-sides street, with stop signs at least every other block. It’s still a steady stream of traffic, but the difference is i have to stop, and thus get back up to speed, every couple blocks, meaning i spend a lot more of my time well under 20mph. And the road is narrow enough that i *have* to take the lane–there’s nowhere else to be. So, i’m constantly blocking motor vehicle traffic. So, by riding the high-volume multi-lane road, i hold up a lot less traffic than if i ride the sidestreets. *And* i get where i’m going faster. Now, maybe it’s different where you live, but everywhere i’ve ever lived (or visited), sidestreet means parking on both sides, and narrow roads–not to mention lots of driveways. And the same speed limit as the through routes. Those few roads that actually are higher speed are also multi-lane, and much wider lanes, so a cyclist is much less of an impediment to motorists–i can ride the faster roads completely within the lane and still completely out of the way of any competent motorist smaller than a big rig.
So, at least around here, the high-speed and/or high-volume roads are the option where i cause the least inconvenience to motorists, as well as being the most direct routes to most places (regardless of vehicle choice) and the safest for cycling (because they’re the only roads where i can maintain good visibility for motorists coming into the road at intersections and driveways). As an aside, the speed limit is supposed to be the fastest speed on a road, not the slowest–no one has any obligation to go at least the speed limit, much less over it.
July 20th, 2008 at 2:32 am
Taste bumper? That guy’s point of view is pretty funny on the one hand, amazing a guy that angry can function at all, and disturbing on the other hand, because I think the guy is dead serious. This kinda pobucker is exactly what concerns me about taking the lane. All it takes to is one pobucker out of a thousand drivers to decide I need to ‘taste some bumper.’ I’m located in Houston, and the pobucker is a species I’m very familiar with. If I’m gonna commute by bike and take the lane, I’m probably gonna have to move to a town that respects the rights of bikers, a town with fewer angry pobuckers.
July 20th, 2008 at 6:28 am
david: “Taste bumper? That guy’s point of view is pretty funny on the one hand, amazing a guy that angry can function at all, and disturbing on the other hand, because I think the guy is dead serious. This kinda pobucker is exactly what concerns me about taking the lane.”
Well, my feelings on that sort of person are that there are two possibilities: they’re all bluff, or they’re a sociopath. If it’s all bluster, then the best way to deal with them is not to give in to their bluff. And if they’re a sociopath, i have no confidence that they won’t decide to turn me into a hood ornament even if i’m on a path 15′ from the road. So, i don’t let the sociopaths worry me, because there’s really not much i can do if someone with a lethal weapon comes at me on my bike. I keep my eyes open, of course, and try to see any such situations coming while i still have a chance, but, really, i’m just plain outclassed by a motor vehicle on the open road. I worry much more about the folks who are bluffing, because while they don’t have the gumption to kill you intentionally, they probably have the stupidity to do it accidentally. And i spend most of my mental effort just watching out for the run-of-the-mill idiots, who have no intention of hurting anyone, but don’t know how to drive (which is most of them).
August 25th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Hi,
I live in the UK and am just new to cycling having used my car for the last few years and a motorcycle before that. Even on my motorcycle with lights and dayglo jackets I was forever being knocked off by myopic drivers. It is much more difficult on a bicycle and claiming the lane, or Assertive cycling is the sure way to go, generally it has a lot to do with primal instincts. If you behave like prey you are treated like prey, either ignored or knocked off. Take the predators position and they take more notice of you. Traffic cops on bikes/m.cycles have a big impact on peoples driving because they are seen as predators. You could always try dressing similar to cops. It worked for me on my motorcycle.
September 6th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I recently started bike commuting one or two days a week. My commute is ~ 6 miles each way in a NYC suburb. I am fortunate that I can get to work where ~ half the commute is on local streets with light traffic. In those situations, traffic typically is moving 35-40 mph. I have a good shoulder with high visibility (easy to see and be seen). I firmly “take the lane” when I need to go left.
The rest of the commute is along 4 lane roads with left and right turning lanes as well as very wide, well maintained shoulder lanes which are clearly marked as bike lanes. There are few bikes using them (I might see one or two other bikes in my commute at most). Car drivers really do not expect to see a bike in the bike lanes and, at right hand intersections, I have to be super careful about people using the bike lane as an extended right turn lane. There are two intersections where the bike lane goes dotted so a right turn lane for cars can cross over. I try to make my intentions as clear as possible that I am claiming the lane but I clench my teeth every time I get to those intersections. When I have to make a left on these fast roads, if traffic is light, I will move to claim space in the left turn lane. If not, I cross the intersection on the right then cross the main road perpendicular to traffic along with the rest of the cross street vehicles (discretion is the better part of valor). Contrary to what many might think on NY’ers, I have found most drivers to respect my rights to the road. I am in the eastern ‘burbs though.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
In Northern CA, where I commute, many intersections, especially along so-called “bike boulevards” and streets with bike lanes, actually paint a bike symbol in the middle of the lane at the intersection. I began noticing these on my daily commutes about five years ago. Back then, I would be stopped, resting, way over at the far right of the road and look to my left and see the bike symbol implanted in the middle of the lane. ‘Hmmm, I’d think. The City wants me to scoot over there. Interesting.’ THis was really my first exposure to the notion of controlling the lane and since then I’ve begun to notice how much safer and more relaxing it can be to control the lane. Much of my commute rides are with bike lanes. I’d say about 70% of the 10 miles each way is bike lane and of the remaining 30%, about 20% of that is on bike boulevards or calm, residential streets. However, on both commutes there are intersections, left turns, and overpasses where it behooves me to control the lane and I have never, ever had trouble from a driver for doing so.
Here’s something interesting. There are two places on my commute where the existence of a bike lane does not seem advantageous and I am beginning to think I should control the lane instead (would that be legal if there is a bike lane?): one is a left turn onto a street with a bike lane where there is ALWAYS a Mercedes parked right at the beginning, inside the bike lane. As I make the turn, if I stay to the right cars will pass me (the green left turn light is brief so the cars are eager to get through). However, that puts me in a tight spot when I encounter the Mercedes stuck in the bike lane shortly thereafter. The other instance is a stretch of bike lane alongside many gas stations and strip malls. I frequently have cars that for some reason don’t want to slow down and let me pass before they pull into the station or mall and instead speed up and turn right in my face. This happens so frequently (at least 3x a week) that I am beginning to feel that it would be safer for me to control the lane. What do you think?
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Sean, I’m having a hard time picturing the Mercedes situation — any chance of posting an illustration somewhere? I don’t know what has bike lanes and left turn lanes and who’s passing what.
The 2nd situation you describe is the right hook. Many cyclists indeed move left when necessary to prevent this. California has a mandatory bicycle lane law with the usual “hazardous conditions” exceptions. You’ll need to decide for yourself if the risk of right hooks qualifies as a “hazardous condition.” Most Bay Area police officers and local judges don’t seem to recognize dangerous driving as a ‘hazardous condition’ that can be controlled by your position. YMMV, IANAL, etc.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I live in a college town, therefore there are a lot of bike paths/lanes. I use these where they are available. The rest of the time I use the sidewalk.
I understand that bikes are considered ‘motor vehicles’, but they aren’t built like them. They can’t go the posted speed, and they don’t do much for you when you get hit by a huge mass of metal going 60MPH. It doesn’t happen often, but if my pants get caught in my chain, or my chain just plain acts up, etc, and I’m in the middle of the street with cars behind me, I’m going to get squashed, and I’m totally not cool with that.
Around here it is dangerous to ride in the street. Until they make bike lanes part of every road, I will happily stay on the sidewalk.
September 24th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Kryzzz, you should ride where you feel comfortable. Safely riding on the sidewalk forces you to ride very slowly though. If you’re ok with that, then, by all means, ride on the sidewalk (of course yielding to every pedestrian and stopping at every intersection and paying very close attention to autos exiting/entering driveways).
Though, if you want to get anywhere at a decent speed and can do so without riding with 50mph traffic, then you’re better off riding on the road.
What college town are you talking about?
November 17th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I commute by bike most days. I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get some custom cycling shirts made up. I was thinking of getting some made up that say things like: POLICE CYCLING TEAM.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
John: You mean something like this? Carlton has something similar on his site somewhere though I can’t find it at the moment.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:59 am
Claiming the lane sounds like a great concept. Iam new to commuting by bike and have found in the UK drivers are very happy to push through a gap thats not there! I used too being a reformed car driver now at the weekends. I dont feel confident enough yet to claim the lane, i accept all the reasoning its just me not being strong enough to do it.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I get honked at 80% of the time I claim the lane, and each time it happens, I become less confident about it and lean more toward riding on the sidewalk. The major problem I face is when cars start to pile up behind you and then you decide to be thoughtful enough to pull over and let them by. Once I’ve done that, returning to the road is sometimes really difficult because of the heavy traffic, and may take up to a few minutes. This cycle has to be repeated several times, making the ride uncomfortable, costing me a lot of delays, and altogether making the sidewalk choice faster and more convenient, especially that they are seldom used by pedestrians where I ride.
What I do now is that I only take the lane when the sidewalk is too narrow or has a few pedestrians on it, and the lane is too narrow. I try saving my energy for the stretch of the road where I have to take the lane, so that I can achieve a speed that’s less likely to disturb the motorists, but I always seem to end up depleting myself too quickly for nothing *sigh*.
That said, what I am currently doing is probably wrong, but I’m either not fit enough to keep up with cars on the road, or too afraid of being the origin of a chain of annoyed drivers. Perhaps with experience my behavior will change, and I hope it does, but until then, that T-shirt seems like a great idea