On 12/18/2014 9:06 AM, Duane wrote:



And when the law is to not take the lane? Here you can only take the
lane if you're merging for a left turn or avoiding obstacles otherwise
you must "keep to the extreme right" to quote the highway code.

Then you need a MUCH more effective cycling advocacy organization.

So if you're not to the extreme right, not avoiding an obstacle and not
turning and you get hit you would be deemed to be at fault. Which is
pretty unusual in that normally when someone is hit from behind, it's
the hitter and not the "hittee" who is at fault.

To me the legality is secondary. If I think by moving to the center I
can be safer in some situation I will do it. Better to fight a ticket
than an undertaker.

Makes sense. I still doubt that the law can force you to risk your life
for the convenience of a motorist. And squeezing to the extreme right
edge of a ten foot lane is risking your life, if an 8.5 foot truck is
trying to pass within that lane.

I just don't think it's a panacea. I think in most
cases if the idiot is going to run you over in a bike lane where he
isn't supposed to be, he's likely going to run you over in the center
where you're not supposed to be.

There are no true panaceas in this world. But there are techniques that
work almost all the time, and work better than typical behavior. Riding
centered in a too-narrow lane is one.

See
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/...e-positioning/


We've had two death by trucks here recently. One was a woman run over
from behind when in the lane. Driver didn't know he hit her until he
hear a thump thump under his car.

I recall reading about one such incident, in which it turned out the
woman was essentially invisible in a dark, high-speed underpass during
the daytime. Was that this case? If so, it has aspects that don't
apply to normal roads with normal visibility.

The other was a right hook where a
truck passed a cyclist and then turned right running over the rider.
Didn't know he hit the rider until a witness flagged him down blocks
later. Would a bike lane have save the first woman? Would taking the
lane have saved the second guy? Who knows?

Taking the lane certainly seems to reduce right hook problems. When a
motorist must move away from the curb lane prior to his right turn (or
mirror image in some countries) he's much less likely to forget you're
there, or not see you before he turns.

It's absolutely worked for me with one attempted right hook incident. I
actually had time to glare at the offending motorist and convince him to
back off.

--
- Frank Krygowski