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Old September 8th 14, 04:17 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Joy Beeson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,638
Default AG: when to avoid the primary position


When riding on a road, the default position is the right-hand wheel
track -- that is, you put your rightmost wheel where everybody else
puts his rightmost wheel. (Change "right" to "left" if your country
drives on the left.)

Many people believe that "default position" means "the position I grab
with both hands and my teeth, close my eyes, and hang onto no matter
what".

What "default" means is "what I do WHEN I HAVE NO REASON TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE".

We could list reasons to do something else all week and never run out.
The first one to come to mind: that track *is* where everybody puts
his rightmost wheel, and, on many roads, pounds it into rubble. In
such a case, I usually ride on the comparatively-smooth path between
the wheel tracks -- unless the track is broken so badly that it's
hazardous to cross it, in which case I ride just outside the track and
grimly vow to find another road next time.

Left turns are another reason to leave the default path. The correct
line for approaching an intersection where you intend to turn left
might be the middle of the lane, the left-hand wheel track, the next
lane over, or something else -- but it's *never* as far right as the
right-hand wheel track. (Unless it's such a difficult turn that you
mean to turn right and make a U-turn, or get off the bike and press
the pedestrian button.)

When other traffic is continuous and there is a wide shoulder, your
place is four feet from the line of motorized traffic. That's four
feet between his outside mirror and your elbow, NOT four feet between
wheel tracks.


--
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://joybeeson.home.comcast.net/
The above message is a Usenet post.
I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site.


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