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Old March 27th 15, 06:46 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
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Posts: 10,538
Default AG: Country Roads

On 3/27/2015 7:00 AM, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Thu, 26 Mar 2015 22:17:35 -0400, Frank Krygowski wrote:


And speaking of Escalades: It's _finally_ half-decent riding weather
here. Yesterday, riding to the hardware store on the normally busy 5
lane road (12 foot lanes, IIRC), I happened to be almost alone... except
for a white Escalade that came up behind me. Despite the open left
lane, he blared his horn in an unfriendly manner.

I stayed where I was (lane center) and waved a couple times, something
like either "Hello" or "Of course I know you're there." Then I gave
what I hope was an obviously displeased motion saying "So pass me,
dammit!" Which he did. No further trouble. And no conceding anything
on my part.


But what happens if he doesn't see you or just decides to run over
you? Country road, no traffic, pain in the arse, who's to know?

Something similar happened here in Thailand. A foreign couple
apparently riding side by side on a fairly wide two lane road were hit
and killed by a pickup truck that ran into them from the rear. The
Thai driving the pickup said that he dropped his phone and was
reaching down for it and didn't see them.

Obviously the pickup driver had to say something, he couldn't just
ignore the fact that he had run over two people and what actually
happened is anyone's guess. But the fact remains that the cyclists are
dead. Had they been riding in a single line on the side of the road
they might not be.


First, I think I lessen my chances of not being noticed (due to cell
phones or whatever) by being less prominent in the road. I've confirmed
this to my satisfaction by observing upcoming motorists in my mirror.
When I'm more leftward, they adjust much sooner by merging left.

If you're going to worry about the risk of deliberate homicide, remember
that in the U.S., cyclists fatalities from _all_ causes happen only once
in at least 10 million miles of riding; and half of those are due to
blatant cyclist mistakes. Deliberate homicide is probably once in 100
million miles or so, and those murderers can take out pedestrians in
crosswalks or on country roads, too. I'm not going to worry so much
that I travel only in a nice safe car.


It's like this every spring. The Escalade drivers have had a whole
winter to glory in their supposed superiority and privilege. It takes a
few weeks for them to remember that "Oh yeah, those guys have a legal
right to the road, too."

Cowering at the right just slows their learning process.


Yes, I believe in every state a cyclist has a right to use the public
highway, but does he have a right to impede other traffic?


Some states have a "five or more" law saying any slow vehicle operator
has to let a train of cars by when he can safely pull off. If he can't
safely pull off, he keeps going. And a significant court case in Ohio -
which generated a legal precedent - said that courts can't convict of
impeding without taking the capability of the vehicle into account. IOW
if you're moving at a reasonable speed for a bicycle, you're legally OK.

--
- Frank Krygowski
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