Taking the lane

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 6:15:08 PM UTC-4, JoeRiel wrote:


Yeah, that sums it up pretty nicely. It definitely raises the odds of

---practically guarantees---a hostile interaction.

I read that (or similar statements) so often here. And I get so very few hostile reactions.

Yesterday's recreational ride with my wife, who is certainly not a fast rider: 33 miles, with roughly the first half being on state highways. (Me: "Do you want the route with the hill, or the route with more traffic?" She: "Oh, let's stay away from the hill.") I estimate the lane width was probably ten feet on almost all the state highways, only rarely with rideable shoulders - which, BTW, we use if it makes sense.

Traffic on the first highway was, unfortunately, busier than I thought it would be. There was almost no time I could leave the lane. Quite a few heavy trucks, too, and not a few times that they simply had to wait behind, because there was no way I could skim the pavement edge and let them squeeze by.

Total horn honks the entire trip? Zero. Yet again. And those highways had speed limits of 45 to 55 mph. BTW, my wife's not fast. Our average speed was 12 mph.

(BTW, on the plus side, we talked our way through a "Sorry, road's closed because of flooding" road block, and easily rode through the water. On the minus side, we explored a gravel road close to the river and further upstream, and decided _not_ to ride through the 18" deep water covering it. Had to backtrack to go around.)

Now, I'm paying even more attention to lane strategies since these recent discussions hit high gear. "Control and release" works well. That is, be out there in the way, get the passing vehicle to slow if necessary and move left, then ease a bit right. I think it conveys "I'm helping you" while achieving my main objective, which is "Don't squeeze past me too closely."

- Frank Krygowski

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 6:45:36 PM UTC-4, JoeRiel wrote:
J

I recall trying, and failing, to block cars from passing at the top of a

nearby downhill. Old Pomerado Rd. Only a mile long, with an average

grade of 8%, but it had a couple of hairpins and I could easily, if

foolishly, pass most cars descending. Progress and bulldozers, alas,

have straightened its curves. Now it's a boring hill, one I rarely

descend but like to climb at the end of a ride.

Oh yeah - also yesterday: Commencing the most fun downhill of the trip (just before crossing the river on the flooded road), we were approached from behind by a front end loader. I figured it would be no issue, since he won't be doing more than 20 mph, and we get to coast for about a mile, almost always faster than that.

Well, that was a fast front end loader! His bucket spanned more than the narrow lane (although there was no center line), and my wife doesn't coast as fast as I do, but he still hung behind her, with no sign of impatience from him or from the two cars following him.

Finally, we got to the final part of the hill, where I usually hit 35 mph or so. I actually sat up to stay within sight of her, but we did drop the guy on that pitch. He and the cars behind got stopped at the road block that we talked our way past.

- Frank Krygowski

Frank Krygowski writes:

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 6:15:08 PM UTC-4, JoeRiel wrote:


Yeah, that sums it up pretty nicely. It definitely raises the odds of

---practically guarantees---a hostile interaction.

I read that (or similar statements) so often here. And I get so very
few hostile reactions.

Must be nice. That might explain why you recommend the technique and
rarely mention any drawbacks. There are drawbacks. I experience the
hostile reactions practically every time I take the lane and have a
pickup behind me. It's not just pickups, but the faux cowboys are so
predictable that way. I don't recall any issues with real trucks, but
they are less common.

--
Joe Riel

On 14/07/13 05:25, Joe Riel wrote:
On the route I ride most Saturday's, along highway 67, I take the lane
approaching Poway Road from the south. Cars park on the shoulder (there
is a popular hiking spot at Iron Mountain), so unless you're in the
center of the lane, you are in the door zone. This is for a short
stretch, less than a quarter mile. Last week some yahoo in a
pickup---they are invariably in pickups---passed close, straddling the
lane, then immediately swerved in front as he passed me.

Yesterday riding up Mt Dandenong, I had a couple of motorists pass me on
blind corners and across double white lines. Like here...

http://goo.gl/maps/RsLvw

Someone will lose that lottery one day, and I don't want to be there
when they do.

--
JS

Joe, have you ridden 78 or the Sunrise Highway down to Anza Borrego ?

Frank Krygowski writes:

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 6:15:08 PM UTC-4, JoeRiel wrote:


Yeah, that sums it up pretty nicely. It definitely raises the odds of

---practically guarantees---a hostile interaction.

I read that (or similar statements) so often here. And I get so very few hostile reactions.

Yesterday's recreational ride with my wife, who is certainly not a fast rider: 33 miles, with roughly the first half being on state highways. (Me: "Do you want the route with the hill, or the route with more traffic?" She: "Oh, let's stay away from the hill.") I estimate the lane width was probably ten feet on almost all the state highways, only rarely with rideable shoulders - which, BTW, we use if it makes sense.

Traffic on the first highway was, unfortunately, busier than I thought it would be. There was almost no time I could leave the lane. Quite a few heavy trucks, too, and not a few times that they simply had to wait behind, because there was no way I could skim the pavement edge and let them squeeze by.

Total horn honks the entire trip? Zero. Yet again. And those highways had speed limits of 45 to 55 mph. BTW, my wife's not fast. Our average speed was 12 mph.

(BTW, on the plus side, we talked our way through a "Sorry, road's closed because of flooding" road block, and easily rode through the water. On the minus side, we explored a gravel road close to the river and further upstream, and decided _not_ to ride through the 18" deep water covering it. Had to backtrack to go around.)

Now, I'm paying even more attention to lane strategies since these recent discussions hit high gear. "Control and release" works well. That is, be out there in the way, get the passing vehicle to slow if necessary and move left, then ease a bit right. I think it conveys "I'm helping you" while achieving my main objective, which is "Don't squeeze past me too closely."


Try it without your wife along for protection.

Frank Krygowski writes:

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 6:15:08 PM UTC-4, JoeRiel wrote:


Yeah, that sums it up pretty nicely. It definitely raises the odds of

---practically guarantees---a hostile interaction.

I read that (or similar statements) so often here. And I get so very few hostile reactions.

I wonder whether the difference is purely regional, or whether something
else is involved. Having your wife along might help, though presumably
you experience the same reactions, or lack of such, when riding alone.
Maybe it's the attire---me in purple shorts with matching jersey, you in
the wingtips and cardigan 8-). It might be interesting to have another
person, attired differently taking the lane 1/2 mile ahead of you and
then compare the responses.

--
Joe Riel

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 10:55:13 PM UTC-4, James wrote:
On 14/07/13 05:25, Joe Riel wrote:

On the route I ride most Saturday's, along highway 67, I take the lane

approaching Poway Road from the south. Cars park on the shoulder (there

is a popular hiking spot at Iron Mountain), so unless you're in the

center of the lane, you are in the door zone. This is for a short

stretch, less than a quarter mile. Last week some yahoo in a

pickup---they are invariably in pickups---passed close, straddling the

lane, then immediately swerved in front as he passed me.



Yesterday riding up Mt Dandenong, I had a couple of motorists pass me on

blind corners and across double white lines. Like here...



http://goo.gl/maps/RsLvw



Someone will lose that lottery one day, and I don't want to be there

when they do.

I do get that sometimes, and agree that it's a stupid move.

When it happens, I get on high alert, because they may swerve back into my lane if someone is coming. So far, it hasn't happened. Instead, the opposing vehicles always have braked and edged onto the shoulder.

Personally, I think the opposing vehicle operators should deploy their front-facing rockets. I'll deal with the shrapnel. But that's just me.

- Frank Krygowski

Joe Riel writes:

Dan writes:

Well, I am no authority on how to do things properly, and heaven
forbid I should serve as an example, but for me, the deicision
comes down to:

1) What do I have to gain by completely blocking the lane
(taking more than I need to ensure that no one else can have any)?
Answer: I won't be bothered by the lack of consideration, respect,
regard, concern, accommodation, etc. that is exhibited by people
passing me nearer than they have to. Instead, they'll just have to
wait. IOW: my annoyance; maybe some personal affront in the power
game, exchanged for theirs, because dammit, I have a right to the
road.

2) What do I have to lose? Well, first it really raises the odds
of a hostile interaction. Second (only because it's less likely),
I could get just flat creamed by somebody not paying attention.

True, the not paying attention driver might hit me anyway, but
I'm playing the odds (at the same time exhibiting a cooperative
- which is not the same thing as "inviting" - stance. Also,
there are sublte audible clues that an overtaking driver is
unaware that you're there, and I suppose I might act to get
all the odds I could (IOW, get as far out of the way as I could)
in that instance.


I found this interesting:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2013...-hate-cyclists


Regular readers here the past several years know that I've been
saying exactly that. Frustrated cagers forced to accept and stew
in the constraints of their own making resent the bicyclist's
freedom from same and...

"HOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNK!!!" (and worse)

But I say the bicyclist earns that freedom. Sipping coffee and
listening to the radio while the engine hauls me over the hills
and heats or cools the dry interior of my car is a nice perk.

Slowly wallowing into Wall-E blobs, OTOH...

As long as I don't *practically* trespass, it is not reasonable
to scapegoat me.

Frank Krygowski writes:

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 10:55:13 PM UTC-4, James wrote:
On 14/07/13 05:25, Joe Riel wrote:

On the route I ride most Saturday's, along highway 67, I take the lane

approaching Poway Road from the south. Cars park on the shoulder (there

is a popular hiking spot at Iron Mountain), so unless you're in the

center of the lane, you are in the door zone. This is for a short

stretch, less than a quarter mile. Last week some yahoo in a

pickup---they are invariably in pickups---passed close, straddling the

lane, then immediately swerved in front as he passed me.



Yesterday riding up Mt Dandenong, I had a couple of motorists pass me on

blind corners and across double white lines. Like here...



http://goo.gl/maps/RsLvw



Someone will lose that lottery one day, and I don't want to be there

when they do.

I do get that sometimes, and agree that it's a stupid move.

When it happens, I get on high alert, because they may swerve back into my lane if someone is coming. So far, it hasn't happened. Instead, the opposing vehicles always have braked and edged onto the shoulder.

Personally, I think the opposing vehicle operators should deploy their front-facing rockets. I'll deal with the shrapnel. But that's just me.

Used to get that occasionally when riding with the club---it was
one aspect of club riding I didn't like. That is, the pass
took a while, so the likelihood of a car coming in the other
direction was increased. My danger might not be any worse,
but the possibility of experiencing a really ugly situation
seemed so. Never happened, but it bothered me.

--
Joe Riel