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Ride the white line on the edge of the road like I do. It’s just foolish and dangerous to ride in the middle of active car traffic lanes.
Umm, edit for the downvoters, we don’t have bike lanes in my area. Where else would you have me ride? The middle of the highway, where I’ve already lost 2 friends that got hit by cars while riding bicycle?
I’ll stick with the tactic that’s kept me alive all this time, don’t ride in the middle of the road.
Nah you’ve got that backwards. If you’ve got separate bike paths, that’s the best, and it’s what 100% of advocacy should be aimed towards. But when there isn’t separate bike infrastructure, Forester’s advice actually is sensible. You should ride in the middle of the lane. The risk of someone thinking they can squeeze past and failing is far greater than the risk of someone deliberately riding into you from behind.
To your point, I have ridden literally thousands of miles, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve witnessed a car run a stop sign or red light. But in nearly every ride, countless cars veer out of their lane and into the shoulder, especially on left-hand bends.
I will usually risk hugging the shoulder on long straight roads with good visibility, the feels like the best mix of personal safety and sharing the road with others, but never take my chances in the twisties. I want to be seen.
I’ll keep over to the left when there’s a shoulder that’s wide enough to act as a bike lane and there’s no cars parked in that shoulder for a long stretch. And on roads where the lane is extra wide and a car can comfortably pass me at well over 1 metre gap without leaving the lane. If neither of those is true, keeping left really doesn’t help with “sharing the road”, because others can’t overtake safely. The only thing it does if I keep left is to make drivers think they might be able to squeeze past without leaving the lane.
Did you miss something? We don’t have bike lanes in my area.
So, considering the lack of bike lanes, I ride the white line on the edge of the road. Like, who in their right mind would ride a bicycle in the middle of vehicle traffic?
This is incredibly dangerous, unless you mean that you’re riding on the other side of the white line (sometimes called a “fog line”), on a road with a nice wide shoulder. All it does is encourage drivers to overtake at dangerously close distances when they’re unable to do so safely. Taking the lane keeps you safe, because it makes you easier to see (it puts you right where drivers are already looking, instead of off to the side) and it provides an obvious indication that the only way they can overtake is if they move into the other lane. Which requires that they’re able to move into the other lane. No incentive to squeeze past when it’s unsafe.
I’ve been riding this way for 33 years, never been hit. My main bicycle is basically a mirror anyways, known by the entire county as Silver. If you can’t see Silver, you don’t need to be on the road anyways.
I’m also smart enough to know that whenever traffic gets too busy, it’s probably a fine time for me to take a riding break and let traffic settle down. As a bike rider, to me, rule #1 is watch your own ass…
I’m gonna continue riding the way I ride as long as I ride, because I’m still alive and never had a traffic injury.
Oh no no no, make no mistake, I do know how to navigate heavy highway traffic on a bicycle. Rule #1 is the rider watches their own ass…
I don’t expect most riders to adopt my sort of riding style though, as my bikes are more intended for BMX flatland on an open basketball court or such. Although my bike has seen many knucklehead travel miles, it’s originally built to do bike tricks on a court.
I do want all bicycle riders to be safe though, but I still don’t see how it’s safe to ride in the middle of the lane…
In the UK, riding centrally in narrow lanes is taught so that the rider is where a driver is more likely looking, among other reasons, so they can take appropriate action to pass properly, as required by law. If you ride by the edge, they might not see you but will still hit you as they fail to pass.
You might as well be a deer in the road at night, the douchebag behind you driving 20 over the speed limit while texting his hooker ain’t gonna see you…
Being on the white line might not necessarily improve my visibility, but hear me out…
If you’re riding right in front of the vehicle driving like an ass, you got a 100℅ chance of getting hit or run over. But if you keep your bike on the edge of the road, you significantly reduce your chances of getting run over by an idiot.
if you keep your bike on the edge of the road, you significantly reduce your chances of getting run over by an idiot.
Quite the opposite. This has been statistically verified many times. You can verify the verification with a simple web search, if you really want to know.
Brother, stop making up nonsense hypothetical scenarios, and just look at the science and the conventional wisdom developed over hundreds of years of study.
I’ve done that before and that only leads to every car passing me at 65 km/h (41mph) only 45cm (1.5ft), rather than moving to the other lane, passing and then going back. Outside American city cores where shoulders are wider, there’s often trash and debris there. So I’d rather get yelled at by a few impatient drivers than risk my life passing closely, or risk a flat tire from glass shards or flipping over going over a broken chunk of concrete.
I’ll take my chances with a potential flat tire, which doesn’t often happen to me thankfully. If you have a problem running over glass shards or lumps of concrete, then that’s on you, you’re supposed to look where you’re going.
That day I took my bike on the bus from Federal Way, so I didn’t ride in the city that time, but look at the shoulder width in Bellevue., you get 30cm (1ft) of space on the shoulder. If you ride on the side here, you will be treated by drivers the same as a garbabe bin out on collection day.
Maybe your local government takes care of your suburban, exurban and rural arterial roads to a point they are pristine enough and there’s plenty of space for you to bike on the side. I’m happy for you then, but don’t put the failures of infrastructure on the individual.
In my area, some roads only have like 3 inches of pavement past the white line. Yes, it can be scary as fuck, but when there’s no bike path, where else to ride?
Yes, it really can be scary riding the ~6 inches on the edge of the road, definitely not saying that’s ideal, it most certainly isn’t. But with no other option on some roads, I’d rather ride the white line than ride in the middle of traffic.
but when there’s no bike path, where else to ride?
That’s in the vehicle lane, which is the point I’m making here. It’s better to be in people’s direct line of vision. If they were distracted on their phone and couldn’t see you in the middle of the road, they won’t see you on the shoulder.
I’m trying my best not to antagonize you for your choices. Ride however you feel safest and comfortable. Riding in the road isn’t safe for everyone, and riding on the shoulder or sidewalk is safer depending on your bike, what your roads look like, and the local rules. Often times like you say there’s no ideal option. All I ask is you don’t chastise other people just for making assessments for what is the safest option in their circumstances, based on your own generalized assessment.
You’re absolutely right about that, it totally depends on the area (and my own knuckleheadedness). Of course I want all riders to be safe, I just don’t see how riding in the middle of the lane is in any way safe, brakes, reflectors, etc or not.
I guess part of my side has to do with the drivers down my way. I always assume whatever vehicle behind me might not be paying attention and might be going 88MPH trying to travel through time. I just ain’t trying to be in their way…
Nobody wants to, but there is no bike lane, so…
Literally the whole video is about how one guy really did want to, and he was able to convince an entire country (or two…or four) his way was right.
You should actually watch the video, because the entire thing is about cyclists advocating against bike lanes.
No there was many more than 1
Ride the white line on the edge of the road like I do. It’s just foolish and dangerous to ride in the middle of active car traffic lanes.
Umm, edit for the downvoters, we don’t have bike lanes in my area. Where else would you have me ride? The middle of the highway, where I’ve already lost 2 friends that got hit by cars while riding bicycle?
I’ll stick with the tactic that’s kept me alive all this time, don’t ride in the middle of the road.
Nah you’ve got that backwards. If you’ve got separate bike paths, that’s the best, and it’s what 100% of advocacy should be aimed towards. But when there isn’t separate bike infrastructure, Forester’s advice actually is sensible. You should ride in the middle of the lane. The risk of someone thinking they can squeeze past and failing is far greater than the risk of someone deliberately riding into you from behind.
To your point, I have ridden literally thousands of miles, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve witnessed a car run a stop sign or red light. But in nearly every ride, countless cars veer out of their lane and into the shoulder, especially on left-hand bends.
I will usually risk hugging the shoulder on long straight roads with good visibility, the feels like the best mix of personal safety and sharing the road with others, but never take my chances in the twisties. I want to be seen.
I’ll keep over to the left when there’s a shoulder that’s wide enough to act as a bike lane and there’s no cars parked in that shoulder for a long stretch. And on roads where the lane is extra wide and a car can comfortably pass me at well over 1 metre gap without leaving the lane. If neither of those is true, keeping left really doesn’t help with “sharing the road”, because others can’t overtake safely. The only thing it does if I keep left is to make drivers think they might be able to squeeze past without leaving the lane.
Did you miss something? We don’t have bike lanes in my area.
So, considering the lack of bike lanes, I ride the white line on the edge of the road. Like, who in their right mind would ride a bicycle in the middle of vehicle traffic?
This is incredibly dangerous, unless you mean that you’re riding on the other side of the white line (sometimes called a “fog line”), on a road with a nice wide shoulder. All it does is encourage drivers to overtake at dangerously close distances when they’re unable to do so safely. Taking the lane keeps you safe, because it makes you easier to see (it puts you right where drivers are already looking, instead of off to the side) and it provides an obvious indication that the only way they can overtake is if they move into the other lane. Which requires that they’re able to move into the other lane. No incentive to squeeze past when it’s unsafe.
I’ve been riding this way for 33 years, never been hit. My main bicycle is basically a mirror anyways, known by the entire county as Silver. If you can’t see Silver, you don’t need to be on the road anyways.
I’m also smart enough to know that whenever traffic gets too busy, it’s probably a fine time for me to take a riding break and let traffic settle down. As a bike rider, to me, rule #1 is watch your own ass…
I’m gonna continue riding the way I ride as long as I ride, because I’m still alive and never had a traffic injury.
I’m sorry to read that places as awful for cycling as there still exist and surprised that you never need to go anywhere when traffic is busy.
Oh no no no, make no mistake, I do know how to navigate heavy highway traffic on a bicycle. Rule #1 is the rider watches their own ass…
I don’t expect most riders to adopt my sort of riding style though, as my bikes are more intended for BMX flatland on an open basketball court or such. Although my bike has seen many knucklehead travel miles, it’s originally built to do bike tricks on a court.
I do want all bicycle riders to be safe though, but I still don’t see how it’s safe to ride in the middle of the lane…
In the UK, riding centrally in narrow lanes is taught so that the rider is where a driver is more likely looking, among other reasons, so they can take appropriate action to pass properly, as required by law. If you ride by the edge, they might not see you but will still hit you as they fail to pass.
In the middle of the lane. Vehicles are more likely to hit you while trying to squeeze past you. Don’t let them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
Middle of the lane? Why? Like seriously why?
You might as well be a deer in the road at night, the douchebag behind you driving 20 over the speed limit while texting his hooker ain’t gonna see you…
I just finished explaining why in the comment you just replied to.
What makes you think you’re any more visible on the white line?
Being on the white line might not necessarily improve my visibility, but hear me out…
If you’re riding right in front of the vehicle driving like an ass, you got a 100℅ chance of getting hit or run over. But if you keep your bike on the edge of the road, you significantly reduce your chances of getting run over by an idiot.
Quite the opposite. This has been statistically verified many times. You can verify the verification with a simple web search, if you really want to know.
Can you provide it?
Keep reading.
Umm, if you’re driving and a deer is in the road, you’ll likely hit it.
If the deer is not in the road but close to the edge, ditch, or fence, you’re much less likely to hit it.
Now as a bicycle rider, think of yourself as the deer…
Brother, stop making up nonsense hypothetical scenarios, and just look at the science and the conventional wisdom developed over hundreds of years of study.
I’ve done that before and that only leads to every car passing me at 65 km/h (41mph) only 45cm (1.5ft), rather than moving to the other lane, passing and then going back. Outside American city cores where shoulders are wider, there’s often trash and debris there. So I’d rather get yelled at by a few impatient drivers than risk my life passing closely, or risk a flat tire from glass shards or flipping over going over a broken chunk of concrete.
I’ll take my chances with a potential flat tire, which doesn’t often happen to me thankfully. If you have a problem running over glass shards or lumps of concrete, then that’s on you, you’re supposed to look where you’re going.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/a8Ej4VfeCkTLFJ7TA?g_st=ac South Hill, WA, USA where I biked last year.
Even closer to town where the shoulder lane ‘looks clear’, you can clearly see the difference in road condition where it looks coated in a layer of sand/gravel within which glass pieces can conceal themselves. and swerving into car lanes to avoid larger obstacles is even more dangerous, anyway.
That day I took my bike on the bus from Federal Way, so I didn’t ride in the city that time, but look at the shoulder width in Bellevue., you get 30cm (1ft) of space on the shoulder. If you ride on the side here, you will be treated by drivers the same as a garbabe bin out on collection day.
Maybe your local government takes care of your suburban, exurban and rural arterial roads to a point they are pristine enough and there’s plenty of space for you to bike on the side. I’m happy for you then, but don’t put the failures of infrastructure on the individual.
Wow, you got lots of riding space there!
In my area, some roads only have like 3 inches of pavement past the white line. Yes, it can be scary as fuck, but when there’s no bike path, where else to ride?
Yes, it really can be scary riding the ~6 inches on the edge of the road, definitely not saying that’s ideal, it most certainly isn’t. But with no other option on some roads, I’d rather ride the white line than ride in the middle of traffic.
That’s in the vehicle lane, which is the point I’m making here. It’s better to be in people’s direct line of vision. If they were distracted on their phone and couldn’t see you in the middle of the road, they won’t see you on the shoulder.
I’m trying my best not to antagonize you for your choices. Ride however you feel safest and comfortable. Riding in the road isn’t safe for everyone, and riding on the shoulder or sidewalk is safer depending on your bike, what your roads look like, and the local rules. Often times like you say there’s no ideal option. All I ask is you don’t chastise other people just for making assessments for what is the safest option in their circumstances, based on your own generalized assessment.
You’re absolutely right about that, it totally depends on the area (and my own knuckleheadedness). Of course I want all riders to be safe, I just don’t see how riding in the middle of the lane is in any way safe, brakes, reflectors, etc or not.
I guess part of my side has to do with the drivers down my way. I always assume whatever vehicle behind me might not be paying attention and might be going 88MPH trying to travel through time. I just ain’t trying to be in their way…