Oh thank god, cyclists that bike too close to the edge make me nervous AF - I’m always afraid they will meet an obstacle they are not expecting and swerve last minute.
That’s good, uncomfortable is how you should feel around cyclists. Not for any agenda or anything, but because statistically you drive slower and more cautiously when you’re in that mental state, which is safer for cyclists
Yes, that’s my point. And cyclists should take the whole lane if that’s safest.
I didn’t learn how to drive until I was 30, and I didn’t get a car until 36. In addition to public transit, I was a bike commuter ~9 months of the year. I think this gave me a much better appreciation for what my fellow road users face.
I don’t think 1 m is really enough passing space in most conditions and I’ll fully switch lanes most of the time. One of us is in a big metal inertia cage and the other is not.
Local laws say I should be within 3’ (1 meter) of the roadway, and cars need to give me 3` (1 meter) of space, which is about half a lane, meaning cars can’t fit next to cyclists. Me being in the middle of the lane just encourages other cars to follow the law, and I’ll do that if there’s not enough space for cars to pass to discourage them from cutting into my safety space.
If there’s enough space on the edge of the roadway, I’ll absolutely avoid the main lane, but there needs to be:
at least 6’/2m of space
no cars
no upcoming turns that cars could cut me off at
If even one of those isn’t true, I’ll take as much of the right-most lane as I can to stay safe.
Oh thank god, cyclists that bike too close to the edge make me nervous AF - I’m always afraid they will meet an obstacle they are not expecting and swerve last minute.
Like a car carelessly turning in front of them without looking?
That’s good, uncomfortable is how you should feel around cyclists. Not for any agenda or anything, but because statistically you drive slower and more cautiously when you’re in that mental state, which is safer for cyclists
Yes, that’s my point. And cyclists should take the whole lane if that’s safest.
I didn’t learn how to drive until I was 30, and I didn’t get a car until 36. In addition to public transit, I was a bike commuter ~9 months of the year. I think this gave me a much better appreciation for what my fellow road users face.
I don’t think 1 m is really enough passing space in most conditions and I’ll fully switch lanes most of the time. One of us is in a big metal inertia cage and the other is not.
Agreed.
Local laws say I should be within 3’ (1 meter) of the roadway, and cars need to give me 3` (1 meter) of space, which is about half a lane, meaning cars can’t fit next to cyclists. Me being in the middle of the lane just encourages other cars to follow the law, and I’ll do that if there’s not enough space for cars to pass to discourage them from cutting into my safety space.
If there’s enough space on the edge of the roadway, I’ll absolutely avoid the main lane, but there needs to be:
If even one of those isn’t true, I’ll take as much of the right-most lane as I can to stay safe.