Road riding etiquette

[Mish]

I have non-cycling friends that complain that they can't pass bikers.
When I ride with a group we try to ride single file when there's traffic. We ride 2 up when we can. I see many bikers stay 2 up and hold up cars. That would make me mad to be behind them as well. Wouldn't it be better for "us" if we shared the road?

 

[Eden]

I have non-cycling friends that complain that they can't pass bikers.
When I ride with a group we try to ride single file when there's traffic. We ride 2 up when we can. I see many bikers stay 2 up and hold up cars. That would make me mad to be behind them as well. Wouldn't it be better for "us" if we shared the road?

The way I see it, it is no harder to safely pass 2 riders as it is to pass one. If you can squeeze by in your car just because there is one fewer rider then you are probably passing waaaaay to close. In this state cars are supposed to pass with a minimum of 3 feet clearance from the cyclist and we are allowed to ride no more than 2 abreast. For our part we need to act like any vehicle that moves slower than traffic (if this is even the case - as at times a bike can be just as fast or even faster than heavy city traffic) - if we have 5 cars behind us that have no opportunity to safely pass we need to find a place to pull over and allow traffic through.

It would be better if motorists just calmed down and realized that they will be able to get around the cyclists eventually and generally are not going to be held up for more than a minute or two at the most. In fact they are likely to spend more time sitting at red lights..... (yes I have been unsafely passed my motorists in a big big hurry to get to that red light that is clearly visible less than 100 ft ahead of me).

 

[frenchyge]

Wouldn't it be better for "us" if we shared the road?

Possibly, but to me sharing the road doesn't mean squeezing into the gutter to let the cars pass unimpeded. Personally, I don't like riding double-file in traffic (except with a large group) because of the impression it sends to motorists, as you say. However, even when I'm riding alone I ride far enough into the lane so that motorists must make a conscious effort to pass safely (ie, slow down, wait for an opening in the opposing traffic, and then put at least the left tires across the line while passing), rather than whizzing by in the lane as if I'm nothing more than a pothole which should be avoided if practical.

Share the Road is nice as a reminder, but it's not really a sharing situation on the road. It's like saying "we (motorists) will try not to kill you, if you (cyclists) try not to get in our way." Ride to protect yourself.

 

[Bigbananabike]

I have non-cycling friends that complain that they can't pass bikers.
When I ride with a group we try to ride single file when there's traffic. We ride 2 up when we can. I see many bikers stay 2 up and hold up cars. That would make me mad to be behind them as well. Wouldn't it be better for "us" if we shared the road?

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You might want to use the term "Two abreast" as the phrase "2 up" sounds like it's one rider on top of another - which might be fun...but possibly not on the road

 

[carmol]

The way I see it, it is no harder to safely pass 2 riders as it is to pass one. If you can squeeze by in your car just because there is one fewer rider then you are probably passing waaaaay to close.

I second this.

 

[Farmguy]

Just a thought on this, I ride a lot of motorcycles on the road and what they teach is to always "claim your spot", when riding down the highway you ride close to the center line, claiming a spot the same as a car, that way no one is tempted to pass you without changing lanes same as another car. Now, I know bicycles are differant due to the speed differance involved but the principle is the same. For me, most of the time I ride on the line allowing room for a car to pass, but in traffic when I have no "out" or escape route, I stake a claim in the lane till it is safe to pull over and let a car pass, after all, bicycles have the same right to a lane as a car, it is just most driver do not know this.

 

[rob of the og]

Just a thought on this, I ride a lot of motorcycles on the road and what they teach is to always "claim your spot", when riding down the highway you ride close to the center line, claiming a spot the same as a car, that way no one is tempted to pass you without changing lanes same as another car. Now, I know bicycles are differant due to the speed differance involved but the principle is the same. For me, most of the time I ride on the line allowing room for a car to pass, but in traffic when I have no "out" or escape route, I stake a claim in the lane till it is safe to pull over and let a car pass, after all, bicycles have the same right to a lane as a car, it is just most driver do not know this.

That's right. A recent courtcase in the UK has confirmed that this is the legal position here, although unfortunately one rider had to be prosecuted by the police and dragged through the courts in order for a judge to confirm that legal position.

It's not alway appropriate, but in many cases in urban traffic a bike will be moving as fast or faster than the cars so it's logical to move over and take up the lane. Otherwise I find that I'm regularly getting squeezed by motorists overtaking with their brake lights already on

 

[vadiver]

It really depends on where your are riding and the traffic.

US traffic patterns.

Heavy city traffic I ride in the lane as a motorcycle would and obay ALL laws. That include stoping at the lights and not riding down the gutter to pass the stopped cars waiting for the light to change.

Light city traffic I ride to the right of the lane but far enough to the left to avoid "cubbing" my pedal or opening car doors. I do ride up the gutter to the red light, but I still obay the light regardless of cross traffic.

On open roads if we are within 10% of the posted speed limit I do not really care. Once we get bellow that we work on getting single file.

I also ride regularly on a very wide fourlane road with generally very little traffic. Most of the time there is only one car in any of the four lanes. A lot of times the car coming up behind me will not change lanes but instead likes to honk and yell. This is a 35MPH road and most of the time I am riding 25MPH+ but cars want to dive 60MPH on the road since it is so wide.

To pass two cyclist two abrest/up requires an additional three feet of clearence. I would rather the car have that three feet with nothing there than another cyclist. If they are going to pass a single file line within that three feet, they are going to squeeze the double file even tighter.

But then again you could be dead right.

 

[Eden]

To pass two cyclist two abrest/up requires an additional three feet of clearence. I would rather the car have that three feet with nothing there than another cyclist. If they are going to pass a single file line within that three feet, they are going to squeeze the double file even tighter.

But then again you could be dead right.

I don't advocate blocking traffic and when in heavy traffic on narrow roads my team does single up. My point is that the driver already doesn't have the proper amount of space to pass, but often does it anyway when there is a single rider. I've observed few times when a driver tries to pass without crossing the yellow line when passing a double paceline. It seems to be quite psychological. Once a driver makes the commitment to cross the yellow line then they go all of the way over and make enough space. If they feel that they can get through without crossing the yellow line they will shave by very very close.

Furthermore in any case I generally ride in a further left position when I am alone than I would ride on the right side of a paceline, thereby negating much of the "extra space" that having only one rider up might give a driver.

 

[benkoostra]

I never ride two abreast when cars are around. I value my life and that of my frieds too much to do that. It's one thing to talk say that cars can wait for a minute, and it's entirely another to get side-swiped by a ****** off motorist.

I had one woman SPEED UP as I crossed the street about 500m up, as if to run me over like a stray cat. That's what you're up against.

 

[xbgs351]

Most of the fatalities that I can recall have happened to riders riding by themselves. Cars always seem to give a lot more room to riders riding two abreast than to riders riding single file. Sure they may get a bit upset, but atleast they give more room.

 

[AsteriskMan]

Most of the fatalities that I can recall have happened to riders riding by themselves. Cars always seem to give a lot more room to riders riding two abreast than to riders riding single file. Sure they may get a bit upset, but atleast they give more room.

i agree with Farmguy that in city traffic that is moving slow enough i can keep up, especialy if I am going to need to turn left, I ride in the lane and make sure people know that i am a car by all rights. and when i'm with another rider we will bully cars around a little. But on the 'open road' and highways that is just too dangerous. single file only.

 

[The Double Zero]

i agree with Farmguy that in city traffic that is moving slow enough i can keep up, especialy if I am going to need to turn left, I ride in the lane and make sure people know that i am a car by all rights. and when i'm with another rider we will bully cars around a little. But on the 'open road' and highways that is just too dangerous. single file only.

I strongly suggest the claim your position on the road psyche that was mentioned earlier, when you give cars the option of squeezing past that is when accidents happen, Sure cars can get ******, but still no drivers want a big ding in thier bonnet by running you over. Just have your middle finger cocked and loaded ready to fire when necessary. Common sense in heavy traffic is also a prerequiste.