Do You Ride In The Middle of The Street?

[bairdco]

I talked to a tech guy from one of the most well known tire manufacturers, that make everything from bicycle, motorcycle, to wheelbarrow tires. Not naming names due to liability.

He told me many of their bicycle tires meet or exceed DOT regulations and some have speed ratings higher than motorcycles.

The reason they aren't rated and regulated, is because they don't have to be. It would cost more money and time, and make their tires more expensive to the consumer.

I've ridden motored bikes at speeds over 60mph with no wobbles, no blow outs, and in traffic lanes with cars.

My rule of thumb is, if I'm as fast as cars, ride with them, not against them.

If you're doing 30+ in a bike lane, drivers notice you as a bicycle, and turn in front of you, pull out in front of you, and inadvertantly try to kill you.

How many times have any of you glanced both ways coming out of a driveway, noticed a bike or a pedestrian, and made that split second decision whether or not you can beat them?

Im a cautious and courteous driver to bikes of all kinds, since I ride, but no one can judge a riders speed at a glance. All you see is a guy on a bike some distance away.

I say ride safe, ride legal, and ride however you feel comfortable, whether it's in the traffic lane, or off to the side.

But stay off the damn sidewalk!

 

[dmb]

well said bro. here in so.cal you never know what will happen, be a car chase or a crazy 95 year old going to the 99 cent store. we got it all in droves. dennis

 

[motoringbike]

What does the law state?

If I believe it correctly, a regular bicycle has to ride "As close the the curb as practicle" but when its motorized I dunno. I know I do not ride close to parked cars. Practicle is a loose word, b/c of rocks, potholes, sticks, other objects, railway tracks, manhole covers etc etc etc.

 

[BlueSmoker]

I ride it as i do with normal bicycles, but in the city i often ride it as i do with my motorcycle. I have put a mirror and a taillight on it now and i think that i will put som flashers backward on it also.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

My bikes are fast enough to keep up with most traffic, so I ride in traffic like a motorcycle.
Just like Baird said above, I feel much safer riding riding in the flow of traffic (instead of traffic constantly passing me).

If traffic is going faster than me, I'll keep to the right so I'm not blocking traffic.

 

[Dave31]

Occasionally I will ride in the rode with traffic but it is a huge risk here. The law requires us to ride to the right or the bike lane and observe our 20mph speed limit.

 

[KCvale]

How many times have any of you glanced both ways coming out of a driveway, noticed a bike or a pedestrian, and made that split second decision whether or not you can beat them?

Im a cautious and courteous driver to bikes of all kinds, since I ride, but no one can judge a riders speed at a glance.
All you see is a guy on a bike some distance away.

Use a high intensity front strobe light.

Everyone looking to pull out or cut across my path slams on their brakes with a glance as everyone takes a second look at a strobe light and that's all it takes for them to realize I am hauling ass towards them.

Works good ;-}

​

 

[YesImLDS]

I find myself riding where the right tire would be on a vehicle if I am keeping up with traffic I act like I am riding a moped. Which technically in Missouri my bike is a moped. If I am just putting around I'll hug the bike lane, but recently I have noticed how much crap there is in the bike lanes and it's a miracle I haven't gotten a flat.

 

[Chaz]

Yeah, road crap gathers at the curbside.

A strobe is eye catching but, in my mind, registers as a bicycle. I want a bright light with about a 6 inch lens so I read as a motorcycle at night.

 

[djnutz]

Besides this motor bicycle hobby, I am also an avid cyclist. I am actually certified by The League of American Bicyclists to teach their Smart Cycling classes. I teach my students that bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated like any other driver of any other vehicle.

Here in South Dakota, we have a law that says bicycles are indeed vehicles. We also have the law that says to ride as far to the right as "practicable." That particular law is for the most part the same across the US. It is copied from the Uniform Vehicle Code. If you read further on in this law, it goes on to list several exceptions as to why a bicycle cannot be operated "far to the right" such as parked cars, debris, uneven pavement, etc.

"Practicable" and "practical" are not synonymous. The best way to explain "practicable" is "feasible or able to be done safely"

I ride both my non-motored and my motored bike right out in the lane, positioned similar to where I would be as if I was behind the wheel of a car. Plenty of studies have been done on roadway positioning and its relation to crash frequency. The fact of the matter is that you are much more likely to get hit on a bicycle the further right you get from the lane.

Sidewalk riding, unless you ride at pedestrian speeds, can increase your chance for a crash significantly.

The best practice is to control the lane. On a road with multiple lanes in each direction, stay in the lane. Passing vehicles can easily change lanes to pass. Just like they would have to for street sweepers, mail trucks or any other slower moving vehicle.

On a two lane road, it is much easier to control the lane, then if faster traffic approaches from behind, and if there is room to move to the right and let faster traffic pass, then do so. After traffic has passed, resume control of the lane.

The problem arises when you are already over to the right and the road is not wide enough to share the lane. That is when the other driver thinks "I can squeeze by that bicycle."

Worse yet, you could end up on the right side of a right turning motorist...and that is never good.

 

[KCvale]

Yeah, road crap gathers at the curbside.

A strobe is eye catching but, in my mind, registers as a bicycle. I want a bright light with about a 6 inch lens so I read as a motorcycle at night.

In my experience, a front strobe makes you look more like an emergency vehicle or cop.

I have had cars in front of me pull over thinking they were being stopped, I regret that part, but hey, it's my life at stake.

Then again you are pretty vulnerable against an impaired driver no matter where you ride.

There are lots of ways to loose your license, but about DUI loss...

They still need to get around.
If impaired most can't ride one.
If they still do about the only damage they could do would be to themselves and maybe a small dent in a vehicle side panel.

Motorized Bicycles are a sobriety test in themselves ;-}

 

[Legwon]

i use the bike lanes when provided, or stay to the right.
if i need to take a left turn, ill pedal across crosswalks to do so. i only run the road down super slow side streets(sometimes) and alleyways.

 

[turnofftheradio]

Registered as a moped, so I have to act like one. But if I'm on a road that is 35 or above and 1 lane, I ride in the right side of it, and keep a close watch on my rear view. I'll hit the shoulder to allow cars past me after I turn my head so they know I see them. So far I'm still alive. Cops have been good with this. Even wave sometimes.

 

[scrollerguy]

Here in Maine, you are supposed to ride as close to the right hand side safely.

What I do, is I'm always checking my mirros to see if anybody is behind. If a curve is coming up and I do'nt think it is safe for the car, I will ride the center line, then when it is clear, I will motion them by.

I always take the slow roads, because the most of the drivers around here do not anyway in **** drive the speed limit.

 

[Slogger]

I stay hard over and avoid roads without a shoulder for an escape route.
Cars here will either go waay out to the left (too far, dangerous) or miss you by an inch (too close, also dangerous).
If a couple cars are dawdling along afraid to pass, I get waay over til they do.
I've gotten about 4 flats riding to the right, but none since I put tire liners in.
Thank goodness for tuffy liners.

 

[KCvale]

i use the bike lanes when provided, or stay to the right.
if i need to take a left turn, ill pedal across crosswalks to do so. i only run the road down super slow side streets(sometimes) and alleyways.

Conditions change constantly when riding, it's the riders responsibility to judge in advance what is best for them and others like any driving.

Here in AZ the law is basically "If you CANT keep up with traffic, move right".

That's why I started building bikes that can easily hit 35mph (56kph) in like 10 seconds off the line with just 50cc worth of power through the magic of gears like this ;-}

I can ride those 35mph roads no matter fast traffic travels up to ~45mph and be able to keep up AND stop with traffic as well.

Bike lanes are sure handy but can be a double edge sword.
Using them to your advantage to pass on the right tends to annoy drivers, especially if you have been riding in a traffic lane awhile but that doesn't mean I won't do it ;-}

I was scared like Legwon at first and used the crosswalk at a light to make a left hand turn but that got old and time consuming in short order so I looked up the law and that was that.

I travel like a motorcycle on the road with the added bonus of using the bike lanes and trails on my new machines ;-}