ChefMenteur
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Last Login:February 07, 2012, 10:20:50 PM
Date Registerd:January 15, 2007, 01:28:42 PM
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« Reply #15 on: September 16, 2009, 01:51:48 PM » |
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I've always been puzzled by how to drive when coming up behind a cyclist who is in the lane in an area of solid-yellow. I realize I'm supposed to treat them as a vehicle, but does that require me, because I'm prohibited from crossing the center line in a solid-yellow zone, to drive behind at the cyclist's speed (between 20 and 30?) until I encounter a broken yellow? Even in a 50? I assume the law against crossing the solid-yellow doesn't make an exception for instances when you want to pass a cyclist safely. Anyone know what to do? It's very often not possible to pass safely while remaining in the lane, and anyway, if a cyclist is a vehicle they have a right to the whole lane, and that prohibits me from passing them while remaining in their lane. Help.
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SeeingAllSides
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Last Login:April 06, 2010, 02:32:40 PM
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« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2009, 02:38:00 PM » |
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I've always been puzzled by how to drive when coming up behind a cyclist who is in the lane in an area of solid-yellow. I realize I'm supposed to treat them as a vehicle, but does that require me, because I'm prohibited from crossing the center line in a solid-yellow zone, to drive behind at the cyclist's speed (between 20 and 30?) until I encounter a broken yellow? Even in a 50? I assume the law against crossing the solid-yellow doesn't make an exception for instances when you want to pass a cyclist safely. Anyone know what to do? It's very often not possible to pass safely while remaining in the lane, and anyway, if a cyclist is a vehicle they have a right to the whole lane, and that prohibits me from passing them while remaining in their lane. Help.
All very good questions. A scary problem I am seeing is oncoming cars going around a bike in their lane crossing the center line and coming right at me in my car head-on in my lane as if I am going to somehow stop and let them use my lane until they can get around the bicycle. WHERE is the common sense in that? And, bicyclists trust these same people to not hit them one day?... |
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Silk_Hope
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Date Registerd:April 02, 2007, 08:29:04 PM
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« Reply #17 on: September 16, 2009, 09:06:15 PM » |
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When passing a cyclist make sure you give them room, thin bicycle tires are susceptible to pavement cracks and other hazards that can cause a loss of control. Also it is very scary to the cyclist when a car passes too closely and a large vehicles draft will suck the cyclist towards the center of the road. Don't blow your horn, it will startle the rider. A responsible rider will have mirrors and uses their senses to know when a car is approaching. When on a hill realize the cyclist will be slow. I have pulled off onto the side of the road to let traffic pass but going off of the road can cause the cyclist to become unbalanced.
Just use common sense around cyclist and like car operators there are different skill levels of bike riders.
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bac
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« Reply #18 on: September 17, 2009, 08:31:16 AM » |
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When passing a cyclist make sure you give them room, thin bicycle tires are susceptible to pavement cracks and other hazards that can cause a loss of control. Also it is very scary to the cyclist when a car passes too closely and a large vehicles draft will suck the cyclist towards the center of the road. Don't blow your horn, it will startle the rider. A responsible rider will have mirrors and uses their senses to know when a car is approaching. When on a hill realize the cyclist will be slow. I have pulled off onto the side of the road to let traffic pass but going off of the road can cause the cyclist to become unbalanced.
Just use common sense around cyclist and like car operators there are different skill levels of bike riders.
All very good advice, Silk Hope. Thanks for writing it up. One thing I'd add is to remember your car has brakes! As someone else mentioned, a lot of drivers think they have the right to take over the other lane, even if there is oncoming traffic, in order to pass a cyclist without slowing down! |
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jwbikes
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Last Login:September 18, 2009, 02:51:29 PM
Date Registerd:October 09, 2007, 10:37:22 AM
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« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2009, 02:48:16 PM » |
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Wow,
It seems we have this thread every year. I believe Gene moved the last one into the This, That, and Everything Else category.
We all have to get along. I have posted here before (usually in bike related threads) about the need for bikes and cars to share the roads. All of these points are made every year, some good, some just inflammatory. Yes, bikers pay taxes. 99.9% of them own at least one vehicle that they pay road taxes for every year. Yes, some bikers are obnoxious. Yes, some drivers are obnoxious.
It seems as though the few (in both categories) give the vast majority a bad name. I ride, I drive, I pay attention to my surroundings. People riding bikes make mistakes just as drivers do. The bikers mistakes are magnified because they ALWAYS lose in the Law of Gross Tonnage. Most drivers mistakes are seen as a racing stripe, dented or damaged bumpers, or a dent in the body of the vehicle. A biker's mistake will result in a loss of skin, broken bones, or a trip to the Emergency Room.
Which is worse? Look around the parking lot at work, school, or the grocery store. How many dents or scrapes do you see? Those are drivers mistakes......
Either way we have to share, don't we? DOT is not going to retrofit roads to widen them, they are reluctant to widen the roads under construction because it costs more money. Bikers and Drivers need to come to the realization that while we don't OWN the road, we are the users of the road....together.
Sorry for the rambling post, I seem to do this every year.
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natvrabit
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Date Registerd:March 08, 2008, 02:45:06 PM
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« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2009, 02:56:03 PM » |
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mary51802
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Last Login:February 06, 2012, 07:14:50 PM
Date Registerd:July 05, 2008, 04:58:25 PM
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we are all beautiful
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« Reply #21 on: September 22, 2009, 03:09:06 PM » |
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it is frustrating, but at the same time it generally takes what, a few seconds or a couple of minutes at the most to wait to pass them safely? Those couple of minutes are really not that big a deal, and speaking as someone that is perputually running behind schedule if it is that big a deal just leave a little earlier so you're not in a rush.
Plus, I'll take dealing with getting around a bicycle or a group of bicycles over a school bus any day.
I am not usually in a rush but I do not have a typical job. I usually have plenty of time but I work for a surgeon who does ER surgeries and am his only assistant. When he texts me at 8am and says be there by 8:45 because a post op is coming in I get in a rush as I have to alter all I do. I try to be patient for them but it can get frustrating. |
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pinning down the truth is like catching a fart in a windstorm.......
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