I imagine that unless you’re a Cyclist, it is quite difficult to understand what it’s like to ride a bicycle on the open road amongst traffic. It is a vulnerable feeling to be riding along a road with limited or no escape routes, surrounded by vehicles who outweigh you by several orders of magnitude. Particularly when you take into consideration that the driver likely does not hold your safety in the same esteem that you yourself do, but that they in all likelihood consider their Instagram feed to be of equal or higher priority to the task at hand, which in this case hopefully involves not hitting cyclists.
For as many sketchy encounters I’ve experienced between myself and a motor vehicle, I have found that only in rare situations do the drivers have any real malice towards us as we pedal along; normally the problem with vehicles are those of inconsideration and a lack of appreciation for the plight of the Cyclist; using the bicycle lane as a turning or passing lane, for example, is an case of ignorance, not malice. The good thing about ignorance is that it is curable through education, assuming the afflicted party is willing. The bad news is both are equally deadly to the Cyclist.
In the spirit of communication and in the hope that communication might lead to education, I humbly submit the following observations:
- Observation #1: There is no Venn diagram that shows the intersection between human, car, and bicycle as a “win” for any involved party. Best to avoid this, irrespective of who is at fault.
- Observation #2: As we are move along together in traffic, the best practice is to move predictably and consistently; I will do my best to do the same.
- Observation #3: If we’re both at an intersection, chances are that I can’t see you inside your car window to notice you kindly waving me through; treat me like any other traffic and we’ll all wait our turns. No one likes a Seattle Standoff at the stop sign.
- Observation #4: We take much longer to stop than you do, even in dry conditions. If you pass us before slowing abruptly, we are going to be in a very bad situation very quickly. Leads to observation #1 above.
- Observation #5: At a stop light, I may turn to look you directly in the eye. This is simply to make sure you see me and to reassure myself that you know I’m there. It is not to intimidate you, although I do appreciate how badass I look in my super hero outfit and my dope-ass shades.
- Observation #6: The bicycle lane is not a turning/merging lane and neglecting this fact will lead to an impromptu empirical study of the legitimacy of Observation #1.
- Observation #7: If you are following (im)patiently behind me while you wait for the right time to pass me, give me enough room so I don’t have to listen to you rhythmically hitting the gas pedal every time you think there might be an opportunity to sneak by. When you do decide, move quickly and assertively; don’t hesitate. Most of us don’t carry toilet paper.
- Observation #8: If I’m riding in the middle of the lane, it means it isn’t safe to pass me, not that you should squeeze into the gap between me and oncoming traffic.
- Observation #9: If I look back at you while I’m riding and move to the side, then that means I know you’re there and you can pass as soon as you’re comfortable. If I then also wave you through, it means I feel it’s safe to pass if you also do.
- Observation #10: Yelling at me will not discourage me from riding my bike. Also, I do, in fact, pay taxes so don’t hold the fact that I’m not also burning fossil fuels against me. In return, I’ll only yell at you if you scared me to death, but I promise to feel bad about it later.
Share the road, and let’s all return home safely to start it all over again tomorrow. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
frankThe founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking.
As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it.
Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen.
Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.
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In California, the bicycle lane is the turning lane. Please feel free to check that. I have two cycling friends who were marked wrong on their driving test for turning right without first entering the bicycle lane. In fact, that is the reason the line marking the bike lane becomes dashed near intersections, so that cars know they are supposed to enter the lane to make right turns.
That does not mean there should be any conflict between cars and cyclists. Just as in other traffic situations, drivers are required to enter the lane safely. That means, (and this will shock many motorists - sometimes a motorist will need to WAIT and enter [blend] the lane behind the cyclist.) It also means that if there is a motorist who understands this rule, we cyclists must honor their safe, legal entry into the lane and hence, not pass them on the right but go behind them until their turn clears us to carry on.
To be sure, this and many other laws that apply to bicycles on the roadway are not known by many motorists. Further, they are often not known by police officers.
This is worth reading (how the eyes and brain work to detect motion, and implications for traffic safety):
@uptitus
Thanks for posting that. Making my 15 year old (cyclist) and 17 year old (new driver) read it also.
@Alan Solot
Alan, welcome and great observations. I would only point out that passing on the right is a poor and dangerous practice in general; the biggest difference between US and other countries I've driven in is that traffic generally only passes on the left (or the right in those countries like ZA where they drive on the wrong side of the road).
Just today, a Cyclist passed my car on the right in a slow patch of traffic and it was very unnerving; unpredictable for the driver.
The point about a bike lane not being a turn lane has more to do with appreciating that it's primary function is the safe passage of Cyclists, and it should be regarded as such. If there is a bicyclist in the lane, the car should respect that and wait until it is safe to move into that portion of the road.
Speaking of education, read a handy little tip the other day for those of us in the Velominatus Paterfamilias group.
Any time you're driving with the kids in the car, make a game of who can count the most cyclists on the road, will very quickly build a habit of looking out for cyclists that should carry through to their driving.
All very good points.
Though for #7, if someone is waiting behind me I am nor in favor of prescribing HOW they should wait behind me. I certainly know it is frustrating to wait behind someone, on either 2 or 4 wheels, so I can empathize with them on that count. The second part of #7 is most important...pick the correct spot to pass and do it quickly.
@dancing up the hills
FFS.
I was going to use Pokemon Go as an example instead of Instagram and probably should have. That's the last thing we need, like we're not fractured enough as it is.
@chris
It was pointed out to me over a lovely dinner last night, as I ruminated over the VV observations, that the driving audience was likely not to read this. Point well taken.
@velomonkey
Ha!
@Rob
Robbie Robbie Robbie! Oh, how I have missed thee. I can see you, on your fixie Dahon, crushing fools with a giant Hattori Hanzo sword on your back. Well played.
@Barracuda
I yell, we all yell. But lets face it, it doesn't do anything but further the perception that Cyclists are assholes. The more we can communicate the danger and bad situation in a calm way, the better.
@Chuck Hoefer
Great point, similar to Mr Alan above and welcome! The crucial point I didn't mention is that a solid white line of any color should never be crossed and a dashed line is always acceptable to cross so long as traffic (including bicycles) conditions safely allow it. As soon as a bike lane goes dashed it is no longer purely a bike lane. Very important to remember, and again - great point.