Where Do You Take The Lane?

[K'Tesh]

I was riding on WB on 99W the other day, and when I got to Beef Bend Road, I opted to take the full right lane as I often do now. I've nearly been right hooked here on a couple of occasions... I've also played dodge-car on SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton at the Greenway intersection, so I take the lane there, and at the Railroad crossing of SW Hall, in Tigard.

So, even if there's a bike lane present, where do you opt to take the lane rather than risk a "Right Hook"?

[Grant]

If there is a bike line present I only take a lane in one of those situations where the lane to my immediate left is right turn only and I want to go straight through an intersection, or where the bike lane is ending soon and it's safer for me to take a lane early then to wait for the last minute.

[Simple Nature]

I ride a recumbent trike and know exactly where my outside corners are. With this, I know when the lane is to narrow for me... and if you consider your shoulders and handlebars, you too are *over the line* a lot of the time. This makes it to tempting for a car to try to pass you in *their* lane.

When I run out of bike lane width, I move into the center of the road. If this is a fools route, I'll duck onto the sidewalk instead [usually climbing]. There is nothing like rolling at 25mph into Beaverton on Hwy 10 catching all the lights until you get pinched just past 217 after you pulled into the bike lane at the light [west bound].

If there are 4 lanes; 2 each way... no bike lane... there is no reason not to take the center of *your* lane.

On the backroads of the westside, maintaining the middle of the lane until a car awknowleges you is also a must. The last thing you want is a surprise pinch when a car is oncoming over a blind hill... and in the blind curves, remain on the inside of the lane so you are seen from a further distance moving over when seen. But most of all, be aware of what's behind you. Whenever you have room to move right, the better your chances. If you're out of room to start with, you'll be diving for the ditch. !And watch the sunsets... as drivers *will not* see you when the sun is in their eyes.

*See and Be Seen!*
Most cagers get upset because you surprise them, not because you are on the road.

[vincentpaul]

I take the closest left lane wherever its not "practicable" to take the furthest right lane. The most common situations are road debris on the bike lane, heavy traffic turning right at an intersection, bike lanes that are in the "door zone" of parked cars, and bike lanes that turn into a "dash" where vehicles are expected to yield to cylists as they cross into a right turn lane. My experience has been that its safer to take the lane and force cars to cross the bike lane behind me. Many drivers just dont "see" cyclists at intersections. Its just a fact of life and in large part is due to the frailty of human judgment and perception, not a conscious disregard of the safety of others on the part of drivers.

[Haven_kd7yct]

Hey K-Tesh, I saw you last Friday in the lane near Beef Bend!

Here's what I do, and where:

Past construction zones: Take the lane (There's a new construction zone alongside Durham where they're putting in a new entrance to the elementary school; lots of gravel, dirt, debris, and I don't want to ride through it).

Where I need to go straight, and there's a right-turn lane: Take the lane (Where Durham crosses Upper Boones; I typically get in the correct lane just before the railroad crossing although, this morning, I took the lane way in advance because of slower bike lane traffic and a lot of gravel in the bike lane.) (Also, on Bridgeport Rd where the bike lane skips from the right-curb to between the turn lane and the straight lane... I get in the lane at the intersection to the first BP Village entrance, wait out the light, then go straight into the bike lane. Plus, there's a large quantity of glass in the bike lane before that light heading West, and I don't want to ride on glass.) (Also at all the intersections in Tigard where there's the potential for right turn problems-- but I have to say that I haven't had that problem yet).

Where there's no shoulder, bike lane, or sidewalk: Take the lane (Riding Fonner Rd, either uphill or down; I only have a problem with cars going uphill, though) (Also, riding Tiedeman between Greenburg and the four-way stop at Tigard St. And riding Tiedeman the other way from Fowler School to Greenburg).

I've even ridden across the Tualatin River on Hwy 99W in the lane-- boy, was that kind of scary! Fun, though!

When you saw me were you driving or riding your bike? Enquiring mind wants to know.

As to riding on the Tualatin River Bridge... EB:
Video of riding on the sidewalk
Video of riding in the Lane
- K'Tesh

[shnshni]

i guess this thread doesn't really need any more on it but i'll just throw my bits out there.....always try and stay in the bike lane, even if I'm travelling at the same speed as cars (i'm talkin urban riding here). The only things that get me over into the car-land are the possibilities of being hit by car doors and debris/obstacles. I always try to go as fast or faster as the cars when I'm in the lane. AS far as climbing back roads, you will actually be seen for a longer time further ahead if you maintain your position to the outside if the curve, right? so if you're going uphill and you are on the right side of the road (obviously) and the road makes a sharp turn to the left, you highest visibility would be to stay close to the right side, no? But if the road bends right, than the closer to the center line you are the longer you'll be seen. I like the point someone made above that you always want somewhere to go to the right. While this is almost always true, I'd like to qualify it a little: You always want and exit that you know will be car and object free and that you will be able to get to without crashing.

[Simple Nature]

Ross Island Bridge... the lamp posts are in the way of my pair of front wheels.
Heck of a drop-off on those curbs.

Thanks for the clarification, shnshni. Yes... staying right on a left curve promotes greater visibility.

Also avoided runners going the wrong way on the bike lane at the top of Beaverton Hillsdale [hwy 10] heading downhill [west]. They have no sidewalks so I can't blame them. I take the lane going west coming off of Capital. Doing 30+mph and being surprised by a runner is a bit eye opening. The lane is much safer although questionably legal as there is a bike lane present. Would a judge see it the same way?

[scoot]

Originally Posted by Simple Nature

Ross Island Bridge... the lamp posts are in the way of my pair of front wheels.
Heck of a drop-off on those curbs.

Whoa... you take the lane on the Ross Island Bridge? I've never seen anyone do that. Do you mean Sellwood?

I've seen someone riding EB on the Ross Island, in the lane... I always manouver for the sidewalk on the North side personally - K'Tesh

[Simple Nature]

Oops... Sellwood, yes

[biciclero]

I will take the lane:
1. Any time obstacles are in the bike lane, or to pass other cyclists, runners, dog-walkers, etc. that may be using the bike lane.
2. Briefly at any intersection if there are cars ahead of me that are slowing down or signaling (ha!) to make a right turn, as long as there is a clear enough space behind me to do so. Otherwise, I try to match speed with potentially turning vehicles until I can clearly see what they are going to do.
3. At any stop sign where there is not a bike lane.
4. Any time I need to turn left. I am one who will leave the bike lane and "prepare" to make a left turn up to 3 blocks ahead, depending on when it might be easiest to move over to the appropriate lane. I could be ticketed for this, but I do it anyway.
5. Any time I don't feel visible enough to other traffic. Cars make a great marker/shield from side and oncoming left-turning traffic as long as they are traveling beside me, but if there are no vehicles beside me, and I see other vehicles waiting to turn left across my path or enter the road from my right, I will move over to where those drivers are more likely to be looking.

Of significance is that in all the situations I just mentioned, I am imagining myself traveling fairly close to the speed of traffic, or that other vehicle traffic is extremely light. If I can't safely navigate into a lane, I'll go to plan B (slow down and wait, make a "pedestrian" left turn, etc.). I still feel funny taking the lane on roads where I might be going uphill with no shoulder, etc. (exception being the winding roads mentioned in an earlier post), and I tend to stay on the crumbling edge of the asphalt. I apparently have a higher-than-average tolerance for being passed closely, and I haven't had any real problems with being forced off the road (it has only happened once--on Cornelius Pass between Germantown and Kaiser--a truck just refused to give an inch while passing and I steered off into the gravel and had to stop.)

Of course, all lane-shifting is preceded by careful mirror monitoring, head checks, and hand signals.