Originally Posted by
livedarklions
The problem as I see it is not in how they're behaving, it's in how you're perceiving it. In my state (and I think this is the rule in almost all of them), the driver is supposed to go slow until such time as they can pass safely. My job, according to the law, is to ride as far right as practicable, not pull over. So, if they believe it isn't safe to pass, they will wait. I have to assume that the driver is in a better position to determine whether they can safely cross the double line, and that's their call, not mine. Basically, the fear that they're back there plotting is completely irrational. Why would they need to plot this? If they wanted to kill you, they'd just kill you. Also, I've never found drivers to be shy about laying on the horn if they think you're somehow obstructing them by doing it wrong
I've been in situations where I was almost killed by a car in the oncoming lane having to swerve because the jerk behind me chose to hurry up across the double line to pass me. Trust me, there's a lot more real danger in THAT situation.
So, yes, I'd very much appreciate it if you folks didn't tell drivers to err on the side of speeding up their passes just because you're uncomfortable feeling like you're slowing traffic. Geez, I never thought I'd see A&S turn into a place to complain about drivers not being sufficiently aggressive! The wave issue is decidedly different than this because it turns into a "nice" demand that you do something unsafe. But if you feel like you want to pull over in the slow car behind you scenario as a matter of courtesy, go ahead, but that's your call. The driver is doing NOTHING wrong.
Where did I tell drivers to speed up their passes? Where did I say they were doing anything wrong? I only pointed out that it's a drag being stuck behind me going 15mph at most, especially since the road markings make drivers think they're not allowed to pass even if there's not another car for miles, and that just because someone isn't passing doesn't mean they're "being patient"-- it just means they're not passing.
Originally Posted by
Chuckles1
Plotting my demise was humor, but with a core of reality. It's more a safety issue, as a driver tailing me makes me feel obligated to stay close to the edge of pavement, which is often broken and rough, and makes it difficult to keep a tight line.
That's the other problem on the road I mention. It's marked as a sharrow. Unfortunately, it also has a wide "parking lane" on either side that most perceive to be a bike lane. Cyclists often ride in it, but, as it's a parking lane, often must go into the actual lane to pass parked cars, or in sections where the pavement is crappy, or there are a couple parts where it disappears completely (as under an overpass, for example), so cyclists can't stay in that lane 100% of the time even if they want to.