Originally Posted by
PaPa
This incident mirrors the one here in Idaho, just 3 weeks ago;
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread......-Speechless
Lots of variables, but it boils down to being a numbers game.
What riding position carries the greatest odds for survival? The cyclist is faced with the choice of deciding which is the 'least dangerous' of the two choices, take-the-lane or not. For me, I no longer consider the legality of my actions if I feel it compromises my safety.
I take-the-lane,
assuming I'll be more visible. But I also watch for vehicles behind me (I have a mirror), and prepare to take evasive action if the situation feels uncomfortable. The idea is to implant that you are an obstacle that needs to be dealt with, in the minds of the motorists. It is blatantly obvious from repeated incidents like this one (and many, many others) that 'gutter galloping' isn't as safe as many assume it is.
Of course it is a numbers game... but frankly to answer the question, bolded above... the best answer is "anywhere NOT directly in front of fast moving traffic."
The only reason that the take the lane mentality has come up is due to what I mentioned earlier... inattentive motorists hitting cyclists well out of the traveled way on the side of the road... so some cyclists postulate that the side of the road is dangerous, and being right in the center of the lane is less dangerous. The fact is that to avoid an inattentive driver, there is NO safe location on the road. And an inattentive driver that can't avoid a large tractor is no more going to see you or any other cyclist whether you are in the lane or not.
Now please do not get me wrong, I am not suggesting curb hugging... which I see frequently on local urban roads... what I am saying is that in the case of high speed rural roads or long distance urban roads, taking the lane "for the sake of visibility," (see the phrase in red above) when there is a bike lane or shoulder available, is a fools game.