Originally Posted by
Iride01
Some feel more comfortable riding in the shoulder, but I don't and won't. Shoulders tend to disappear when you need them the most. Particularly at bridges. So they force you back in the traffic lane. That car behind you might be expecting you are going to stop and look back before you get in the traffic lane to cross a bridge. Might be wrong of them to expect that, but just as wrong IMO for you to be riding on the shoulder. Shoulders are for stopped traffic.
When I'm in the traffic lane, I think the traffic behind me more fully understands my intentions.
When would it
EVER be appropriate or safe for a cyclist or motorist (moving or stopped) to enter a traffic lane from a shoulder or an adjacent traffic lane without first looking back for approaching traffic to be sure that it is safe to do so? Whether approaching motorists expect the rider to stop or not is irrelevant.
No one is FORCED to change lanes without looking in front of moving and conflicting traffic.