JoeyBike

If you are "taking the lane" on a roadway with fast traffic and poor sight-lines, which people say they do here, then you are basically "standing" in the lane given the speed differential between you (the cyclist) and the motorist doing 50+mph. The only exception I can think of is bombing down a mountain pass (or big hill) cycling at near or over the speed limit, which I have done a thousand times.

And the "deer scenario" I mentioned WAY up this thread was to illustrate that if, as a cyclist, you get hit by a vehicle (esp. modern SUV and pick-ups) moving 50+ mph, you will be blown to pieces just like many, many deer (and hog) parts and pieces I have seen roadside. You're not going to get "scratched up". You will get blown up, literally. So think long and hard before "taking a lane" on any road you please.

I can't make this message any clearer. If you don't understand it, fine. Stop responding to it. It's very straightforward to most ppl and goes without saying to the majority of cyclists I would bet.

I-Like-To-Bike

You can't, so why not stop repeating it ad nauseam?

Paul Barnard

Joey, there is not a person here that doesn't understand the "Rule of Gross Tonnage." Do you really believe there are people who are unaware of the consequences of being mowed down by a 2-3 ton or larger vehicle?

JoeyBike

Based on behavior i have witnessed personally, and writings here on A&S, YES, yes I do think some ppl are unaware.

jon c. 

I don't see a lot of folks citing those conditions. And I don't see those conditions in my rides. How fast are the cars going and how poor are the sightlines?

I would wholly agree there could be conditions where it is a poor idea to take the lane. Or for that matter to ride a bicycle at all. I don't see a lot of high speed traffic coming around blind corners so this seems a more theoretical contention.

JoeyBike

Bike the Appalachians. Or almost any rural mountain road where the locals know every turn like the back of their hand. Many drive like bats out of Hell not expecting to see anything but another bat out of Hell ahead or behind them. Enter someone in the road doing 12 mph.

Having toured 36 states and provinces I have witnessed my share of this, and also been the "problem" more times than I want to admit. Not taking the lane per se, just not having any space to be out of "their way".

Leisesturm

Joey, with all due respect, you make a very good case for selling all your bikes and letting all your threads on BF go zombie. You're clearly not cut out for this. And that's ok. It's your constant trying to convince the rest of us what a hopeless dead end Russian Roulette existence you are trapped in that gets on the nerves.

jon c. 

Given that these roads tend to have no shoulders it sounds like I'm not going to be any safer riding on the right. I'm thinking I these are roads I would avoid.

Paul Barnard

Point to a post in this thread that suggests that a rider is not aware that they can be killed by a motor vehicle.

bbbean 

Sorry, no sale. Among other things, roads with poor sight lines force traffic to slow down. Further, a responsible cyclist taking the lane is also using some combination of lights, bright colored kit, speed, and situational awareness to both increase their visibility and limit their time in blind spots.It isn't difficult to recognize where blind spots exist, to check traffic behind you when entering such a spot, and to get through the blind spot as quickly and safely as possible.

If you can't convince people after repeatedly making your argument, it is worth considering the possibility your argument could be flawed.

bbbean 

You should probably note that many of us have, in fact, ridden in a wide variety of situations and locations (including the Appalachians) over a period of years or decades. If your point was indeed obvious to anyone who'd ridden narrow rural mountain roads, we'd all agree.

I-Like-To-Bike

I suspect that local bicycle riders in the Appalachians and other rural areas cycling on such roads at any speed are rarer than hen's teeth, just like every other area where bicyclists choose to ride. Of course there may be a few non local bicyclists found on such roads every now and then who are proud of being pseudo-warriors who decide for themselves they like the challenge of pseudo combat with motorists on roads unsuitable for reasonably safe bicycling. Joey presumably feels he has the experience to "educate" such people.

work4bike

I've ridden quite a bit thru the Appalachians...Love it

gooseneck34

as a cyclist the lorries and trucks worry me the most, they have so many blind spots and find it hard to squeeze through certain spots, I ended up taking out some life protection just in case with sports fs who were very helpful. I just know many of friends that have had near misses with lorries, better safe than sorry!

urbanknight

Precisely why I worry more about the local in a tiny pickup truck than a professional driver in a big rig.

JoeyBike

Not riding that road is actually the best strategy. IMO

urbanknight

You already responded to that comment, nearly a year ago.

work4bike

Does George Hincapie still live in Greenville SC? I seem to remember him remarking (years ago) that that area of SC is great for training.

In the running world, some say Hill-Training is speed training. I suppose the same can be said of cycling. (of course as long as you don't do hills too much, otherwise your fast-twitch muscles will be sacrificed).

Bald Paul

He does, and it is!

JoeyBike

At least I'm consistent.

Rick

gooseneck34: It sounds like you're from across the pond maybe England. I have seen many YouTube videos from there were the trucks will pass bicyclists with little to no room. I also read that the #1 cause of adult bicyclists deaths in England is being doored. Being struck by an opening door and thrown into traffic in front of a truck is all to common in England.

ScottCommutes

Certain roads in Preston County West Virginia are the only place I've ever driven where the speed limit is actually too high. Doing 50 around some of those turns is almost race car level stuff.

rsbob 

So does the Garmin cycle computers if you activate the feature.

rsbob 

Try driving In Palm Springs general area where the majority of the miles through and between the cities are posted at 50 MPH but they have some good bike lanes. However in pure residential areas, it a more sane 25..

JoeyBike

In fairness to Greenville County SC and some surrounding counties, the posted speed limits are extremely reasonable IMO. Farm roads are often 35 mph with 20-25 mph in curves and 20-30 when approaching intersections that have hindered visibility for traffic entering from the cross street. 45 mph is the rule for wide open spaces with straight(ish) roads and decent sight lines. Those 45mph roads would be 70 mph in Texas for example. So I am very pleased with the EFFORT made by SC for appealing to the "least common denominator" i.e., big trucks with worn out brakes.

The problem, of course, is that motorists do not obey the limits. No matter how fast I drive (sometimes 5-7 over the limit on straight roads) there is ALWAYS a pickup truck or SUV nearly pushing me down the road NASCAR style. Which of course encourages me to slow to EXACTLY the speed limit, because, yes, I'm a d**k like that.