Originally Posted by
prj71
Ride in the car lane where your chances are greater to get mowed down by a car OR ride in the paved shoulder where you are somewhat safer because the cars will go by you and don't have to veer to go around you. And you are less likely to get hit if they aren't paying attention.
So you know to ride on the right. But how far to the right? That depends. If there's a bike lane, that's your best bet (though realize that sometimes you'll need to leave the lane to avoid obstacles like parked cars). If there's no designated bike lane, ride on the shoulder to allow cars to pass freely with a good bit of buffer room
https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a200...e-on-the-road/
Paved shoulders create separated space for bicyclists and also provide motor vehicle safety benefits and space for inoperable vehicles to pull out of the travel lane.
Bicycle Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System
Again...This shouldn't be a difficult concept to comprehend.
On a two way road if there is a logging truck behind me and car coming from the opposite direction there is no room for the logging truck to move over towards the other lane to avoid hitting me if I were riding my bike in the car lane...this happens quite often when I am out road riding. Thus, riding on the paved shoulder is the safest option for everyone involved.
You're oversimplifying it. Let's say there's sporadic parked cars all along the shoulder. It would be foolish to duck in between them for short distances because every time you pop back out to go around them, you are appearing out of thin air. Or the shoulders with drainage grates which could swallow a road bike tire. Shoulders that stop and start frequently with those deep rumble strips between them and the traffic lane (June Lake Loop is/was a wonderful example).
Iride01 's point is that there are exceptions, and you shouldn't be making blanket statements about other people's situations which you don't know all the details about.