When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter? Continue to make him feel like cars are enemies (especially when he sees my bike logo on my back window)? Or do I move out of the lane and let the next guy buzz him?
I *think* that I know everyones answers here, but this is a topic I haven't heard discussed at all. Maybe there are different opinions on how to properly and politely pass a cyclist. Or, maybe this is a stupid question and everyone will ignore it.
When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter?"
Great question! Two things enter my mind when I encounter a gutter-bunny. The first is his/her safety. What can I do to make them safer? The problem is, unlike the cyclist, a driver doesn't have any control of the situation.
If you change lanes to pass (which I hope you will), you expose them to the car behind you filling the gap you just left.
If you slow down and hold back, in an attempt to create a "safe zone" for the cyclist, a motorist behind you is liable to pass you and pull into the "safe zone" you were trying to crate.
If you accept their invitation to pass them in the lane, you risk having everyone read about it in the paper the next day.
I slow a bit, check the next lane to see if it's clear, and pull into the next lane to pass (giving the cyclist considerably more than 3' of clearance). I have seen motorists following me follow my actions! On a bike, and in a car, we can educate other vehicle operators by our behaviors!
The second thing that enters my mind 9although it's probably the first thing) is fear that they are going to swerve out into my path. This is the lizard brain speaking, and it's the source of much motorist/cyclist hostility. We all far the unpredictable, and we all recognize a vehicle operating inches away from the curb as unpredictable.
I can't say I'm real enthusiastic about the motorist who changed lanes to pass a "grass bunny" today, only to be smack dab in the middle of my lane, with a net closing speed of over 50mph, and the sun in his eyes made me wonder if I'd be seen before I went through his passenger window. Driver's window if he got partway back into his own lane. He did give the cyclist in his lane a lot of clearance, though.
Change lanes, by all means. But, as PM notes, be SURE the oncoming lane is clear. Think of how bad you'd feel to change lanes to pass a curb hugger, only to hit a VC head on. They are easy targets to miss seeing. If you hit an oncoming car, you'd feel worse yet. Literally.
From my observations, most motorists make a full lane change to pass ANY cyclist, regardless of where they're riding, and following motorists tend to do the same, as if in a train. I think their brain operates similarly to PM's "lizard brain." I'm amazed that most cyclists seem blissfully unaware of this phenomenon, instead remembering the small minority that get misled into passing without changing lanes.
Isn't that what all these polls are about in the first place?
Besides, just admit I'm right this time and everything will be hunky dory. I do commend this second poll for not attempting to entice the unwary with afternoon shade. Morning was a nice touch.
Eliot's question is interesting. As is PM's answer.
I've had 2 situations lately where being courteous and it didn't help the cyclist.
1) I was riding in a friend's car on a 4-lane and came upon a curb-hugging cyclist. We changed lanes and the guy behind us shot through and buzzed the cyclist.
2) I was driving my car on a narrow 2-lane road. When I entered the road, there was a curb-hugging cyclist ahead, and oncoming traffic. I was going to be turning left in 2 blocks, so I didn't speed up to crowd him. The driver of the car that turned onto the road behind me floored it and passed ME (double yellow line) into oncoming traffic, then darted back into the lane and buzzed the cyclist. He had accelerated so hard to get around my car that it was probably lucky the cyclist was on the edge of the road.
"When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter?"
Of course, the right thing to do (culturally) is to pull up beside the curb-hugger, roll down your passenger window, throw a (soon to be non-existent) Dallas Bike Plan Map at the cyclist, and yell:
"Get back out in the middle of the lane where you belong!"
And if you are an off duty police officer, flash your badge and and order him to obey imaginary laws!
I will occasionally get a motorist who is so concerned about giving me space, that they will drop their left tires off the road when they pass me on a shoulder-less two lane.
The only suggestion I would highlight to properly pass a gutter-bunny would be to slow down in any case. Any reduction in closing speed is being nice to him!
Eliot, I like your web page. I've added it to my favorites file! Others may want to too! http://eliot.landrum.cx/
@PM Summer "If you accept their invitation to pass them in the lane, you risk having everyone read about it in the paper the next day."
Interesting comment. Many years ago, when I rode in the right half of the lane, I often found myself in a similar situation. Most motorists would change lanes to pass. However, every once in a while (more often than I care to admit, but not as often as many whiners would argue), someone would straddle the lane - closer to me, than to the next lane. Invariably, the car behind them would follow suit (maybe just a smidgen closer), then the next, then the next and so on. It was not until a large gap appeared in the flow that a more sane overtaking alignment would return.
Once I got wise to the fact that the law allows me to take as much of a lane as I like, as long as it is under fourteen feet in width, these close encounters ceased to take place. It has been over a decade since I have been buzzed by an overtaking motorist.
12 comments:
Personally, I think PM missed the best choice - halfway between choice 1 and choice 2.
Steve A said...
"Personally, I think PM missed the best choice - halfway between choice 1 and choice 2."
Now that's splitting hairs!
Topic request: Where do I drive?
When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter? Continue to make him feel like cars are enemies (especially when he sees my bike logo on my back window)? Or do I move out of the lane and let the next guy buzz him?
I *think* that I know everyones answers here, but this is a topic I haven't heard discussed at all. Maybe there are different opinions on how to properly and politely pass a cyclist. Or, maybe this is a stupid question and everyone will ignore it.
Eliot said...
"Topic request: Where do I drive?
When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter?"
Great question! Two things enter my mind when I encounter a gutter-bunny. The first is his/her safety. What can I do to make them safer? The problem is, unlike the cyclist, a driver doesn't have any control of the situation.
If you change lanes to pass (which I hope you will), you expose them to the car behind you filling the gap you just left.
If you slow down and hold back, in an attempt to create a "safe zone" for the cyclist, a motorist behind you is liable to pass you and pull into the "safe zone" you were trying to crate.
If you accept their invitation to pass them in the lane, you risk having everyone read about it in the paper the next day.
I slow a bit, check the next lane to see if it's clear, and pull into the next lane to pass (giving the cyclist considerably more than 3' of clearance). I have seen motorists following me follow my actions! On a bike, and in a car, we can educate other vehicle operators by our behaviors!
The second thing that enters my mind 9although it's probably the first thing) is fear that they are going to swerve out into my path. This is the lizard brain speaking, and it's the source of much motorist/cyclist hostility. We all far the unpredictable, and we all recognize a vehicle operating inches away from the curb as unpredictable.
I can't say I'm real enthusiastic about the motorist who changed lanes to pass a "grass bunny" today, only to be smack dab in the middle of my lane, with a net closing speed of over 50mph, and the sun in his eyes made me wonder if I'd be seen before I went through his passenger window. Driver's window if he got partway back into his own lane. He did give the cyclist in his lane a lot of clearance, though.
Change lanes, by all means. But, as PM notes, be SURE the oncoming lane is clear. Think of how bad you'd feel to change lanes to pass a curb hugger, only to hit a VC head on. They are easy targets to miss seeing. If you hit an oncoming car, you'd feel worse yet. Literally.
From my observations, most motorists make a full lane change to pass ANY cyclist, regardless of where they're riding, and following motorists tend to do the same, as if in a train. I think their brain operates similarly to PM's "lizard brain." I'm amazed that most cyclists seem blissfully unaware of this phenomenon, instead remembering the small minority that get misled into passing without changing lanes.
PM said "Now that's splitting hairs!"
Isn't that what all these polls are about in the first place?
Besides, just admit I'm right this time and everything will be hunky dory. I do commend this second poll for not attempting to entice the unwary with afternoon shade. Morning was a nice touch.
;-)
Eliot's question is interesting. As is PM's answer.
I've had 2 situations lately where being courteous and it didn't help the cyclist.
1) I was riding in a friend's car on a 4-lane and came upon a curb-hugging cyclist. We changed lanes and the guy behind us shot through and buzzed the cyclist.
2) I was driving my car on a narrow 2-lane road. When I entered the road, there was a curb-hugging cyclist ahead, and oncoming traffic. I was going to be turning left in 2 blocks, so I didn't speed up to crowd him. The driver of the car that turned onto the road behind me floored it and passed ME (double yellow line) into oncoming traffic, then darted back into the lane and buzzed the cyclist. He had accelerated so hard to get around my car that it was probably lucky the cyclist was on the edge of the road.
"When I'm driving, where do I move when I see someone hugging the gutter?"
Of course, the right thing to do (culturally) is to pull up beside the curb-hugger, roll down your passenger window, throw a (soon to be non-existent) Dallas Bike Plan Map at the cyclist, and yell:
"Get back out in the middle of the lane where you belong!"
And if you are an off duty police officer, flash your badge and and order him to obey imaginary laws!
I will occasionally get a motorist who is so concerned about giving me space, that they will drop their left tires off the road when they pass me on a shoulder-less two lane.
The only suggestion I would highlight to properly pass a gutter-bunny would be to slow down in any case. Any reduction in closing speed is being nice to him!
Eliot, I like your web page. I've added it to my favorites file! Others may want to too! http://eliot.landrum.cx/
(soon to be non-existent) Dallas Bike Plan Map
Aaagh.. more vague quotes from PM. Should I go buy the stack of maps at RBM then??
Thanks for following up on my question folks. Good thoughts!
And thanks ChipSeal on the blog recommendation. Glad to have another reader of my randomness.
@PM Summer
"If you accept their invitation to pass them in the lane, you risk having everyone read about it in the paper the next day."
Interesting comment. Many years ago, when I rode in the right half of the lane, I often found myself in a similar situation. Most motorists would change lanes to pass. However, every once in a while (more often than I care to admit, but not as often as many whiners would argue), someone would straddle the lane - closer to me, than to the next lane. Invariably, the car behind them would follow suit (maybe just a smidgen closer), then the next, then the next and so on. It was not until a large gap appeared in the flow that a more sane overtaking alignment would return.
Once I got wise to the fact that the law allows me to take as much of a lane as I like, as long as it is under fourteen feet in width, these close encounters ceased to take place. It has been over a decade since I have been buzzed by an overtaking motorist.
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