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From: fwy@brunix.UUCP (Felix Yen)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Passing on the right
Message-ID: <10450@brunix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Apr-85 18:20:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: brunix.10450
Posted: Mon Apr 29 18:20:39 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 1-May-85 06:16:57 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Brown University Computer Science
Lines: 46

I never pass cars on the right when they are stopped at a red light
(assuming that none of us are turning).  I might do it if I was in a
hurry and was going to turn right at the intersection, but in general
I think it's a bad idea.

I don't like to ride near the curb unless it's absolutely necessary.
Why risk riding into a grating whose slots run the wrong way?  Why
risk riding through broken glass?

The primary danger to a bicyclist in traffic is cars.  The reason why
your life is threatened is your lack of size and visibility.  There's
nothing you can do about your size, but there is something you can do
about your visibility, i.e. stay away from the curb unless it's abso-
lutely necessary.  I like to ride in or near the left tire track in
order to maximize my visibility.  If a car wants to pass me and I don't
feel that it's safe, I maintain my position until I think it's safe.
Then, I move over and let the car pass.  I feel that I am most vulner-
able while being passed.  Consequently, I try to minimize the number
of times that I am passed and maximize the width of the road when I am
being passed.  The primary reason why I will not pass cars stopped at
an intersection is that by passing them, I am increasing the number of
times that I will be passed.  I have little to gain, usually only a few
seconds, and a lot to lose.  At red lights, I maintain my visibility by
staying in the middle of the lane.  If a line of cars forms behind me,
I often pull off the road as soon as possible to allow them to pass
safely.  If I can not ride fast enough to keep up with traffic, I find
an alternate route, or I ride near the curb.  Passing on the right also
risks running into a car door.  How many people look before opening the
right door of a car?  Red lights are often great places to let people
off.

Taking up the whole lane does piss off some drivers.  But a lot of those
people don't like bicyclists no matter where they ride.  I think a lot
of their hate is justified.  I often notice bicyclists breaking laws and
endangering lives.  (Sometimes, I'm tempted to run them over for being
such cretins. :-)  I'd like to see more bicyclists punished for crimes
such as sidewalk speeding, riding the wrong way on one-way streets, and
riding without reflectors/lights at night.  The pollyanna in me says that
more drivers will treat us with more respect if more bicyclists obey the
rules of the road.

I infer from previous postings that a large majority of bicyclists pass
on the right at red lights.  I guess I must be crazy.


Felix