Actually in Honolulu taking the lane is more or less gospel...at least when necessary. I generally keep a copy of the regulations in my bag just in case I ever do get stopped (hasn't happened yet).
Riding on roadways and bikeways (ยง291C-145) When traveling slower than the normal speed of traffic, bicyclists are to ride as close to the right hand curb or on the shoulder of the roadway, as practical. Be careful when passing a stopped vehicle or one going the same direction. There are the allowed exceptions to the "right hand" rule: When preparing for a left turn at an intersection, private road, or driveway; When necessary to avoid hazards that make it unsafe to ride along the right hand curb. *This includes situations where the traffic lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to travel safely side-by-side*; or For me this is particularly applicable on one short stretch of road I have to everyday on my way home from work. It's four lanes, two each way, and the right hand lane is very slow because of folks turning right to schools and a freeway entrance. I ride in the left hand lane because I'm much faster than the traffic in the right hand lane and not any slower than the left lane traffic. To top it off I turn left after about three blocks of this anyway. The police have never said a thing, indeed given the schools in the area and the level of traffic they are often in the around and I've actually ridden in the left lane behind them. Today though, on my way to work I had to deal with a one of things I hate the most, a driver coming up behind me, pulling out to pass then immediately getting back into the right lane to make a right hand turn in front of me. As there was little traffic I was able to move to the left lane to pass him while he was still slowing for the turn. What's up with that? If he'd have just stayed behind me he'd have been to the corner at pretty much exactly the same time anyway. Sigh. It was a nice morning and I didn't even yell. Maybe I'm getting better. :-) Aloha, Bob On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 7:43 AM, newenglandbike <matthiasbe...@gmail.com>wrote: > You may have misread Bill's post (or maybe I am misreading it). I don't > think anyone was suggesting riding in the center of the road. However, > 'taking the lane', or moving away from the shoulder to discourage motor > traffic from trying to 'squeeze past' when it is not safe to do so (road is > too narrow, oncoming traffic, debris in the shoulder, etc) is a well > documented strategy for riding a bicycle safely on the roads. Sure it > isn't gospel, and some disagree with this strategy- but to heck with > anyone (police or whoever) who tells me not to use it- it has saved my ass > many times, whereas obsequiously hugging the shoulder has proven hazardous > (in my experience). > > > Safe travels > > -Matt > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/lFGV3WPV7mAJ. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- Robert Harrison rfharri...@gmail.com statrix.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
