On Fri, 24 Oct 2014 17:57:56 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Friday, October 24, 2014 8:29:13 PM UTC-4, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:49:57 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 10/24/2014 7:58 AM, John B. Slocomb wrote:


As far as I remember there was always, at least as far back when I was
16 years old, a law that required slower traffic to move to the
extreme right side of the road. In fact I can remember signs posted
saying "Slow traffic keep right".

So regardless, a bicycle thundering along at 15 mph would be required
to stay on the right so not to impede other traffic.

The laws you remember may not be the laws currently in effect. Times
have changed, at least in many states. IIRC, the UVC now has statements
explaining situations in which bicyclists don't need to be at far right.
Some states (like mine) have generous lists of examples of such
situations written into law, along with statements indicating there may
be other valid reasons.

Unfortunately, there are some areas whose laws have not progressed
beyond the 1950s. More unfortunately, there are motorists and cyclists
whose thinking has not progressed beyond the 1950s.

Yes, I know. But the idea of riding out in the middle of the road at
less then half the speed of overtaking traffic is not one that I would
recommend as it places the responsibility for one's safety completely
on the shoulders of others.

In fact, I described a case of someone "taking the lane" in which 2
out of the four riders were killed on the spot and the other two taken
to the hospital.

If I remember, you said something like, "well they shouldn't taken the
lane under those conditions."

Since "taking the lane" involves riding out in the middle of the road,
in traffic traveling perhaps two or three times the speed of the
bicycle, it appears that the mind set here is, "Oh, I'm out here where
they can see me so they won't hit me". But at the same time we are
bombarded with news stories talking about an auto hitting a bicycle
while the driver are texting, looking in the mirror to put on
lipstick, etc.

The fact that the UVC has examples of times when one doesn't have to
stay on the right side of the road is, I'm sure, of great comfort to
someone who's wife, husband, children, have just been run over by a
beautiful; young lady who "just had to" send that text message.
--
Cheers,

John B.

In the instance of the 18 wheeler, me and a very narrow bridge, when I decided to leave tthe road to avoid getting run down by that truck that was gaining on me and not slowing; I was told that Ishould have maintained center lane position and the truck would have to slow before running me over and I was also told that if I was so scared about riding lane center in such instances that perhaps I shouldn't even be riding on the road!

Some people don't seem to have heard the saying, "He was right - dead right".

Cheers

Someone posted a poem some time back about the guy in the grave... but
he had the right of way.

There is a saying in aviation, "there old pilots and there are bold
pilots but there are not any old bold pilots", which pretty much tells
the story.
--
Cheers,

John B.