Not In The Gutter

Many motorists are unclear about where a cyclist should be positioned on the road. Yes, on the road. Most states have laws requiring adults on bicycles to stay off of the sidewalks. I've lived in states where the age to be on the sidewalk is less than 15, other states I've lived in set the upper limit at 11. 

I recall once when I was in my roommate's car as a passenger and he displayed real stupidity. We lived in a college city had many marked bicycle lanes. The incident in question involved a mother and her daughter in the bike lane and he was shouting at them to get on the sidewalk. The lanes were marked with large cycling symbols and had lines dividing them from traffic. It is not as if he was unaware of the prevalance of cyclists in town. He was a intern at the veterinary college and I was doing post-doc work. There were a lot of bicycles on that campus. I rode to campus by bicycle every day. My girlfriend and I rode on the weekends and some evenings. She and I did several metric centuries on a tandem. He was from New York City, but I don't think that explains his attitude. 

The state in which I currently live has statutes that say cyclists should ride as far to the right as is practical. Other states word their laws to say as far to the right as is safe. Neither means in the gutter with your pedals striking the curb. Unless there is a significant shoulder, I usually ride in the lane. This has seemed to be much safer than being half in and half out of the lane. When I rode with my wheels on the white line at the edge of the road automobiles were much more likely to brush by very closely.

I've lived in eight states as an adult. In all of them, bicyclists are to obey the same rules of the road as motor vehicles. Just as we are expected to stop at traffic signs and signals, we are required to obey the rest of the traffic laws. The short explanation on the correct place for a cyclist to be in traffic is in the right most lane from which a motor vehicle would be proceeding in the same direction. The following clarifications are for locales that drive on the right side of the road, right as in dexter not as in correct.

If I am making a left turn on a multi-lane road I have two options. It is correct and appropriate for a cyclist to be in the left most lane, or left turn lane if one is present, and make her turn when traffic and/or signals permit. If there are more than one left turn lanes, be in the outside (right) one. What I see some bicyclists do is cross the intersection, stop at the corner and proceed to the left when the signals permit. Sometimes this may be the safest thing to do. 

If I am going straight at an intersection where there is a right turn lane I do not ride at the edge of the road. To do so would be inviting injury or death, not to mention be against the law. The correct place for a cyclist at such an intersection would be in the right most lane that is going straight ahead. At a crossing with two right turn lanes, with the inner one offering a turn or straight option, you would ride in it because it is the right most lane going ahead. As the video shows, it is not only US motorists who do not apply logic and law to their opinions on where a cyclist should ride.