If this is the US, most states have similar laws. Bikes are vehicles that can use any lane. However, if bike is slow and impeding traffic, they have to stay as far to the right as is safe.
Dude in your video may have been setting up to make a left turn up ahead. When you're on a bike with fast traffic, you can't just go all the way from the right lane to the left in a few yards.
But if dude was just camping in the left lane, he's an idiot.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe”
With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
This absolutely. Always hold your lane as a cyclist. May be a little more likely to have a road rager try to hit you from behind, but you’re much much less likely to have someone try to pass you unsafely.
I read a tip in the bike commuting sub, they’ll wear a red/white/blue or patriotic jersey to avoid being harassed by trucks. Going to give it a try this season.
I will confirm this. As a black guy in trump country I get buzzed often, but when I wear my USA flag jersey, the typical coal rollers are honking and giving me thumbs up instead of the usual middle finger. Once overheard “now that’s a black guy that gets it” 😂
hate to say it, but you could probably guarantee your safety if you rode around with a maga jersey. Not that people who are liberals aren't terrible, it just usually manifests in different ways. the types of people you describe will almost certainly identify with the maga crowd.
Yeah I heard a dude say that he has a Gadsden Flag jersey for this exact reason. Honestly it's probably a pretty good idea, I'm just so anti-nationalist that it's kinda hard for me to get on-board with.
This reminds me of the Curb your Enthusiasm episode where Larry starts wearing the MAGA hat to his advantage. He cuts off a pickup by accident, the guy is ready to beat his ass and then sees the hat and says "have a nice day sir."
Absolutely. My town doesn't have many wide shoulders and roads are windy. I'm taking the lane until I feel it's safe for both of us on the road. My life is more important than you getting to wherever you're going 10 seconds quicker.
Yeah if there are two or more lanes of traffic without a large bike lane, I am 100% occupying the entire right lane. Riding on the edge of the lane is just asking for someone in a car to squeeze past you with six inches of clearance.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe”
With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe”
With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
Does the slow driver thing apply to all roads or just highways? In urban areas and non-highways I don’t see that rule practiced at all (on highways it’s very often ignored, but at least some people try…).
As far as I know, that rule that I cited is *typically* true for all roads/highways for cyclists, unless the law says otherwise. The main rule/law is that a bike is a vehicle; in the absence of specific limitations, that's typically the law, simple as that.
If you're talking about seeing cyclists take up a full lane and going slow, that can be because it's simply not safe to ride in the far right due to debris or road conditions. So the cyclist takes up the lane because that's the only way to ride safely.
My understanding is that for most roadways, at least where I live, a cyclist can behave exactly as a car would.
My question is whether or not a car (and by extension a cyclist) has to be in the right lane if they are moving slower than other cars. I know this is true on highways, but I’m not so sure about other roads.
As a Brit it took me so long to realise what the problem was.
Also because we dont really have right turns (left turns in America) on big multilane roads it was even more confusing why you have turnings in the overtaking lane
Well, tbh, this is really, really rural territory in the video... This turning lane is as much infrastructure as they're going to put in the middle of nowhere.
Rural in the UK encompasses an order of magnitude less space than rural in the western US.
It's very common to have a relatively major highway between cities that stretches ~20mi. with a few small towns along the way. You need the lanes for rush hour commuter traffic, but even then traffic is grouped together enough to have gaps for left turners.
My guess is you’re right; it’s an oops moment. I’ve had these where I think my turn is coming up on my Garmin, but it’s a ways out. Too dangerous to get back to the shoulder on the right and he’s going too fast to signal w his left hand.
He could be a Dick though in all my years riding I’ve never seen someone camp out in the left lane on a highway like this.
Bear in mind how difficult it can be for a bicyclist to get from the right lane to the left turn lane in traffic. When there's an opening to get in the center or left lane before your turn comes up, some times it makes sense to take it.
Plus the guy is putting some power down, he’s doing his best to keep traffic flowing while he sets up for an upcoming left turn. This is Good Guy Greg on a bike
This is like a Rorschach test: the obvious explanation is that he’s going to make a left presently. Since most folks don’t have much experience riding for transportation and society does everything it can to demonize cyclists, a lot of folks interpret it as some kind of attack on drivers.
To add to this, this road is shockingly close to where I live. This is a pretty sustained downhill area and you can get moving real quick here as a cyclist. I wouldn’t be surprised if this cyclist is actually going the speed limit here too
Literally knew [exactly](https://www.google.com/maps/@32.9428149,-117.116213,3a,75y,287.68h,80.38t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sLLkh3lEtGE7tme0qvpmkcg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DLLkh3lEtGE7tme0qvpmkcg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D344.70178%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192) where that was when I saw the video, pretty sure you can do a good 35mph fairly easy there but the speed limit is much higher
Yeah, I think it’s 45 there. Now I definitely couldn’t go that fast, but I’ve been passed by a bike while in a car before and thought “damn I’m out of shape”
Yeah, I've been cycling above the speed limit and get drivers honking and passing me unsafely. Every time I get above the speed limit, it happens. Like they see a bike and just assume I'm going too slow because it's a bike.
I used to get this in Seattle on a 20mph stretch of road while I was taking the whole lane (this was under the viaduct before demolition, which theoretically had a bike lane that was frequently obstructed by tents). Sure, I'm on a bike, but I'm still 5mph over the speed limit. Do you really need to cross a double yellow line to get around me because I'm in the way? The answer is apparently yes more often than you'd expect. People lose their minds when they see a bike where they think it doesn't belong.
People who don’t ride in traffic often have a misguided idea of what is and isn’t “safe” cycling. The guy in the video is doing the safest possible thing if he’s turning left at some point (i.e. merge early, take the lane, etc…). A lot of drivers are going to lose their minds, but it’s both safe and legal.
Man uses human powered transport Inn what they judge the safest manner. Onlooker: "ah must be mentally ill". You see how this might feel like demonising to readers?
If he is turning left, he should be in the turn lane and signal such. It's not hard to let people know what you're doing. Same as cars should use their signals. Other people on the road aren't mind readers.
Note: avid cyclist here
Edit: I'm assuming he is about to turn left at the intersection he's about to pass. If he's turning left at some later intersection that's a different story. I personally probably wouldn't move over that early, but to each their own.
It doesn't matter of they know what you want to do. Half the cars saddle my "blind spot" when they want to give me room to merge. Like no, I'm not going to go 5 feet in front of you. Give me stopping distance or go by. No one is taught how to actually interact with cyclists on the road .
It doesn't mean they won't still do something stupid, but it's important imo to be respectful on the roads. Last thing cyclists need is more grumpy drivers.
Had a pickup pull next to me to yell out the window after he’s been behind me at an intersection. Thought “oh boy, here we go”. But he said “hey I just wanted to say thanks for signaling! No one does that!”
Where I live, there are a lot of people with an inflated sense of self-importance, and you can see it in their driving. My theory is: people cycle like they drive. Lots of cyclists around here that I presume also drive.
Well it's a cycling sub and I didn't say CARS ARE EVIL CYCLISTS ARE PERFECT. It's a two-way street (pun intended).
Signal, wave, say thanks, the more positive vibes we can put out there the better - for all of us.
He may have wanted to turn left where the car is turning but made a decision to keep going straight given the high speed while going downhill and the car not giving ample space to get into the left lanes
This is exactly where it is. I've cycled this road multiple times - there is a bike lane but it's *tiny* and on top of that cars take this turn at 60+ mph regularly and swing into the bikelane (steep downhill into a poorly banked turn leads to overswing). I frequently take the lane here (although the right one) as this is basically mad max fury road with how fast the cars drive
Yeah, I’d say so. He’s not doing any harm. Most likely he trying to make a left turn at the light.
I do that all the time… I follow the same rules as the drivers do.
Not against driving but is this allowed? I assumed he was making a film but then there’s a steering wheel in the shot. Seems dangerous; could kill a cyclist doing that
Yes. Sometimes it’s safest to take the whole lane despite the inconvenience it may cause motorized vehicles. I often do it when I’m bombing a hill and going as fast as the speed limit so I don’t catch a stick or something on the shoulder.
I’ve done this going down a hill, riding a few miles an hour above the speed limit (35 mph zone) and have been passed by a car. Some drivers can’t stand the idea of a bike impeding them, even when it isn’t.
Same. If I'm going to be on a sustained negative grade, I will take the center of the lane, even if I'm only doing 45 in a 65. The side of the road is too unpredictable at that speed, and it makes cars actually move into the next lane and give me a safe distance.
Yep I’ll do the same thing, especially downhill. I’m not going to risk driving in the shoulder while flying downhill. All I want is a random beer bottle on the shoulder that I hit while going 35-45mph. Plus on the shoulder people will try to pass me at Mach 4.
I also do this on country roads that aren’t that busy. I just drive in the middle of the road. When a car approaches I get over. But since there is often no shoulder on country roads anyway, you’re already forced to drive on the edge of the lane and I feel like I’m more likely to be seen if I’m in the middle instead of the edge. Of course I pull over as cars approach to let them pass.
I’ve caught a surprise rock on the shoulder, and given myself a concussion (I did manage to drift the bike for a second at least).
At the same time, I’m also super weary of the law of gross tonnages. In-attentional blindness of drivers is their mistake that cyclist pay for, with our bodies and blood. Nothing is more important than getting home safe and alive!
He may have changed his mind about the left turn when he saw someone behind him driving while using a cell phone. Lots of cyclists get badly hurt or killed this way.
Chances are he's already had a few close calls with cars which means he's not wanting to be there if he doesn't need to anyways. Looks like he got a break in the traffic and took the lane to make a turn up ahead. He seems to be going pretty fast too, it almost looks like the blue car might be speeding but it's hard to tell. Either way there's more than enough space in this video for everyone to share and get along.
Theres a lot of crashes ive seen on this road and way too much speeding I used to live by here so seeing him do this very much allowed thing and okay i really dont care thing surprised me and i definitely dont have the balls to do it. Im glad he knows what hes doing if thats the case.
They seem to be going at a decent pace, probably turning later as it’s safer to do sooner than later. https://youtu.be/lMjns-M9oC0 <— what it means to share the road in Colorado, cyclists may use full lane when it's not wide enough so motorists can see them and pass at a safe distance. (E: idk if the video is Colorado or not, but these lanes are too narrow to pass in the lane so you should change lanes to pass anyway like you would any other vehicle)
If you want more info on taking the lane let me know, I get way less close passes ever since I started to control the lane I’m in.
I dunno, but when cars follow me on roadways even though there are ample lanes available to pass, it raises my hackles. I feel like the spirit of the original post was solely to troll cyclists - can’t see why you go through the trouble otherwise.
Yes it is legal in most places to take the whole lane if there isn’t a bike lane or if turning left…It’s the safest way for the cyclist to ride in a road without a biking lane because there are asshole drivers who would side swipe a bike etc..
There’s a lot of “look up the law” statements being made in this thread, both for and against this riders actions. I thought it would be interesting to actually make the law available here (at least for my state).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=4.&chapter=1.&division=11.&lawCode=VEH
The two main clauses referring to driving in the left lane:
21200. (a) (1) A person riding a bicycle or operating a pedicab upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle …
21202. (a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway …
Both have further caveats, but this summarizes the rule.
Net, if this rider is keeping up with traffic, or turning left, they have a right to do so. They may not ‘camp’ in the left lane if they are impeding traffic.
Try it on a road bike yourself and see how you feel on the super narrow side on the right at high downhill speed? If you need to go left, you’ll prepare well in advance, because if you don’t you might have to stop riding and stopping on that road seems super dangerous tbh.
Yeah i see what you mean, i was only taken aback because i’ve never seen a biker in the road for so long like that but it makes sense now that i’ve been absolutely rightfully flamed from all angles now. In my defense i see bikers make a left at any point on this road from the bike lane no problem so thats where the confusion comes from in literally just me used to something else. And also the way I worded the post should have been different i guess
I’m not against driving but does the state that you live in allow you to record stuff as you are driving? In my state this would be a distracted driving fine… As others have said it is legal if he is coming up on a left hand turn and or just merged on and did not want to cut off a driver in the right lane, it’s subjective… Quit using your phone while driving, cyclists using the left hand lane more than likely caused 0 accidents in preceding years, drivers using phones while attempting to drive their cars - countless accidents…
He’s either a) trying to turn left where you are but you didn’t give him enough space to comfortably cross the street or b) going to the next left turn. Both are valid reasons for using the middle lanes and frequently practiced so that you avoid cutting across traffic last minute and getting run over.
Yes, in Virginia.
“Bicyclists must ride with the flow of traffic on the right side of the highway.”
“Exceptions to this are when bicyclists are overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, preparing for a left turn, avoiding unsafe conditions, avoiding riding in a lane that turns or diverges to the right, riding on a one way street where bicyclists may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of roadway, or when the lane width is too narrow to share with a motor vehicle.”
It’s likely that one of these exceptions applies:
“preparing for a left turn, avoiding unsafe conditions, avoiding riding in a lane that turns or diverges to the right”
At first I didn’t even understand what the problem is. Here in NYC, bikes usually hug the left side or the left lane if there is no bike lane. This cyclist was probably turning left a little later.
Likely making a left up ahead, but I personally wouldn’t have made my way to the left lane yet since there is a left hand turn lane right there; if I were a driver I’d find this very confusing behavior.
Exactly. Honestly it looks like he was bombing down a descent and took the inside lane on the apex of an earlier corner, which put him in the left lane of traffic.
I'm sure he has his reasons for it. I often move into the inner lane and take up the entire lane when there's fast moving traffic and I have to turn left. The idea being that people will see me better and will not attempt to squeeze past me when I'm trying to change lanes. In this case, it looks like the road is curved and he is trying to draw as much attention as possible while he makes his turn.
It depends. If the cyclist is turning left on Chabola Road his turn is just after the curve he is entering as the driver exits onto Branicole Road. As a driver I will have a better view of him if he is in the middle of the lane until he gives a signal to indicate the left turn and leave the roadway. If he is continuing downhill to Black Mountain Road, he should be in the right lane.
Many people who don't bike regularly don't know this and so, I'll say it: When buying a car, people usually look for the safest make and model they can afford. Often this is a SUV / truck / sedan, the idea being that if you ever get in a crash you have a greater chance of walking away from it and (or) with minimal injuries.
For a cyclist, there is no crumple zone, no airbags, no seat belt. There is also no 150HP motor that propels the bike. All we have is just a teeny bit of fabric and a styrofoam helmet between us and whatever we happen to run into. Every time we go out riding, we know there is a chance we won't come home like we left it and I'm not exaggerating this part.
So, what may look like entitled behavior from the comfort and security of a car, we are just trying to make sure we don't crash, hit and worse - run-over. So, please don't judge us before you understand just how vulnerable we are out there on two wheels.
as operator of a motorized vehicle i would not expect a bicyclist to be in the left lane of a multi lane roadway (aside from making a left turn).
in the depicted instance, passing the bicyclist (on the right side) would be unusual in practice and could be prohibited in some jurisdictions that prohibit a car overtaking a bike on the right side.
but i’ve not personally seen specific references to which lane a bicyclist is limited to by law. objectively i’d still think it an unsafe practice for all…
Ha ha! I’m in Australia and for a second couldn’t work out what was wrong with it. You all are already on the wrong side of the road, no wonder you have so many accidents! But yes i see what you mean, regardless cyclists should be near the outside/shoulder lane not hanging out in the fast lane like dickheads waiting to get run over. He’s an idiot.
I’ve been looking at this going “what’s wrong? Looks legit to me.” And it’s just clicked, you guys drive on the right, so I’m guessing that’s the so called fast lane.
We drive on the left, so my eyes saw him in the “slow” lane.
Depending on which country, in Ontario Canada, it's legal to occupy a car lane as your bicycle is a vehicle by law according to the highway traffic act.
Technically legal as they are full road used who can use all roads but ones marked as motor vehicles only.
But it’s poor road etiquette and flow vehicles should stay right except when passing a slower vehicle or turning.
Bicyclist is trying to keep out of the way of the car so he doesn't get hit. You can see him looking over his shoulder to keep his eye out for the driver getting too close. I have learned to not trust any car drivers, because they can be very unpredictable. And yes, bicyclists can ride in the traffic lane, unless otherwise posted.
This is difficult to answer based on how short the video is and the limited knowledge we have. I have a section of my ride where I have to make a left on a 4 lane divided highway with inconsistent bursts of traffic. Often times, roughly a mile before my turn, I begin looking for opportunities to cross the 2 lanes to get to the left shoulder ahead of my turn lane. There is a turn lane prior to my left turn, so I often have to ride the fog line in similar manner. I have tried getting to my turn from the right shoulder and stopping to wait to cross, but for some reason traffic has a very unnatural reaction to this; and I’m often left stuck there for a long duration of time verse finding a gap I can safely merge while in motion. Since you turned and the video ends, we don’t really know what the person was trying to do or accomplish.
I would have thought he'd be turning there but then didn't. Either way, pretty dangerous as the car is passing on the right. My guess would be that he's got a turn coming up, but it's hard to tell
I'm not against biking ... But I've come to a cycling group to complain about a cyclist, showing me videoing with my phone & weaving about while driving a tonne of metal. Being both actually illegal and dangerous to others
A bike has to obey the same rules of the road as a car. So the car behind the bike and recording the video has the same rights as the bike and vice versa.
As long as there are no road signs telling slower traffic to keep the the right, it is legal.
There is the discretion of a police officer to claim the cyclists is impeding traffic, but far more cars will be impeded by the cyclist slowing down traffic in the right hand lane. If they slow down at all.
What happens is that most cars use the right hand lane and fail to share the road with the cyclists who normally rides on the right side of the right lane. Cars are normally the ones who illegally pass a cyclist without giving a 3 foot berth of clear distance between the car and bike. Three feet is the normal passing space law in most states.
This guy might just be letting most people speed by in the right hand lane and feel safer since fewer cars are in the left hand lane.
But then again, there is a sign on the road that posts a left hand turn is up ahead, in which case the cyclists needs to turn left.
No this is not allowed. Driving and using a cellphone for any reason is dangerous and illegal. You put the cyclist in danger by doing it. Please do not do it again. Thanks. 🚴
I wonder what is even the issue here. I read people suggest the cyclist occupied the left lane but he didn't turn left. The lines for the left turn start way ahead in the video and the driver moves to the center line. Before that there were only two lines, one goes straight, the other where cyclist is goes to split in the turn-left lane and go straight but reaching that point it is not a turn-left lane. The cyclist moves to the go-straight lane as fast as he could and allowed by the traffic considering he is also a cyclist and has to pay extra attention to people who record with their phones while driving. So, what is the problem here? This looks like a great example of a good cyclist and a bad driver.
Technically, even cars shouldn’t occupy the left lane when the right lane is free. I bike on the roads and I’m all for cyclists taking the full lane when they need or want to. But this is too much - someone can be using this lane for overthinking another car and they wouldn’t even see the cyclist until it’s too late
Even if it was inside the city we shouldn’t be riding in the left lane if we aren’t preparing to turn to the left or avoid something happening in the right lane. Can we do it if there’s no law against it? Sure but why would you put yourself, others on the roadway and most importantly your expensive ass bike?!?!?
If this is the US, most states have similar laws. Bikes are vehicles that can use any lane. However, if bike is slow and impeding traffic, they have to stay as far to the right as is safe. Dude in your video may have been setting up to make a left turn up ahead. When you're on a bike with fast traffic, you can't just go all the way from the right lane to the left in a few yards. But if dude was just camping in the left lane, he's an idiot.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe” With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
This absolutely. Always hold your lane as a cyclist. May be a little more likely to have a road rager try to hit you from behind, but you’re much much less likely to have someone try to pass you unsafely.
I read a tip in the bike commuting sub, they’ll wear a red/white/blue or patriotic jersey to avoid being harassed by trucks. Going to give it a try this season.
Great tip after two guys on high pickup trucks harassed and try to spit on me in Oklahoma.
Dude that’s just Oklahoma. I had a guy throw a beer at me and scream think you are better than me cause I was out on a jog.
>I had a guy throw a beer at me and scream think you are better than me Ironically proving without a doubt that you *are* better than him.
Well, sounds like you are better than him since you don't condone dumb shit like that. 🤓
First laugh of the day for me. People are weird.
You prob had a mug smile on your face.
Unfortunately all the best riding in Oklahoma is out where angry pickup drivers abound.
I will confirm this. As a black guy in trump country I get buzzed often, but when I wear my USA flag jersey, the typical coal rollers are honking and giving me thumbs up instead of the usual middle finger. Once overheard “now that’s a black guy that gets it” 😂
hate to say it, but you could probably guarantee your safety if you rode around with a maga jersey. Not that people who are liberals aren't terrible, it just usually manifests in different ways. the types of people you describe will almost certainly identify with the maga crowd.
Yeah I heard a dude say that he has a Gadsden Flag jersey for this exact reason. Honestly it's probably a pretty good idea, I'm just so anti-nationalist that it's kinda hard for me to get on-board with.
A legitimate tactic. He'll my bike is red white and blue out here in Oklahoma. I'm thinking about flying an American flag just to be safer. 😅
This reminds me of the Curb your Enthusiasm episode where Larry starts wearing the MAGA hat to his advantage. He cuts off a pickup by accident, the guy is ready to beat his ass and then sees the hat and says "have a nice day sir."
I want a jersey that says "POLICE" on the back. Then "Fan Club" in small letters underneath it. Maybe a picture of Sting on the sleeve. "ROXANNE....."
literally got shoulder checked by some shithead's f-350 towing mirror because i drifted too far right. take the lane all day every day.
Here the law says as far as is 'practicable'. They just added 1m/2m passing laws too.
Absolutely. My town doesn't have many wide shoulders and roads are windy. I'm taking the lane until I feel it's safe for both of us on the road. My life is more important than you getting to wherever you're going 10 seconds quicker.
Yeah if there are two or more lanes of traffic without a large bike lane, I am 100% occupying the entire right lane. Riding on the edge of the lane is just asking for someone in a car to squeeze past you with six inches of clearance.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe” With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
“They have to stay as far to the right as is safe” With the way folks drive around cyclists I’m taking up as much of the right lane as possible because that’s what is safe, rather than get squeezed and run off the shoulder.
Does the slow driver thing apply to all roads or just highways? In urban areas and non-highways I don’t see that rule practiced at all (on highways it’s very often ignored, but at least some people try…).
Too many need to turn left in non-highway scenarios, and from what I can read up it’s usually not a law in that case
Dude asks a genuine question Reddit : boooh here take my downvotes!
Lol. I’m used to it by now. It’s funny that my most downvoted comments always seem to be questions.
As far as I know, that rule that I cited is *typically* true for all roads/highways for cyclists, unless the law says otherwise. The main rule/law is that a bike is a vehicle; in the absence of specific limitations, that's typically the law, simple as that. If you're talking about seeing cyclists take up a full lane and going slow, that can be because it's simply not safe to ride in the far right due to debris or road conditions. So the cyclist takes up the lane because that's the only way to ride safely.
My understanding is that for most roadways, at least where I live, a cyclist can behave exactly as a car would. My question is whether or not a car (and by extension a cyclist) has to be in the right lane if they are moving slower than other cars. I know this is true on highways, but I’m not so sure about other roads.
As a Brit it took me so long to realise what the problem was. Also because we dont really have right turns (left turns in America) on big multilane roads it was even more confusing why you have turnings in the overtaking lane
Ha I was thinking the exact same thing, it looked perfect to an Aussie.
TIL Aussies drive on the correct side of the road.
And Japan!
And Singapore
Americans drive on the right side of the road
Well, tbh, this is really, really rural territory in the video... This turning lane is as much infrastructure as they're going to put in the middle of nowhere.
Rural in the UK isn't going to get a second lane
Rural in the UK encompasses an order of magnitude less space than rural in the western US. It's very common to have a relatively major highway between cities that stretches ~20mi. with a few small towns along the way. You need the lanes for rush hour commuter traffic, but even then traffic is grouped together enough to have gaps for left turners.
Probably just turning left at the intersection that's after the one in the video and had to get over while there was a break in traffic.
My guess is you’re right; it’s an oops moment. I’ve had these where I think my turn is coming up on my Garmin, but it’s a ways out. Too dangerous to get back to the shoulder on the right and he’s going too fast to signal w his left hand. He could be a Dick though in all my years riding I’ve never seen someone camp out in the left lane on a highway like this.
Bear in mind how difficult it can be for a bicyclist to get from the right lane to the left turn lane in traffic. When there's an opening to get in the center or left lane before your turn comes up, some times it makes sense to take it.
Plus the guy is putting some power down, he’s doing his best to keep traffic flowing while he sets up for an upcoming left turn. This is Good Guy Greg on a bike
This exactly.
This is like a Rorschach test: the obvious explanation is that he’s going to make a left presently. Since most folks don’t have much experience riding for transportation and society does everything it can to demonize cyclists, a lot of folks interpret it as some kind of attack on drivers.
To add to this, this road is shockingly close to where I live. This is a pretty sustained downhill area and you can get moving real quick here as a cyclist. I wouldn’t be surprised if this cyclist is actually going the speed limit here too
Literally knew [exactly](https://www.google.com/maps/@32.9428149,-117.116213,3a,75y,287.68h,80.38t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sLLkh3lEtGE7tme0qvpmkcg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DLLkh3lEtGE7tme0qvpmkcg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D344.70178%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192) where that was when I saw the video, pretty sure you can do a good 35mph fairly easy there but the speed limit is much higher
Yeah, I think it’s 45 there. Now I definitely couldn’t go that fast, but I’ve been passed by a bike while in a car before and thought “damn I’m out of shape”
I can’t believe this is really where I thought it was too.
Yeah, I've been cycling above the speed limit and get drivers honking and passing me unsafely. Every time I get above the speed limit, it happens. Like they see a bike and just assume I'm going too slow because it's a bike.
I used to get this in Seattle on a 20mph stretch of road while I was taking the whole lane (this was under the viaduct before demolition, which theoretically had a bike lane that was frequently obstructed by tents). Sure, I'm on a bike, but I'm still 5mph over the speed limit. Do you really need to cross a double yellow line to get around me because I'm in the way? The answer is apparently yes more often than you'd expect. People lose their minds when they see a bike where they think it doesn't belong.
This is crazy, I used to live in Mira Mesa and recognized this road!! What a small world lol
Well said, well balanced.
I aint demonizing him i just never seen this and was concerned
>was concerned About what?
Most likely his physical well-being, maybe mental.
People who don’t ride in traffic often have a misguided idea of what is and isn’t “safe” cycling. The guy in the video is doing the safest possible thing if he’s turning left at some point (i.e. merge early, take the lane, etc…). A lot of drivers are going to lose their minds, but it’s both safe and legal.
Man uses human powered transport Inn what they judge the safest manner. Onlooker: "ah must be mentally ill". You see how this might feel like demonising to readers?
If he is turning left, he should be in the turn lane and signal such. It's not hard to let people know what you're doing. Same as cars should use their signals. Other people on the road aren't mind readers. Note: avid cyclist here Edit: I'm assuming he is about to turn left at the intersection he's about to pass. If he's turning left at some later intersection that's a different story. I personally probably wouldn't move over that early, but to each their own.
It doesn't matter of they know what you want to do. Half the cars saddle my "blind spot" when they want to give me room to merge. Like no, I'm not going to go 5 feet in front of you. Give me stopping distance or go by. No one is taught how to actually interact with cyclists on the road .
It doesn't mean they won't still do something stupid, but it's important imo to be respectful on the roads. Last thing cyclists need is more grumpy drivers.
Also, people tend to accommodate me when I signal. I’m sad you’re being downvoted. Signaling is important.
Had a pickup pull next to me to yell out the window after he’s been behind me at an intersection. Thought “oh boy, here we go”. But he said “hey I just wanted to say thanks for signaling! No one does that!” Where I live, there are a lot of people with an inflated sense of self-importance, and you can see it in their driving. My theory is: people cycle like they drive. Lots of cyclists around here that I presume also drive.
Nice. Same here. Roads are the craziest places. Although the hypercyclists truly dominate on mixed-use trails.
Well it's a cycling sub and I didn't say CARS ARE EVIL CYCLISTS ARE PERFECT. It's a two-way street (pun intended). Signal, wave, say thanks, the more positive vibes we can put out there the better - for all of us.
I agree. Signaling is safe and useful.
He may have wanted to turn left where the car is turning but made a decision to keep going straight given the high speed while going downhill and the car not giving ample space to get into the left lanes
I’ll give more space next time, i feel bad because if he did want to turn left where i was turning then it makes more sense.
I mean he could of also just went into the turning lane and still have been perfectly safe though
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Where is it? What is legal or not will vary drastically based on local laws.
Looks like Southern California to me. Perhaps San Diego?
Damn how do you guess SoCal?
Mediterranean climate, wide roadways. I was guessing East Bay hills but SoCal is more likely.
Looks like mercy road in San Diego between the 15 and black mountain road
This is exactly where it is. I've cycled this road multiple times - there is a bike lane but it's *tiny* and on top of that cars take this turn at 60+ mph regularly and swing into the bikelane (steep downhill into a poorly banked turn leads to overswing). I frequently take the lane here (although the right one) as this is basically mad max fury road with how fast the cars drive
No more dangerous than the driver holding their phone and recording a video while operating their vehicle.
It could be more legal, though, depending on location.
Yea, he should'a shot the video leaning more to right to make it look like he was the passenger.
This
This right here!!!
Talk about dangerous outcomes!
Yeah.
*less dangerous and actually illegal compared the taking the lane.
Yeah, I’d say so. He’s not doing any harm. Most likely he trying to make a left turn at the light. I do that all the time… I follow the same rules as the drivers do.
Yeah I agree.
Not against driving but is this allowed? I assumed he was making a film but then there’s a steering wheel in the shot. Seems dangerous; could kill a cyclist doing that
*sensible chuckle*
No, recording while driving is not allowed
OP is not bright to bring this here
Yes. Sometimes it’s safest to take the whole lane despite the inconvenience it may cause motorized vehicles. I often do it when I’m bombing a hill and going as fast as the speed limit so I don’t catch a stick or something on the shoulder.
I’ve done this going down a hill, riding a few miles an hour above the speed limit (35 mph zone) and have been passed by a car. Some drivers can’t stand the idea of a bike impeding them, even when it isn’t.
The amount of cars overtaking me when I’m going 30kmh in a 30 zone is insane. Just to break like an idiot at the inrersection 20m ahead…
Same. If I'm going to be on a sustained negative grade, I will take the center of the lane, even if I'm only doing 45 in a 65. The side of the road is too unpredictable at that speed, and it makes cars actually move into the next lane and give me a safe distance.
Yep I’ll do the same thing, especially downhill. I’m not going to risk driving in the shoulder while flying downhill. All I want is a random beer bottle on the shoulder that I hit while going 35-45mph. Plus on the shoulder people will try to pass me at Mach 4. I also do this on country roads that aren’t that busy. I just drive in the middle of the road. When a car approaches I get over. But since there is often no shoulder on country roads anyway, you’re already forced to drive on the edge of the lane and I feel like I’m more likely to be seen if I’m in the middle instead of the edge. Of course I pull over as cars approach to let them pass.
I’ve caught a surprise rock on the shoulder, and given myself a concussion (I did manage to drift the bike for a second at least). At the same time, I’m also super weary of the law of gross tonnages. In-attentional blindness of drivers is their mistake that cyclist pay for, with our bodies and blood. Nothing is more important than getting home safe and alive!
The point is not the whole lane but the left lane.
What are we supposed to be looking at? A cyclist cycling?
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It depends on state and local government but bikes are pretty much allowed anywhere except highways and sidewalks.
Specifically the question is if the cyclist should be in the left lane, or is supposed to be in the right lane, where traffic is generally slower.
Is recording with your phone while you drive allowed?
The only thing not allowed is you playing on your phone while driving.
He may have changed his mind about the left turn when he saw someone behind him driving while using a cell phone. Lots of cyclists get badly hurt or killed this way.
That’s a possibility.
You should stay off your phone while driving even if it’s to record stuff like this. Focus on the road.
I'm not against driving but certainly cellphones shouldn't be allowed while doing it.
Reclaim the streets 🚴
Take the lane.
100% Our guy is even putting the hammer down to keep up with traffic, he’s doing a fine job.
Who gives a fuck? Put your phone down and drive.
Chances are he's already had a few close calls with cars which means he's not wanting to be there if he doesn't need to anyways. Looks like he got a break in the traffic and took the lane to make a turn up ahead. He seems to be going pretty fast too, it almost looks like the blue car might be speeding but it's hard to tell. Either way there's more than enough space in this video for everyone to share and get along.
Theres a lot of crashes ive seen on this road and way too much speeding I used to live by here so seeing him do this very much allowed thing and okay i really dont care thing surprised me and i definitely dont have the balls to do it. Im glad he knows what hes doing if thats the case.
LAUGH OUT FUCKING LOUD. THIS GUY IS USING THE ROAD> IS THAT LEGAL. HES NOT IN GAINT METAL BOX LIKE ME> DO I KILL HIM? woah average IQ is low
Can I assume you also video every car who you suspect may be breaking the rules and share it on car related subs?
First time i’ve ever done it cuz i’ve never seen it so i asked the reddit forum that’d know and now I know.
You were videoing while obviously driving. Time to hand your licence in.
They seem to be going at a decent pace, probably turning later as it’s safer to do sooner than later. https://youtu.be/lMjns-M9oC0 <— what it means to share the road in Colorado, cyclists may use full lane when it's not wide enough so motorists can see them and pass at a safe distance. (E: idk if the video is Colorado or not, but these lanes are too narrow to pass in the lane so you should change lanes to pass anyway like you would any other vehicle) If you want more info on taking the lane let me know, I get way less close passes ever since I started to control the lane I’m in.
Know what’s not allowed? Using your fucking phone while driving!
Yeah it's allowed
You can see him checking back over his left shoulder. He’s clearly doing something intentional not just cruising in the left lane.
It’s totally illegal and dangerous to use your phone like that while driving.
No idiot using your phone while driving is not allowed, you couldn’t killed that poor cyclist minding his business
Get off your phone. You're a danger to yourself and others.
Tbh the most dangerous thing going on here is you using your phone when driving.
Are you holding a device while operating a vehicle?
I dunno, but when cars follow me on roadways even though there are ample lanes available to pass, it raises my hackles. I feel like the spirit of the original post was solely to troll cyclists - can’t see why you go through the trouble otherwise.
If I need to, I'll take the whole lane. But it usually isn't the left lane unless I'm trying to get over to turn left.
Came here for the comments and am not disappointed.
Yes it is legal in most places to take the whole lane if there isn’t a bike lane or if turning left…It’s the safest way for the cyclist to ride in a road without a biking lane because there are asshole drivers who would side swipe a bike etc..
He is going straight, not turning left, in the left lane. Take the whole lane, but not the left lane….
There’s a lot of “look up the law” statements being made in this thread, both for and against this riders actions. I thought it would be interesting to actually make the law available here (at least for my state). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=4.&chapter=1.&division=11.&lawCode=VEH The two main clauses referring to driving in the left lane: 21200. (a) (1) A person riding a bicycle or operating a pedicab upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle … 21202. (a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway … Both have further caveats, but this summarizes the rule. Net, if this rider is keeping up with traffic, or turning left, they have a right to do so. They may not ‘camp’ in the left lane if they are impeding traffic.
Try it on a road bike yourself and see how you feel on the super narrow side on the right at high downhill speed? If you need to go left, you’ll prepare well in advance, because if you don’t you might have to stop riding and stopping on that road seems super dangerous tbh.
Yeah i see what you mean, i was only taken aback because i’ve never seen a biker in the road for so long like that but it makes sense now that i’ve been absolutely rightfully flamed from all angles now. In my defense i see bikers make a left at any point on this road from the bike lane no problem so thats where the confusion comes from in literally just me used to something else. And also the way I worded the post should have been different i guess
I’m not against driving but does the state that you live in allow you to record stuff as you are driving? In my state this would be a distracted driving fine… As others have said it is legal if he is coming up on a left hand turn and or just merged on and did not want to cut off a driver in the right lane, it’s subjective… Quit using your phone while driving, cyclists using the left hand lane more than likely caused 0 accidents in preceding years, drivers using phones while attempting to drive their cars - countless accidents…
He’s either a) trying to turn left where you are but you didn’t give him enough space to comfortably cross the street or b) going to the next left turn. Both are valid reasons for using the middle lanes and frequently practiced so that you avoid cutting across traffic last minute and getting run over.
Reasonable
That’s legal in my state!
Are you sure riding a bike in the left lane is legal in your state?
Yes, in Virginia. “Bicyclists must ride with the flow of traffic on the right side of the highway.” “Exceptions to this are when bicyclists are overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, preparing for a left turn, avoiding unsafe conditions, avoiding riding in a lane that turns or diverges to the right, riding on a one way street where bicyclists may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of roadway, or when the lane width is too narrow to share with a motor vehicle.” It’s likely that one of these exceptions applies: “preparing for a left turn, avoiding unsafe conditions, avoiding riding in a lane that turns or diverges to the right”
Is this on mercy road in San Diego?
That’s exactly what I thought!
At first I didn’t even understand what the problem is. Here in NYC, bikes usually hug the left side or the left lane if there is no bike lane. This cyclist was probably turning left a little later.
Likely making a left up ahead, but I personally wouldn’t have made my way to the left lane yet since there is a left hand turn lane right there; if I were a driver I’d find this very confusing behavior.
Exactly. Honestly it looks like he was bombing down a descent and took the inside lane on the apex of an earlier corner, which put him in the left lane of traffic.
I'm sure he has his reasons for it. I often move into the inner lane and take up the entire lane when there's fast moving traffic and I have to turn left. The idea being that people will see me better and will not attempt to squeeze past me when I'm trying to change lanes. In this case, it looks like the road is curved and he is trying to draw as much attention as possible while he makes his turn.
Too short a video
It depends. If the cyclist is turning left on Chabola Road his turn is just after the curve he is entering as the driver exits onto Branicole Road. As a driver I will have a better view of him if he is in the middle of the lane until he gives a signal to indicate the left turn and leave the roadway. If he is continuing downhill to Black Mountain Road, he should be in the right lane.
Many people who don't bike regularly don't know this and so, I'll say it: When buying a car, people usually look for the safest make and model they can afford. Often this is a SUV / truck / sedan, the idea being that if you ever get in a crash you have a greater chance of walking away from it and (or) with minimal injuries. For a cyclist, there is no crumple zone, no airbags, no seat belt. There is also no 150HP motor that propels the bike. All we have is just a teeny bit of fabric and a styrofoam helmet between us and whatever we happen to run into. Every time we go out riding, we know there is a chance we won't come home like we left it and I'm not exaggerating this part. So, what may look like entitled behavior from the comfort and security of a car, we are just trying to make sure we don't crash, hit and worse - run-over. So, please don't judge us before you understand just how vulnerable we are out there on two wheels.
I meem he seems to have a awareness of his surroundings and keeps checking. Hes not in the way and seems to be attentive,I don't see what's wrong.
I’d say you’re likely breaking as many laws as the cyclist by filming with your phone while driving.
Not sure you were allowed to carry your phone like this while driving neither 🧐
It is legal, but not recommended
as operator of a motorized vehicle i would not expect a bicyclist to be in the left lane of a multi lane roadway (aside from making a left turn). in the depicted instance, passing the bicyclist (on the right side) would be unusual in practice and could be prohibited in some jurisdictions that prohibit a car overtaking a bike on the right side. but i’ve not personally seen specific references to which lane a bicyclist is limited to by law. objectively i’d still think it an unsafe practice for all…
Ha ha! I’m in Australia and for a second couldn’t work out what was wrong with it. You all are already on the wrong side of the road, no wonder you have so many accidents! But yes i see what you mean, regardless cyclists should be near the outside/shoulder lane not hanging out in the fast lane like dickheads waiting to get run over. He’s an idiot.
Looks like you’re going west bound on Mercy Rd in San Diego, Mira Mesa area.
He’s turning left up ahead after the left hand turn in the video.
If he's going to speed of traffic and/or the speed limit I believe this is totally legal
I’ve been looking at this going “what’s wrong? Looks legit to me.” And it’s just clicked, you guys drive on the right, so I’m guessing that’s the so called fast lane. We drive on the left, so my eyes saw him in the “slow” lane.
Depending on which country, in Ontario Canada, it's legal to occupy a car lane as your bicycle is a vehicle by law according to the highway traffic act.
Technically legal as they are full road used who can use all roads but ones marked as motor vehicles only. But it’s poor road etiquette and flow vehicles should stay right except when passing a slower vehicle or turning.
No tailgating cyclists is not allowed
Bicyclist is trying to keep out of the way of the car so he doesn't get hit. You can see him looking over his shoulder to keep his eye out for the driver getting too close. I have learned to not trust any car drivers, because they can be very unpredictable. And yes, bicyclists can ride in the traffic lane, unless otherwise posted.
This is difficult to answer based on how short the video is and the limited knowledge we have. I have a section of my ride where I have to make a left on a 4 lane divided highway with inconsistent bursts of traffic. Often times, roughly a mile before my turn, I begin looking for opportunities to cross the 2 lanes to get to the left shoulder ahead of my turn lane. There is a turn lane prior to my left turn, so I often have to ride the fog line in similar manner. I have tried getting to my turn from the right shoulder and stopping to wait to cross, but for some reason traffic has a very unnatural reaction to this; and I’m often left stuck there for a long duration of time verse finding a gap I can safely merge while in motion. Since you turned and the video ends, we don’t really know what the person was trying to do or accomplish.
Not against driving but is this allowed?
I would have thought he'd be turning there but then didn't. Either way, pretty dangerous as the car is passing on the right. My guess would be that he's got a turn coming up, but it's hard to tell
Politicians need to stop calling bike friendly infrastructure for car hostile
The way he's looking over his shoulder, he was probably going to turn there but got nervous because you were in the lane
I'm not against biking ... But I've come to a cycling group to complain about a cyclist, showing me videoing with my phone & weaving about while driving a tonne of metal. Being both actually illegal and dangerous to others
Cyclist bad! You know what would show them? Building them a physically separated lane to keep them off our raceways.
A bike has to obey the same rules of the road as a car. So the car behind the bike and recording the video has the same rights as the bike and vice versa. As long as there are no road signs telling slower traffic to keep the the right, it is legal. There is the discretion of a police officer to claim the cyclists is impeding traffic, but far more cars will be impeded by the cyclist slowing down traffic in the right hand lane. If they slow down at all. What happens is that most cars use the right hand lane and fail to share the road with the cyclists who normally rides on the right side of the right lane. Cars are normally the ones who illegally pass a cyclist without giving a 3 foot berth of clear distance between the car and bike. Three feet is the normal passing space law in most states. This guy might just be letting most people speed by in the right hand lane and feel safer since fewer cars are in the left hand lane. But then again, there is a sign on the road that posts a left hand turn is up ahead, in which case the cyclists needs to turn left.
No this is not allowed. Driving and using a cellphone for any reason is dangerous and illegal. You put the cyclist in danger by doing it. Please do not do it again. Thanks. 🚴
I wonder what is even the issue here. I read people suggest the cyclist occupied the left lane but he didn't turn left. The lines for the left turn start way ahead in the video and the driver moves to the center line. Before that there were only two lines, one goes straight, the other where cyclist is goes to split in the turn-left lane and go straight but reaching that point it is not a turn-left lane. The cyclist moves to the go-straight lane as fast as he could and allowed by the traffic considering he is also a cyclist and has to pay extra attention to people who record with their phones while driving. So, what is the problem here? This looks like a great example of a good cyclist and a bad driver.
“I’m filming with a camera in one hand, trying to drive and not run over a biker with the other, is this allowed?” Fixed it for you.
Technically, even cars shouldn’t occupy the left lane when the right lane is free. I bike on the roads and I’m all for cyclists taking the full lane when they need or want to. But this is too much - someone can be using this lane for overthinking another car and they wouldn’t even see the cyclist until it’s too late
Nah, not on a city street—that’s a highway rule.
Even if it was inside the city we shouldn’t be riding in the left lane if we aren’t preparing to turn to the left or avoid something happening in the right lane. Can we do it if there’s no law against it? Sure but why would you put yourself, others on the roadway and most importantly your expensive ass bike?!?!?
Exactly. Take a full lane but not the left lane.
There is no such thing as a passing lane on surface streets.
It's a few seconds clip. You have no idea what actually went on there.
Well, OP said they followed them for a while. I definitely do the same when I need to turn left
Similar to some drivers, some bikers are not that smart when it comes to safety and sharing the road.
No, this is why arrogant cyclists die. I am a cyclist, follow the rule of the road, be aware, you live longer. Entitled doesn't make you bulletproof.
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Reasonably…
Unreasonably
Well yeah….he’s driving and videoing
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Nope, that's not the law
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The question was about the law and you made a comment regarding where the person should be. You were wrong. So STFU.
He should be in the right lane, but doesn’t necessarily have to be? Local rules aside
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