image from Chico Velo Cycling Club 
SHARE THE ROAD
this whole concept of Share the Road is a tad confusing....
so often I get yelled at by the car driver that is passing me too fast and too close that I need to "share the road"
well....
I do share the road
for the most part I ride to the right of traffic....
how far right?
as far right as I feel I can ride and still be safe
there are times when riding in the middle of the road is as far right as I feel safe
often I will ride taking the whole lane.... forbidding following cars to pass
this is intentional
this is to protect my safety and the safety of others
so often I give the following cars the respect that they possess some basic common sense
so often the following car drivers prove me wrong
you would not believe how many times I have been passed a a tight winding road
where the passing car is forced to come into my lane due to oncoming traffic
thus putting me at risk
so to avoid these "worst case scenarios"
I have to think for all parties involve
cause believe you me....
if it is a choice between a head on collision with another car or killing the cyclist
the car driver will chose to kill two cyclists just to make their point
so at times I will take the full lane
preventing the pass...
this does not always stop the following drivers
I have had drivers sneak through on my right...
oh that makes me mad
scares the shit out of me too
so when a Journalist like Marvin Kalb write about cyclist on MacArthur Blvd or Broad Branch Road I picture myself
I picture myself on either of those roads
as I have been on both roads on my bicycle within the last 72 hours
I picture myself giving the car drivers the benefit of the doubt
then having a near death experience
and then having to punish the following drivers...
punish may be the wrong choice of words... but I end up punishing the following drivers for the reckless actions of another
my actions are not to punish the drivers but rather to think for those drivers
to make a decision for them
to make it impossible for them to pass
because it is unsafe to pass
if car drivers were to factor bicycle traffic in account before departing their house
well
they would not get so frustrated
everyone should leave a few minutes earlier for work
rather than rushing late for work
SHARE THE ROAD
this whole concept of Share the Road is a tad confusing....
so often I get yelled at by the car driver that is passing me too fast and too close that I need to "share the road"
well....
I do share the road
for the most part I ride to the right of traffic....
how far right?
as far right as I feel I can ride and still be safe
there are times when riding in the middle of the road is as far right as I feel safe
often I will ride taking the whole lane.... forbidding following cars to pass
this is intentional
this is to protect my safety and the safety of others
so often I give the following cars the respect that they possess some basic common sense
so often the following car drivers prove me wrong
you would not believe how many times I have been passed a a tight winding road
where the passing car is forced to come into my lane due to oncoming traffic
thus putting me at risk
so to avoid these "worst case scenarios"
I have to think for all parties involve
cause believe you me....
if it is a choice between a head on collision with another car or killing the cyclist
the car driver will chose to kill two cyclists just to make their point
so at times I will take the full lane
preventing the pass...
this does not always stop the following drivers
I have had drivers sneak through on my right...
oh that makes me mad
scares the shit out of me too
so when a Journalist like Marvin Kalb write about cyclist on MacArthur Blvd or Broad Branch Road I picture myself
I picture myself on either of those roads
as I have been on both roads on my bicycle within the last 72 hours
I picture myself giving the car drivers the benefit of the doubt
then having a near death experience
and then having to punish the following drivers...
punish may be the wrong choice of words... but I end up punishing the following drivers for the reckless actions of another
my actions are not to punish the drivers but rather to think for those drivers
to make a decision for them
to make it impossible for them to pass
because it is unsafe to pass
if car drivers were to factor bicycle traffic in account before departing their house
well
they would not get so frustrated
everyone should leave a few minutes earlier for work
rather than rushing late for work