On Saturday, June 16, 2001 at 4:01, Peter James <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote on "Re: [obc] Paving highway shoulders," saying..
...
I like your thoughts about the effect at intersections, of which
there are lots, and which I hadn't thot thru. You gotta take the lane
when it's necessary for your safety, and avoid driver surprises.
But I think of a road in Quebec, beyond 3 Pistoles, where the
expressway ends and all the maritime truck traffic goes onto a 2-lane
road with no shoulder. Once I took to the gravel shoulder when 2 18-
wheelers and I were all approaching the same point in the road.
Didn't want to test my rights as a cyclist & take the lane instead.
Especially now when I've been reading the truck horror stories in the
Citizen.
> It was interesting to observe the behaviour of many cyclists on the RLCT
> this last weekend. There are several stretches of County Road 10 that have
> been "upgraded" recently - and this work included paved strips outside the
> shoulder line about 500 mm wide. Riders were riding in this narrow space -
> and it's very tempting, when driving, to pass such cyclists without
> giving full thought to all aspects of the overtaking manoeuvre. This does
> not enhance the cyclists' safety. If cyclists are part of the traffic flow
> then it is much more likely that they will be included in the motorist's
> thought process - and this is an essential component of one's safety.
There are the other possibilities too, that the driver "shares the
lane" and brushes by the cyclist with centimeters to spare, or trucks
forward AND back make the road seem very narrow without a shoulder.
But 50 cm isn't enough!
If we really want to be visible, we have to occupy half the lane or
more. I think it's safer to ride 2x2. Then the paved shoulder serves
as it should, as a safety buffer.
Tom
--------- Questions answerered, answers questioned.
Tom Trottier, President <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
http://abacurial.com ICQ:57647974
400 Slater St. Suite 415, Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7S7
+1 613 291-1168 fax:+1 613 594-5412 (877)247-8796
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