Positioning on the road

[rebelpeter]

I am sure this post will create a lot of varied opinions but I have been riding for about 60 years now and i have found for the past few years that instead of keeping into the curb, I now cycle about one third the distance out from the curb to the centre of the road, I do this as seems to me if you try to keep in too close cars will try to pass you and for some reason they think they need to pass you inside the middle white line often coming very close brushing your sleeve is not that uncommon , but if I ride further out seems they see then they can not sqeeze past you without going over the line so they then pass much wider and well over the line, try it and your see them pass you a lot wider than if you ride closer into the curb.

 

[jim55]

id call that primary ,yeah iv noticed that and i always tell people not too ride close to the kerb for that reason

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Hi RebelPeter
The position you are talking about is "secondary" ie the left hand car tyre track as opposed to guttering which is dangerous.
The best position to really force drivers into proper overtaking ( and anger) is middle of the lane known as "primary).

As you mentioned, position too close to the kerb is where they want you do they can pass, too lose, but this puts you in a precarious position should you need to veer away from them or out to avoid obstacles or glass etc.

 

[rebelpeter]

Well I am glad someone agrees with this, I always think if you do not leave them enough room to overtake you without them having to go over the centre line they will give you a far wider burth and they go well over the line when they overtake., thanks for the reply . . .

 

[rebelpeter]

Ahh now see I wrote that wrongly I used to long ago ride about a third out from the curb but now I do actualy ride half way out from curb to centre of the roads,.

 

[Sandra6]

I tend to ride just that little bit further out than the gutter too, still get cars passing by too close at times.
If I feel "threatened" and it's safe to do so I switch to primary so they can't pass me, usually when I have a turn coming up or approaching a junction.
A colleague who often cycles home with me calls me his personal car blocker!

 

[Deleted member 20519]

I tend to ride just that little bit further out than the gutter too, still get cars passing by too close at times.
If I feel "threatened" and it's safe to do so I switch to primary so they can't pass me, usually when I have a turn coming up or approaching a junction.
A colleague who often cycles home with me calls me his personal car blocker!

I've changed my road position recently after a very close pass at this pinch point - https://www.google.com/maps?q=Barrh...=wHdUqIX2W6YuD6en2-y2WA&cbp=12,167.3,,0,21.75 - and the driver forced me up onto the pavement, luckily there was a lowered kerb there or it could have ended much worse. After yelling 'NO. COME ON.' , the Land Rover behind me gave me a muuuuuuch wider pass

Anyway, I've gotten better at 'taking control' of the road. I've been using the palm out, hand extended to the side and lowered gesture to get drivers to stay behind me. Surprisingly, nothing but good results so far. All drivers have waited if I've done that and most of them have given me a wave or a flash of their hazard lights when I give them a thumbs up or a wave to overtake.

There's a long road - https://www.google.com/maps?q=Lismo...4SzWFfSHbcmuw5b2UEH1lg&cbp=12,329.24,,0,-3.63 - that's filled with blind corners, despite being a 70 zone, I take primary around it and I let drivers by at some of the pit stops half way round. Been doing this since a driver overtook some cyclists coming the other direction and swerved into me, he probably didn't see me because I was right in at the left.

 

[MrJamie]

I usually ride in the left tyre marking on the road, moving out towards the middle of the lane towards junctions, traffic islands and sometimes blind bends to prevent the driver behind trying a sneaky squeezy overtake and make them wait until they can do it properly. If its unsafe to overtake for any length of time and im holding car(s) up ill often pull off the road, to a lowered kerb or farm enterance and they carry on with a wave rather than thinking "ffs cyclists" etc.

I also shouldercheck a lot, which makes me veer slightly off center and I think it gets me more passing space than those occasional lycra guys you see riding the gutter, head down, straight line who look like theyre on rails and dont need any space.

 

[rebelpeter]

Thanks for all your comments and seems it is not just me who blocks them and falses them to go over the centre line which to some drivers seems to be a criminal offence, they give horses miles of room probably as it is in the highway code to do so it is a pity they do not add this to the rules of the road to give cyclists plenty of room especialy now cycling is so popular and encouraged by the goverments , , ,Reb . . .