On  02-01-97 (18:54) KEN PECK wrote to LEAH ROZHON:
KP> Well, in many places "riding the wide line which separates the bikeway
KP> from the road" or the shoulder is actually illegal.  Until last year
Around our area, many of the bike ways are created by separating part
of the road with a white line, and it's then designated with signs,
and painting on the road as a bike way. But cars are still parking in
this area. It's wide enough in most places for a car to park as well
as for a bike to pass. Don't actually know what the legal situation is.
Look out for cars opening doors....hehehe
KP>The debris on the shoulder is a rather universal problem.  Traffic sweeps 
the
KP>debris from the roadway onto the shoulder.  As a rule of thumb, the 
position
KP>you mention (in the right tire area) is the preferred one, although I will 
at
KP>times ride even further into the lane.  The issue is visibility.  You are
KP>more visible there than you are on the shoulder.  And on the shoulder you 
are
KP>particularly vulnerable to cross traffic.  The only collision I've had 
with a
KP>car was partly my fault because I was riding so far right that I wasn't
KP>visible to the car backing out of a drive and had no manuvering room.
On the other hand it seems to be a bit of a problem to ride a bike on the
car lane, when there is a bike lane, as wide as a car lane, actually wider,
and the only reason is, that the white line, and further into the car lane,
the road is much more used and smoother, then the bike lane part of the road.
It sort of makes fools out of the authorities, that try to create save
ways for us bikers....?
The habit of cars backing out of driveways is, and always will be, a bad
habit. Actually as far as I'm aware, around here, the driver, that backs
his car out onto the road is responsible for any accident that may happen.
Right or wrong. One is supposed to back into the garage or driveway, and
drive onto the road, so one can see where one is going......Not that it
does much good to anyone to be right, laying smashed up in hospital:(
> KP> Texas law specified that the only _vehicles_ allowed to ride on the
> KP> shoulder were emergency and maintenence vehicles.  Bicycles, being
> KP> vehicles and neither emergency or maintenence vehicles were supposed to
> KP> ride in the roadway.  (Which also excludes the white line.)
That would be in your part an Interstate Hwy, here a Freeway or a Limited
access road....Autobahn.....wouldn't ride a bike on that one ever. One
bike rider, training for a race, was killed on one of them around here
last year. A big track just blew him off the side of the road, and
apparently wasn't even aware that he did it....Sometime I even worry
with my little Suzi...when on of them monsters passes me...and I let'em go...
Have fun riding.....Regards
                                Bill :)
 * OLX 2.1 TD * It's only a hobby ... only a hobby ... only a
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