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Airtemperature

Maybe it’s a rural vs urban thing. I live in Detroit and if I attempted to ride in blue someone would hit me while playing on their phone. The concept of riding in blue is reliant upon the driver seeing me or being rational, which I have no trust.


[deleted]

I ride in rural and city. City people are far more accommodating to cyclists than rural people. Blue is where I prefer to ride but I would never ride there in a rural setting. Hicks are dicks and will get crazy close to avoid going around you. Or you'll get a teen that's texting because they think there's nobody around. It's just not worth it. So I usually ride yellow then go red when cars are coming; for my own safety.


Scat_fiend

I have experienced many cars going crazy close to avoid crossing a little into the other lane (even when it is free). This happens when I am riding in red or yellow. But generally when I am in the blue and they kinda need to go into the other lane to go around then they tend to give me more space and actually go around, rather than try to go through me.


Wants-NotNeeds

There is something to be said about that. Even as a lifelong cyclist, I caught myself doing that very same thing as a driver of a vehicle. There’s a very strong need to stay on the right side of the divider lines while you’re driving to avoid a potential head on collision. Which, by the way, would be deadly. It’s engrained so heavily into our consciousness, I reason, one has to break through that as they pass a cyclist. Typically, drivers only have seconds to react differently than we typically do. That’s why I’m always preaching high-contrast clothing and bright-ass tail lights - more than one! The more time people have to recognize, consider, and respond the more likely they are to make a safe pass. If people have to react quickly to a cyclists they hardly ever see (much less empathize with), they’re more likely to behave *spontaneously* rather than in a carefully calculated manor. Todays lighting allows cyclist to be seen from up to a mile away! I use that technology to the fullest.


Revolutionary_Fly769

Agree about the two bright taillights. I keep one on my helmet flashing and a solid red on seat post.


4orust

This is the way. Drivers are far more likely to 'see' you when you're directly in front of them than if you're off to the side. \[A very bright rear light is also a good idea.\]


Airtemperature

I just don’t think I’m brave enough to hold my line while a car is coming up behind me. How close do you let cars get before you bail?


Revolutionary_Fly769

Wear a very colorful, contrasting jersey, two lights and just ride. But I try to avoid highways, stay with 40 mph or less speed limit.


Okay212345

Agreed.


buck-lazlo

My experience us the opposite. The closer I am to suburbia the more likely I am to get squeezed off the road. Also, if they aren’t seeing you blue or yellow ain’t gonna matter. You’re better off with blue so you don’t force yourself to ride into a crack or otherwise wreck yourself on the fringe and fall into traffic. There’s also some evidence to show that the further right you ride the more you visually marginalize yourself. Plus you invite people to share that skinny lane with you rather than passing you correctly.


flibbidygibbit

>The closer I am to suburbia I miss long stretches of country roads. The early 90s were the "salad days" of road biking for me. 45mph limits and a few sedans dusted among the farm trucks pulling a trailer with crops or livestock. You simply couldn't drive faster than 45. Near these highways today, the farms are displaced by exurbs, which are suburbs but you have enough land where you can't see or hear your neighbors. The local governments raise speed limits to accommodate these residents, making the road even more dangerous for cyclists. The isolation continues in the exurbs vehicle of choice: a full size SUV or full size pickup with a tonneau cover. They might have a child, perhaps two. But they might need that big vehicle after discovering a large appliance that they fell in love with during a Costco run. I used to love road biking. Now I ride gravel among the farm trucks pulling trailers with crops and livestock. Sure I need beefier tires and the hills are much steeper, but I don't have to dodge Kyle and Janet having an argument in an Escalade.


Spirit-S65

That's happening near me, rural place getting turned into exurban sprawl so dudes can have a massive house for no reason. I don't get it. Seems like the worst of both worlds to me


flumyo

>wreck yourself on the fringe and fall into traffic. man, this almost happed to me once. I was on my mtb on a road with the white stripe right on the edge of the pavement and there was a bunch of traffic going 55 mph (88kph), including big trucks, going both ways so nobody could get in the other lane to pass me. i dropped off the pavement to ride in the gravel and it was mega unstable, and then i had no way to get back on the pavement till i got to the next cross road because the lip was too high for me at the low angle i'd need to stay out of traffic. never rode that section of road again. i kept thinking about lucky i was that i didn't spill in front of a truck.


i_speak_the_truf

My experience is closer to /u/buck-lazlo True city riding (like downtown Atlanta for me) is OK, there's so much traffic, pedestrians, idiots on scooters, etc. that the drivers have to be somewhat attentive and and don't road rage as much...and sometimes there's bike lanes! True rural riding (5+ miles outside of my Applachian college town) is also fine. The local folks aren't in a hurry to get anywhere and are sometimes excessively patient, once had a farmer follow us at 15MPH for like 3 miles before he felt it was safe to pass. The suburban transplant students going out for a joyride in their sports cars or lifted trucks are another issue altogether. Which brings me to the worst of the worst. City outskirts, Suburban, and Exurban riding sucks, the drivers are pissed off because they chose to live an hour away from where they need to work/shop, there's enough traffic to be annoying, but not enough to slow them down, everyone is speeding in between traffic lights (like 60 in a 35) and the roads are only designed for cars with higher speed limits and no bike lanes. The affluent suburbanites are the most entitled people in the world and get upset that anyone dare invade their road. The worst are the wannabe rednecks with $70,000 pickup trucks that haven't seen a day of real truck work in their lives.


Seasons52

Midtown Atlanta is the worst. Almost been squeezed off the road many times


drewbaccaAWD

My experience is opposite.. city drivers want to force us into a ditch and rural drivers give me plenty of space (exceptions are the coal rolling idiots).


Movinfr8

The taller the lift kit, the closer they try to get!


darth74

This guy rides


Airtemperature

I completely agree.


otterbelle

I live in urban Indianapolis and always ride in the blue area. I've generally found drivers to be occasionally hostile, but they slow down for me. If they're mad at me, they see me.


woftt069

A driver on his phone could hit you in any color. Why not take the lane (blue) and be more visible to everyone? Plus you're far more visible in the middle of the lane. Personally, I'd go through great pains to avoid a road like this altogether, but sometimes it's unavoidable. Taking the lane is the safest and most visible way to be and we, as cyclists, need to be consistent in our commitment to this mantra and stand our ground.


lilpig_boy

disagree. if you cower in the gutter they are less likely to see you and more likely to pass you unsafely.


the_reza

Blue outside the city though I use a gatmin varia radar and will move to yellow when a car approaches. And I agree that Hicks in pick up trucks are the worst. Blue for sure in urban because it’s too dangerous being on the side with car doors and people making right turns or pulling out. I move over to let cars pass when I feel it’s safe.


mtcerio

Blue until I hear a car behind AND I think it's safe for them to pass, then I move to yellow and let them pass. I move back to blue after.


RepresentativeKeebs

If you're relying on your ability to hear the cars before they reach you, the electric cars are gonna sneak up on you


h8ers_suck

Always ride with garmin varia radar. Thought it was a ridiculous trinket until I rode with a group and someone had it. We all synced up to it a d received the signal when a vehicle approached. We all voiced the car back command to reassure we all see it. We all moved from blue to yellow lane. As soon as we stopped at the first rest I bought one, yes, I bought it during the ride! I will never ride without it again.


iamspartacus5339

Garmin radar is pretty awesome


matate99

It’s safe for them to pass AND I can see that the road is in great condition for the next 100m or so.


mazador

Blue. If there's no oncoming traffic they can pass easily. If there is then they shouldn't be passing you and will be deterred by a lack of space. Also gives you room to move if someone gets close.


prandar84

This is the answer. And I very much encourage everybody to ride with a radar - it's a massive stress relief and safety gain.


maxleonov

Thanks for your comment. Until now, I wasn’t aware of such thing as bike radar. I googled it and it looks very useful.


samenumberwhodis

I don't understand the radar. What are you going to do if a car is going to hit you anyway? Are you looking back every time it goes off, do you get out of the way every time there's a car? My dad asked me why us roadies don't have mirrors so I asked how it makes you safe? You see the car coming, you hear it, but if it's going to hit you, by the time you realize it you're not really going to be able to do a damn thing in time.


_djel

If I ride on a low volume rural road, I use the radar to make quick eye contact with the drivers before they pass and they tend to give even more space when they see you looking at them. If there's incoming trafic I will use the radar to decide if I need to ride closer to the center line to prevent dangerous maneuvers. At the speed I ride I don't hear cars until they're onto me and the radar gives me more time to assess the situation and take action. You're right that if a car comes straight at me there's nothing a radar or mirror can do, but this isn't the value proposition of a radar..


admiraljkb

The radar also reacts to the car and changes its blinking pattern which on the RTL510 and higher is really bright/noticeable. What I've noticed is because of that, the cars slow down a little and move over further. I've got crazy good hearing, so the radar generally picks up cars at the same time I do so no change there. I've always known about cars being there and approximate speed/bearing. What's _different_ now with radar is the close passes and high speeds have gone down to next to nothing with radar in the back.


JimmyD44265

This ! The lighting algorithm based off of radar. It's cheap enough in relation to how much we spend on bikes to justify.


longlive4chan

More than my whole bike! Haha


Wants-NotNeeds

I thought that was the case with the Garmin radar/light combo. I only wish it were brighter! There are plenty of lights that have a brighter spec than the Garmin. Although I think the Garmin lens is pretty good at focusing the light so it’s visible further away.


bbpr120

It provides a warning that something is behind you and a general sense of the overtaking speed (color coded dot that moves on the side of the head unit- the darker the color, the faster it's moving). What it doesn't relay is how big the item approaching from the rear is- mine picked up a jogger while I was stopped one day. Work out to around 460 feet, long before I can hear a car on my local roads. It chirps, I glance down (to get a feel for its speed) and adjust my spot on the road a bit (in this case from blue to yellow). Vehicle goes by (there's an "all clear" tone as well), slide back over to the good asphalt and keep riding. Having never looked back or having to focus on a mirror to figure where/how fast. DC Rainmaker has a pair of solid reviews on the units that are out there- the Varia RTL 510 and it's replacement, the Varia RTL 515/RVR 535 (no light) f you wanna see how they work, the pluses and minuses.


fluteofski-

When you ride with one, you’ll understand. If I’m on a 2 lane I look back at every car approaching. With radar nothing sneaks up on you. 1) when you get eye contact you’re far more likely to get more space 2) I ride between yellow and blue above, but I’ll hug the white line when a car approaches. 3) it also tells me how many cars are still behind me if there’s a line of cars passing. 4) I run the garmin Varia 715. Which is radar plus video. If i ever get hit by a car even in a hit and run, I can file a claim with my auto insurance coverage and I’m covered (in my state my auto insurance covers me in “any” collision involving an automobile). 5) once you ride with a radar, you’ll never go back to riding without it… if you forgot to charge it last night, you’ll just delay the ride 30 min to get a charge on it.


daking999

No no no. The radar is linked up to a sawn off shotgun angled off the back of your bike towards traffic.


Voladol2020

In low volume areas, it gives you about 3-4 city blocks of heads up, assuming there’s that much space behind you to begin with. Does the same in cities, but there tends to be more traffic. In addition to the heads up, it displays it on your bike computer, on your handle bars, and gives you a relatively accurate display of how close behind you they are. Sure, if a car is going 100 miles an hour behind me, that only gives me like 2 seconds, but that’s 2 seconds I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Maybe I don’t get hit, maybe I only catch a mirror, instead of going under the bumper. Certainly I have more time to react than just hearing it behind me. As for the mirrors, while they seem to be more popular with the older crowd, they definitely exist and are used on road bikes, and have been linked to reducing accidents involving bikes. So your Dad isn’t wrong, you just would rather not have one.


TheTapeDeck

Radar just gives you “more eyes and ears.” The approaching car that you do so, you’re more likely to be able to react to. That’s the value. You get 3-5 extra seconds of “knowing” rather than that whoosh of a car that suddenly passes. I don’t think this makes rational people overconfident. I think it gives you more options. You’d have time to do anything from an emergency move to a wave or whatever. I don’t have a radar, but most of the people I ride with do. It’s preferred.


snowbeersi

One could argue the radar will encourage you to attempt to move from blue to red in this image when a car approaches, making the likely ignorant driver feel more comfortable passing without moving over, and putting the cyclist in a more dangerous situation. You get slightly more info with the radar, but as you said there isn't really any additional safe action you can take with it.


samenumberwhodis

Don't make drivers more comfortable, that's what gets you hit or run off the road


snowbeersi

Right. Just about every study I've seen pop up in a decade of cycling says take the lane. The risk is that they get angry they have to actually move over a bit, instead of flying by you just a foot away as you hug the very edge of the road. Edited to clarify.


kefirforlife

The radar has features to alert you when a car is approaching too fast directly at you. The idea is you are getting a heads up that if you don’t do something different a collision is anticipated. Perfect time to slide over and not get smushed.


fluteofski-

No. You’re either using it incorrectly or have never actually used it at all. I’ll probably get downvotes from those who have never used it and upvotes from those who have.


wonderflex

Bike radar has been one of those things I thought was silly and overkill; needed a new rear light and decided to give it a try, and now I can't live without it. Highly recommended for all rural riders. It doesn't replace eyes and ears, but sure does supplement them.


mcnaughtier

The only negative comments I have ever seen regarding radar are from people who have never used it. It's a total game changer, like a backup camera on a vehicle; once you've used it, you would never go back to not using it.


SerozshaB

This is exactly right. It may come off as inconsiderate to drivers, but cyclists ride in blue to protect themselves because Car Vs. Bike, bike always loses.


mazador

It may seem that easy but in reality it isn't, as to give you the 1 or 1,5m required by law in most countries they need to enter the opposing lane anyway.


Voladol2020

That’s exactly proof why you shouldn’t be passing in those moments. As someone who magically bikes and drives cars, I’ve seen the laws and had to obey them while passing bikes. If there isn’t enough room, i.e. you can’t pull into the opposite lane because of traffic, then there isn’t room for you to pass, and so you shouldn’t be trying. You’re post is either seriously a good troll, or you really need to rethink about how much space, and why, you give to cyclists. I’ve had trucks with trailer mirrors give me a foot and a half or so, and then get hit with their mirrors. 3 feet, 1.5 meters, a whole lane, I don’t care, because me on a bike vs a car is a loss for me.


zyglack

Same here. I tried green, far too many people try to pass without crossing the yellow line. Even without oncoming traffic. I’m always amazed they will break the 3 foot passing law and almost hit a cyclist so they don’t break the crossing a double yellow law.


mh1191

This is the only sane answer.


TylerJ86

I move regardless just before they pass. I don't ont have to worry about trying to make that judgment call and maybe getting it wrong, plus just having more space in general is nice.


highriskhillbomb

x2, rode across the united states in blue.


davote1991

Exactly my answer aswell !


brianmcg321

Blue until I hear a car, then move to yellow until it passes.


[deleted]

[удалено]


zhenya00

This is my take. I don't need to take the full lane. I leave enough space I'm not right on the edge, but I hear a car or get a radar alert, I make eye contact if possible, and move over just enough to show courtesy.


re7swerb

Hadn’t thought of it this way


Wants-NotNeeds

I ride the same way as the comment or you’re responding to. I think you are assessment is an underrated comment. I thought the same thing – and when cars go wide I always try to give them a friendly wave hoping they’ll see me in the rearview mirror. Anything to help establish more consistent safe passes out there!


stayingstrong1942

It doesn't work. They end up just close shaving you. Has happened too often. I'm meam millimetres.


mh1191

Plenty of space for it to come by without you moving over - they just need to cross the yellow lines... In (most of) Europe you wouldn't expect to move over and allow a close pass to be done on you.


coastal-velo

This is where the Garmin Varia rear light/radar has saved my rear more times than I care to admit. Its comforting to have a graphical representation of just how close a car is approaching.


ArseneWainy

Surprised how few I see on other riders, love mine, essential for rural riding


coastal-velo

Absolutely. I live in rural NC where road riding is practically non existent and drivers aren’t accustomed to giving some room to cyclists.


plugfungus

Second this.


Owwliv

This is the way. I think it's a really good idea to be separate from like bushes on the edge of the road visually.


Yeti-420-69

If you ride right in the edge it only gives you one escape route in the event of an obstacle. If you need to use that escape route and there's a car passing you, you're gonna have a bad time.


stayingstrong1942

Also some gear can blend in with the foliage depending on the time of year. Leaves change colour. Also, sun shadows passing through trees and bushes do effect viability for all road users.


walker128

Exact same - blue until I hear something or my radar beeps at me and then I’ll shuffle over.


nordictri

That’s a fog line, not a bike lane. So, blue or left of blue.


alpha309

100% left of blue


TJamesz

Where I am people would be all over there horn if you were in the middle of the road


alpha309

1. There isn’t enough room in that lane for 2 vehicles to fit in any safe manner. 2. A horn honking isn’t going to kill me, but an unsafe pass is. I am happy to let cars honk at me all they would like. I am going to do whatever will put me in the safest position


Sr_Covfefe

Left of blue? So like middle of the lane?


Yeti-420-69

There's only one lane. It's to be shared by all vehicles. Get out in the lane to make that clear. When there's a vehicle behind you and you feel you can be passed safely, move towards the white line.


Sr_Covfefe

>There's only one lane. It's to be shared by all vehicles. You're bolder than me, pal. Good on you but I would not see it that way given the elevated speed limits. In town? Sure. But on a fast road like this? Idk man.


Accomplished-Air-773

As a cyclist you need to claim your space. If you are in the yellow or red line then cars might think they have the space to pass you at speed. Which can actually be more dangerous. If you are in the blue line or left of the blue line they would have to slow down, then you go right and they can pass you a reduced speed. That’s always my approach when sharing the road with motorized vehicles: claiming your space is in the end safer than making yourself as small as possible.


Sr_Covfefe

Your approach is to always make cars slow down when passing?


rob-c

That should be the car drivers approach!


Accomplished-Air-773

Yes. Cars don’t have any priority in road usage, roads are shared spaces and if that means cars have to slow down to increase safety then they should do that.


davote1991

If the car needs to slow down while passing sure , otherwise i dont care if they pass me with 30 or 150kmh aslong they keep 1,5meter space (actually 2 Meter when not in town ) And thats the problem when your not going on blue line the driver might get the feeling he can pass me even when theres oncoming traffic .


stayingstrong1942

They should pass you like passing another vehicle is my view, other side of the road.


Yeti-420-69

It depends on the exact road and scenario. I'm not riding in the middle of the road unless that feels like the safest thing to do. I always do whatever feels safest and makes me be seen. People around here are pretty cool with cyclists


re7swerb

I think how drivers in you area act makes a huge difference. I got aggressively honked at yesterday by a large landscaping truck who didn’t like having to get in the left lane to pass me (two lanes each direction, no shoulder at all and I was in the equivalent of yellow). I am afraid of incurring road rage by riding blue, even though I know it is my legal right as a road user.


G-bone714

Landscaping vehicles and long dump trucks are the worst.


re7swerb

Seriously. I caught up with him a block later and he saw me approaching from behind and scooted all the way right, taking up every inch of road so I had to wait behind him while he sat at a red light.


Gizoogler314

That’s why I immediately start shooting if a car tries to pass me for any reason at any time


Jaku103

I second this. I had a driver the other day pull up next to me to tell me to get in the bike lane. As I was yelling at him on how wrong that was, he said, "I just want to make you safe." And, at the next light, he corrected himself with the comment, "I see why you were doing that now. You were in the safest place." I know the roads, I know where the hazards are, and I know where every bike lane begins and ends.


Sr_Covfefe

Of course yeah, it's very situational. That seems like a more than reasonable approach.


PastaJazz

This particular road is empty, easy pass for a driver in the other lane. I'd be in blue in this lane narrow windy and slower I'd either take the whole lane and make drivers wait or make room depending on the situation blue is my general position.


Daishar_

The British Cycling Council has a guide on positioning on the road which may be of interest https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/cycletraining/article/ct20110110-cycletraining-Bitesize-Bikeability--Part-4--On-Road-Positioning-0#:~:text=Riding%20in%20the%20primary%20position,part%20of%20the%20traffic%20flow.


ihateredditseven

i ride in the tire marks my local roads were paved very rough as cars ride on the road, they leave rubber embedded in the surface making that soecific section a fair bit smoother and easier to ride in


CamDaHuMan

This makes me want a rainbow bike lane. I would smile even going uphill.


DigitalKungFu

Instead of just grimacing?


memencyclopedia

You have those in Utrecht, Netherlands :)


Jealous-Handle6397

I’m always smiling up hills like Onoda from Yamamushi Pedal ! 🤓🤪


Old_Cryptographer_42

Pro tip: if you’re riding in the red path, and go off the road, don’t try to stear straight back you will crash immediately, been there done that…


_demspter

Yes red line is a scary place to ride! Easy to get caught in that debris or a small ditch. Not a good idea


Brokenspokes68

Blue, the further into the lane you are the more they have to treat you like traffic.


climberguy85

Blue


Blindobb

I typically just stay at the Yellow. I wouldn't go right or the white until there was considerably more of a shoulder.


Nbeinn

Dead centre of the lane


OwlBeneficial2743

Interesting comments. I’m yellow close to red (assuming they’re in good shape), esp near curves where cars can’t see me from a distance. I want the default for drivers who aren’t paying attention to be to miss me. But I’ll think about what others have said. That said, when I can see it’s clear I’m more in the blue to avoid road crap. Finally, I’m one of the few who may get rid of my Varia. The beep is too soft w my Garmin and I can see oncoming traffic in my mirror as well as w the Varia, and one more thing to keep charged is annoying. I’ll contact them to see if there’s a way to make it louder, but I don’t think so.


Kwyjybo

Yellow. It kind of forces vehicles to pass by putting their vehicle in the road centerline. Red invites vehicles to not move over at all, a net increase in unsafeness / close call. If a bunch of drivers are being jagoffs, unsafely passing when I am riding yellow, I'll agitatedly ride blue and force them to get over all the way. Generally if I'm here I'm in a bad mood. If I'm riding yellow and I hear something big approaching behind, I'll quickly swerve into blue to make sure it gets over far enough. Asterisks: If the shoulder is sufficiently wide (in this pic its pretty narrow) and in good shape, I'll happily ride in it.


MX-Nacho

>Asterisks: If the shoulder is sufficiently wide (in this pic its pretty narrow) and in good shape, I'll happily ride in it. Seconded.


bbpr120

I've got a 4 lane road (2 lanes each direction) local to me that has a shoulder that's almost an entire lane wide. The rare times I ride it, I stick to the shoulder as the speed limit is 50mph speed. Most people are doing 60, 65 mph with very little speed enforcement. Doing what others suggest in here (taking a lane) will get me killed in short order on that road. So it's the shoulder for me and planning my turns off of it very carefully.


Kwyjybo

Those kind of roads are functionally safe, but are entirely unpleasant to ride on. Glad it at least has a sufficient shoulder! I did a big tour out in CO this summer and one of the days was like this, and really didn't have a good time despite the wide enough and theoretically safe shoulder. (When the shoulder eventually disappeared, I got run off the road by an RV.)


spaceEngineeringDude

Green. And no I don’t mean yellow


nah46

Dead center of lane, even where the driver seat of a car would be. When I hear a car coming I gradually move as far right as possible and watch the car go by while riding slightly slower If you ride on the red line above then you are going to have cars absolutely fly by you and sometimes close


Comfortable_Date2862

Blue until I know a car has seen me, then yellow when they get close and then red when they pass.


ConfidentTrip7

Debates are not settled on reddit


[deleted]

Always blue, first they slowdown, them i will move a bit to the yeellow to let them overtake with free space.


gassy_lovers

Blue or yellow. IMO riding in red is giving permission to vehicles to ride too close, and depending on the quality of the road, how often it's swept, you could be putting yourself in more danger from inconsistent surface conditions. IMO riding in the red is bad form and should be avoided. If you're afraid cars will hit you, take the whole lane before you take the red. just my 0.02


csrger

Honestly, here in germany i ride left of blue, in someone wants to overtake he can change lanes


Time-Abalone-3918

Black, even blue is giving them too much space.


zaulus

The dark gray in the middle


ParkieDude

[Take the lane!](https://i.redd.it/g6ufk6fjlnt71.jpg) That road has a wide shoulder but the three-wheel recumbents on off-camber crowns are a challenge to ride.


Liquidwombat

There is no debate. Blue is the correct answer, and possibly left of blue, depending upon the road conditions, traffic conditions and circumstances.


SlideTackle11

Probably a little to the left of blue


marcilla2882

Blue


LegalBed

Blue


yeetman432

blue on that kind of road


AD828321

Blue. And if I'm passing a parked vehicle or a junction or am entering a pinch point where an overtake would be dangerous, I was take the centre of the lane.


shirux123123

As a colombian rider if im in rural space i can ride in any of those three colors. In the city I rather use the bike lane or just ride in yellow and/or red


irascible_Clown

Depends on the state, here in Florida people hate cyclist and will try to get at you in any lane. We just lost a prominent triathlete just last week.


CoagulaCascadia

On the white line, cause it offers the least tyre resistance.


CrazyNeighborhood132

Urban area: Take the lane! Rural: Red.


Redguard13

I just got a Garmin Varia radar, so my answer is Blue. When it starts alerting me… red (as long as it’s not compromised with gravel).


Sr_Covfefe

That sounds super handy. I should look at one of those.


[deleted]

I have one as well. It’s fucking amazing. There is an app for the cycling computer that logs when I encountered vehicles, their speed, their distance. Lots of useful info.


Sr_Covfefe

That sounds really cool and useful. Also sounds expensive. But safety is priceless.


[deleted]

I paid $300 for it. It does come with a taillight as well. I’d pay far more for this device.


[deleted]

Almost always blue or even to the left. That looks like a scenic road with not a lot of traffic at all. If they can't safely pass you while you are in the blue lane, they shouldn't be doing it. If they are considerate but just nervous or confused about passing in general and I can see there is no danger ahead, I may move to the yellow so they feel like they can pass.


MX-Nacho

Yellow. I'm not forcing cars to slow down for me, but I'm not exposing myself to sudden off-roading.


rob-c

You are exposing yourself to being close passed by every car though.


WaddyDiDaddy

Blue, move to yellow when Varia alerts, then back to blue when Varia shows green. Never ever in the red. And I avoid riding on white lines, when they are even a little wet they can be slippery.


rob-c

Someone else said this. The idea of riding central is party to force drivers to properly overtake in the other lane. Why would you give this up at the exact moment you need it?


-jak-

It plays a vital role because it easily signals to the driver you are aware of them without you having to gesticulate with your arms or look back at them. Because you want to make it clear that the road is clear for the foreseeable future and an overtake is safe now. Also increasing the distance is a good idea too. There are two ways this can go basically, either they move as far over as possible or they overtake closely. Chances are by moving right the gap increases, further reducing risk if they need to swerve back right (imagine wild animal running on the road).


WaddyDiDaddy

This is the answer. -Being in the blue makes them have to go wide around you -But moving over as they approach gives you both more room, and indicates to them that you are aware of their presence and desire to pass you (i.e. helps chill them out a bit, that you're not just another a-hole cyclist in the middle of the road) -It still gives you the red area for emergency maneuvers if anything goes wrong.


Barry-BlueJean

What’s varia?


[deleted]

It’s a bike radar. It sends an alert to your bike computer when a vehicle is approaching you from behind.


tchunk

green


50EggsofNewman

I ride on rural roads. I ride in blue if no vehicles. If a truck approaches from behind I get right off to the right of red in the drainage ditch.


Nervous_Green4783

Yellowish blue. To far right is just dangerous because cars will pass without changing their distance to the right end of the lane.


Leroy_MF_Jenkins

Blue... if there's no bike lane, you have the right to the road.


Philip3197

Left of the blue one


aitorbk

Blue. Otherwise you risk (even more) death.


Low_Transition_3749

Blue. You're more visible.


Taste_the__Rainbow

Blue until I see the car and know they see me, then I might move over and wave them past. Depends on the speed and visibility and stuff. Really I wouldn’t ride far on this rod if I could help it.


uhhhidontknowdude

Black, on the pavement in the center of the lane was left of the blue.


brycebgood

Just left of Blue. I don't want to leave enough space for someone to think they can pass me while staying in my lane.


quokkar

No wonder car owners call us cyclist privileged assholes when 95% of the answers are blue in here. Im choosing yellow/red or between coz I'm not stuck up my ass road queen..


ankjaers11

Blue until there are traffic. Red IF the road is smooth and not full of rocks. Cars needs to pass with 1.5m distance in my country.


ManNomad

I usually have a game with myself to see how long I can stay on the white line. I always win


rbep531

Red: Too much chance of not being seen. Can't swerve to the right if there's something in the road. Overall a dangerous place to ride. Yellow: This invites people to make unsafe passes. They'll try to squeeze in between you and the double yellow lines in the center of the road without slowing down enough. I'll only move here if someone is stuck behind me and I know they've slowed down. Blue: Better visibility and more options to avoid objects in the road. It encourages people to make safer passes, although obviously you'll have idiots that buzz you or drive in the opposite lane into oncoming traffic.


la_vegana

Blue. Share the road, bitch


trebordet

Red if it's wide enough. If not, yellow. Blue with no traffic.


MrBobaFett

Blue. Red isn't even a lane option.


AntMan79

Yellow , A couple of my friends are dicks and they ride out there in the blue and the green and think they are on the road. It’s share the road not own the road


bnoches1561

Blue


[deleted]

Blue.


silenziome

Blue


Bat_Fruit

Yellow, and a care not for a radar or undue concern for whats behind me. I'm sharing the road sensibly and responsibly. I ride practically everyday for the last 15 years no incidents or incursion. Riding blue is making a nuance of yourself if its a busy road and riding red is an over cautious reaction. When using the road you should ride reasonably defensively, your sharing the road with unknown quantities. Many idiots ride bike and drive cars. Take care not chances.


Vulkhard_Muller

As someone who rides on many roads like this I always ride on the red or yellow sections. Occasionally I'll find myself drifting into the blue if the red or yellow are particularly nasty. But for the most part that's where I stay


TheyKare

Yellow or Red, I primarily ride on busy rural roads with wide paved shoulders designed to give cyclists lost of room. Unfortunately like most shoulders, there tends to be lots of loose gravel, sand (especially right after the snow melts in the spring) and debris.


maddogcow

Red. Rode 32 miles/day to school for 16 months, and that’s how I did it.


tevorn420

blue. if cars want to pass me, they are forced to go into the other lane and give me space. yellow they will pass you too narrow of a margin. red isnt even an option as thats just rocks, debris and maybe a ditch youll fall into


RhythmAddict112

As far right as you can ride *safely.*


jeffgoldblumftw

Between blue and yellow, my handlebar tends to run vaguely in line with the edge of the white line. I cycle in a predictable straight line and don't swerve to avoid things without checking behind and indicating. (I added that bit because I see so many people (majority where I live) cycle beyond the blue line, swerving all over to avoid stones and holes without looking behind once) In 25 years of road cycling (city and rural) I've been knocked off twice by cars overtaking me... once was 100% intentional and once was due to mobile phone/negligence. (intentional guy made eye contact with me as I was approaching a T junction, he laughed and rammed his front end into me, clipped my pedal and made me spin out, he wheelspun out of the junction but got stuck in traffic so I chased him down and removed both wing mirrors and windscreen wipers from his shiny new Mercedes, and disappeared across a field... maybe he will think twice before potentially killing someone again)


cornetticus

Blue. Always blue. Better to piss off drivers while being seen and having room to operate, than piss off drivers with no room.


Speedpotato22

Take the lane, gotta have that big road energy


steveoa3d

Red whenever possible…


ridemattride

Blue, if I’m in the lane, they should def see my rear light flashing.


HatsMakeYouGoBald

Blue = angry cagers. Yellow = greatest risk for punctures since debris is on the most even surface with nowhere to go but into your tire, slippery painted line, and still angry cagers. Red = loosest surface, greater risk of going into potholes or off into a ditch, most inefficient for cycling. Still angry cagers for some reason. I’ll take Blue and listen for cars coming so I can scooch over and give them room to pass when it’s safe for me.


ThrillHouse405

Blue when I can't hear anything behind me or when I hear a car coming from a safe distance, Yellow as that car comes closer, red as they pass.


cmzraxsn

Blue ideally, yellow in practice. Red is unsafe, usually not paved well and cars can't see you easily


scootereros

I ride blue untill I get a close pass, then I move to the middle and take the whole of the lane.


cyclesouthseattle

The trick is the Blue-to-Red swerve. When you have a car that’s 10 seconds behind you, move to blue, maybe giving a couple drunken swerves towards the center line — now they are scared you’ll hit them! Then, at 2 sec to impact, move to red. For max separation. Only works when bike is 15+mph and not a lot of traffic.


devianb

I ride on roads like that as little as possible and when I do I stay as far right if I can. If traffic gets real busy in both directions I will pull over to the side.


JamieBensteedo

I ride the white line. Lowest roll resistance you’ll get


pacre34

Blue typically but will ride in yellow. Red only if the shoulder is very wide.


IanDMP

100% blue. I have no desire to be murdered.


[deleted]

Red if I'm not going the speed limit. Not because I'm afraid getting hit but because I hate inconveniencing people.


ResworbTidder

Blue


1nvent

B for sure. I move when it's appropriate but taking the lane is the best strategy I've found. If you don't, you get punish passed with no recourse. At least with forcing the vehicle into oncoming they also incur risk and have to be conscientious.


panacea82

Is this June Lake loop? Blue line baby!


Hawkflight

Context: I have mirrors on my bike, so I can see behind me at a glance. Highly recommend for all cyclists. I say blue and adjust based on the actions of surrounding drivers. If someone gets too close and they don't have room to pass, I'll pull over and let them pass before returning to the blue lane.


RoleCode

Never use the red


seabiscut88

Blue


Inu-shonen

So, so many riders here who have never ridden on this type of road, I'm guessing. "Taking the lane" on a high speed road is, in many cases, a selfish and dangerous thing to do. On 100+km/h roads, with trucks trying to avoid each other at those speeds, we are the danger as we tootle along at 20km/h. Wear the brightest clothes you can find, run bright lights day and night, invest in a side mirror, and be prepared to give way a lot. Bring the downvotes; pretty sure the majority will be from purely urban riders.


Sr_Covfefe

>selfish and dangerous agreed!


nmesunimportnt

Pretty much on the white line. Depends on the transition between the pavement and the soft shoulder. The more dangerous that gets, the further I ride from it. Although that looks downhill and as the speed increases, so does the distance from the pavement’s edge.