Lane Control in San Luis Obispo, CA

[jlf2032]

another arrogant bicyclist who can't use the bike lane. use it or drive a damn car if you're going to take up a full lane.

[slodude7]

There is a huge bike lane there. Now I am an avid cyclist but there is no reason to take a lane when there is a bike lane, especially one that large on marsh st.

[CyclistLorax]

@slodude7 - Apparently not avid enough to avoid door zones and crossing conflicts. I suggest you read CVC 21208(a)(3) [to avoid hazards such as the door zone] and CVC 21208(a)(4) [to avoid right hook turns at places where right turns are authorized]. In simple English, it makes no engineering sense to stripe bike lanes in the door zone, or in places with frequent driveways and intersections such as Marsh. Worse still in CA, all bike lanes are mandatory segregation, which is bad for cyclists.

[rockyismyfriend]

go bikers. good for you for taking the lane . i am a biker i get cars guting me off all the time!!! i hate it.

[LunarDSO]

Cyclist -- Take ownership of the lane

[dougeroonie]

Great video and I concur on lane positioning. One thing I've done recently is add a rear view mirror the the h-bar of my Schwinn cruiser/commuter fun bike (that and some other stuff like Continental Sport Trac 1.6" tires that are "fast as hell") The mirror is killer! Being able to glance down and in seconds see a car is the best, ESPECIALLY in a lot of traffic/downtown riding. Get your mirror today and be even safer!! :D

Have a good one, looking forward to living/riding in SLO!!

[SLOTWN43]

First, your riding down the #3 lane is in violation of 21208 CVC. You should be in the bicycle lane, since one is provided for you. Then, you are in violation of 21202 CVC as you are to be as close as practical to the right edge of the roadway when no bike lane is present. Finally, your "Stop" signal should be with your left hand, not the right. That is in violation of 22111 CVC. Maybe you should study your bicycle safety manual before you post something like this. Keep the rubber side down!

[CyclistLorax]

Not so, CVC 21208 has exceptions you seem not to know about. Kevin, an LCI, is avoiding the door zone of parked cars per CVC 21208(a)(3), and driveways and intersections per CVC 21208(a)(4). On roads with bike lanes, CVC 21202 does not apply [CVC 21654(a) is the relevant law]. From an enforcement perspective, cyclists are allowed to use either hand in practice, particularly if the right hand is more visible for the intended maneuver. Thus Kevin is complying with the intent of CVC 22111.

[SLOTWN43]

21203 says nothing about "door zones." You might as well be avoiding a potential meteor strike. You never know what's going to happen. Regarding 21203(4)...if he's in the bike lane, vehicles must yield to his right of way. In other words, they have to wait for the bicyclist in the bike lane to pass, for them to complete a right turn (as long as the bicyclist is close enough to constitute a hazard). When a car is making a rt turn, the bicyclist must yield to the car in the same fashion.

[CyclistLorax]

21208 has exception (a)(3) which covers hazards, and even though it is not explicitly listed, the door zone is a hazard. You are making the argument that a cyclist should stay at the right and invite right hook turns, and that a motorist shouldn't do so, yet exception (a) (4) explicitly allows bicyclists to leave the bike lane when approaching places where right turns are authorized (driveways and intersections). You might ask yourself why this destination positioning exception is in 21208.

[CycleMan2200]

Alright mister Bicycle patrol officer, since you seem to know everything..oh wait, in this case you clearly no nothing at all about road cycling. Cyclists are indeed vehicles and are to be in traffic by law, and certain areas have diffrent rules reguarding how and where to ride your bike..especially on narrow roads with parked cars..and PS..we dont ride our bikes on sidewalks like little kids.

[SLOTWN43]

I do "know" how to spell and read too...Those skills go a long way. You can claim all you want about "destination positioning" and narrow roads. If you're involved in a collision, you're gonna be named driver most at fault. And you're right...if you rode your bike on the sidewalk like "kids," you'd get a nice little ticket like other kids get.

[CycleMan2200]

Its much safer to be riding in the position he is riding in then to be at the edge of the roadway, even through thee is a bike lane. Bike lanes are to the right of traffic, thus cars are not looking for bicycles and traffic on their right,and if Im involved in a collision with a car..the driver of the car would be more likely at fault since they have 4,000 pounds of steel that can be deadly in a crash. People on bikes dont kill people..4,000 steel boxes do kill people. Think about it.

[CyclistLorax]

So I suggested you ask yourself why exception (a)(4) exists in 21208, and all you can say is that the cyclist will be found "most at fault" in a collision? Does the term "non sequitur" mean anything to you? While there are many police officers that have and will continue to improperly cite cyclists for operating legally at the time of a collision, this in no way answers the question I suggested you ask yourself about why exception (a)(4) is in 21208.

[SLOTWN43]

Well, if you had read the comments and replies, my comments WERE relevent to the conversation I was part of. I am not sure which conversation you are addressing, but I will address your most recent point. (a)(4) states "when approaching a place where a right turn is authorized." Then you say that to ride at the right edge is "inviting" hook turns or car doors. So, basically you're saying anything can happen on the right edge of the road which allows you to leave the edge just because...

[CyclistLorax]

No, I'm pointing out the fact that a bicyclist is not obligated to ride near the edge when approaching places (driveways and intersections) where right turns are authorized. This "anything can happen" idea is an incoherent and out of context comment that you just made up.

[CycleMan2200]

I used to ride in the middle of the road. I got kinda tired of it especially when cars behind me can get freaked out when they cant pass. i ride on the white line or close to the curb to let people pass, no matter how close they get to me. if I am hit, then there will be some issues. Bottom line here, let people pass, don't make them mad, especially when they have a 3,000 pound weapon!

[CyclistLorax]

It's not the size differental that determines whether a car driver is a threat; it's your lane position. If a driver thinks he can squeeze by, he typically will dlo so, even if it is hazardous to you the cyclist. Riding at the edge encourages the car drivers to squeeze by. This is why we teach cyclists not to encourage too close in-lane passing as Kevin so nicely demonstrates in this video of his home turf.

[CycleMan2200]

I live in Toledo, Ohio, not at all a bike friendly city. in fact far from it. Also, I have been threatened to stay to the curb or on the sidewalk, or they will cite me for impeding traffic. A 100 dollar ticket in which i cannot afford. I ride to the right to let people pass. Im all for safe cycling but here riding in the middle of the lane just doesn't cut it.

[CyclistLorax]

You wrote: "...if he's in the bike lane, vehicles must yield to his right of way. In other words, they have to wait for the bicyclist in the bike lane to pass, for them to complete a right turn..." The point of (a)(4) is to allow bicyclists to avoid passing on the right. Also note that a motorist is NOT supposed to stop near the intersection, outside the bike lane, and wait for bicyclists to pass on the right. Motorists must merge into the bike lane per 21717/21209 when making right turns.

[piocan9]

Never mind, I should have read "more info". Thanks!

[piocan9]

How come he doesn't ride in the bike lane?

[CycleMan2200]

If you notice there are parked cars along side of the road. Someone can suddenly open they're door, and the cyclist is on the ground injured. Think about it.

[geoave]

nice demo of negotiation and signalling - the other cyclist around 3:50 seemed to be helped out by your maneuvers (soon after the double left).

[CyclistLorax]

Yes, I beleive the cyclist who made a lane change to the left to get behind a light blue VW van at about 3:30 in the video, did take advantage of the gap behind us.