25 General thoughts on riding in traffic

I'm sure you've read all the works of the great masters, toured the continent, and seen the face of God.

Sorry about typos BTW if any appear...

Since we all learned how to ride effectively in rush hour traffic at age 3, we all know everything there is to know about riding, so just ignore this post entirely. People just hate being told what to do.....

But anyway, here are a couple thoughts from yours truly on riding. Some of this stuff you may not have seen written in stone.

1. Avoid making political statements with stickers, jerseys, etc. Motorists will always rise to challenge whatever you have to say. Save the logos for the climb on the Tourmalet. better to focus on bright clored clothing. Neon green is unbeatable. Plain neon green is more visible than neon green with consumer junk written on it.

2. Know the situations when being assertive and "taking the lane" is proper, and you are entitled to it. At other times, stay out of the way of motorists, especially at right turns at intersections. This doesn't mean you cringe in fear, it means you are being a team player. Be nice. Don't run red lights, and you get extra credit in my book.

3. In respect to the above, try hanging back at the intersection about 20 feet so vehicles turning right can do so at the light. Don't block them, wave them through. keep an eye out for them in your mirror. Wave, smile, be happy. This technique will also prevent you having to deal with idiotic harassment. It's harder to harass someone 20 feet behind you, in your blind spot, as you sit in your Hummer H-2.

4. In respect to the above, always assume vehicles will turn right in front of you without signalling. be ready for this.

5. In respect to the above, never, ever pass a vehicle on the right.

6. In respect to the above, never, ever, NEVER pass a vehicle on the right.

7. Always stay out of the " opening door zone" of parked vehicles.

8. When making right turns, be on the lookout for other cyclists going the wrong way at that turn.

They are always dressed in black and have no lights at night. Same for skateboarders. many are Immigrants, who statistically compose a lot of injuries/deaths.

9. When a pedestrian is walking on the sidewalk parallel to you as you ride by, always be on the lookout for them making a sudden crossing across the street to their left. These creatures always have a cell phone/Ipod thing going on. Or they have ADD.

This is another reason why I use a referee whistle, and use a headlight even in daytime. I don't care what you think about how this looks.

10. Same for kids darting across the street to get to the restaurant, firing range, gestalt therapy, etc.

11. Get in the habit of memorizing license plates, vehicle desriptions, etc. Have the cops on speed dial. make freinds with the cops.

12. If you are harassed, "buzzed" (vehicle passes you closely on purpose) stay cool. Many times you can spot a potential jerk driver and avoid the situation before it escalates. See them approaching in your mirror, take evasive action if possible.

13. In respect to the above, you can always brake hard if a vehicle starts some window shouting BS. It usually takes them 20 feet or so to stop, you can stop on a dime. Use this to your advantage.

If they proceed to stop to shout stupid things out the window, start reaching for your cell phone, this usually gives them the message. And for all they know, you could be reaching for a weapon, and you are now in their blind spot! This has worked wonders for me. Every time, they give up, and leave the scene, as they know you also may have their plate number. Write it down.

Try to keep your body language non-threatening as you do this, like you are ignoring them, but then again, they can't really tell what you are thinking.

14. Keep in mind vehicular harasment is illegal, and can be hard to prove in court if the cops don't witness it. But if you don't escalate a situation, and take notes, you will have an advantage.

15. Be aware of your moods when riding, try to ride consistently regardless of how much "moxie" you feel on any day. If you are in the country, away from traffic, you can "let 'er rip" a little more. Conversely, try to concentrate/focus harder on days when you are tired or distracted by events, people, the weather, etc.

Put away that cell phone, answer voicemails when you get home.

16. Many times, fast racer types will try to race with you, and pass you closely without warning.
This is frequent around here, with a lot of rich carbon fiber snobs who do not race professionally.

The MTB cops here call it a "dick-move". Again, Lately, I just pull over and pretend to answer a cell phone call/Text message. Most of the time, I don't want to chat, that's why I am riding solo in the first place. If you want to chat, join a group.

Pulling out a cigar might also work. Shouting obscenities into the phone in Italian or better yet, Russian, or better yet, Iranian, kicks it up a notch. Stopping to urinate might work, but only for males.

17. Most pet owners will tell you "oh he's friendly!", when their Shepherd goes bezerk. Most suburban dogs, though, are pretty harmless. Watch out for the free roaming farm dogs, however. Many have sprinted across a full acre to chase me down the road. Carry mace anyway, it works on humans too. You might need it for the farmer when he chases your ass down after the dog whimpers home. Be aware of the consequences of every action you make.

18. Always be aware of vehicles turning left in front of you on fast roads, especially when you are hammering downhill at 50 MPH. Another reason to use a headlamp in the daytime.

Oncoming bikes are just not visible at all.

19. Beware of the sun as it reflects into motorists eyes behind you at intersections, and especially at the crests of hills. You can easily get "washed out".

20. Stay out of the "hornets' nests". If traffic patterns up ahead are too complex, STOP. THINK. Pull out you water bottle, powerbar, let the storm clear, then continue.

What the hell's the hurry anyway? Remember, you are on a bicycle.

21. Reflectors can fail. many studies have been done on this by the DOT. So get some lights.
Cheap ones are better than nothing.

It only takes one collision with a vehicle that forgot to turn on its headlights. With cell phones, prescription medications, and the Afghanistan war raging in people's minds, you need all the visibility you can get. Motorists do appreciate this effort, you will get honked at a lot less anyway.

22. Don't play "follow the leader" when riding in a group. Use your own discretion, especially in traffic. You are most vulnerable at the middle of the pack.

23. Know your bike, be able to repair it by the roadside. You will feel a lot more confident, for obvious reasons.

24. Be aware of rain hazards. The first couple hours of a rain is the slickest, because that's when the oil on the road starts to get loosened. Be aware of slicks, railroad crossings, painted lines, any metal surface is a hazard. Wet leaves at the curb, Stay out of puddles, you don't know how deep they are.

25. Be nice. Motorists will appreciate this. You will get paid pack later, trust me.

peace out

Rob