796 Yards to Courtesy
This is a story on a section of two lane road on Deerwood Park Blvd between Gate Parkway and Centurion Parkway. It is about 796 yards long. I usually ride my vintage Dutch bike at 14 miles per hour lending me to finish that section at a little less than two minutes. This excruciatingly lengthy period of time is apparently too much for a motorist to yield.
After a year of staying on the right of the very narrow lane and getting shouted at, honked at and spat at and almost tackled down, I decided to send a stronger message. Invoking traffic law 316.2065(5) exception 3, I decided to control the lane on that section. I ride on that path usually four times a day which ensures a daily doze of 1.67 honks and 1.55 abuses shouted out to my honor (these stats are not accurate but very close). I get anxious and nervous while taking the lane.
This afternoon, Jose Falqez, a fellow commuter shared an alternate route with me.
The red line is the section of road which is a narrow two lane. The blue pin denotes my work place. The blue line is the route I usually take to go home. I tried out the alternate route in green today. It adds another 796 yards to my trip and an extra two minutes. This alternate route allows me to leave work at around 5 PM without having to wait any longer for traffic to clear. I usually wait till 5:30 PM to be courteous to the motorists. This way, I can leave on time, keep motorists happier, add two minutes to my trip and a few more years to my heart.
This is how they roll in The Netherlands: Directness
The red rectangle along the road is a construction zone. They are widening the two lane section to a four lane road. I hope they put in some kind of a bicycle facility along that road. There are five right turns on the west bound lane: two hotels and the South East Library which post a hazard for cyclists by motorists negotiating a right turn. This makes the outer lane of the newly widened road an appropriate venue for Sharrows. See Sharrows in LA here: Link.
A proper two lane road with adequate signage for bicycles will add much needed Actual Safety and Subjective Safety (definitions) to the trip.
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July 7th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Wow. You shouldn’t have to make those kinds of changes to your route. But, yes, I do understand how nerve-wracking it can be on a road where you know harassment is coming. Sometimes avoidance is the best policy.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
It is pretty nerve racking. The detour actually takes around 7 more minutes due to the numerous stop signs and parking lot maneuvering.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
“They are widening the two lane section to a four lane road. I hope they put in some kind of a bicycle facility along that road.”
They are providing a bicycle facility! The right lane is a MUBL. (Multiple Use Bicycle Lane) Automobile operators can use the bike lane when cyclists are not present, and sweep the lane clear of debris as tribute.
Tailwinds!
July 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
The section of road west of the two lane part is a four lanes. I ride in the outer lane. The outer lane there is less than 14 feet and creates less severe issues. Cars have to split-lanes when overtaking me. Some chose to cut it close. Fun times!
This ( http://www.fietsberaad.nl/library/repository/bestanden/CyclingintheNetherlands2009.pdf ) seems to project a better quality of commute.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Shek said: “Some chose to cut it close. Fun times!”
Try riding left of center on the 4-lane. Motorists will try to squeeze between to and cars in the inside lane if you let them… or they will change lanes if you make them.
It works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUNKox4-W90 This is Brian and me riding 15mph on a road with 55mph traffic. It’s 3 1/2 minutes of platoons and gaps. I have an hour of footage on this road… all looks like this. You’ll notice a territorial noise toward the end… guys in a pick-up truck in the inside lane. Whatever, dude. Everyone passes safely.
July 11th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Keri,
Firstly, the same people who harass me on the two lane section, continue onto the four lane part. So, my journey on the left third of the right lane would not be as friction free. I keep around 3 feet between my bike and the right edge of the road, which pushes most motorists out of the lane.
More importantly, you are a gutsy lady! That video is scary. I think I am going to post something using it.
July 11th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Shek, if you are entering a 4 lane from a 2-lane and you control the outside lane going in, the traffic should file past you in the inside lane. They are already single file. This video has an example of that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adTpGj2MFec Traffic had to wait behind me until we made the split onto the 4-lane road.
I was only gutsy the first time! After I saw how well it worked, it didn’t require guts. Frankly, I’m scared to ride as far right as you do. I’m being absolutely genuine when I say that. People have suggested I go film both ways to demonstrate the difference, but I don’t have the desire to subject myself to that. It’s like being a guppy in a shark tank!
When I first learned of this technique, I thought it was crazy. I was sure it would not work here and that motorists would become furious. But that didn’t happen. They simply changed lanes. By my position making it clear that they would have to use the other lane, they change lanes early and are over it by the time they get to me.
Give it a try. Do it at a low traffic time. Don’t get discouraged if someone honks, it’s luck of the draw. If I was in Jax, I’d go with you for moral support.
I was fortunate that no one honked at me for many hours of riding like that. By the time someone did get pissy about it, I was totally established in the mindset. Occasionally someone will plan poorly and not be a able to merge, they’ll have to wait 10 seconds for the platoon to clear before they can pass. Most of those do that quietly. Rarely one will honk and try to get me to move. I don’t. I just motion for them to use the other lane. Ultimately, they pass me safety, if not without comment.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Keri,
Thank you for sharing the video. Orlando traffic is much more civil than the illiterate dimwits I deal with.
I travel on the above mentioned road always during rush hour: 7:50 am, noon, 1 pm, 5:30 pm. The harassment due to controlling even the 4 lane section will be unbearable. I do not see any value in dealing with it. I have no desire to be a martyr. I am comfortable at 3 feet from the white line edge. Moreover, I ride a single speed city bike in business clothes and can not maintain the speed you do. My speed ranges between 10 mph to 12 mph, 14 mph with a tail wind.
I just got back from the grocery store. Within a 2 mile round trip of controlling the lane on a narrow service road, I was persistently honked at, yelled at etc. This was on my xtracycle and I was moving at over 15 mph.
I see riding on the road as the best possible option only due to lack of proper and safe bicycle facility. Sharing the road with cars is a necessary evil due to lack of infrastructure. I would like you to recommend this type of riding on the roads in your video to a family with kids who want to ride to school. I am curious to see the popularity of this technique.
July 11th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Keri,
I would personally, on any occasion other than rush hour, control the lane on the four lane section you were riding on. I just don’t think it is a concept that can be accepted by regular people trying to go to school, soccer practice, mall, grocery store etc because it portrays a low quality experience.
Low quality, because it is encouraged to ride on the road with cars knowing they may be talking on cell phones, messing with the radio, drunk, high or all four.