Cal's 1, RV's & bicyclists

[aerbus32]

Getting to the time of year where people are going to start asking about RV's on Highway 1 in North & Central California. Thought I'd share a conversation from last Tuesday night. After dinner in NOLA, we took a pedicab back to our hotel. Young lady pedaling it was pretty jazzed when I shared that I was an 'old dude cyclist' from So Cal. She shared that she had recently biked from Portland to San Diego via 1. She asked if it were true that she had to get off the road to allow vehicles to pass as passing motorists kept angrily yelling at her. Absolutely not. My understanding of the law is that bicyclists in Cal have the right of way & must be given a minimum of a 3' clearance when passing them. I bike a great deal, but would never on many parts of 1. Nor would I take our 37' Class A towing a Honda.

[Billinwoodland]

Bmach wrote:
What a lot of people do not understand cyclists taking the lane is at times the safest thing they can do. By taking the lane you can be seen better, you stop cars from squeezing you on a tight turn. Yes I would pull over if I was causing a line of traffic. If I am slowing up a few cars so I can be safer then to bad that is my LEGAL RIGHT. The cars can wait for a short while till it is safe to pass. Talk with experienced cyclists some time and ask them about it. Also cyclists pay taxes just like everyone else. We have cars that are tax but our bikes do not damage or wear out roads or lane markers.

Unfortunately, too many cyclists have this attitude. When in my vehicle, I wouldn't mind waiting several minutes to find a safe place to pass. You really don't know when that opportunity is going to develop, and the result is, more times then not, that you are holding up traffic. When I am on my bike, or in my motorhome, I have the courtesy to pull over and let faster traffic pass.

[Lauren]

Interesting - and in our area - controversial subject. And I am borrowing this subject somewhat to our area....and in general.

Tucson is proud to be a "Bicycle Friendly City" or something like that. And I used to cycle and run a lot.

I believe AZ law says for 3 (maybe 4) foot clearance by a motor vehicle. On a two lane road - with no bike lane or one not used properly - this means you will have to be over the center line with your vehicle even if they are single file.

But here we have issues as large groups cycle and come out here to the narrow roads outside of town - like even 25 or more of them. And, quite often, they ride 2 and 3 abreast blocking the lane on a two lane road. I guess so they can chat.

Some places have 3 or 4 foot bike lanes which cyclists want to ride the white line that separates that lane from the road instead of being in the center of it (less gravel, dirt, etc is the reason).

So traffic backs up. And, do I need to say it, tempers flare.

I will at all times give a law abiding cyclist - or a stupid runner who is running with traffic instead of against it - at least 3 to 4 feet, even waiting to use the other lane if I have to.

However, if they flagrantly abuse the law, I carefully narrow my margin and slowly pass (rare occasion). This gives them all the opportunity to kinda wave and say hello to me (so to speak).

But, I will never do anything unsafe.

[Bigdog]

I don't mind seeing bycycles on the road. I do mind when they ride in the middle of the road and hold up traffic. I had to follow a group of them last summer along the Oregon coast at a grand speed of 5 mph with about 50-60 cars behind them They were riding two abreast and were loaded. I was third or fourth in line and a couple of folks in front of me tooted, not layed on them, their horns and a couple of the back riders held up a finger. When we finally hit the top of the hill, instead of pulling over and letting traffic go by, they hunkered down over their handle bars and bombed down the hill, then climbed up the other side w/o stopping. At the top of that hill was an Oregon state policeman pulling them all over. Don't know what happened after that, but we were finally able to get on with our trip.
I have seen a lot of courteous bikers along the road that stay to the right and stop if they're holding up traffic, BUT I have seen a bunch that are real A** holes on the road too.

[4runnerguy]

GeoBoy wrote:
If a bicyclist hogs the road and puts me and my family in a dangerous situation, I will return the favor.

Wow, using a multi thousand pound vehicle against an unshielded bicyclist! :E You know in many states they have the same right to the road you do? I don't know how maiming or killing a bicyclist accomplishes anything.

[Bmach]

What a lot of people do not understand cyclists taking the lane is at times the safest thing they can do. By taking the lane you can be seen better, you stop cars from squeezing you on a tight turn. Yes I would pull over if I was causing a line of traffic. If I am slowing up a few cars so I can be safer then to bad that is my LEGAL RIGHT. The cars can wait for a short while till it is safe to pass. Talk with experienced cyclists some time and ask them about it. Also cyclists pay taxes just like everyone else. We have cars that are tax but our bikes do not damage or wear out roads or lane markers.

[Gonzo42]

Allow me to point out that bicyclists were the reason roads were paved in the first place.

Having said that, I KNOW there are lots of scofflaw bicyclists out there and I see them every day. I also KNOW that there are plenty of IGNORANT bicyclist riding stupidly because they never learned the rules of the road.

A couple of years ago I cycled to work at least twice a week during the summer, a distance each way about 25 miles. On my return one day I encountered a young girl riding the opposite way.

Now get this: she was on the wrong side of the road, she was riding in and out of the parked cars, her helmet was hanging on her handlebar, and she had her music machine plugged into her ears. She was about 12 years old. I estimated her life expectancy at about 30 days max. Sad.

I also know of deliberate attacks by motor vehicle drivers against cyclists and the gendarmerie couldn't care less. Considering that the cagers are surrounded by tons of metal and the cyclists are not, both sides should consider the possible consequences.

[GeoBoy]

If a bicyclist hogs the road and puts me and my family in a dangerous situation, I will return the favor. When a bicyclist pays a fee to register their bicycle, like we do for our vehicles, then they can use the road.

[scrubjaysnest]

Think it is pretty much the same nation wide, ride in the direction of traffic and keep as far to the right as is safe in single file; this we see ignored especially the single file. Many states are going to the three foot rule. Some areas have roads signed as bicycles can use the whole lane. We don't ride the back roads any more as we've been clipped to many times by mirrors.

[Billinwoodland]

Last summer I was in my MH on 128, which is just south of Mendocino on the CA coast. I was headed east on 128. There were several solo bicyclists along the road. All but one was riding in the center of the lane. At any given time there were 8-10 vehicles behind them, as it was very difficult to pass on that road. In my opinion, slower traffic needs to pull over, whether you are on a bike or in a MH. Living in an area with a high concentration of bicyclists, I find many are very cavalier about claiming the road and not yielding to faster traffic. And I bike to the gym and around town btw, and give vehicles a wide birth.

[aerbus32]

Gonzo42 wrote:
I ride bicycles, motorcycles, drive cars, trucks, and RVs. I get disrespect with each group depending on which I'm using at the time. I always try to be as courteous as possible to everyone, but I never expect the same.

anyway, good luck and happy trails to you all.

While I agree that everyone needs to be courteous to everyone on the road, not long ago a driver on a backroad in the Temecula, Ca., area admitted to having essentially the aforementioned attitude after running a cyclist off the road & killing them. Law enforcement was not sympathetic.

[jmtandem]

Getting to the time of year where people are going to start asking about RV's on Highway 1 in North & Central California.

Ninety five percent of all bicyclists on the Pacific Coast Highway are going north to south to favor the prevailing winds. Northbound it would be rare to encounter a cyclist. There are a few places where there is no shoulder and the road is narrow. That is the exception, not the norm. Everybody can co-exist with a little understanding and courtesy even the logging trucks that are everywhere on that route especially between Eureka and Fort Bragg. The best thing any RVer can do is to know where the right side (passenger side) of their RV/tow vehicle is in the lane and unfortunately many do not. Or worse, driving down the road with the steps not retracted.

[Campfire_Time]

This in mind my is a big controversy. We're riders but choose to do most of our riding on trails where no motor vehicles are allowed. Occasionally we do ride roads, or have to when trail connectors are on roads shared by motor vehicles. I just don't trust most drivers, too many people are either not aware of bicycles or believe that bicycles have no rights. I just don't see the benefit of putting myself in a dangerous situation.

On the flip side as a driver I find it really annoying when bike riders assert their rights and right on not only very dangerous roads, but that interfere with traffic. Exercising a right doesn't make it right. And why pray tell, would anyone purposely put themselves in what is clearly a dangerous situation?

[Gonzo42]

I ride bicycles, motorcycles, drive cars, trucks, and RVs. I get disrespect with each group depending on which I'm using at the time. I always try to be as courteous as possible to everyone, but I never expect the same.

anyway, good luck and happy trails to you all.

[nevadanick]

And they will get the same respect they give me, ride the side of the road and i will be courteous and give you room, if you hog the road like has happened to me many times near Tahoe then the bicyclist gets treated with no respect from me.

[kohldad]

The do not have the right of easy but have the same rights as vehicles. Varies by state but the three foot clearance is becoming a common law.