What side of the lane do you ride in?

[Jim Morrison]

After hitting the deer a few months back, I try to stay to the left side when riding at night. other wise its where I feel safest, the futher away from dumb azz drivers as I can.......

 

[midlifeuturn]

If there isn't a vehicle in front of me I like to ride on the right hand side so I'm more visible to an oncomming vehicle that may be trying to pass.

If there is a vehicle in front of me I ride on the left side for the same reason and to be more visible to the driver of the vehicle in front of me. At night I do tend to ride to the left side to give me more reaction time for the brown and furries coming out of the ditch. During a heavy rain I tend crowd the center line.

 

[wfooshee]

The middle is NOT a good place to be in most situations. That's where most of the crap on the road is.....screws, sheet metal bits, etc. Especially if you're following a car or truck.

What he said. Let the car tires sweep up the nails and screws.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Situations vary for the environment. Don't know if MSF teaches this in the US, but here IN GENERAL, ride in a blocking position, meaning on a two laner, left half of your lane to be visible and so passing cars must make a full go around rather than taking chances like they do with right side bicyclists. Lead rider in a group takes this, and others stagger behind leaving enough room for potential panic stop..... you are all riding defensively right? Ha. If on a 4 laner, same, except in fast lane you take the right half of that lane. If on multi laner, either stay in right lane or left lane, less desirable to be in the middle lanes.

In twisties or other situations, you would vary to the conditions and what will allow you a good line in a curve. You wouldn't be hugging the center line on a left hander blind curve or any blind curve (you're riding defensively, right?). Group situation would spread and not necessarily ride staggered until back on the straights.

At nite or dusk, slow down and watch for critters. Wear hi-viz.

 

[ionbeam]

In New England I ride where the bumps and manhole covers aren't...On coming traffic and right side hazards modify this as needed.

+1, I agree with Pepperell, the roads in New England will often dictate to you where you will ride. If the road has entering traffic I try to place myself in the most visible location within the lane.

I'm waiting for mcatrophy to weigh in on this topic...

 

[SacramentoMike]

I posted about my latest ticket a while ago, down in Death Valley, clear afternoon, warm, helmet visor up, and a National Park cop came up fast behind me on his way somewhere and I wasn't watching my mirrors. Nearly empty and almost straight road, moving at the speed limit behind another car--not really a circumstance you'd be checking mirrors every few seconds. Anyway, he followed for a while (don't know how long) with his little blinking grill lights going, then hit his puny-assed little siren which I never heard over the wind noise. When I did see him I moved over and slowed, and he went on by. Few minutes later his buddy he'd radioed came along and pulled me over. Mr. Stone Face. "Did you know you're required to move to the right for an emergency vehicle, sir?" Well, yes, yes I did. The second I noticed him. "And he also said you were hugging the center line the whole time."

I guess it was then I realized I wasn't getting a warning from this guy. Neither one of them knew the first thing about riding a motorcycle, or wind noise, or lane position. Yes, I was hugging the freaking center line. It was a narrow two-lane road in the desert, with sand encroaching on both edges of the road, so I was riding where I could see the road, be seen by the car in front of me, and keep out of the damn sand. So yeah, I got the ticket. And I'll hug the center line again in the came circumstances.

 

[Fred W]

I posted about my latest ticket a while ago, down in Death Valley, clear afternoon, warm, helmet visor up, and a National Park cop came up fast behind me on his way somewhere and I wasn't watching my mirrors. Nearly empty and almost straight road, moving at the speed limit behind another car--not really a circumstance you'd be checking mirrors every few seconds. Anyway, he followed for a while (don't know how long) with his little blinking grill lights going, then hit his puny-assed little siren which I never heard over the wind noise. When I did see him I moved over and slowed, and he went on by. Few minutes later his buddy he'd radioed came along and pulled me over. Mr. Stone Face. "Did you know you're required to move to the right for an emergency vehicle, sir?" Well, yes, yes I did. The second I noticed him. "And he also said you were hugging the center line the whole time."

I guess it was then I realized I wasn't getting a warning from this guy. Neither one of them knew the first thing about riding a motorcycle, or wind noise, or lane position. Yes, I was hugging the freaking center line. It was a narrow two-lane road in the desert, with sand encroaching on both edges of the road, so I was riding where I could see the road, be seen by the car in front of me, and keep out of the damn sand. So yeah, I got the ticket. And I'll hug the center line again in the came circumstances.

What was the ticket for? Hugging the center line is not an offense. Crossing it is.

And I don't think you are required to pull to the right for an emergency vehicle with just lights on.

Has to be lights and siren, AFAIK, though that may vary by locale.

 

[sergeantnic]

The middle is NOT a good place to be in most situations. That's where most of the crap on the road is.....screws, sheet metal bits, etc. Especially if you're following a car or truck.

What he said. Let the car tires sweep up the nails and screws.

To each his own I guess. But out of 12 years of riding I've gotten 1 nail that didn't go through the belts.

I like the middle for anywhere except an intersection. Let's cars know you aren't willing to share your lane.

 

[FJRPierre]

I'm in the avoid the most threat crowd usually. We have a busy 2 lane hy where everyone pokes their nose out to see if they have 3 seconds to pass the car/bus/truck ahead of them. Everybody is sticking their nose all the time. I stay way over to the right of my lane so they don't have to poke out too much to see that there is a vehicle oncoming, and when they try to pass regardless at least I'm already "nearly" out of their way and only need minor avoidance! I swear to god the rush hour drivers around here are all on crack! :angry2:

 

[Bounce]

I agree with them. It varies with the situation. I try to stay put of track 2; using tracks 1 & 3 as needed for maintaining space and visibility.

 

[kolonial72]

Wait, we're supposed to ride in the lanes?

My usual position when riding alone on fairly straight roads is the left side of the center part of the lane. This gives me visibility of oncoming traffic when I'm behind another car, and gives them a better chance of seeing me. This is assuming I'm not following too closely. This position also (sometimes) puts my head lights in both the rear-view mirror and left side mirror of the car in front of me. I do change lane position, sometimes quickly or repeatedly, to show my head lights to cars coming up from side streets. A little change in relative position can help them find me in a crowd of other vehicles.

Twisties are an entirely different situation.

 

[Happy Rider]

I stay to the left most of the time, especially at night. I position myself to be seen by traffic ahead. I figure that if I can see them then I hope I have a better chance of being seen by them.

When approaching an intersection with cross traffic I will zig zag a bit to be seen by the cross traffic. If there is a car in front of me and the cross traffic is on the right I move to the right so the cross traffic can see that there is a bike behind the lead car. Prior to entering the intersection I move to the left so I can swerve out of the way of the cross traffic if it decides to move out in front of me. This is a very common crash in my parts. Often the cross traffic does not see the second vehicle and begins a left turn prior to the second vehicle passing. Most of the time it is caused by the second vehicle following too close to the lead vehicle. I never let the vehicle in front of me screen me. Either move left or right or stay way the hell back from a vehcile in front.

I think the whole staggered formation thing is not smart. If you are riding so close to another rider that you need to stagger you are too close. Give yourself a good space cushion and pick your own line. Don't let the fact that you are in a group dictate where you ride. I hate it when someone joins in behind me and thinks it is ok to ride up my *** as long as they are to the left or right of me. Give me at least 3 or 4 seconds following distance and you can ride where ever you want in the lane.

When I see a car passing from behind I never move to the right side of the lane. This will encourge them to share your lane and push you off the right shoulder. I move to the left to let them know that I am not inviting them into my lane. I just watch them in my mirrors as they pass and am ready to either brake or accelerate hard to avoid being hit.

 

[maddad]

Well here in my part of Canada, pot holes seem to have the exclusive right to occupy the left and right sides of the lane. That leaves the center. Riding consistantly in either left or right as a rule to me doesn't make sense. My own strategy is...

1) Have an escape route which could be left or right but not into oncoming traffic.

2) Use your mirrors and know what's coming up behind you. Or go fast enough that nothing can come up behind you.

3) Watch the guy in front of you and if your close enough to be concerned, make sure you can see him in his mirror so that he can see you.

4) Don't use Rule 3, just stay far enough behind so that you have plenty of room to do what ever is needed.

 

[Sticky Throttle]

The middle is NOT a good place to be in most situations. That's where most of the crap on the road is.....screws, sheet metal bits, etc. Especially if you're following a car or truck.

What he said. Let the car tires sweep up the nails and screws.

To each his own I guess. But out of 12 years of riding I've gotten 1 nail that didn't go through the belts.

I like the middle for anywhere except an intersection. Let's cars know you aren't willing to share your lane.

Really? Well, 12 years ago I took a knife blade in the rear tire while riding in the middle of the lane. It sliced a half inch hole through the radial tire, belts and all, leading to immediate deflation at 65 mph with a passenger on board. That, my friend, was a bonafide rodeo, but I kept it up and eased to the side. All turned out well in the end (I even have the blade as a souvenir), but I choose my lines a lot more carefully now--generally using the left and right tire tracks (see earlier post) rather than the center of the lane. Haven't had a flat since.

Of course, YMMV, and occasionally I agree that the center is a good--albeit temporary--place to be depending on circumstances. But, statistically speaking, there will always be more "stuff" in the center of the lane--including oil drippings that WILL make a big traction difference when wet (especially during a storm when accumulated petroleum deposits foam on the surface). And that doesn't take into account the limited view of the highway ahead (as opposed to one side or the other) and the inability to avoid something a car ahead might straddle or flip into your path. I just don't think it's possible to obtain an equivalent view ahead of you, nor do you have as many danger-avoidance options, if the center of the lane is your default choice. That's my $0.02...

 

[sergeantnic]

The middle is NOT a good place to be in most situations. That's where most of the crap on the road is.....screws, sheet metal bits, etc. Especially if you're following a car or truck.

What he said. Let the car tires sweep up the nails and screws.

To each his own I guess. But out of 12 years of riding I've gotten 1 nail that didn't go through the belts.

I like the middle for anywhere except an intersection. Let's cars know you aren't willing to share your lane.

Really? Well, 12 years ago I took a knife blade in the rear tire while riding in the middle of the lane. It sliced a half inch hole through the radial tire, belts and all, leading to immediate deflation at 65 mph with a passenger on board. That, my friend, was a bonafide rodeo, but I kept it up and eased to the side. All turned out well in the end (I even have the blade as a souvenir), but I choose my lines a lot more carefully now--generally using the left and right tire tracks (see earlier post) rather than the center of the lane. Haven't had a flat since.

Of course, YMMV, and occasionally I agree that the center is a good--albeit temporary--place to be depending on circumstances. But, statistically speaking, there will always be more "stuff" in the center of the lane--including oil drippings that WILL make a big traction difference when wet (especially during a storm when accumulated petroleum deposits foam on the surface). And that doesn't take into account the limited view of the highway ahead (as opposed to one side or the other) and the inability to avoid something a car ahead might straddle or flip into your path. I just don't think it's possible to obtain an equivalent view ahead of you, nor do you have as many danger-avoidance options, if the center of the lane is your default choice. That's my $0.02...

Actually, you give yourself more exit options in the center of the lane. Think about it, if you are in the far right hand side of the lane and there is a soft shoulder the only direction you can move is left. Same holds true if there is a car to your left or right. If you are in that portion of the lane you can move one direction.

If I'm in the center of the lane I have the ability to move left or right.

I agree there is typically more junk in the center of the lane but I've had little to no issues. I also think the choice is more passive than active meaning I've never really thought about it as it comes second nature to me now so on my ride home last night I paid attention to where I was and found I was in the left, right, and center all depending on the situation. But when just running down the highway with nobody around I was in the center of the lane where I thought I would be.

Opinions are like motorcycles. Everybody that has one thinks theirs is the best!

 

[Duff]

I ride primarily left with the following exceptions:

- Oncoming driver looks drunk, distracted or otherwise unable to hold their own line

- I am in a corner (Direction doesn't matter, I always try to ride the inside to account for the ****** that is over the centerline)

- I have some sort of abstacle in the road or blocking my vision that requires me to change to the other side

- A huge cyclonic gust of winds comes from out of nowhere and hits me broadside, causing me to shift my position in my lane ever so slightly\

I think that about covers it. I don't give up my lane for anyone, unless it's another motorcycle and I am being nice. In fact, I'm the type of guy who forces people to stay in their lane... and I drive/ride VERY defensively in order to accomplish that. JMHO.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I ride primarily left with the following exceptions:

- Oncoming driver looks drunk, distracted or otherwise unable to hold their own line

- I am in a corner (Direction doesn't matter, I always try to ride the inside to account for the ****** that is over the centerline)

- I have some sort of abstacle in the road or blocking my vision that requires me to change to the other side

- A huge cyclonic gust of winds comes from out of nowhere and hits me broadside, causing me to shift my position in my lane ever so slightly\

I think that about covers it. I don't give up my lane for anyone, unless it's another motorcycle and I am being nice. In fact, I'm the type of guy who forces people to stay in their lane... and I drive/ride VERY defensively in order to accomplish that. JMHO.

What Duff said. Yup.

 

[Big-D]

I feel the most logical answer is what suits your situation the best. Riding the left side of the lane while traffic is approaching at you means you trust that driver far more than you should. That hundredth of a second to react could save your butt. I see riders all of the time hugging the center line, almost daring approaching drivers to cross over and nail them head-on. The answer you seek could be anywhere within the lane you occupy depending on your circumstances at that moment. On-coming traffic, animals from the right, parked cars, road conditions and the list goes on & on. Experience and good common sense plays important roles here!

 

[SacramentoMike]

. . . he followed for a while (don't know how long) with his little blinking grill lights going, then hit his puny-assed little siren which I never heard over the wind noise."

What was the ticket for? Hugging the center line is not an offense. Crossing it is.

And I don't think you are required to pull to the right for an emergency vehicle with just lights on.

Has to be lights and siren, AFAIK, though that may vary by locale.

The ticket was for "failure to yield to an emergency vehicle." He did use his siren, I just didn't hear it over the wind and the howling with the helmet open (and the old-guy hearing loss I enjoy). But having heard, for example, a CHP siren, I KNOW I'd have heard one of those babies. This thing was WEAK! I wasn't sure about the lights and/or siren thing, so I looked it up in the California Vehicle Code. You're right, it's both, but he DID sound the siren too. Sort of. :glare:

That thing about the center line, by the way, just pissed me off 'cuz it showed me he didn't know anything about riding.

 

[Happy Rider]

. . . he followed for a while (don't know how long) with his little blinking grill lights going, then hit his puny-assed little siren which I never heard over the wind noise."

What was the ticket for? Hugging the center line is not an offense. Crossing it is.

And I don't think you are required to pull to the right for an emergency vehicle with just lights on.

Has to be lights and siren, AFAIK, though that may vary by locale.

The ticket was for "failure to yield to an emergency vehicle." He did use his siren, I just didn't hear it over the wind and the howling with the helmet open (and the old-guy hearing loss I enjoy). But having heard, for example, a CHP siren, I KNOW I'd have heard one of those babies. This thing was WEAK! I wasn't sure about the lights and/or siren thing, so I looked it up in the California Vehicle Code. You're right, it's both, but he DID sound the siren too. Sort of. :glare:

That thing about the center line, by the way, just pissed me off 'cuz it showed me he didn't know anything about riding.

Sounds kind of weak to call it failure to yield to an emergency vehicle if there is no oncoming traffic and the cop could easily just go around. The national park cops are just stricter that most local cops. The spirit of that law is to ensure that everyone moves to the right and stops so emergency vehicles can pass safely on the left. I guess the cop could argue that you should watch your mirrors better, but what the hell, you were in a national park taking in the sites. I have been behind many a car and bike with the siren running and lights flashing and people are just not paying attention. I get a kick out of this when it's a dumb *** running straight pipes and thinks he is safer because of all of the noise he is making. When they figure out that they have the fuzz on their tail, running code 3, many almost crash trying to move to the right. I guess that kind of proves the whole loud pipe thing is crap. If people don't hear a siren they sure the don't hear your lame *** loud pipes. Usually the only ones that do get cited are the bone heads that move to the left and stop in the #1 lane on a 4 lane freeway.