What side of the lane do you ride in?

[greg97224]

When I am riding on a two lane road, I usually ride on the left side, I do this so that oncoming cars can see me if they decide to pass. On a recent trip with some friends, I got into a discussion with one of my friends about this. He insists it is safer to ride on the right side of the lane, in case an oncoming driver has a heart attack or stroke, etc.

Where do you guys ride and why, have I been doing this unsafely all these years?

Thanks, Greg

 

[fjrchooser]

I usually ride left side to give me a bit of reaction time for critters dashing out from the right. As on-coming vehicles near me I move to the right side then back left near centerline again once they've passed. This improves sightlines for any vehicles contemplating a pass as they approach me.

If I'm riding staggered formation I stick to my assigned slot unless on-coming traffic gives me reason to move. Hopefully my headlight(s) are enough warning of my presence no matter which side I'm on but I know better than to count on that !

 

[madmike2]

I usually ride left side to give me a bit of reaction time for critters dashing out from the right. As on-coming vehicles near me I move to the right side then back left near centerline again once they've passed.

Yep!

I choose the lane position that best suits the situation. Left tire track gives more time to react in case of lane invasion by wildlife. Right wheel track gives time and visibility for oncoming traffic, especially those who might want to pass as vehicles approach.

All bets are off when it comes to winding roads as I'm a late apex/entry rider so I'm far left approaching a right turn and vice versa. YMMV

 

[SYB Rider]

Greg,

You should always ride on the left hand side of the road and don't be moving to the right when cars come by. That doesn't make any sense. When on a 4 lane, once again ride on the left when in the far right lane and ride on the right side of the lane when in the left lane. This way the cars that you are overtaken will see you in their mirrors.

 

[101stpathfinder]

I usually ride left side to give me a bit of reaction time for critters dashing out from the right. As on-coming vehicles near me I move to the right side then back left near centerline again once they've passed. This improves sightlines for any vehicles contemplating a pass as they approach me. If I'm riding staggered formation I stick to my assigned slot unless on-coming traffic gives me reason to move. Hopefully my headlight(s) are enough warning of my presence no matter which side I'm on but I know better than to count on that !

+1 As the present situation dictates... On slabs at night, I even ride in passing lane hugging the center

line for reaction time for creatures.

 

[LagerHead]

I believe the answer to this question falls under the category, "Opinions are like buttholes. Everybody has one, and they all stink.'

Both techniques have merits. I choose to ride on the side of the lane that is farthest from what I perceive to be a threat. On a split highway, if I am in the left lane, I ride in the left part of the lane. In the right lane, on the right. On a two laner like you described, I ride in the right part of the lane, far behind the car in front of me and outside the "triangle of death." In the end though, what is really going to save is probably not going to be your choice of riding position within a lane, but rather your situational awareness, training, practice, reaction time, etc.

 

[James Burleigh]

I had my nephew, a young man serving right now in Afghanistan, along for a ride on the back of my FJR a few weeks ago. He's pickin up a GSXR 600 when he gets back, his first bike. We were miked up, and so I took advantage of the opportunity to share with him some ways of thinking about lane position.

I told him that when I am riding along a straight, two-lane road, I pick my lane position according to where I think the hazard would come from. So I ride close to the center line when no cars are coming, because the hazard is animals, cars, or kids jumping out from the sides. When a car approaches me on a straight road, I move to the right because now the tangible hazard is the cager coming toward me who might cross over (CAJW just told me yesterday about a couple killed coming out of Yosemite when an 18-yr-old girl in a pickup crossed over and struck them head on).

Entering a turn, staying right makes a lot of sense in the event a motorcycle or other vehicle coming the other way crosses over. But there may also be a bicyclist or slide right around the corner. And if you're being fairly aggressive, going into a right-hander too far to the right leaves you very little room for error if the radius decreases (as CAJW pointed out to me yesterday, something I hadn't thought of).

On freeways, it's a whole different ball game, but same principle. I like the no. 1 fast lane because it gives me an out to the left. Moreover, I like to cruise in the left track of the left lane, particularly when the no. 2 lane to my right is moving slower, and always when I'm in an HOV lane and the next lane over is practically stopped, but I'm going 65! A very scary situation.

When on the freeway in traffic going up a center lane between cars going slower, I tend to open up my vision and weave a little like a boxer, moving slightly in my lane toward the pockets between the cars to stay "staggared," while anticipating that a car could jump at me from either direction.

When riding a few years ago behind my brother-in-law who was on a Harley tractor--some big-ass thing with wheel-barrow handlebars--I noticed he planted himself on a two-lane twisty in the left wheel track and just stayed there the whole time. I think his idea of being "experienced" and "skilled" was riding like you were on railroad tracks. Crazy!

That's the [really ] long answer. Short answer is, there are many right places to be, depending on your risk tolerance and the situation.

 

[Patriot]

Toecutter, paging Toecutter...please answer the white courtesy phone...

STAY RIGHT, STAY ALIVE...

on a two laner...especially in the mountains (Smokie Mountain Park), I stress over and over again riding as close to the right solid white line as comfortable, and as away from the double yellow as possible

the preachers who say, "but on the left side of the right lane, I can see other vehicles coming and they can see me.

well, tell that to my friend(s) taking a blind, sweeping lefter, and yes, they saw the motor home coming, and saw it cross the double yellow, and saw it come within a whisker of making them a bumper sticker.

as Toe would preach, stay as far to the right as reasonable/possible riding the solid white line (not looking at the double yellow as some fixate on), and ASSUME at any time a vehicle will become visable sticking over the double yellow.

if you are to the right, and the motor home comes over taking 1/4 of your lane...you have a fighting chance. Left handers are potentially the worse and the forces of physics are pushing the oncoming vehicles your way.

and you are rolling at some speed turning left, your head is feet to the left, left of your tire patch.

in right handers, I'd rather be in the center or just right of center of the lane leaning toward the white line.

just my 1/5 cents and YMMV

good luck and may the riding safety gods be with us all

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[Checkswrecks]

Generally left track, but it depends on that piece of pavement. It's all to minimize exposure and keep the most clear pavement around.

On the highway, I'll move to the right track if in the fast lane and there's a jersey wall with little shoulder, because that's what the road trash accumulates against. I'll move to the right also if I'm going to be changing lanes a lot in heavy traffic. [We can't split here, but we can change lanes regularly.]

On a 2-lane with viz, I'll stay in the left track because it generally puts the max pavement on both sides of me. I move around for corners generally like Mike wrote and to the right for blind crests, blind left turns, etc.

 

[wfooshee]

Mostly I keep to the right track, but will move to the left track approaching side street where somebody may be at a stop sign. I've seen the lean-left/lean-right weave stop somebody who was moving through the stop sign. I think the movement makes me more visible.

Nobody's mentioned being stopped in traffic. Point the bike to the space beside the vehicle ahead of you, and keep watching your six. I know that saved my bacon once, car behind me stopped without hitting the car in front of me, but there wasn't room for where I'd been seconds before I moved beside the car in front of me!

Before passing a car on the freeway, I'll look for the driver's face in their side mirror, and adjust my position until I can see eyes. At least I know then that they can see me, even if I don't know that they're actually looking.

NEVER EVER EVER ride next to a car on the freeway. Move up or move back to keep the space next to you clear!

 

[FJRBluesman]

It varies with me. MM2 has it right. I prefer right side on two lane roads. Left side is fine on the Frwy for me.

 

[bigtallguy]

Short answer is, there are many right places to be, depending on your risk tolerance and the situation.

Bingo, there's no one size fits all for this one. Situations vary and so should your lane position.

 

[boomerang]

I usually ride left side to give me a bit of reaction time for critters dashing out from the right. As on-coming vehicles near me I move to the right side then back left near centerline again once they've passed. This improves sightlines for any vehicles contemplating a pass as they approach me.

If I'm riding staggered formation I stick to my assigned slot unless on-coming traffic gives me reason to move. Hopefully my headlight(s) are enough warning of my presence no matter which side I'm on but I know better than to count on that !

+1 For me as well. I tend to stay left unless there is traffic,or to make myself more visible.

I'm still undecided as to witch is safer when approaching a hill. I've had close calls with both. Cars drifting left of center or cars backing out of drive ways.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Lane positioning is everything to being visible. Unless we're running in a group and staggerd, I am constantly looking at traffic conditions and positioning myself to be most visible to cars around me.

A while back a few of us in the PNW attended a seminar put on by a local MSF instructor. One of the classroom *drills* he had for us was situational awareness via pictures flashed quickly of a traffic scene. IIRC, the picture was left up for 1/5 to 1/4 of a second. After the picture was past we had to describe what we saw. Really made you think of what you're actually *seeing* while you ride.

--G

 

[James Burleigh]

Really made you think of what you're actually *seeing* while you ride.
--G

On my to-do list is an article applying attention theory being studied by psychologists to riding: How do we determine where to focus our attention, and how is our decision where to focus influenced by factors we don't even realize are present? And how can awareness of how attention is directed help us make better decisions about where we should be focusing while riding in various situations?

 

[Sticky Throttle]

I choose the lane position that best suits the situation. Left tire track gives more time to react in case of lane invasion by wildlife. Right wheel track gives time and visibility for oncoming traffic, especially those who might want to pass as vehicles approach.

+1

I stay as far away from any perceived threat as possible. Never in anyone's blind spot. Always able to see 6 - 12 seconds ahead (which is generally a safe distance behind and to one side or another to see around vehicles ahead). And as far away from tractor/trailers and big vehicles as comfortable, then "executing" a pass, not just moseying by.

As was said earlier, pick your spots depending on potential hazzards and your situational awareness. And remember, the center of the lane will generally have more nails, rocks, oil deposits and traction barriers than the tire tracks--especially when wet.

 

[Pepperell]

In New England I ride where the bumps and manhole covers aren't. That's generally just left of the center of the lane, since potholes and street drains tend to the right, and many of our roads have a frost heave crack running right up the center of the lane. On coming traffic and right side hazards modify this as needed.

 

[sergeantnic]

Call me crazy but I ride in.......

The MIDDLE.

Unless I'm leading a group then it's whatever position I feel like being in. SOmetimes left, sometimes right.

Different situations dictate different positions and there is no right way to do it. If I'm in traffic I like to be in a position for cars to see me. And that's usually dictacted by the surroundings.

For example, if you see a car at an intersection up ahead on the right, it would be wise to move to the right side of your lane so they can see if.

Vice versa if you see somebody coming in from the left. Or if you are thinking of passing a car. Probably best to move to the right.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I find most situations dictate the left part of the lane. Visibility, animals, etc. 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. If he sees something in the road, he's going to straddle it, and you may not see it in time to avoid it. Approaching intersections may dictate that I move over to the right so that oncoming traffic can see me around a car, facing the same direction as me, stopped making a left turn, but when it comes to open two-lane back roads, I use the left. I've had too many close calls with critters.

What you do is up to you, obviously.