[pavel_lishin]

I live in Dallas - it's not a bike friendly area. Cars already ignore bicycles. I'm interested in protecting myself RIGHT NOW when I'm riding, not at some point in the future after I've educated everyone on the road.

And I'm familiar with the hazards of being on the sidewalk. Dallas isn't a place where people walk - I can count on one hand the number of pedestrians I see. When I approach some sort of intersection-like area where a car could be, I make sure a car isn't approaching, etc., etc.

I literally bike like everyone is out to kill me.

[sophacles]

I have found the best remedy for unfriendly drivers is to bike more aggressively. This is non-intuitive, but works. If drivers are not politely giving you room or consideration, drive in the middle of the lane. Go slow and wave politely when they scream, honk or whatever at you. They may be dumb, but know they can't get away with "I didn't see him" when you are causing a scene.

The nuances of how to do this well depend on rules of the road for your state, but it generally works very well.

No matter what you feel, the data shows that you're estimates and approach to safety in this case are just plain wrong.

[davepeck]

I once saw a level of aggression both hilarious and frightening.

In 2001 I was biking Market Street to downtown SFO. Agro Biker, several hundred feet in front of me, was heading straight through a green light. That didn't stop Stupid SUV from rushing to turn right, nearly causing Agro Biker to t-bone.

In response Agro calmly reached into his messenger bag, pulled out what I can only describe as a smoke grenade, and lobbed it at Stupid SUV's rear window. Direct hit. Shock and awe filled the streets!

[raystar]

While I do not condone what Agro Biker did, I did chuckle slightly.

[jbillingsley]

I think the best thing for bicyclists to do is avoid main roads with a speed limit over 35 mph. You give yourself a better chance of being noticed by automobiles if your rate of speed is closer to theirs.

The last thing you want to do is be a nuisance, all it takes is one unhinged, rageaholic to end your life for a very stupid reason.

[pavel_lishin]

"it works" to accomplish what?

I can't make a scene or get in the middle of the lane when I'm dead. And at best, I'd be affecting a few drivers a day by yelling at them. Maybe I'd educate some of them. The rest would just conclude that bicyclists are assholes, and every dead one is a net benefit.

Like I said in a different comment, I'll take my paranoid safety now instead of a possible payoff later.

[sophacles]

What it accomplishes is this: The car drivers can no longer try to sneak around you when you are in the middle of the road. By taking up the whole lane, you are forcing them to acknowledge you.

Aside from all of this: your intuition is wrong. Please look at the statistics. The only disagreement in the statistics is over how much safer riding in the street is. There is no disagreement over street riding being safer.

I am certain this is a case of perception coupled with confirmation bias, much like those who would prefer to drive than to fly. Find a local cycling club to teach you tips on cycling safely around your metro.

[jrockway]

+1 on this thread.

I've never had a problem driving my bike like a car. Sure, sometimes someone honks at me or yells, but that's what your middle finger is for. As soon as someone is mad enough to yell at you, you know they see you, and you know you're safe. It's the people that don't notice you that will kill you.

(Of course, there is the 1-in-a-million homicidal maniac that just wants to murder something for the fun of it... but that's something that you can't prevent -- bicycle or not.)

[wallflower]

John Forester's "Effective Cycling" is the textbook on riding safely in traffic.

His book has many diagrams explaining many common riding in traffic scenarios.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_Cycling

> Forester summarizes the rules of the road for vehicle operation in five principles:

Use the correct half of the road, and not the sidewalk.

Yield to other traffic as required.

Yield when moving laterally across the road.

Choose the correct lane and position within the lane at intersections and their approaches, based on your destination. For example, a cyclist planning to go straight through an intersection should avoid getting stuck in a right-turn-only lane, where it is easy to get clobbered by a right-turning car; a cyclist in a through-traffic lane may get a few surprised looks but will probably not get hit. Choosing the correct lane and position often involves taking the lane when the lane is not wide enough for a car and a bike side by side. Between intersections move away from the curb based on speed relative to other traffic and effective lane width.

[vimalg2]

I agree with this.

And I ride in Trivandrum, a city in South India with aggressive drivers who get mad when they have to slow down and get caught in the really intense sun, minus air-con. (I've noticed a lot of middle-class folk here save on fuel by skipping air conditioning in city snarls)

Never ride on pavements.

Never ride on the edge/shoulder especially in India where a 'shoulder slip' could easily leave you with a broken neck.

Never ride near the dividing line.

Ride in the 1/3 of the road that lets you spot and recover from surprises served up by pedestrians AND Learn cross-steering if you ride fast on a road bike.

Being visible and noticed early-on is the key to survival.

Being 'in their face' is an effective way to stay alive.

[Tichy]

I tend to cycle more towards the middle of the road, too. It seems better to me if the driver has to make a conscious effort to overtake me, rather than thinking "this might just fit" and pushing me into the parked cars. It all depends on the car, too. If a bus is crawling up behind me, I might just stop on the sidewalk until it has passed me.

However, I don't really know the driver's perspective.

There was also a guy who experimented with wearing a bicycle helmet finding that drivers would leave less distance when overtaking him when he wore the helmet. Apparently they assumed he was a more skilled cyclist because of the helmet.

[awolf]

Still, I agree with the parent commentor: you've gotta get off the sidewalk.

Bicycles are vehicles. Sidewalks are not a place for vehicles. It's not fair to pedestrians or yourself. Also if anything were to happen while you were riding on the sidewalk I believe it would be you that would be at fault.