The concept of "owning the lane" applies to situations where you need to prevent a car from "crowding" you in a lane and putting you in danger. As I previously pointed out, the classic example is a curve on a 2-lane road. Under those situation, cyclists are advised to move into the middle of the lane to eliminate the possibility of being "crowded" by those who don't obey the 3 foot clearance law. When approaching roundabouts, it is also a good idea to move to the middle of the lane.
Most cyclists I know ride within about 3 feet of the curb on roads such as Buena Vista. Hugging the curb is dangerous because of debris near the curb and catch basins. This does not leave sufficient room for a car since the lanes are too narrow. In other words, even though most cyclists are as far right as is practical, the lane still cannot accommodate a car and a bike. The vast majority of drivers apparently have no problem swinging into the left hand lane to pass when it is safe to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by outlaw
They are more than welcome to drive their cars on the road and "own their lane".
Every vehicle I use on the road helps pay for that road, which is fine since I am using the road. When I ride my bike on the road, that bike isn't contributing to the building or maintenance of the road. It's a "free benefit for me. I always yield to autos. I find being extra courteous to motorists while cycling along the road, moving as far left as SAFELY as possible, usually results in the motorists giving plenty of room as they pass. But by all means, "own that lane" at your peril. And don't forget to step off of the curb into that pedestrian crosswalk without looking to see if that car is going to turn into you. After all, you are in a pedestrian crosswalk and it is up to the motorist to yield to you.
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