Safety Tips
TWO
LANE ROAD:
1) Always ride the left hand track, in the right hand track we get lost in the
scenery and we tell others that we are not really a contender in the traffic.
2) When approaching an intersection and you have a
left turner coming toward you, stay in the left hand track. If you move over to
the right hand track you are telling the cager that
you are making a right turn, and guess what, he's going first, and right into
your path cutting off all chance of escape. If you stay in the left track and
he does turn in front of you, you have a chance of going behind him. However
small that opening may be, it’s may be the only one you’ve got.
3) When traveling down the road stay with the traffic speed. You are telling
the cager that you are part of his environment and
not just something to get out of the way. Keep your left track and block your
lane. If you move to the right track you are telling them: I’m trying to give
you room to pass me, try it if you think it’s ok and take me out in the process.
It also gives you a better vision to the front and traffic coming towards you are also aware of your presence and so have to contend with
you.
4) Always and always block your lane. You paid for it as much as anyone else,
you have a right to it and it’s yours to use to your full advantage.
5) When making a right hand turn never use the right hand track, in doing so
you are telling the cager that it’s ok for him to try
and squeeze by you, but often times there’s not quite enough room and over you
go.
6) When making a left turn use the center right track and so block your lane.
Sure the cager has to wait to go past you, but then
he does for anyone else as well so why not for you. If he knows he’s going to
take you out he will contend with you, but if he can put you on the side in his
mind, you’re the one who deals with the problems. Further
more if the cager thinks that he can scoot past you
and stay on the pavement he will, force him to leave the pavement and he will
give you a wider berth.
7) Never give a cager the idea that you may even want
to share your lane with him, it’s yours, you paid for it, at present you own it
and are using it and he’s to keep away from you.
8) When stopped at a light or stop sign, tell others by your action that you
own the lane, park crosswise in the middle if that’s what it takes, just don’t
let anyone even think that there may be a chance that they could squeeze by.
FOUR LANE, Two lanes in either direction.
I find that sometimes it feels safer in the right and other times safer in the
left. I’m not really stuck on the one vs. the other.
1) When in the right lane be visible and use the left track, when in the left
lane be just as visible and use the right track. Again, let others know that
you intend to be a contender in traffic and they will have to deal with you.
This may seem to be an aggressive way of thinking and doesn’t fly with the
thought that we are super vulnerable. We are super vulnerable and should never
forget that fact, but that doesn’t mean that we need to tell the cager that. Let him know that we are part of the world he
has to deal with and it will be much harder for him to put us aside mentally.
2) When passing continue to use the proper tracks. You may feel safer in the
other track, but you won’t be taking over your rightful lane, you will be
unnoticed, and therefore uncared for.
3) When doing an exit, continue to claim your right to your lane as long as
possible, nobody will run you down, but if you fade to the right to try and get
out the way then others will take your lane away from you before they should.