I live in a very non bike friendly area so I try my best to blend in with cars on my e-bike but this area arriving near my house coming from work is the worst. Today I encountered a blatantly aggressive driver as I was riding in the middle lane to avoid the the in and out going cars from the parkway in the right lane that merge to the left and faster drivers in the left lane potentially getting on the expressway or staying on the Avenue. This car behind me pull up very close behind me flashing his lights and honking his horn expecting me to move out the way. Keeping in mind the speed limit is 30 which I am able to keep up with at my max but most cars speed 40+ here. I chose to ignore him and just keep going until he eventually went into the left lane passing me but then further ahead also went to the far right lane to turn to the on-ramp. Idk if he thought I was a motorcycle or if I they expected me to go any faster there’s I could think I could’ve done. nothing else I could done. (I do wear a motorcycle helmet and high vis vest, drawing distance is not to scale) this the only road I take going to and from work and can’t really avoid going though here to get home.
by Comet1O
4 Comments
From what you’ve said there’s not a best way to navigate this. Sounds like you are being confident in taking and holding the lane.. I guess that kind of blowback from cars is to be expected.
I would do whatever seems to be the safest.
You’re pretty much doomed to potential conflict unless you find a mini “detour” that gets you out of the way. Which would involve crossing both on and off ramps at breaks in traffic. This means you leave the traffic lanes and get on a shoulder or sidewalk or vacant land before the on ramp and re-enter the traffic lanes after the off ramp. Without a Google street view it’s just speculation.
Not that this jerk should have terrorized you, but:
In most US states, the law requires people on bikes to use “the rightmost lane which serves your direction of travel.” So, unless the two rightmost lanes are exit-only lanes, or there’s some debris or an accident or something that makes them unsafe, you would legally be obliged to use those. Any other lane, and you’d have a tougher time winning a post-collision legal battle.
Help me understand why you’re choosing not to use the two rightmost lanes? Something about traffic merging from another roadway?
That is a highway. Definitely not designed for 30 mph. Your best bet is to hold your lane. They can use the other lane to pass as they did. Sometimes slowing down to slightly below the speed limit can get them to go around you sooner, although it’s a crapshoot depending on the psycho behind you.