There’s a wonderful line from an old Firesign Theatre comedy piece in which they were making fun of Eric Von Daniken and his book, Chariots of the Gods. “Everything you know is wrong!” It can be a wrenching experience to find that what we believe about bicycling safety is often so much mush. Take that next step into a larger world of bicycling opportunity by learning some of the principles Keri and others teach. It’s not a big step, but it requires an inquiring mind – one that is willing to separate fact from fantasy.

Assumption 1: You will not encounter anything unexpected or irregular.

Assumption 2: Other drivers will position themselves in the way that you consider ideal.

Assumption 3: Three feet of clearance is always sufficient.

Assuming you measured the lane to be 14 feet wide, that would be acceptable. Experience dictates judgment of lane widths, and if in doubt, whip it out! Then you will truly know.

I was once a lilly-livered, chicken cyclist, who was afraid to drive my bicycle on the roads. Check this out: http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/20/myownignorance/

If you don’t stand for anything, you fall for everything. Ride On! Ride Big!

People driving SUVs and trucks that used to need commercial tags and licenses (before the laws were changed) drive these things like a Corolla.

So, because I don’t want to keep weaving back and forth, everybody has to be treated pretty much the same way.

Yes I have, in the past, deployed a tape measure to determine the width of the streets nearby. It was an eye opening exercise- The lanes were often much narrower than I had estimated!

But I have a rule of thumb that works better for me, and you have alluded to it.

A medium sized car is 6 and a half feet wide. Looking ahead at the traffic you are following, can two medium sized cars fit side-to-side in the travel lane, including mirrors? If they cannot, that travel lane is too narrow to safely share side-to-side with traffic.

Semi-trailers are 9 and a half feet wide, and they make a good standard to check your estimate with as well.

Lately, I have found a tape measure a good thing to have with me when stopped by police enforcing the informal “maximum through-put” codes.

This is dangerous advice, period and will lead to even more restrictions on us once everyone starts taking the lane. Youre actually of the belief that I need a minimum of four feet to ride?

A typical sedan is 7 feet wide, plus three for passing leaves me four feet…plenty thank you very much. Pass me please, thats much better than hearing motors grumbling behind me.

Further, the onus of all those measurements are on us, the cyclists, since all these statutes are speifically mentioned under the cycling laws.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

Yes, please. May I have the files?

Great job outlining the issues given the bad laws you have to work with.