Quote Originally Posted by sisu_concepts
Here is something I observed this week.

I have only been riding for about 4 months and I do ride on a busy highway.

I have my mirror on my helmit and I always wear bright colors.

And I always slink as far off the road as I can.

I am always trying to stay as far to the right as possible even when the gravel makes it dangerous. I think, "I don't belong out here. Everyone knows it and I need to make way for the people in cars who do belong out here"...

In my head I thought this was perfectly rational behavior.

And then yesterday...two bikers....who looked like they belonged on the road...racing bikes, matching outfits, passed me and waved hello.

I watched them ahead of me as we rode up a rather steep hill and you know what....they did exactly what the previous writer stated...they rode with confidence...when a car came zipping up behind them they stood their ground. They weren't cocky or unsafe they just didn't shrink over to the side and you know what...the car that had just dangerously passed me on a curve slowed down and didn't attempt to pass them.

Glad I went riding yesterday. Imagine what I will learn tomorrow.
I rode on a very busy street just this Mon. It didn't have a bike lane so I rode to the left of the white line and I rode is if I was driving my truck - with assurance and the feeling that I too had a right to be there, after all a bike is a vehicle according to state laws! What surprised me most were the politeness of the drivers when I came up to stoplights. Most of them (which had passed me very politely) had moved slightly over in their lane so I would have room to bring my bike up to the line. The first time this happened I didn't think about it, but then I started noticing it was happening at every stoplight. When I told some bikie friends about my ride they all went "are you Nuts? on That road?" but ya know, I'd ride there again. I even had a big truck wait when the light turned green to give me time to get up and going before he took off from the light. I gave him a slight wave as he passed me. My belief is the road rage drivers are going to behave badly no matter what I'm riding in or on, that most of the drivers out there are very careful of cyclists - just watch for the turning cars both left And right, coz they're usually looking down the Road, not the sides.