Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
Garbage trucks are not a special case if the street has on-street parking. Stay a car's width from the curb all the time - not just when you're passing parked cars - again, so that you're not constantly swerving in and out of traffic.
Sorry to add on to this, I don't want to pick on you TraderJane and I have no idea if you do this, but Oakleaf's message made me think about this. I write it for everyone's attention as part of the general Crazy Drivers thread.

I often see cyclists riding along parked cars (in the door zone) and then if there are a few spaces without a car parked, they will move to the right and then to the left again as they approach a parked car and have to get back into traffic.

This is VERY dangerous. Every time a cyclist goes in-between parked cars like that, she becomes invisible to cars coming from behind and to cars coming in the other direction. (On narrow streets that's relevant.) When she goes back into the travel lane (because of parked cars), it comes as a surprise to drivers coming from behind.

I know that cyclists who do that think that it's safer for them, because they feel like they are getting a respite from traffic momentarily. But it's really a dangerous strategy because cars are traveling faster than we are and thus need ample advance notice of our presence.

On a very narrow street, I will sometimes go between parked cars to let a car that is otherwise stuck behind me go by. But I only do it when I am sure that I have been seen and when there is no other option.

Cycle safe and enjoy!