Where to ride

[Poor Ol Harry]

Back when I began rideing ,it was commom kowledge to ride the side of a lane to avoid the slick spot that all cars made & to use up all the lane like a car to keep from getting pushed around so much.Although the centers are not near as bad as years ago I see people in the center of a lane often.Have I missed some new rideing skills or does that many riders not know where to ride?
                                      Harry

[..]

Back when I began rideing ,it was commom kowledge to ride the side of a lane to avoid the slick spot that all cars made & to use up all the lane like a car to keep from getting pushed around so much.Although the centers are not near as bad as years ago I see people in the center of a lane often.Have I missed some new rideing skills or does that many riders not know where to ride?
                                      Harry

Harry, you're not missing anything. It's those center lane riders who are missing some basic skills. 

[R J]

Back when I began rideing ,it was commom kowledge to ride the side of a lane to avoid the slick spot that all cars made & to use up all the lane like a car to keep from getting pushed around so much.Although the centers are not near as bad as years ago I see people in the center of a lane often.Have I missed some new rideing skills or does that many riders not know where to ride?
                                      Harry

Harry, you're not missing anything. It's those center lane riders who are missing some basic skills. 

None of them have had an advanced MSF riding course.........   If they did, they didn't pay attention or were only there in body and no soul.

[ChromeDome]

I know that the Illinois Motorcycle Rules of the Road say it is OK to ride the middle of the lane, I also know that the MSF instructors stree riding in the left side or the right side and to pretty much stay out of the middle. So who ya gonna listen to .... some desk jockey state pencil pusher .... or an MSF Instructor.

I think I will listen to and follow the advice of the MSF instructors.

[HayHauler]

You're gonna like this answer.......  It depends..

I ride in the right half of the lane if there is traffic merging onto the highway from my right side.  This way, if they are in a hurry and see, what they think is a blind spot (acutally me in the lane in front of a truck/car) and start to merge into the lane, they can see me.  This way they don't see what they have determined a blank spot.

Exactly opposite with traffic merging in from the left.

Remember, being visible is the most important factor when riding in traffic.  Not trying to be a smart a$$, so please don't take it that way.

I also try to be a tiny bit faster than the surrounding traffic so I am not stuck in someone's blind spot.

Hay 

[3fan4life]

The following is straight from the Virginia Motorcycle Operator's Manual:


Position for Being Seen
Though the size of a motorcycle can make it harder for other drivers to spot you, you can make size work to your advantage. A car driver
has very little choice about where he positions his car in a lane. However, each marked lane gives a motorcyclist three possible paths of
travel, as indicated in the illustration
 


Each “mini-lane” is approximately four feet wide. By selecting the appropriate “minilane,” you can make yourself more easily seen by others on the road.

In general, there is no best position for riders when it comes to being seen, however, no portion of the lane need be avoided—
including the center.

Some people feel that riding in the center portion is dangerous. They argue that the grease strip which often appears in this portion (formed by droppings from other vehicles) is slippery and will cause riders to fall. Such fears are overblown.

Grease strips are usually no more than two feet wide. Since the center portion of the lane is four feet wide, you can operate to the left or
right of the grease strip and still be within the center portion.

Unless the road is wet with rain, the average grease strip gives just as
much traction as the rest of the pavement. Of course, big build-ups of grease—as may be found at very busy intersections or toll
booths—should be avoided.

The main idea of positioning yourself to be seen is this: ride in the portion of the lane where it is most likely that you will be seen. In other words, ride where it will be most difficult for other drivers to miss seeing you. Here are some ways to do this.

Stay Out of Blind Spots

Either pass the other vehicle or drop back.
When you pass a car, get through the blind spot as quickly as you can. Approach with care. But once you are alongside, speed up and get by quickly.

Let the Driver Ahead See You

When behind a car, try to ride where the driver can see you in his rearview mirror:



Riding in the center portion of the lane should put your image in the middle of the rearview mirrorwhere it’s most likely to be seen.

Riding at the far side of a lane may let you be seen in a sideview mirror. But most drivers don’t look at their sideview mirrors nearly as often as
they check the rearview mirror.



I tend to avoid the center of the lane myself, riding either just to the left or to the right of center.

I will ride the center if need be.  But, I definately try to avoid it when the road is wet.

Also I exercise extra caution if I must cross the center of the lane when it's wet.

[Willow]

I ride in the tracks, either left or right.  I avoid the center of the lane, not so much from fear of the grease stripe, but I want to take advantage of the lane sweeping done by cages.  The four wheelers tend to either pick up debris from the left and right tracks or they kick it into the middle or off to the side.

I try to stay off the shoulder at highway speeds for that exact same reason.

 

[Jabba]

Willow, you and I see eye to eye about A LOT of stuff brother.  I was reading the posts and preparing that exact arguement.  I ride the wheel tracks, with the goal of seeing and being seen as primary.  I also like the added benefit of having the cages run debris interference for me.  I will often change "mini-lanes" to avoid the buffeting of a large, oncoming vehicle like a bus, semi or dump-truck.

If you find youself thinking that riding the center of the lane is appropriate, make SURE there is a lot of distance between you and the cage in front of you, because if they straddle road debris, you can't see it till it's too late.  And that brothers and sisters is a sucky deal.

Jabba

[Poor Ol Harry]

You guys are top notch!There has been a scooter in my life since 1955,& I learned a little today.Thanks for the input.
                                   Harry

[..]

Willow, you and I see eye to eye about A LOT of stuff brother.  I was reading the posts and preparing that exact arguement.  I ride the wheel tracks, with the goal of seeing and being seen as primary.  I also like the added benefit of having the cages run debris interference for me.  I will often change "mini-lanes" to avoid the buffeting of a large, oncoming vehicle like a bus, semi or dump-truck.

If you find youself thinking that riding the center of the lane is appropriate, make SURE there is a lot of distance between you and the cage in front of you, because if they straddle road debris, you can't see it till it's too late.  And that brothers and sisters is a sucky deal.

Jabba

Riding the wheel tracks also gives you a better angle of escape if the vehicle in front STOPS and allows you a better angle of vision past the vehicle in front. BUT I HEAR YOU ALL CRY "YOU MUST KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE".

Yeah right, none of us have ridden too close to the vehicle in front 

Yeah

[Jabba]

Yeah right, none of us have ridden too close to the vehicle in front 

Yeah

Yeah... how do you think I know that when a cage straddles road debris, and I don't have enough distance to react, that it SUCKS? 

Seriously, I am pretty good about following distance when I am on the Bike.  It makes me a more defensive cage driver too I think.  When I ride a lot, I am a better driver than when I don't.

That and $5.25 will get you a cup of Starbucks frappichino latte half something or other fancy assed coffee.



Jabba

[2tonevalk]

One thing also, I have not seen anyone comment on is the 'tire tracks' of the cagers rids the road of debris.  Sand and pea gravel will accumulate in the center as car tires remove it from the most travelled part of the road.  I am especially cautious when I am riding in the mountains and come up on someone's elevated washed out driveway.  Lots and lots of gravel and dirt when your going into a corner is not good.
Also usually on older road travelled by 18 wheelers the center is elevated and this can make for some interesting riding if you try to stay on top.
And as mentioned the center is where the oil and grease accumulate.  It doesnt take much oil on your tires to send your butt scooting.  So even when switching from left to right, I dont spend much time in the middle as stated above.
And like Thom said above,  just because its legal, doesnt make it the right thing to do.

Ride safe
Robert

[Jabba]

One thing also, I have not seen anyone comment on is the 'tire tracks' of the cagers rids the road of debris. 
Ride safe
Robert

Huh?

Jabba

[franco6]

 ia always ride iether the far right track or the far left (highway speeds) i now all them nails and screws are waiting in the center of those lanes!

[smokey]

Every time I take the Calif written motorcycle test I miss 1 question.
They say riding in the center is good, I say it's bad.

Since I've been missing this question for 40+ years, I guess I'll keep on missing it just for the sake of nostalgia.

PS. It may not be such a big deal in the real world but in Calif some of the centers are so slick they're difficult to walk on.

[Scott in Ok]

FYI to anyone who posts text in YELLOW!  Some folks don't view the board in the default dark background.  In some of the other themes, yellow text is almost unreadable.  3fan, this is what your post looked like to me:



If you post in yellow because it is easier for YOU to read, might I suggest you try one of the other, lighter colored themes to allow you to read the  default text better.

-Scott