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Center of the road motorcycle riders.... WTH?!?

I think being seen by other drivers starts and stops at the visibility of your clothing, helmet, and any lighting you have on your bike.

I have a hi viz green full face and a co-worker once told me I can always spot you on the road from a good distance.
If you feel they can't see you in the center why do you automatically appear to them when you slide over 2 feet to the left or right?
I will sometimes ride with my high beams on during the day to be more visible.
If I see someone at an intersection I am approaching looking "past" me I will hit my horn as I am getting closer to get their attention.
And when I approach a traffic light I am looking for the eye on the overhead or the wire/metal in the road that activates the light.
(Though Pennsylvania signed into law a bill two weeks ago a law making it legal to go through a light if it is not changing for you when the road is clear!!)
It has been a while but I do not recall the motorcycle guide given out by DOT instructing you on actually where "you have to ride" when it comes to lane position.
So, while there are good reasons to choose a tire track, it is not the law.
And I do like DD and 670 and I am back and forth for the same safety reasons (poss animals coming from the side, vehicles riding close to the center line, gravel on the road.)
The reminder about concrete shining up was great!

God bless and ride safe!!

Michael
 
I was taught the pros and cons of each of the three lane positions. The goal was to educate on the value of each and to ride consciously picking the best lane position based on the circumstances. Sometimes I want to be on the left side of the lane to be seen by oncoming traffic, see around the cars in front of me, the ability to move to the right if I see issues in oncoming traffic. I will ride in the right side of the lane if I am turning right or cars are merging in from the right. When there are two lanes going my direction I ride in the position that is closest to the middle of both lanes so I can see around both lanes of traffic and be more visible so a car a car won't move into my space. I don't use the middle often, more for for tar snakes, pooled water, uneven pavement or in slow traffic with when I am in the middle lane of three or more lanes.

Good discussion to consider all the potential dangers: road debris, being seen, seeing ahead, road conditions, lane dominance, emergency avoidance... thinking about these things in advance and riding consciously helps keep us safe in this dangerous activity. Wishing you all safe riding :)
 
One key I think is that the center of the lane typically used to be very greasy. These days, it's really not, at least not where I ride. I guess newer cars are just a lot more oil-tight and we no longer have oil slicks down the center of every road.
I haven't had on oil stain on my driveway since 1990. I notice that the center of the road where I live is very clean.
 
At the end of the day, if it makes practical sense, being in tire lanes makes more sense. Gravel, water and other non-bike friendly substance live at least 50% more in the center... just be safe.
 
Potholes live in tire tracks. There may be places North of the frost line that don't have pot holes, but in 61 years I never lived, or rode much, in one. Even here in warm sunny Florida there are lots of two lane roads with heavy truck traffic and the tire tracks are beat to crap. I spent last week in Ohio. Most of the time I was in and around Columbus, but went with my son to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so I know NY, NJ & PA don't have a monopoly on crappy roads. Being told to ride in tire tracks is like getting your first coloring book and crayons, and being told, The key to good coloring is never going outside the line.
 
I normally use the whole lane, where ever works at the time
Tonight I rode home in a downpour. the wheel tracks were full of water, so I rode in the center where the best traction was.
 
I guess the easiest way to test the theory that cars have advanced and are not leaking oils/fluids at stop lights in the middle of the road would be to check in a busy parking lot like walmart shortly after it has begun raining. That is when the oils are drawn to the surface most.
I will say this spring I pulled up to a stoplight in the left wheel track and put my right foot down and had it slide right out from under me. It was a sunny day that day even.
I'm going to stay in the wheel tracks myself after that experience, and be careful where I put my foot..but I am 53 and old school.
I learned the lesson young and if technology has changed things I am still more comfortable following the lessons I learned through old time experience. Guess it's true ya can't teach an old dog new tricks.. LOL
 
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I guess the easiest way to test the theory that cars have advanced and are not leaking oils/fluids at stop lights in the middle of the road would be to check in a busy parking lot like walmart shortly after it has begun raining.

The shoppers at Walmart are not driving the cars that have advanced, just saying.
LOL.


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The shoppers at Walmart are not driving the cars that have advanced, just saying.
LOL.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... truth! Most can't even get their pants to fit! (Either falling off showing *** crack or MUCH TOO TIGHT showing.. well I don't want to say)
:D
 
Manhole covers, slippery when wet!! Pulled up to a stop sign today with my daughter on the inside of me. As I put my foot down I felt it slide a little before getting a good grip. Looked down and realised I had put my foot on the right side edge of a metal manhole cover. Told my daughter that in the dark, in the rain you have to be all the more aware of your environment and that I had just learned, almost the hard way, to be ever more vigilant!! This is a stop line that is 1/2 mile from my house that we ride through every morning and that I am usually 1' further to the right of it than I was today.
 
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