Watch oncoming cars to know what’s happening behind you.
Don’t you love drivers who’ll pass from behind just when a vehicle is bearing down in the opposite lane? Jeez, can’t that guy wait five seconds till there’s room to swing around? Nope — he’ll squeeze by and cause a three-abreast situation with two cars and one nervous roadie.
There’s no way to prevent this, unfortunately, but at least there’s a way to know it might happen.
Watch the oncoming car. Its position will tip you off when there’s a dope about to pass.
If the oncoming driver starts hugging his edge of the road, that’s the signal. If he also brakes, it’s a red alert. Be on the white line and ready for a tight squeeze. Quickly check for an escape route off the pavement, and take it if you feel the need. Better safe than a hood ornament.
By watching oncoming cars this way, you won’t have to be so concerned with what’s coming from behind. Those cars will give you an additional signal, removing the need to glance back at a dangerous moment and risk a swerve.
It’s a shame that some drivers aren’t more considerate of cyclists. You can lessen the risk on squeeze plays by always riding a straight line no more than 18 inches from the road edge.
Mirrors on your glasses, or your helmet or you handlebars can also help. And if you want to go high tech, Garmin makes the radar based Varia that warns you when something is coming up from behind.
Mirrors help???? They should be mandatory!
I find that this doesn’t happen to me if I ride closer to the middle of the lane. I do wear a mirror because I like to know what is going on behind me. If I see someone approaching from behind and acting like he is going to make an unsafe pass, I can motion to them to slow down and wait. I’ve never had to bail in this situation, rarely even get honked at.
You make three excellent points, David! Especially communicating with the driver behind, so they know that YOU know they’re there. Staying on the white line in this case is not a great strategy. Thanks!
I have found that staying on the white line encourages drivers to pass without crossing the center line, just barely squeezing by. By staying close to the center of the lane or the vehicle tire tracks on the right side of the lane, drivers tend to cross the center line and make a safer pass.
Agree completely. I have found that most drivers seem to unconsciously “center” a cyclist as they pass. That is, the closer you ride to the edge of the road, the closer they feel they can pass you. If you move farther out from the edge of the road, they seem to give you more space, so that the cyclist is midway between the car and the edge of the road.
Stay away from the white line. Ride out enough in the road to be seen and far enough out to discourage unsafe passing. I ride on a busy street with two lane traffic in one direction. There is a bike lane but it’s narrow. When I ride in the bike lane traffic will squeeze me. If I ride very close to the roadside portion of the bike lane cars will slow and move over. Never ride the white line. Its asking for problems.
Agree with this 100%. If you stay further into the lane of traffic, you are more visible, and you reduce the risk of the car behind you trying for the squeeze play. You may upset the driver by requiring them to slow up and wait the extra 10 seconds but so be it. You getting bumped off the white line or off the road entirely are not acceptable outcomes.
How can traffic squeeze you if you’re in a bike lane? You’re in your own lane…I don’t see how you can be squeezed. Please explain.
Mirror, won’t ride without one.
I agree with riding out far enough in the road to discourage unsafe passing. When I started riding in my city I took a class and that is what they taught, and I believe it does discourage unsafe passing. I ride all over my city and positioning that way seems to make a big difference.
Amen to the comments above. This article is just plain wrong about staying on the white line. Signal to the car behind and move toward the center of the lane to prevent the car behind from trying to pass. That’s the safe way.
I agree, hugging the white line is a no-no. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recommends moving to the center of the lane to avoid the “squeeze play”. Whoever wrote the above article is not well-informed about bicycles and traffic safety.
The most important thing you can do on a bike is to be very visible at all times. Using bright, flashing tail lights is very effective for catching the attention of overtaking motorists.
I’ve found a helmet mirror to be immensely helpful over nearly two decades of bike commuting. No need to look for indirect signs of what is going on behind you when you can monitor it yourself.
I have a mirror and a Garmin radar. Radar will see traffic before I can see it in the mirror during the day. To change lanes I look at radar, then I look in mirror, then I turn head safely as last check, then hand signal, then change lanes. I see suicidal group riders do none of the above all the time. Drives me nuts. I can only imagine what drivers are thinking.
This is how to ride!
I agree this article gives bad advice. Always use a mirror so you can be aware of what is going on behind without having to turn your head. When I see a car coming up from behind with an oncoming car I move left and take the lane blocking a three wide pass then move right when the coast is clear.
I think it should be noted that not only using a mirror and or a radar device that a bright enough tail light to be seen in day time is also part of your safety equipment.
Don’t you realize that if the car driver slowed down to avoid this situation he would get home 5 seconds late. Not to mention having to lift his leg up to apply the brake pedal. Come on man, don’t you get it, it’s easier for the driver to risk our lives than slow down. Only solution I’ve found is using an eyeglass mirror. This allows me to slow down or speed up to adjust my position and avoid the problem.
How do you tell if an oncoming driver is braking?
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recommends moving to the middle of the lane to prevent passing motorists from making the dreaded “squeeze play”. In our state (Iowa), the DOT also makes that recommendation.
The author writes that there’s “no way to prevent” the squeeze play. Wrong. Moving to the center of the lane is an effective preventive maneuver. The most critical time to be aware of this is if there’s an on-coming vehicle. Then check to see if someone is approaching from behind. If so, move to the center of the lane in plenty of time for the overtaking vehicle to be able to react. If you need a mirror to figure out someone’s behind you, by all means use one. Otherwise, turning your head to look behind you is a time-tested, reliable technique. 🙂
If you want to REALLY reduce the risk of overtaking vehicles, in addition to the above recommendation of the NHTSA, riding with very bright, flashing tail lights is a tremendous help. It will keep you safer that any of mirror. Mirrors don’t make you visible. Flashing lights do, and that’s what motorists need: to know you’re there in plenty of time to figure out how to safely pass you.
Mirror and lights for me is a must. Won’t drive my car or a motorcycle without them. Why sound reason to ride a bike without them?
I have been riding with a garmin radar (first version) along with a bar end mirror, headlight, and a second taillight. The radar alerts me of vehicles behind and the mirror allows me to see that the vehicles are moving over. Agree do not straddle the white line. You need to learn to communicate with drivers and take the lane when necessary.
Great, you can’t be too safe.
Agree completely. I have found that most drivers seem to unconsciously “center” a cyclist as they pass. That is, the closer you ride to the edge of the road, the closer they feel they can pass you. If you move farther out from the edge of the road, they seem to give you more space, so that the cyclist is midway between the car and the edge of the road.
I enjoy riding on the town street’s and local roads I know in small town Ontario. I used to ride in downtown Toronto, 30 years ago, don’t know if I would any more with the social breakdown. Wintering in S Florida, I quit riding outside my gated park, too many big dogs and the worst driver’s I’ve encountered in N America or Europe, complete social breakdown, breathtaking incompetence and lack of professionalism in everything. Of course I wear bright clothes, helmet, mirror and light’s and I also ride an Italian supermoto motorcycle with my tires worn to the edges but the risks are higher than I am willing to accept and I used to be a rock climber and flew light single engine aircraft over cities and over water. I lost a responsible friend on his bike, dressed like a Xmas tree and his buddies likewise. Shame but it is what it is.