Matthew Russotto
The Highway Capacity Manual specifies 12 ft as "ideal" for capacity and makes downward adjustment for narrower lanes.
If the lane is 9 to x ft wide and I am riding in it, that is more than twice the width of a 4 ft bike lane and I enjoy the wider space and its attendant benefits. A bike lane is substandard width regardless of how you want to define it.
Traffic has no "right" to free flow. It must adjust for conditions. The fact that I am sometimes slow is one of them. If the lane is narrow, motorists must wait to change lanes. If it is wide and I let them use my lane, they should be thankful.
I take the whole lane when I see fit. Motorists don't "give" me anything.
My experience in 25 years of adult cycling is that some get frustrated and do indeed vent their anger by agression. However, by being buttertive, the vast majority are compelled to pbutt me cautiously, and they do. Further, by riding buttertively, I prevent those motorists from trying to squeeze by when there is no room. Overall then, it is much better to ride buttertively then it is to ride like a leper on the road as most motorists would wish.
Ride like a big dog. Get treated like one.
Bicyclists do ride to the right side for your all important convenience, but confining them there is another matter. Most places don't do that.
I gather that you must not be a good driver since you complain about bicyclists so much and how hard it is to pbutt them. When I motor, I never have such problems, and I encounter lots of bicyclists on narrow roads. Perhaps you should take an advanced driving course.
Wayne
