Do You Ride The Line? 

This safety tip concerns the white line at the edge of a paved road. Do you ride on it?

The answer is NO! There are 2 reasons for this. Because it's painted, it's often a bit slick so it's best to stay off it. The second reason has to do with those pesky cars.

Let's pretend that the shoulder is gravel/dirt. It may look like a safe place to be because it puts more distance between you and the car, but those shoulders often have debris and getting back onto the pavement requires some skill as the asphalt is usually built up. You have to turn your front tire to go over the lip and if you don't get the angel right, down you go in the one place you don't want to be - the middle of the road. And trust me, it hurts!

We always want to be conscious of cars because they often don't see us or calculate the correct amount of space for us to both be in the lane. If you ride the white line, the car can continue as is. Many accidents have occurred from riders being clipped by the mirror on the passenger side.

The safest place is to be about 12 -18 inches to the left of the white line. That way there's enough room for both you and the car, but the car has to move slightly out of your way. We don't want to force the car into the other lane and on-coming traffic.

We often see Ramblers ride in the middle of the lane but the only time we do this is when we're making a left hand turn. If you decide to have a creative moment and swerve in and out from the white line you put both yourself and those riding behind you in a dangerous position. Cycling is the time to be boring and predictable. Embrace that hidden side of you and stay safe!