While my intention was not to elicit debate, although a healthy exchange is always good.
The area I ride is predominately two lane with occasional passing lanes. When oncoming traffic is light I ride left of center for maximum wiggle room in this deer infested region. When ONCOMING traffic picks up I move right of center so approaching traffic and peek-a-boo passers can pick me out sooner. I rarely ride the center. I control the vehicle ahead of me with safe distance or giddyup to get ahead and in the clear.
The guy passing me in my lane was a phenomenon I had never before experienced in 46 years of riding. Do I have a right to my lane? Absolutely! Am I going to defend my right with a 900 lb. bike against a 3000 lb. truck? No, not today or any other day. Am I going to retaliate with a bat, hammer, ball bearings or a splash of viral serum. No. [not in broad daylight] Nor will I adhere to some by the book dogma as conditions on the road are ever fluid. Experience and a calm demeanor have served me well for a long time.
Oh, and I got a kick out of being called a "newbie". That's rich. I really enjoy this forum!
Ride Safe. Doug

 

I'm sure the righteous will object to my view until it happens to them. If a person enters your home with intent to do bodily harm you can STAND YOUR GROUND and take necessary measures to protect yourself. If you mention any type of justifiable defense on the road while riding folks think your off the deep end even though your just venting your frustration. Seems all we can do is tell about about our woes via this forum. unfortunately the ones who cause the problem don't subscribe or read it.

 

Anyone who doesn't believe the center of the road has more oil, grease and debris of any kind than the tire tracks of the vehicles hasn't been paying much attention.

The oil and grease is usually not much of a factor, it is worse in the first few minutes it starts raining.

I usually ride left of center. I do move to center or even past when meeting traffic, especially trucks.

The whole lane is mine. I use it all to my advantage when conditions change.

I have never heard of anyone who reads the crap the dmv recommends and thinks that means it's the law. I have been riding in IL for over forty years and I haven't heard of anyone getting ticketed for riding off center of the lane.

BTW, the flashing brake lights are not illegal in IL anymore.

Dennis

 

A couple days ago I was riding through a residential neighborhood and had some assclown in a mini-van blow a stop sign right in my path going well over 60mph. (I was riding northbound, and he was going eastbound from my left). I nailed my brakes and tried to swerve to the left. I just barely missed him - by inches literally.

Regardless of where in your lane you are, sometimes it just doesn't matter (as far as visibility goes) they won't see you because they're just plain not looking. Keep your eyes open, watch for and expect the other guy to do the most unpredictable thing, and the worst possible thing, and try to keep as many options available to escape.

Be safe.

Bill

 

I think you hit it right on the nail head.

 

It's amazimg how people that cut you off always seem to take the next right at the next light...

 

I ride it the same way I drive my semi, some body has to own the middle.

 

Yet bikers do it all the time out on the freeways and around town here in California, especially passing a lot of cars to pull up to the stop light. Some of the wildest road rages incidents I've witnessed was not when the car had to share the lane because a biker 'took possession' but when a car pulled up along side a motorcycle already stopped at the light. Seems that as a 'motorcyclist' some riders have a different view then when they are driving a car. Kind of a double standard.... for example, a motorcyclist splits lanes at 30 mph faster than the traffic and within inches of the cars. Now, take a car that passes a motorcycle that fast and close and watch the biker go ballistic, trying to extract revenge.

 

In the California DMV Motorcycle Handbook, it specifically states not to ride in the middle due to oil and debris, but off-center to the left or right, depending on traffic. I try to shift to the far-side of the lane when coming up on traffic, or as traffic over-takes me to give me a little more distance.

 

I learned that lesson the hard way once, I was in my own lane on the right and a car began passing me in my lane, then when a car came around a blind corner in the other lane, the car pushed me out and took my lane. I've never given an inch since, but ya gotta be smart, we won't win any contests wrestling for lane position on a scooter against a cage. As far as kicking their door, be careful out there, lots of loonies these days willing to risk going to prison to be the king of the road.

Pick your fights and practice good offensive / defensive riding.