I have heard of small town LE that look specifically for out of town/state cars.
They are pulled over for things they would not normally pull someone or just because.
They ticket you and since chances are you will not travel to a local court to fight, you end up paying…
and they make a TON of money this way…
For one, if the cop doesn’t know the law, what do you think the guy in his Brodozer with the Punisher decal knows?
Second, it’s not my job to teach a cop his job.
Three, I have better things to do then fight a ticket.
Four, I know of a cop who KNOWS the law and still writes the tickets because he hates cyclists. I don’t know the success rate in court because he gets paid overtime if someone fights it, so it’s a win/win for the cop, the cyclist loses no matter what.
Taking the lane is something I do when it is necessary, but not something I do routinely for convenience. It is a judgment call for any of you to make on a case by case basis. What you may consider unsafe for two vehicles may be viewed as safe by the court, and you still lose. But maybe in some cases your feeling of safety taking the lane over rides your risk of being cited or harassed for it. Again, your call.
Usually when I am taking a lane, which I will do, it isn’t really questionable. But even still, in my example, it was blatantly obvious that I wasn’t blocking traffic and it was legal to take the lane and yet a cop still got pissy.
Does anyone “take the lane” for convenience?
Sometimes the judges are in it too. I got pull over for not putting my foot down at a stop sign, did a track stand, while in college and on campus. Fought it in court since there’s no such requirement. The judge told me to shut it and pay the fine and court fees. That was in Davis CA, a very bike friendly city.
Have you not seen riders ride two or more abreast taking a lane, when there is room for only one? If not, then it is something I see all the time. A road wide enough for a single rider, but two, or three people wide taking the lane. Not legal at all, but out of convenience to chat with your friends and be social, they take the lane.
I would be irate.
riding in a double line is completely legal in NC and I’m sure many other states.
Another excerpt from the NC bike law ride guide
GROUP RIDING
Benefits of group riding:
Many bicyclists who ride recreationally enjoy riding in groups. Group
rides are a great way to interact with friends and enjoy the outdoors at the
same time. They also help with training, as riders push each other and
work to get stronger.
Riding next to another bicyclist or group of bicyclists does take up more
space and therefore makes you more visible, which is safer. Also, a group
of bicyclists will usually occupy the lane, requiring motorists to wait until
they can safely pass in the next lane.
The downside:
Bicycle group riding is a popular activity around the state and is growing.
Yet when you hear motorists complain about bicyclists, the complaint
you hear most often is about the “group of 50 cyclists blocking rush hour
traffic” or a similar complaint about a large group. You get the idea.
So what is the law on group riding, and how do you square group riding
with the concepts of safety and courtesy we have discussed already?
Group rides and riding two abreast is legal:
First, there is no state law addressing group riding. Anyone who tells you
> the law requires you to ride single file is incorrect except in very limited
> places, typically designated by county or municipality. On almost all
roads, riding two abreast is perfectly legal. Some municipalities have “no
more than two abreast” ordinances that are often mistaken for requiring
single file riding. Check out your municipal code at www. municode.com
to see if there are any areas that apply to your ride.
You may sometimes hear motorists say that bicyclists should ride single
file, as a courtesy to motorists. By doing so, the bicyclists sacrifice some of
their safety advantage by allowing motorists to pass in the same lane.
Also, it is not necessarily true that it is easier for motorists to pass
bicyclists riding single file. Six bicyclists riding two abreast are (very
roughly) about the length of two and one-half cars; at single file, they are
twice that length and require more time to drive around. Riding two
abreast also increases the group’s efficiency at intersections.
There is no law obligating bicyclists to make passing easy
for motor vehicle drivers. A smart and courteous bicyclist, however,
chooses his or her route and bicycling time wisely. If riding
recreationally, it is preferable to choose as many lesser traveled routes as
possible or routes where it is easier for motorists to pass, if possible, and
not ride lengthy stretches of congested arterials during rush hour traffic.
Since our roads and neighborhoods are not typically built with bicycle
connectivity in mind, it is not always possible to avoid busier roads. As
a bicyclist you have the absolute legal right to use the road as you wish,
38 39
within the rules of the road. You have an obligation to others – including
other bicyclists who will share your reputation – to use your rights wisely
I don’t know about NC.
But it would not be legal here. If there is room on the side of the road for one bike, but not two, then you have to ride single file. If there is room for more than one, a cop could argue that you have to ride single file to stay “as far right as practicable”, but that would be a stretch. If you are two abreast, and blocking a lane unnecessarily, then yes, it is illegal.
If you are already taking the lane because you can not safely ride as far right as practicable, then you can ride ten abreast, in California law.
For the purposes of this argument, there is NO lane that is safe to share with a car. That is the argument for taking the lane that cars CANNOT safely pass a bicycle without crossing the yellow line.
For cyclists traveling in a vehicular lane on the roadway:
In California, cyclists may legally ride two or more abreast, as long as they are traveling at the “normal speed of traffic,” or if they are traveling in a lane that is too narrow to safely share with a motor vehicle.
However, if the cyclists are not traveling at the “normal speed of traffic,” and the lane is wide enough to safely share with a motor vehicle, then the cyclists must ride single file.
That’s basically what I was said. At least what I intended.
But you missed the part where I said, this is never possible.
Vehicle lanes on arterial roads range between 9-10 feet. Cars range between 6 and 6.5 feet wide. Almost all states have 2 feet laws and most have 3 feet laws where cars cannot come within 2 feet of a bicycle. Bicycle riders shoulders are between 14 and 16 inches. If you assume a rider could possibly choose to ride 12 inches off the edge, the math does not allow a car to safely pass a rider legally in the same lane. Therefore, riders should legally be able to take the lane and ride two abreast at all times unless they are riding on an interstate that is 12 feet wide. I’m not saying they should always take the lane and ride two abreast, but I’m also of the camp that it’s safer in almost ALL cases.
Sigh
Just…nevermind.
This. If a lane is too narrow for a bike and car to share in addition to the 3-foot buffer, where the bike is in the lane is irrelevant other than to assuage the anger of motorists who want to be able to pass dangerously without being inconvenienced.
But you have incorrectly assumed that it is illegal for a vehicle to depart their lane to pass an obstruction. Here is a link explaining with regard to Florida vehicle code.
Essentially a vehicle operator can depart their lane (even crossing double yellow) to pass under reasonable conditions. I would even go further to say that a driver is expected to depart their lane due to the geometric constraints you mention.
In response to my prior post I now see the point that is being made.
I leave up the original reply including the link for reference.
I can think of several municipalities on popular cycling routes that have a single file ordinance. Most serious riders know that they can get away with riding two across, but you’ll still be open to getting pulled over by a small town cop, one who already has chip on their shoulder.
That’s so sad. Thankfully in the UK we don’t have that law. Our guide says "you should never ride more than two abreast ". Unfortunately some people treat that as you can’t ride two abreast, and ignore the “more than” bit. Every so often governments organisations and other places will spell out that it’s easier/faster to overtake a short compact group at the correct time than a long strung out one. They also point out that a two abreast group is more visible to people which helps everyone too. That however, seems to get ignored by some (probably mostly the same some) too 
Reads like the so many other stories that lead people to believe there are some groups that are more privileged than others…
“Teen with college aspiration with no criminal intend”
“Cops interview him at the scene, no tickets issued”
Classic
They should charge the kid with using a chemical weapon, on top of the other normal charges. That would stop this BS.
I’ve gone through the whole thread but there’s no explanation of the term “roll coal”. Obviously in common usage in the US but I’ve never heard it here in the UK - I’m no petrol head so don’t hang around in motoring circles where it may be used.