My friend, CyclingSavvy graduate Ian Whiting, rides a lot on shoulderless Massachusetts highways. Big rigs also use them. Ian likes to shoot video as he rides. I am pleased to host his videos here on the Savvy Cyclist. There are already Savvy Cyclist posts about how to be safe when cycling around big trucks in urban traffic, but now Ian will show us a couple of examples of CyclingSavvy control-and-release strategy for the open road.
What is control-and-release strategy?
CyclingSavvy control-and-release strategy is to control the travel lane when passing is unsafe, releasing control by moving over to the right when passing becomes safe. This strategy is about cyclists’ engaging actively with motorists, and it is about release as much as it is about control. Ian’s video shows a couple of different ways to release on the same uphill stretch, with oncoming traffic and a restricted sight line over the hilltop. Both clips in the video start at the same traffic signal. Here’s the location in Google Maps.
Pulling over
In Ian’s first clip, he starts out on a green light; the truck catches up with him partway up the hill. He pulls over into a convenient driveway entrance to let the truck pass. There is nothing unusual about this – except – A second truck was following the one he pulled over to let pass. There’s a lesson in that: cyclists should always check before re-entering the roadway, even after only pulling aside briefly. What you saw behind you is now in front of you, but you might not have seen everything that was behind you.
The “loop-the loop” – not a conventional control-and-release strategy!
In the second clip, Ian is waiting at the traffic light when a big rig pulls up behind. He does a “loop the loop” — a U turn, backtracking, and another U turn to get behind the truck. This is not a conventional control-and-release strategy, but it works. Clever!
I advise using the loop-the-loop technique only when traffic is stopped, and passing would be illegal. In Ian’s video, he is first in line at a red light. The loop-the-loop is practical only when you can easily reach a lane for traffic in the opposite direction — so, almost always on a two-lane highway, though also on a multi-lane highway if you are waiting to turn left. You need to check for illegal passing, but also for traffic in the lane where you will backtrack — including traffic turning into that lane.
Generating goodwill
The loop-the-loop technique probably won’t generate goodwill to the same extent as pulling over. The truck driver will probably think that you decided to turn around and go back where you came from. But either way, it works better to be behind the big rig than in front. Well, except for the truck’s diesel smoke. But you would get that anyway, only at a different time.
https://cyclingsavvy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/whiting-backtrack.jpg6791077John Allenhttps://cyclingsavvy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CS-logo_xlong-header.pngJohn Allen2021-07-31 18:00:002021-07-31 19:18:41Control-and-Release Strategy with Ian Whiting
When I was a hot-shot, I wanted to be the next Greg LeMond (I know, I’m dating myself). I stripped every nonessential gram from my Italian racing steed, so I could go that much faster. I actually looked into how I could inflate my razor-thin tires with helium, so I could shave off another fraction-of-a-fraction-of-an-ounce.
A mirror on my helmet? Pfff. I was too cool to even wear a helmet, let alone put a dorky mirror on it. None of the professional cyclists I idolized even wore helmets, let alone helmet mirrors. And I was practically one of them.
My cycling spidey sense was so sharp…
…I didn’t need a mirror on the helmet I didn’t wear. My ears told me the make, model, year, closing speed, and passing clearance of whatever was behind me. Oh, yeah, my ears knew the color of the vehicle behind me, too. Amazing!
What can I say? I was an over-confident teenage boy with an overabundance of derring-do — and a decided lack of humility. Yes, I could hear an approaching vehicle, and even be able to guess pretty accurately whether it was a sedan or a semi. But that’s nothing special if you have average hearing, which mine most assuredly is. Ask my wife.
Maybe hearing is good enough…
…if all you ever do is hug the edge of the road (and pray for your life as you hear a roaring engine barrel toward you). Your hearing might be all you ever need if you never leave the edge to make a turn, change lanes, or avoid a hazard. Or if you don’t mind getting your legs shaved by the land rocket that just buzzed you.
Not so cool anymore.
If you’d like more space, read on.
First, understand this:
When you choose to ride on the edge, you’re irrelevant.
This is one of the most important things I learned when I encountered CyclingSavvy. The more relevant you are to motorists, the more you influence their choices. Where are you more relevant? Somewhere away from the edge.
Every time you glance over your shoulder, you take your focus away from where it’s most needed: In front of you.
The exact location away from the edge depends. That’s the next thing I learned from CyclingSavvy: How to think critically about the road and the traffic on it. How wide is the lane? Can I safely share it with a car? An F-150? A semi? How heavy is traffic? How fast? What conflicts am I vulnerable to? How can I reduce my risk? What’s my cycling behavior communicating to others?
It’s OK to ride far to the right,if many conditions are met.
Can you see the car behind me? I can, too!
Often, though, it’s not OK. It’s more dangerous to be on the edge than in the lane of traffic. With savvy cycling know-how, I learned how to tell where I should drive — yes, drive — my bicycle.
This is CyclingSavvy’s other big takeaway: Cyclists who adopt driving behavior— rather than edge behavior — are more visible, less prone to conflict, and more relevant to others on the road. They also get where they’re going faster and more directly.
Oh, and they have more fun.
What does this have to do with bicycle helmet mirrors?
Think about it. Do you need mirrors on your car? On your motorcycle? Yes, of course. They’re required by law, and for good reason. Drivers need to be able to see all around them in order to change lanes and make turns.
Bicycle drivers are no different. Unlike car drivers, though, we have a built-in advantage. Because we’re not encased in a steel and glass box, we have much more ability to know what’s going on around us. My teenage self was spot on: you can hear what’s coming from behind you. Seeing what’s behind you is pretty simple, too. Just glance over your shoulder.
Here’s the thing, though. Every time you glance over your shoulder, you take your focus away from where it’s most needed: In front of you.
Me and my helmet mirrors. Yes, mirrors.
Rockin those mirrors, Brian!
I love — and I mean capital “L” LOVE — my helmet mirrors. Yeah, that’s plural. I have one on my left, and one on my right. I often need to change lanes to the right. A mirror on the right gives me a quick check of what’s behind me on my right.
(If my know-it-all doofus teenage wannabe racer self could see me now, his eyes would roll right out of his head.)
With mirrors, I keep my focus in front of me more of the time because I can just move my eyeballs instead of having to move my whole head — or in my case, my whole upper body, since I’m not quite as limber as I used to be.
Whether you use a mirror or not, ALWAYS look over your shoulder before making a lateral move.
By taking a quick look in my mirrors, I get a preview of what’s going on behind me. I can read the behavior of the drivers behind me and see in real timehow they’re responding to me.
Note that I used the word preview. Before changing lanes or lane position, I always look over my shoulder as well.
I’ll say that again. It’s super important.
Whether you use a mirror or not, ALWAYSlook over your shoulder. Turn your head or torso to see what’s behind you before you change lanes or lane position.
A mirror can be helpful, but it’s not a good substitute for a head turn.
Why should you look over your shoulder if you have a mirror?
“Shoulder Check” a crucial savvy cycling skill
CyclingSavvy co-founder Mighk Wilson demonstrates a perfect shoulder check
During the parking lot skills session, CyclingSavvy instructors work extensively with their students on “Shoulder Check.” Being able to look over your shoulder while keeping a straight line does several things: It helps you check for traffic. It establishes your humanity and allows you to communicate with others. Also, you don’t want to “wobble” when you’re out and about (and we show you how not to). Riding straight is important for predictability and respect from others.
“A good head turn is a tool for getting drivers to notice that you want to do something,” Keri said.
“When you turn your head over your shoulder, more often than not, other drivers will help you out if they can.”
It’s a skill that doesn’t come naturally, even for bicycle safety experts.
“I didn’t develop a good shoulder check until I rode without a mirror for several months,” Keri said.
CyclingSavvy taught me that I have a right to use the road, and that cowering on the edge doesn’t do me or anybody any good. But in addition to that, I learned how to claim my rightful road space and cooperate with other drivers as I control my space.
This is the essence of Control & Release. With helmet mirrors, it’s a lot easier.
Here’s how: Let’s say I’m riding down Perry Avenue near my home. Like most roads around here, it’s a 2-lane road with 11-foot lanes, too narrow to share.
There’s no way I’m going to “get out of the way” and “share” a lane with that 10-ton behemoth, so I calmly give everyone The Hand.
I make myself relevant by riding in the middle of the lane, so it’s obvious to drivers who want to overtake me that they’ll need to change lanes to pass. This is the passive communication that our lane position always gives.
As I ride along, I glance at my mirror and see a car approaching me quickly. I glance again, and see that the driver has slowed down. She’s hanging back, patiently waiting for a safe opportunity to pass.
Motorist Eternity
After a few moments, I take another look in my mirror. Now I see a monster truck stacked up behind the nice patient lady. Monster Truck is not happy with the delay. It’s been about 30 seconds — an eternity in “Motorist Years.”
I wave to Monster Truck and don’t get a return wave. That’s OK. I got what I wanted, which was my space.
“Motorist Eternity” —also known as Must Pass Bicyclist Syndrome— happens when a motorist finds him- or herself “stuck” behind a bicyclist. Motorist Eternity can kick in as early as five seconds of being “stuck” behind the bicyclist.
(Funny how Motorist Eternity never kicks in at red lights. Motorist Eternity doesn’t appear to afflict drivers completely stopped in interstate traffic jams. No bicyclists there. Hmmmm.)
The nice lady’s patience is starting to wane.
But it’s the driver of the monster truck who I’m really thinking about. Sure enough, at Second 31, Monster Truck starts scooching over to pass both of us, even though there’s an oncoming car.
There’s no way I’m going to “get out of the way” and “share” a lane with that 10-ton behemoth, so I calmly give everyone The Hand.
I just hold my hand there and glance in my mirror again.
“The Hand” is the universal hand signal for “stay back,” left arm extended diagonally out, palm back. Sure enough, Monster Truck moves back into the lane. That driver is not happy, but gave me what I wanted, because I asked.
I knew to ask because I could read their behavior in real time by looking in my mirror. Passive communication with my lane position wasn’t enough. I needed active communication too.
The Hand, the Come Along Wave, and Thank You Wave
Fortunately, there’s a usable shoulder coming up, so I retract The Hand, and give a right-turn hand signal as I maintain lane control. When the shoulder opens up, I look over my right shoulder, move to the right, stop pedaling, and give everyone the Come Along Wave, left hand making a circular motion in a “come along” kinda way.
As the nice lady starts to pass me, I now give her the Thank You Wave. She waves back!
I wave to Monster Truck, too, and don’t get a return wave. That’s OK. I got what I really wanted, which was my space.
Signaling left and keeping tabs on the car behind me
After Monster Truck passes, I glance in my mirror again, see nobody behind me, do a shoulder check, give a left-turn hand signal, do another shoulder check (since my arm is already out anyway), and move left into the middle of the lane.
Those dorky helmet mirrors give me the awareness I need to be able to mix and mingle with traffic in a fluid, harmonious way.
In all of this, the mirror allowed me to see how drivers were responding to me without me taking my focus away from where I was going. My mirrors also gave me a first glimpse prior to my shoulder checks as I prepared to make lane position changes.
It’s certainly possible to do Control & Release without using mirrors. It’s just that without a mirror, you’ll spend an awful lotta time looking over your shoulder…over and over…each time you want to see what’s happening back there. No fun!
Act like a driver to be treated like one.
The more relevant you make yourself, the more you are respected. Using “driver behavior” makes it easier to see what’s happening around you, so you’re able to respond more quickly to dynamic situations.
Why every ride is a joyride.
My mirrors are key to my safety and success on my bike. It’s why every ride is a joyride. Because, yes, those dorky mirrors on my helmet give me the awareness I need to be able to mix and mingle with traffic in a harmonious, responsive way.
My bike is no longer a stripped-down thoroughbred. I always wear a helmet now. My younger self would be embarrassed to be seen with me.
But if I had the chance to take my younger, sportier self out for a ride, I think even he’d be impressed with that middle-aged guy with the dorky mirrors, riding with grace and confidence, hardly ever getting buzzed, fluidly cooperating with traffic, glancing back occasionally in his mirrors to see if that young racer know-it-all is keeping up.
CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey uses an EVT helmet mirror when she shoots video
That’s right! For the same price you’d pay online for one of these fantastic mirrors, you’ll be helping ABEA spread savvy cycling to more people.
“Wearing my EVT Helmet Mirrors are like having eyes in the back of my head,” said Brian, who loves these mirrors so much that he became a dealer. He also suggested this promotion to benefit ABEA.
While ABEA makes no specific product endorsements, many instructors join Brian in making good use of EVT helmet mirrors. ABEA also appreciates Brian’s incredible generosity!
Your Donation to ABEA is Tax-Deductible
Make a $40 donation for each mirror you want. Your tax deductible amount is $18 per mirror. The rest covers the cost, shipping and handling of the mirror from Bremerton, WA (USA).
Match Brian’s generosity with your own and help “pay it forward” for ABEA. Thank you, Brian!
Ian Whiting
2018
