I think its a bad idea to assume a car will see anything at any time, let alone a smaller/narrower object, and at 700ft away.
There are two assumptions made by the "Drive in the middle of the road" group that are either patently false or misguided.
1) If I'm in the middle they will see me. Sorry, simply wrong. First we all know there's a HUGE contingent of distracted drivers that wouldn't see a massive yellow barn that fell from the sky and was laying in the middle of the road. A frighteningly large percentage of drivers would simply plow right into the barn. To think they will see a narrow profile of a cyclist from behind while hitting the barn is simply wishful thinking of a group of people that want to arrest control of their rights. This again says nothing of the human failing of simply filter out what is not supposed to be there that effects us all. IOW a very attentive driver may simply not see you in the middle of the road...because most people don't think you should be there.
2) If I'm in the middle they will be forced to be more careful while passing me. While I think this *might* be a valid argument I also tend to think that if you're pissing some guy off by making him go 15 MPH in a 45 while oncoming traffic keeps him from passing, you're increasing the odds that he will pass you when it is not safe and or road rage on you and drive you off the road. IF, and that is a big if, there is any general advantage by raising general awareness by forcing them to change their driving habits this advantage has to be large enough to over ride the afore mentioned disadvantage.
but from a safety standpoint I don't understand how they can be so steadfast based on assumptions of what motorists out of their control will or won't do. It is what it is.
It's the same mentality that assumes that if a certain policy is put in place that everyone will react exactly as they intended. Humans simply don't operate that way despite others expecting them to. The mentality here is "It's my right to be in the middle of the road. Since I am rightfully here you will see me and act as I think you should." It's the classic failure to understand people will regularly not do what they are forced into doing or expected to do. In some cases this is seen as provocation and people will purposefully react negatively.
~Matt
There are two assumptions made by the "Drive in the middle of the road" group that are either patently false or misguided.
1) If I'm in the middle they will see me. Sorry, simply wrong. First we all know there's a HUGE contingent of distracted drivers that wouldn't see a massive yellow barn that fell from the sky and was laying in the middle of the road. A frighteningly large percentage of drivers would simply plow right into the barn. To think they will see a narrow profile of a cyclist from behind while hitting the barn is simply wishful thinking of a group of people that want to arrest control of their rights. This again says nothing of the human failing of simply filter out what is not supposed to be there that effects us all. IOW a very attentive driver may simply not see you in the middle of the road...because most people don't think you should be there.
2) If I'm in the middle they will be forced to be more careful while passing me. While I think this *might* be a valid argument I also tend to think that if you're pissing some guy off by making him go 15 MPH in a 45 while oncoming traffic keeps him from passing, you're increasing the odds that he will pass you when it is not safe and or road rage on you and drive you off the road. IF, and that is a big if, there is any general advantage by raising general awareness by forcing them to change their driving habits this advantage has to be large enough to over ride the afore mentioned disadvantage.
but from a safety standpoint I don't understand how they can be so steadfast based on assumptions of what motorists out of their control will or won't do. It is what it is.
It's the same mentality that assumes that if a certain policy is put in place that everyone will react exactly as they intended. Humans simply don't operate that way despite others expecting them to. The mentality here is "It's my right to be in the middle of the road. Since I am rightfully here you will see me and act as I think you should." It's the classic failure to understand people will regularly not do what they are forced into doing or expected to do. In some cases this is seen as provocation and people will purposefully react negatively.
~Matt