If you recognize that your in a blind spot, are you prevented from adjusting your position because you've pulled too far forward to actually place yourself in the blind spot?
I know I sometimes find myself in positions that I know well to avoid, but sometimes it takes a second for it to be realized. My favorite is being aligned next to a semi's trailer wheels. I will slow down to avoid sitting in that spot when moving, not during stop-n-go. So I understand it's sometimes obvious after the fact.
The problem happens when you're approaching an intersection together with a car coming from your right (or left if left-hand drive). When your speeds match up just right, you are practically invisible because you sit in the blind spot the entire time they're approaching.
You can accelerate or decelerate to solve the problem, or maybe do a little swerve. But you don't know when you're in the blind spot.
Another problem are cars merging onto the road from a stand-still. Driver looks left, sees empty road. Starts merging and whoops they just cut you off. You were hiding behind the pillar in the moment they looked. You can't know this happened until it's too late.
This is why as a car driver I always take one last look at the road while already starting to move but before blocking the road. Most drivers don't do this.
Not to over analyze, but no matter if I'm on a bike or car I've always thought you shouldn't drive alongside or in the blindspot of another vehicle if you can avoid it (by a minute change in speed).
What? Do you mean like way far ahead of them? So far, that you're not really in front of them?
How is that ever safer than being behind someone? You can control the following distance if you're behind someone. You can't make someone behind you pay attention or stop, and you can't make someone beside you not change lanes without looking. Why would you ever want to be in their direction of travel?
Seriously, please explain your logic on this. I'm flabbergasted.
The braking as an out because a bike can brake faster than the car always seemed odd to me because whatever car is behind you will also not be able to brake as fast.
You also have much more room as a bike. If I'm passing someone going uphill, and I don't have enough power to finish the pass on the hill, I have another 8 feet of lateral buffer versus a car before they would come dangerously close to me.
I'm not saying you should hang out next to cars all the time, but it's better than in a car, where you might have 3 feet of buffer.
Huh. I figure it the other way. If the traffic is light, then people think they're the only person on the road. I expect they will change lanes without thinking or looking (Like, _Why would someone be in my blind spot with all of this space?_)
Whereas, when there's heavier traffic, you can't help being in someone's blind spot. In this case, I will usually speed up to being at least next to them, so I'm sure they can see me, and then I'll let the driver pass me, so the last idea they have is, _I just passed that moto/where is that moto I just passed?_
Overall, being in someone's blind spot is by definition, risky. And it serves no purpose, and has a clear remedy. Whatever. Ride you ride.
I know I sometimes find myself in positions that I know well to avoid, but sometimes it takes a second for it to be realized. My favorite is being aligned next to a semi's trailer wheels. I will slow down to avoid sitting in that spot when moving, not during stop-n-go. So I understand it's sometimes obvious after the fact.