One of the "fun" parts of road riding is getting to deal with cars. The most common interaction is when a car passes a slower moving cyclist. My approach to handling this has always been to stay to the side, and ride as smoothly as possible, so the motorist feels comfortable enough to pass safely. A couple months back, though, I read someone saying that a better technique is to swerve a little when you hear the car coming. At first I dismissed it, but the argument was that if you look a little unpredictable, the driver will give you more room.
I was intrigued, so I've been trying it. Now, the key isn't to swerve all over the road and be erratic, but just not keep a perfectly straight line. Having tried it, I've got to say it actually works. If I hear a car coming, I'll let the bike move around a little, usually just exaggerating my pedal stroke, and when the car goes by, they give me a huge amount of room. The driver is going to pass me whether they feel comfortable or not, folks are just too impatient to not pass... but if they aren't sure if I can ride in a straight line, they give me more room. That leaves ME feeling more comfortable... and safer.It doesn't take much, just a little wobble that is visible to the driver seems to be enough. Heck, they might not even realize they're doing it.
Out riding yesterday, I was focusing on keeping my pedal stroke as smooth as possible as I was riding up a power climb... (1-3% grade) and wouldn't you know it, I was very close to mirror-slapped by the car that passed me. I hadn't heard him so didn't do a little wobble, and I guess he didn't feel the need to move over at all. Most of the other passes - the car will get almost to the other side of the road, leaving me with at least 4 feet of space!
So, while being a squirrel can be a very bad thing for drivers, it can be an excellent thing for cyclists!
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