blind corners

The common advice on right hand blind corners is to approach near the center line so you can see farther around the corner.  I don't agree with this.  I ride in the Santa Cruz Mountains with many right hand corners that are blind with a cliff face.  I have met oncoming traffic in the left wheel track in my lane several times.  If I had been in the left wheel track I would be dead.  I enter right hand blind corners slow and far to the right from beginning to end.  There is no time to react on oncoming traffic. If I encounter debris, so be it.  Debris is not coming at me at 30 or 40 miles per hour with 2,000 pounds of weight.

Sevearal riders have died in the Santa Cruz Mountains, usually on the curves.

 Sorry to rant, but I wish that people who keep giving the common advice would wise up before more riders die from it.  It won't hurt to slow down for a right hand blind corner.  It will probably save your life like it has mine several times.  

Andrew Trevitt of Sport Rider, I hope you read this.  

I think we cover it pretty good here: Blind Turns on the Street

This shows a slightly tighter entry compared to a conventional line to give you that buffer in case a car is coming the other way, but still close enough to the centerline so that you can see around the blind part of the corner. There has be some sacrifice of one for the other; some people are more comfortable with keeping that tight line all the way around the corner and not being able to see as well, other people prefer to keep it a bit wide so they can see better.

I think the most important part, and this is stated in the article, is to keep your speed down so that you've got some options either way.

AT  

The problem with tight rights is not just debris, it is also parked cars or bicycles.  Yes, they aren't closing at speed but they might carry higher odds, especially when you add common rock falls/debris to the calculation.

It's interesting, the question of "mountain right."  It applies to all right hand turns where there is any visual obstruction - in town/traffic too.  The interesting part is that the safe speed for a right is far less than it is for a left, precisely because there are less visual obstructions associated with lefts, meaning that there is more time to evade danger. Of course, the fact that the radius of a left turn is greater than for the same turn when turning right also affects this speed differential.

This right vs left safe speed differential may partly explain why so many novice roadracers seem to go faster in lefts than in rights -just more experience going fast in lefts - but then there's the left brain/right brain right handedness bias too.  

Andrew, your article in the October issue "Blind turns on the street" states that "a wide entry ... outweigh the downsides".  Not when a car is coming around a blind turn in your lane and you don't have time to react.  Nothing outweighs that downside.  You don't even mention the risk of an oncoming car.  If you don't know what you are talking about, then don't advise riders to risk their lives based on your lack of knowledge.  

Sorry to be blunt, but lives are at stake on this issue.  

hoesing:
You don't even mention the risk of an oncoming car.



You apparently didn't read the paragraph following the one you quoted. One sentence midway through that paragraph reads: "Another danger in right-hand turns is that a wide entry leaves you more exposed to an oncoming car or bike that may be partly in your lane."

Also, the sentence following the one you quoted states: "Keeping your speed down will allow you to tighten your line if necessary, as well as giving you even more time in hand." This same aspect is mentioned in the photo caption of the second shot dealing with right-hand turns. Note too that in the photo depicting a "wide entry", the rider isn't exactly putting his tire tracks on the inner edge of the center line; he's basically just outside the center portion of his lane, leaving plenty of room away from the opposite lane.

As xbacksideslider pointed out, there's plenty of dangers no matter what line you take. Taking the whole aspect of blind turns, including the "Blind Turns on the Street" story in context, the point of any blind turn strategy is stated in the last sentence: "In any blind turn, keep focused on where you're going, be ready for whatever may be on the other side of the turn, and have some speed and room in hand to account for it."  

Andrew, I apologize for not reading further.  You are correct about the next paragraph.  Thanks for responding.  

Hoesing you've given the two components a good outside, inside, outside approach but the key is speed. If you enter a blind turn with a cliff on the side you're entering going too fast and unable to see what may be in the middle or other end you'll likely not have good results. The suggestion of going near the centerline (on RH turns) to create a view around the turn makes sense but your point about possible cars or other vehicles crossing that centerline is a true issue. So that approach is a general guideline that needs modification depending on the turn and condition.