What's a car to do when there's a biker on your tail?

"Roadshow", a column written by Gary Richards in the San Jose Mercury News has an interesting letter this morning that every motorcyclist who rides in the HOV (aka "commuter") lane will relate to. The letter is from the perspective of the driver who was driving the commuter lane. The car driver felt so pressured by a motorcylist who was riding his bumper that he crossed over the double white lines and got a traffic ticket for doing so. The car driver asked Mr. Roadshow, "what was I supposed to do?"

I have found myself behind cars who are legally in the commuter lane (2 or more people in the car) who aren't going with the speed of traffic. Very frustrating. In California, If they are cruising at 55 mph (or below the speed limit), and the traffic in the lane to the right is moving at 70 mph, then I get annoyed and flash my lights meaning, either speed up or move over. In California, if the car will move over to the left just a couple of feet, I can share the lane and get by safely. In North Carolina, I have to change lanes, or back off and wait until the double white (same as double yellow) lines change to a single line.

Let's say that this particular driver was going at the speed of traffic. Let's say I'm the rider. I'm running late and riding aggressively (c'mon, it happens to you, too, admit it). My response is the same as Mr. Roadshow's: "I would have stayed at a steady pace and let the motorcyclist decide what to do."