Looking for others opinions on this because i'm not a hundred percent comfortable with riding through these. Here is the scenario... downtown. Green light and a right turn flashing arrow, with the crosswalk traffic still halted. I've gotten a few horns lately for taking these as drivers are assuming I should be riding on the sidewalk or at the the very least yielding to cars and waiting until it green sans turning light on both sides of traffic and crossing with the other pedestrians. If cars are ahead of me I'll wait till they turn but in the event of starting off at the light beside a car turning right, what does everyone else do in this situation?
I am under the impression that I also have the right of way on the light as I am part of traffic, but I'd like to get other experienced commuter's opinion on this. Regardless, it is still a little tricky. If someone gives me a horn for something like this I usually just give them a thumbs down as I consider myself fairly considerate on the roads. Thoughts? Bueller?
Right hook?
Submitted by idontgetit on
Do not position yourself between the curb and a car that is turning right (or may turn right). If cars can turn right at an intersection I would advise taking the full lane and waiting in line just like you would in a car.
I would move to the left in
Submitted by xcrider on
I would move to the left in the lane to avoid a car coming around you and wait your turn in traffic.
I 100% agree, especially
Submitted by nick motown on
I 100% agree, especially during rush hour downtown. It is not safe to have a car pass you while you wait at a light. You don't need to acknowledge honking cars; their 30 second wait is well worth your safety and they'll just get angry at the next set of lights at someone else and forget you. If they wanted to be there sooner, they should have left earlier.
location?
Submitted by ride on
John, what intersection are you talking about? And what is your path through that intersection? Are you wanting to go straight through? Are there two lanes that can turn right and one that must turn right?
If the right-hand curb lane must turn right, you cannot ride straight through the intersection from beside the curb. It's not just illegal, it's also dangerous as the other posters have replied. Despite your unease, you should be in the next lane over. It will help you greatly to feel more comfortable doing that if you have a rear-view mirror so you can monitor the traffic approaching from behind you. And don't forget to hand-signal your intention to move into the next lane over.
If you feel really uncomfortable doing that, then your next alternative is to dismount and walk across the intersection with the pedestrians. Police have told me you can get a ticket for riding through the ped crosswalk.
Are you in the turning lane?
Submitted by RT on
Are you in the turning lane?
If you are in the turning lane then you go and turn as a vehicle would.
If you are in the straight ahead lane then you go straight.
I dont really follow the problem.
Remember that if you are in traffic then you are operating as a motor vehicle and must do as they do.
A moving conversation
Submitted by Jaykay65 on
I’m the one; I’m the one that gives cyclists a bad name.
That’s according to the older driver of a white Mazda B2000 heading North on 4th Street NW at the intersection with McKnight Blvd, about 3:30PM today.
He says, “You know it’s cyclists like you that give other cyclists a bad name. I should not be in the left side of the lane while I wait for this light. I should be in right side of the lane, by the curb.
I reply, "Why, so I can get honked at by drivers behind me because I am hogging the lane and if I wasn’t there they would be able to turn right?"
He retorts, “No I should be right against the curb.”
My reply is, “So drivers can squeeze by me while they turn right and endanger myself?”
He replies, “Well if the road is too busy and you are in danger then you should not be on the road, cycling!”
“I would like to discuss this with you more,” I say, as we start pulling away together, “why don’t you pull over into the 7-11 parking lot ahead and we can discuss this.” I would like you to understand what we cyclists are faced with.”
His reply “Zoom Zoom” (well that’s what his auto did) as his Mazda pulled away. He was probably late for Happy Hour or something, because he did not stop. He zoom-zoomed away too fast and I could not get his plate number.
So now I am steamed, literally and figuratively. Running through my mind is what else can I do?
I do not filter in these situations and I am sitting behind traffic in the right lane. BUT I am the last vehicle and if I stay to the right, traffic cannot get by me to move into the right turn lane. This is when I have been honked at in the past. OR I move to the left of the right lane, vehicles can still get by me to allow then to turn right.
Then I get to have a nice conversation with some guy about not knowing how to cycle and if you are in danger, then you should not be cycling.
What is the correct position in this situation? Is it the cyclist’s judgement only, or is there a protocol?
Anyway, I motion that 4th Street NW should be a bike route with sharrows on both N & S directions.
The answer to this, the OP's
Submitted by SirLanceImNot on
The answer to this, the OP's question and others of their ilk is to ask WWACD?
What would a car do? A bike on the road is no different than a car. If you were in a car- in the right lane- and came to a stop at an intersection would you try and squeeze close to the curb (or as far to the left) so that a driver behind you could turn right? No ! you wait for the light to change and proceed through the intersection and the driver behind you can just wait to turn.
The safe thing to do in this case is take the lane. If you squeeze to the curb you risk a right hook once the light changes- If you move to the left you risk being stuck between the two lanes. I stop as close to the front of the intersection as possible ( e.g. on top of the first white line if there's a ped crossing) at the left side of the lane at the spot where a car's left wheels would be if I was driving. In most cases that gives cars ample room to turn- if not, they wait just like they would if I was in a car.
Unless I'm turning, I stay
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Unless I'm turning, I stay out of the turning lanes. I see cyclists riding through turn-only lanes all the time, and it makes me worry for their safety. Occasionally, people will follow me into the safer, more central lanes.
Take the lane and ignore the
Submitted by xcrider on
Take the lane and ignore the chatter from cars. I let a guy yap on one time for a minute one day down on Elbow Dr and Glenmore because he felt I should be all the way to the right, which at the time was a right turn lane. He was totally pissed that I was ignoring his unwelcomed advise. When I had finely had enough I looked him straight in the eye and politely told him it was obvious he hadn't got any this morning, his passenger nearly spit his coffee all over the dash board =) So it is I that gives cyclists a bad name, I confess.