Which lane to use at the traffic light?

Say I'm approaching a red light, going straight ahead, and there are three lanes. Where should I position myself to stop?

If there's a right turn lane, I get over one and sit on the right hand side of the middle lane. Therefore I'm to the far right of those going straight.

But if there's no designated right turn lane, should I still do that? Or should I stay in the far right lane and if someone wants to turn right on red, they can just go around me (and hope they don't deck me when I go straight on the green).

I hope this makes sense - it would be nice if I could draw little diagrams to demonstrate!!

Nicola

You should, in general, get at the right hand side of the lane going straight - tho' sometimes I'm just over that line, especially if there isn't anybody in the right hand turn lane, 'cause the right turners will usually be all the way over to the right of their lane.

YOu don't want to be to the right of people turning right when you're going straight - especially if there's a right turn on red, 'cause then you're keeping the cars from turning right.

THe most common cause of bike-car accidents is the "Right hook" - when a car turns right in front of you - and it is a lot more likely to happen if you're too far to the right.

In my experience (a *not* too busy town), drivers are **much** happier when I ride like a car. I get treated like a tractor or something... but given room. (Not so good when I'm going down the busier streets at rush hour...)

This is an excellent online resource, with lots of good diagrams:

Bicycling Street Smarts:
Riding Confidently, Legally and Safely

This is from Chapter 3, "Riding Through Intersections":

When going straight through, stay out of a right-turn-only lane. Make sure right-turning traffic passes you on your right. If there's a lane marked for right turns and through traffic, ride near its left side. You may sometimes have to merge into the second or third lane from the curb to avoid the right-turning traffic.

My comments in bold below:

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Originally Posted by I TRI

Say I'm approaching a red light, going straight ahead, and there are three lanes. Where should I position myself to stop?

If there's a right turn lane, I get over one and sit on the right hand side of the middle lane. Therefore I'm to the far right of those going straight.

That's exactly what you should do. Stay in the lane that goes in the direction you wish to travel - less confusing to the drivers behind you, and therefore much safer.

But if there's no designated right turn lane, should I still do that? Or should I stay in the far right lane and if someone wants to turn right on red, they can just go around me (and hope they don't deck me when I go straight on the green).

Again, that's exactly what you should do. Keep an eye on other drivers for blinker signals. Also, sometimes I will signal straight - move my arm in a straight-ahead tomahawk to indicate that I'm not turning. And just take it easy through the intersection. By taking the lane, and moving slightly to the center of the lane as you go through the intersections, cars in the lane behind you can't get around to give you a right hook. After the intersection, move back over towards the curb, if it's safe to do so.

I hope this makes sense - it would be nice if I could draw little diagrams to demonstrate!!

Nicola

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In the 3-lane case where I want to go straight and there is no right-turn lane, I will go at the top of the right lane, about in the middle (assuming there is no car in that lane). That way, incoming cars who may want to turn right will be able to do so and I will clearly indicate my intention to go straight when the light turns green.

I agree about behaving like a car to be treated like a tractor. It works!!

Yep. If you have a lane that is both for right turns and straight-aheads, "take the lane".

I personally take the lane even when I am turning right. I've had cars decide they can turn right at the same time I am - and into the same lane I am turning into. :eek: I'm not saying you should do that, it's what I do to solve a problem I was having.

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Originally Posted by Grog

In the 3-lane case where I want to go straight and there is no right-turn lane, I will go at the top of the right lane, about in the middle (assuming there is no car in that lane). That way, incoming cars who may want to turn right will be able to do so and I will clearly indicate my intention to go straight when the light turns green.

I agree about behaving like a car to be treated like a tractor. It works!!

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This is what I do too. Also, when going straight at a 2-late intersection where many cars turn right, I will make enough room to my right so they can take a right turn on red. They seem to appreciate this a great deal.

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Originally Posted by sydney_b

This is what I do too. Also, when going straight at a 2-late intersection where many cars turn right, I will make enough room to my right so they can take a right turn on red. They seem to appreciate this a great deal.

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I think my decision to do this is based on my behaviour as a driver: when going straight at an intersection where red-light right turns are allowed, I will make sure I don't use that lane so I don't have impatient people wanting to turn right behind me as I have to remain immobile at a red light because I am going straight.

I don't like having impatient people behind me. As a cyclist, I think being understanding of drivers (while taking our own presence on the road for granted as a legitimate one) and trying to think like they think goes a long way.