Take the Lane!!!

[KnottedYet]

I always take the lane in intersections and wait my turn in the line of cars just as if I were a car (unless I'm turning right). I've found that the drivers around here treat me better if I do that. Maybe they figure if I'm behaving like a car, they should treat me like a car and give me the same room and courtesy they'd give a car?

Also, many of the bike lanes in my end of Seattle "disappear" before intersections to force bikes to take their appropriate lane before the intersection. I think this trains the drivers to watch for bikes coming into the lane at intersections to some extent.

[Kitsune06]

This is very difficult to do near/around rush hour when people are angry, frustrated, and impatient, bumper to bumper up to intersections. On my morning ride I take my appropriate lane. In the evening, with lousy traffic, I just cross at crosswalks.

[Crankin]

I always take the lane on larger roads. My husband, on the other hand, commutes on a 2 lane busy road (Rt 27 to you NE ladies) and is the one you see passing all of the cars on the right when they are stopped at a light. He is safe, but I think this is an undue risk, esp. at rush hour. He does not run red lights or stop signs; how horrible for a ride leader to do this.
Yesterday we were on a ride on our after work loop. it was rush hour and we were coming into the small rotary (traffic circle) in Carlisle. Now this is a rural town, but as one guy was approaching from a street ahead on our right, to make a right on the main road, we came into the rotary, to travel around, get on the main road, and make an immediate left. On coming cars have a stop sign where we make the left, so once you get into the rotary, it's usually safe. Well, this guy was stopped, but just sort of went as Steve was going by him. Steve yelled SO loud, that all of the people in the other cars certainly heard. I think the guy did, too, because he sped away as we caught up to him. Plus, there was another cyclist ahead of us, who scooted onto the other side of the rotary, to get onto the street where we make a left. So, she was going the WRONG way in a very dangerous spot. I guess she thought the cars stopped at the sign would wait, but it made me want to scream.

[Kitsune06]

I find whipping out a saber and yelling "YAAARRRRRR!!! I'm GA'IN TA BARRRD YAR LANE!!!! AVAST, YE SCURVY RATS!!!!"

Well...
less the saber.
...and the pirate speak.
...actually, I just signal...
but doesn't that just grab more attention and sound like WAY more fun??!

[SouthernBelle]

I find whipping out a saber and yelling "YAAARRRRRR!!! I'm GA'IN TA BARRRD YAR LANE!!!! AVAST, YE SCURVY RATS!!!!"

Well...
less the saber.
...and the pirate speak.
...actually, I just signal...
but doesn't that just grab more attention and sound like WAY more fun??!

Yep. But bull bellowing is fun too.

[Geonz]

I will often wait in the queue at a stop light, but it's a judgement call. There will be people whose views I respect who would consider flamethrowing... but around here, generally there are 2-3 cars in the queue... often more on the other side, some of whom are going to be taking lefts. Oh, and usually one of the ones in my queue are making lefts - there's no dedicated left hand turn.

So, I scoot to teh front where the cars on both sides can see me, and right-turners can get by behind me. If the cars in the queue are going straight, they're all by me by the time I'm across; if they're going left, I'm across and have my lane position and I'm past the opposing-direction queue before soembody would even want to squeezy by me, so they can pass me safely instead.

This is totally intersection-specific. When in doubt - or at a new intersection - I'm a vehicle. I'm in the queue. Even then, though, there's the issue of driver who expects me to be in the shoulder (or to pull to the front), so they pull along beside me. Usually I still stick to that spot, because one of my Primary Principles is "don't make 'em pass me twice."

(I've most recently bellowed at wild turkeys. The drivers have been mostly okay.)

[li10up]

These aren't hard and fast "rules," just general guidelines that improve safety and promote a healthy "share the road" attitude with motorists. By all means move ahead of vehicles if you are just going to have to sit through 2 or 3 lights. I was just pointing out that we should try to make an effort not to slow the motor traffic down unnecessarily. So I agree with Geonz...use your judgment.

Any new riders finding out that these suggestions have helped them navigate the traffic better?

Once I figured out this stuff it was much easier for me and I felt more confident. I still try to stick to the roads less traveled though. Makes for a more enjoyable ride...and the scenery is better too.