Road etiquette

[Blueberry]

As for the moron on the radio, did you contact that station? A typed letter sent through real mail can be a powerful too. Send the same letter to the station's general manager and to the corporate head.

A couple of years ago, one of our local radio jerks advocated keeping a stash of yoohoo bottles in the car to throw at cyclists. He ranted and raved on the air for a good 15-20 minutes about how bikes didn't belong on the roads.

The cycling community banded together, wrote the station and then *here's the key* started calling and writing sponsors and organizing boycotts. The station lost a bunch of ad dollars, and the idiots were suspended for a while. This was back when lots of Clear Channel stations were getting in trouble for the same thing...

For more info see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_and_the_Showgram

Just an idea.

[Starfish]

I would also just like to reiterate what someone already wrote: make sure the motorists actually see you.

Last weekend, I almost got T-boned while making a left turn. I had the right of way. There was only one car and me anywhere near the intersection. He was stopped at a stop sign, and I saw him turning his head and waiting, looking both directions more than once. I was in a bright yellow jacket on a clear day. I had been in a long and well-marked turn lane for 75-100 yards, with my yellow arm sticking straight out in a constant signal.

I thought he was being careful, and I made a stupid mistake: I was going about 25 mph (down off a slight hill), and I kept approaching the intersection fast because (1) I thought he saw me and I didn't want to keep him waiting too long for me...I was trying to be polite, and (2) I had seen he was at a full stop and really looking back and forth, and I assumed he saw me. DUMB. He did not see me, and because I was going fast, I really had to maneuver when he started to pull out to hit me.

I swerved and really yelled at him (out of fright and reaction, really), and I could see by his expression that he was chastened...he wasn't angry...he just had not seen me, for some reason, despite my full yellow jacket, turn lane, and signal.

I was chastened, also. From now on, I will go slower and make the cars wait until I am SURE they have seen me. I'm glad I didn't learn it the hard way.

[Crankin]

I always proceed slowly at left turn intersections. I have 2 major ones on my commute home, one with a light and one without. However, I want to say something about the comment Lisa made in reference to which side of the lane you should be in. On my way to school I have a 2 lane left to make on a slight uphill. Ignoring the fact that it is 6 AM and the red light will not turn green for a bike, so I look and go through the light (don't yell at me!!!), when the light is about to turn or it is green, I am always on the right hand edge of the left turn lane. It is where I feel safest. The cars behind me can see me and the line of sight onto the cross street is better. I didn't commute to work because of this intersection after I moved, and really, it has not been bad. Usually, I stay in the line of cars, but here, if I had to stop on the crest of the rise over in the middle of the lane, I am pretty sure I would fall over or have trouble starting. I haven't done this turn in tons of traffic, but this is what feels safe.

Robyn

[Cyclo Kitty]

I have to agree with the "it depends" concept. At one intersection of two two-lane streets, I took the lane (no cars behind me), signaled a left turn with my arm out, and while waiting for oncoming traffic to end, a car passed me on the left to go straight through the intersection. Now I avoid that intersection, but it taught me that even when behaving like any other vehicle, you do have to be very alert. There are bad drivers everywhere.

At the main left turn on my commute, it is again the intersection of two two-lane streets, no left turn signal, lots of oncoming traffic turning right. I wait for cars to pass me and then get into the main lane and stick my arm out. If there are no cars, I take the lane and then let them stack up behind me. The biggest problem so far has been oncoming cars turning right who have carreened through even though I'm turning, and then left me on their left side. I saw one car/driver who did that again later, and she still seemed to be oblivious to everything around her.

Make eye contact whenever you can; it's hard to know if you have, but look straight at the other drivers and they will sometimes wave you on, so you can clear the intersection first. When they do that, wave back. It's only safe if noone is whipping around from behind them, though, which happens a lot here.

The more predictably and car-like I ride, the better it seems to be. I also try to make eye contact and smile, nod, or wave at any traffic cops I see.

[equus123]

here's a visual of the left turn with 2 lanes I mentioned. i stop at the front passenger-side corner of the first car or sometimes a little in front of the corner of their car to emphasize "we're all making left turns!". but this is what I find the easiest for me and where I live in this situation.

You're the little red guy. The first car is the blue object.

[northstar]

I have found it to be best to very carefully and deliberately take the left lane. I don't ride up to the front. Sometimes this involves backing off for a while and letting traffic pass while I wait for a safe opening to make my move. Once I get into the lane at the light/stop sign, I sit and wait like a car, right in the middle of the lane. I also watch behind me like a hawk, ready to jump out of the way if I need to do so.

A motorist recently rolled down his window and thanked me for following the rules of the road when I took the lane and waited at the light with traffic.

The more you ride on the road, the more comfortable you will become doing this. Of course, each intersection is different, and you'll need to strategize as to what will be safest at each one.

[smilingcat]

equus123 has a nice diagram. I do the same thing. The other interesting point too is that the cars generally will cut the corners so that they are make a really tight turn. And you making a very wide turn. This helps with the buffer zone. Another thing with this method is it helps a lot if you can "jump" off the line (accelerate as fast as possible so you are not next to the car as both of you make the turn). "jump" here doesn't mean that you start before the light turns green. Too many drivers around where I live run a red light.

And Like lisa says too. think of your "escape route".

As for idiots on cell phones. I make sure I get an eye contact and I wave my hand and let him know with no uncertain terms of my intention. If he is still unaware then I will tap his hood with palm of my hand to get his attention. They sometimes get mad but hey its my life.

And always assume the worst in car drivers.

[Jiffer]

I've been riding the roads on the back of a tandem for a while now, but I'm just about to embark on riding on a single (my new frame just came in!). The idea of riding on the roads always sort of freaked me out, which is why it was good for me to do in on a tandem first. I've been able to see what it's like, what you do in various situations.

As the person in the back of the tandem (the stoker), I'm usually the one who signals to cars that we're turning or whatever. You just stick your left arm out, if you're turning left, and basically point. I'll do that just before moving to get over into the left turn lane and then again when we actually take off and turn. When stopping in a left hand turn lane, my DH pulls up to the right of whatever car is stopped, just into the crosswalk. Then stays to the right side of the imaginary lane as he turns. They always wait and give us plenty of room. We've never actually turned right along side a car.

Since I'm about to embark on my own road cycling, I have been researching tips on all of this as well. (I get most of it from my hubs, who is an avid cyclist and loves to tell everybody how to do everything!) But just doing a search on google, I have come across some good articles with a lot of good advice. The main thing I remember one of them saying was, "A cyclist has the same rights and priveledges as drivers, so act like it!" The more I'm out there, the more comfortable I am with the idea of riding on my own. As for safety, you have a much better chance of being in an accident driving your car than you do your bike. (Per another article I read).

There's one time that an ignorant woman in a convertible was VERY upset that we were riding right in the middle of a lane. There was no one around and she had a whole entire lane next to us to go as fast as she wanted with no one in her way. Yet, she still had to make an issue out of it and as she passed, yelled, "Get in the bike lane!" My husband yelled back, "We are! Read your DMV manual!" There WAS no actual bike lane and, even if there was, it's typcially much safer to be in the regular lane, away from the debris that builds up close to the curb. Plus, you have more room to maneuver if need be. The closer you are to the edge, the more cars feel they can pass closer to you than is comfortable and safe for you, so my DH usually stays just a little inside the regular lane, even if there is a bike lane.

When we started riding, I was constantly telling him when there was a car coming up behind us. His typical reaction was, "Yah? And?" Like, what was he supposed to do about it?! He rides where he feels safe with a little room on the right and cars will pass when they're able to pass. I've learned to stress out less when there's a car coming. I'll only tell him if he's using up more of the lane than necessary, to give more room to the car to pass. Of course, I think he's usually quite aware all on his own that there's a car coming. But I have more flexibility to look around than he does, so when I hear something, I usually look right away.

Anyway, I recommend you do some internet searches for bicylce road safety. You'll find a lot of info that will hopefully help you feel more confident when you go out there. Plus, if you are able to, ride with a cycling club. It's a great way to learn all this stuff.

Sorry so long! I guess I had a lot to say!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

here's a visual of the left turn with 2 lanes I mentioned. i stop at the front passenger-side corner of the first car or sometimes a little in front of the corner of their car to emphasize "we're all making left turns!". but this is what I find the easiest for me and where I live in this situation.

You're the little red guy. The first car is the blue object.

What if the blue object is talking on their cell phone or changing their cd's and doesn't notice you next to them, and then suddenly decides to turn right instead or go straight when the light turns green? This actually happens more often than one would think. Cyclists get killed this way every day.
Me, I take the lane for a left turn or to go straight.

[Crankin]

Lisa, I hope you didn't misinterpret what I said. I am in the left turn lane, but over to the right side of it. In fact, I am straddling the line between the left lane and the right (which in my case, the cars can only go right, since it's a T intersection). Otherwise, I always take the spot in line, directly behind the cars. One day my husband rode to my school and rode home with me. At my last major left turn (not the one above) there were 2 cars waiting ahead. I stopped behind the last one. My husband went around the left side of both and turned I patiently waited and then when I went, another car coming onto the main street made a left in front of me (I yelled and scared the c***) out of her). So I got punished for waiting and acting "good" while my husband rode agressively, the way that makes drivers hate cyclists, and I got punished!!!