Road etiquette

[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!

[Crankin]

Sometimes riding with a cycling club isn't the best place to learn road safety! As a ride leader, i have to constantly keep people in line! Around here police are ticketing for riding side by side. I don't blame them. When i drive and see this, it's dangerous and annoying on our narrow country roads.
Lisa, what i was trying to explain was exactly like Eques' (sp?) diagram. I couldn't see the visual at school on my computer. And like you, I am always anticipating what stupid thing a driver will do and planning ahead. I just learned the "jump ahead" thing. On my morning commute, I cross a major highway. But at 5:50 AM, which is when I'm usually there, there are not a lot of cars going across, so the green light is very short when it's just 1-2 cars. The first day I rode, it turned red before I got across! So the next time, as soon as the light on the highway turned yellow, I looked to make sure there were no cars, and went before my light turned green. This is the only way I can make it across. On the way home, I ride up along the side of the line to the front and do the same.

[Torrilin]

I just learned the "jump ahead" thing. On my morning commute, I cross a major highway. But at 5:50 AM, which is when I'm usually there, there are not a lot of cars going across, so the green light is very short when it's just 1-2 cars. The first day I rode, it turned red before I got across! So the next time, as soon as the light on the highway turned yellow, I looked to make sure there were no cars, and went before my light turned green. This is the only way I can make it across. On the way home, I ride up along the side of the line to the front and do the same.

That's *really* dangerous. Both the jumping the light and having such a short green. I'd suggest getting in touch with your local police department about it. Explain that you want to follow the rules of the road, and the light is set up in a dangerous fashion, and ask how they want you to proceed. With any luck, they'll know who you should talk to in local government.

If the light is that short, it's dangerous for cars too. Too easy for someone driving while tired to make a mistake and t-bone another car.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

So what do you folks do when you pull up alongside the right side of the car at a red light and then jump out fast when the light just turns green and start making your left turn ahead of the car that was to your left, but then that car goes STRAIGHT instead of turning left along with you? If they didn't see you lurking next to them at the light, or are distracted for the moment, they'll then plow right into you broadside as you cross left in front of them. Dangerous.

[Crankin]

Torrelin, I am not making left across the highway, I am just going across. The light is NOT unsafe for cars; there is a sensor that holds the light long enough for any amount of cars to go through. But a bike does not trip the sensor. That is a different type of sensor and there is no way that MA would put a "bikes stop here on green" sensor (which trips the light for a bike) in this spot. I really don't have to do this on the way home, when there are more cars, because well, there are more cars at this time of day. I just get up to the front of the line, a bit ahead of the first car, on the right. There's plenty of time to get across at 3:15 PM because there's just more cars than at 6 AM. There's very few cars out at that time in the AM, even on the highway and I can clearly see when they are stopping on the yellow. If I don't do this, I will be half way across when the light turns red again. This is the only way I can go, unless I add almost 4 miles onto my commute and do a 1.5 mile climb. And at 5:30 AM, that is not what i want to do. Believe me, I am the probably one of the most risk averse person around and I am always on guard, as Lisa described. I won't even ride in the city or some of the suburbs closer to the city because of the way people drive. I did one ride last summer in the city/suburb I grew up in, which is next to Boston. I was in a cold sweat the whole time and swore I would never ride there again. The other people in the group thought I was nuts, but I prefer the country/exurbs for riding. Yes, there's traffic, but nothing what some of the other people here describe. Plus, there's tons of riders around here. The more of us drivers see, the better off we are.

[lph]

Just a general note - after riding a few years in traffic I learned to assume that the turn signals on ALL cars "don't work". Especially not on the big macho ones, they seem to be an optional extra.

Believe me, you never know when that stressed-out guy just in front of you suddenly remembers he has to pop into the store and buy toilet paper or his wife will kill him. You don't want to be next to him when it crosses his mind...

[Crankin]

Ha! Turn signals are always optional in New England. Most people don't use them, especially for changing lanes on the freeway. People here don't know how to smoothly merge into traffic either. They will come to a dead stop on a ramp and then drive way over to the right in the break down lane and push in the lane at the last minute, instead of smoothly merging in while signalling.
I expect to see all of these things while riding and driving.