Quote Originally Posted by sara View Post
Lisa, I wasn't turning...I was just continuing on straight down the road. That's why I was just lettin' it roll. The car was turning left, across the road in front of me, into a driveway on my side of the street. I saw that she had her left turn signal on, but she was stopped, seemingly waiting for me to pass in the opposite direction. There weren't any cars coming up behind me, so it appeared that the only reason she'd be stopped there was to let me go by. I think she probably mis-judged how fast I was going and decided she could make her turn before I got there. She was wrong!!!
Oh I get it now...I thought she was coming from behind you and turning to the right in front of you at your same turnoff.
In fact, she may not have seen you at all, and might have stopped simply to check a map direction before turning, or to push a cell phone or CD button. People are weird. I always assume drivers do not see me. I often wave or point my intention to cars as I approach a situation like this- half the time they'll wave me on and I'll then feel safe. If they don't wave back or give me a "go" hand signal, I slow down and get ready to stop and I quickly plot an escape route. Yes, rearview mirrors are good- especially when you have 2 seconds to concoct an escape route.

I know it sounds perhaps like I am too cautious a rider, but... if I was coming down a hill at 30mph and saw a car stopped ahead in the oncoming lane with their left turn signal on, there's no way I would pass that car even though they were stopped. I would begin to come to a stop until I knew for sure that they were seeing me coming and were waving at me to go ahead. Assumptions are always deadly when it's bike vs. car.