Quote Originally Posted by badger View Post
another curious thing I noticed is if I'm going straight at an intersection where cars are turning left (with you facing them), they tend to completely ignore you even if I have the right of way. Anyone else experience/notice this? it's quite dangerous.
There is an intersection near my house. One day a left-turner waited for the oncoming traffic to clear and then started to go. His wife (me) screamed "See the cyclist!" and he lurched to a stop. The cyclist was Bike Shop Bob. I spoke to Bob later and he was awfully glad I'd been there to scream!

It was night, but Bob has good lights and reflective gear. But he had been riding awfully far to the right. The oncoming traffic had actually been passing him in the intersection. That's partly why my husband hadn't seen him. (I don't want to assign blame though. I am the first to point out, unwisely yet frequently, that my husband is not the most observant driver.)

I was at the same intersection another night (also with good lights like Bob). I generally ride pretty close to the middle of the road as I approach an intersection. I was behind a line of cars in this spot. I was in exactly the same situation Bob had been.

No one tried to pass me as we went through the intersection. The left turner on the other side, in the same place my husband had been in, started to go when the line of cars had passed, but saw me right away and waited.

I told Bob all about this later. He agreed that he hugs the curb, and said he'll take the lane when he goes through that intersection.