Traffic situation

[owlice]

If you want to be considered traffic (all the rights and responsibilities of the road), be traffic! Add me to the list of those suggesting you take the lane. Safer for everyone.

[Catrin]

Thanks for all of the good advice. I wasn't very comfortable with my approach yesterday (trying to filter up the right side) but couldn't pin-point why. If I take my place in line then, frankly, I should be able to WALK my bike to keep up until I am free to ride.

I don't generally have any problems taking the lane when I need to, but that light is just odd how it works (for those in Indy, this is the light at 56th and Kessler - WB on 56th). Thanks again!

[malkin]

What everybody said, but still, I sometimes hop off and become a genuine pedestrian.

But I NEVER pretend to be a pedestrian while I am riding.

[Catrin]

What everybody said, but still, I sometimes hop off and become a genuine pedestrian.

But I NEVER pretend to be a pedestrian while I am riding.

Agreed - and that was finally what I chose to do yesterday - hopped off the bike and just walked it through the intersection and then waited for the traffic to pass before becoming a cyclist again. I am focusing on trying to be as predictable as possible.

I have had two situations (not while commuting) where a drive appeared to interpret my hand signal to mean that I wanted them to drive on that side That taught me to never assume that drivers actually know what hand signals mean...

[Melalvai]

I have had two situations (not while commuting) where a drive appeared to interpret my hand signal to mean that I wanted them to drive on that side That taught me to never assume that drivers actually know what hand signals mean...

I know!! How do you signal a right turn? So many people raise their left hand to signal a right turn, but too many drivers don't understand what that means. Pointing to the right is more universally understood to mean you are turning right, and it is becoming more commonly accepted (and legal).

[malkin]

I use the left hand bent up at the elbow to signal right (same as when I learned to drive an ancient VW with no turn signals). It always cracks me up when people 'wave back.'

[Catrin]

I use the left hand bent up at the elbow to signal right (same as when I learned to drive an ancient VW with no turn signals). It always cracks me up when people 'wave back.'

This is generally what I do, though I go back and for between this and using my right arm to point to the right for a right turn. I do wonder if people even look for a signal from the right arm...

The two times I've almost been creamed though over misconstrued hand signals has been when I've given the turning left signal - how more clear could it be? Either they had no idea what it meant, or they were so distracted that all they could think of was speeding around me. Thankfully it's been some time since I last had a problem with this.