|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
"Roly Poly Man" wrote As a novice biker, I am curious what you are supposed to do when there is a stop sign with about 5 to 10 vehicles lined up to get their turn. Most of the time I have seen cyclists fly by all the traffic right up to the stop sign. Isn't this kind of dangerous? I know it's not proper to pass traffic on the right, and I have often seen a car suddenly pull out (which would be into a cyclist) using a lane, gravel shoulder, etc to make an impromptu right turn. On the other hand, I can't see a cyclist entering the queue with vehicles. At least I don't think I've ever seen this done. Also, what is the proper way to make a left turn at a typical busy 4-lane or 6-lane boulevard? Do you keep to the right and make two crossings? With 5 to 10 vehicles lined up, I will frequently come up the left side , on the center line (eliminates the right hook scenario) and switch to the right side as I'm coming up on the last two or three vehicles waiting for the stop sign. I do this by using the gap created as the first vehicle leaves the stop sign and the second one hasn't started to move yet. I then clear the stop sign in conjunction with the vehicle along side of me, using him to block traffic from the left and provide visibility to traffic from the right. If the vehicle at the stop sign shows any sign of intending to make a right turn, I wait and go with the next vehicle, or (traffic permitting), go through the stop sign on the right turning vehicle's left side. Driver's in my area don't seem to mind, possibly in part because I move quickly and I am very careful not to hold anyone up. Left turns: keeping to the right and making two crossings could be a safe bet in really heavy, fast traffic. If my speed and traffic speed permits, I move into the left turn lane like a car. Signal your intentions, plan your move a long way ahead, and be ready to bail out and do the "stay right and make two crossings" scenario if you have to. Another option if the cross street is a quite one is to make a right turn, a quick U-turn (check for traffic behind you first), and proceed straight through the intersection. HTH, -- mark |
Ads |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 18:20:50 -0400, Rick Onanian
wrote: My question: Going straight when there's a right-turn-only lane. This is a situation where I feel both danger and my slowing powered-vehicle drivers. Consider: -that I may have to violate the right-turn-only lane, which is dangerous in two ways. One, traffic expects me to turn right. Two, oncoming traffic visibility is often blocked by a vehicle turning left. -if I don't do that, I have to cross that right-turn-only lane, into the straight/left-turn lane. This means merging into potentially much faster vehicular traffic, and then forcing them to wait behind. On city streets, I move into the rightmost through lane. I don't go out of my way to be an obstruction, but I have the right to use the road safely, and slowing down a few drivers by a few seconds doesn't bother me much. On a highway with a rideable hard shoulder, I look back to make sure no one's going to turn into me (if there's any question, I slow and let them pass), then go straight through on the very left edge of the turn lane (prepared to stop if anyone entering the road from the right gets confused). This seems to be, on balance, the best way to do it when motor traffic speeds are that high, though I can see that there is a good argument for merging into the right through lane even in that situation. What I would never do is remain on the shoulder (or bike lane) to the right of a right-turn-only lane. -- "Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes--our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking around." -- G.K. Chesterton |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
|
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 21:36:12 -0400, David L. Johnson
wrote: gear. Don't let clipping in get in the way of negotiating traffic. I haven't a choice; these pedals are terrible, and the shoes slip right off them if I'm not clipped in or if I'm on the wrong side of the pedal. The pedals are terrible. Period. -- Rick Onanian |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 02:40:52 GMT, mark
wrote: With 5 to 10 vehicles lined up, I will frequently come up the left side , the center line (eliminates the right hook scenario) and switch to the side as I'm coming up on the last two or three vehicles waiting for the sign. I do this by using the gap created as the first vehicle leaves the stop sign and the second one hasn't started to move yet. I then clear the This sounds dangerous -- if the driver fails to look ahead, and moves forward based on seeing (out of the corner of his eye) the car in front of him drive away, you're smooshed. And yes, many drivers will go based on the insufficient data collected while they're paying attention to something else. HTH, -- mark -- Rick Onanian |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
My question: Going straight when there's a right-turn-only lane. This is a
situation where I feel both danger and my slowing powered-vehicle drivers. Consider: -that I may have to violate the right-turn-only lane, which is dangerous in two ways. One, traffic expects me to turn right. Two, oncoming traffic visibility is often blocked by a vehicle turning left. -if I don't do that, I have to cross that right-turn-only lane, into the straight/left-turn lane. This means merging into potentially much faster vehicular traffic, and then forcing them to wait behind. Signal your intent to merge left, shoulder check, and then merge. Try to do this enough ahead of time that there will be a gap that you can enter. If the lanes are of sufficient width, you should be able to ride at the right hand side of the straight lane allowing faster traffic to pass within the lane. You could also (although not technically correct) ride along the left-hand side of the right turn lane. That way it is obvious that you are not turning right, you will not have conflict with the cars in the straight lane, and cars turning right should have sufficient room to do so without interfering with you. Tanya |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
|
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
If there is a long line I go to the front. I also smile and wave at the driver of the first car. If only 2 or 3 cars, I act like a car and get in line too. If there is no cars in line and cars coming from the back, I take the lane. If there is a turning lane, I get on the wide white line so I don't hold up cars wanting to make right turns on red. One of the best tips ever givin to me was to ride in the grove made by the passenger side (right) wheels. This makes passing cars change lanes. Otherwise, they might run you off the road. Good luck and ride safe. |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
I think y'all ought to queue up jes like aevery american citizen. It
commands respect and minimizes contact with the same idiot again. What's the damn hurry? -- Robin Hubert |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Entering the queue at a stop sign
In article ,
bigfloppyllama writes: Honestly, I feel that it's more dangerous to stop in the bike lane since no cyclist I can think of expects you to stop. Your thoughts on this? Do the hand signal, stop, and avoid getting a ticket. cheers, Tom -- -- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|