Originally Posted by jerseyJim

To me, the red line is the worst option. This line invites unsafe passes from traffic in lanes to your left and right.

I wouldn't follow the yellow path for three reasons. First, I am not going to make a right hand turn so I am not going to position myself to ride as if I were. Second, the shoulder virtually disappears and you are going to have to ride into the right turn lane anyway or way too close to it for safety. Third, if the traffic is or gets heavy you may run out of road to cut over back onto the shoulder of the through lane and either have to stop in a vulnerable position with little shoulder or be forced to exit the road to the right.

At some point prior to reaching the turn lane, at a break in traffic, I am going to signal a left turn and move into the rightmost through lane until I pass the exit and can safely travel on the shoulder again. In order not to run out of shoulder, the heavier the traffic, the sooner I am going to look to get out in to the through lane.

Edit: Took too long....


Yes merge into the lane when safe and any traffic behind you will have to slow and/or move over into the leftmost lane to pass.