Originally Posted by
Chicago Al
A key part of safe driving or cycling is making your intentions clear to other drivers/cyclists. You entered the 'turn' lane very early, in fact before it was a turn lane, while it was still an oncoming lane. There's no ambiguity about that, you crossed the double yellow line. Obviously there was no oncoming traffic, so it was 'safe,' but what this may have indicated to other drivers was that you intended to make a left as soon as possible, in this case into that wide driveway of an office park or development. I think you'd make the same assumption if a car had done the same thing...if you didn't also assume that the driver was drunk or a jerk.
I'm not saying the driver who passed you made a good choice, but it certainly doesn't look like the driver intended to endanger you.
Regardless of the cyclist's move, the intent was to make a left turn. The motorist made no move into the left turn lane at any time, thus their intent was never clear.
Let's not "blame the victim" for their less than perfect move, while forgetting the motorist for their very obvious very bad move. I am reminded of the parable of removing the splinter from an eye while blinded by a plank in one's own eye.
Indeed, the cyclist entered the left turn lane early... the motorist NEVER entered the left turn lane.
The cyclist is supposed to return to the far right hand side of the road or at least to a position "taking the lane" after the left turn, the motorist's move cut off the cyclist from doing so. CLEARLY the motorist was at much more fault than the cyclist.