Originally Posted by
mr_nickos_jr
What kind of sparked me asking, was I did ride on the left side as the traffic was bad and I couldn't be sitting waiting to cross as I was in a hurry to work. But a car waiting at some stop sign on a residential cross-road, to my left was turning right to join traffic that was coming my way. Twice this has happened, and they decide not to look both ways, and in effect get close to hitting me. The first lady screamed sorry, the second guy yelled at me and threw up his hands. Both were at fault for not looking both ways, though I was not sure if I was at fault as well for riding on the left side.
You've just described one of the greatest dangers of riding on the wrong side of the road: you enter intersections from a direction that no one expects. Had you collided with either of the cars you just described, it's almost certain that you would have been held 100% at fault. While it would be good advice, from a defensive driving standpoint, for them to look both ways before turning, their mistake was a minor one compared to yours.
Not wanting to sound unduly harsh or anything; I'm glad you are riding, and I hope you enjoy it and stick with it...but please stay on the right side of the road!