Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Advocacy & Safety
Reload this Page >

Awkward intersections

Notices
Advocacy & Safety Cyclists should expect and demand safe accommodation on every public road, just as do all other users. Discuss your bicycle advocacy and safety concerns here.

Awkward intersections

Old 01-31-16, 09:01 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
intransit1217's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Kenosha , Wi
Posts: 1,231

Bikes: 2 Masi giramondo

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
Awkward intersections

There's always one.

In this case, the kenosha path reaches a 4 way intersection and, if it were marked, cuts across it diagonally at a 45 degree angle.

There are turn lanes in all directions, no turn lights, and no crosswalks.

The most legal way to cross is to do a pretend you're a car deal and go across one way, wait for the light and cross the other to continue. It's annoying.

How do you guys deal with this particular nonsense?
intransit1217 is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 11:08 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
howsteepisit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 4,335

Bikes: Canyon Endurace SLX 8Di2

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 509 Post(s)
Liked 30 Times in 14 Posts
Personally, I'd complain all over the internet and try to create a federal case out of it. Or, maybe just cross the two streets and get on with life.
howsteepisit is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 11:39 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
BobbyG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,962

Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1359 Post(s)
Liked 1,658 Times in 822 Posts
Originally Posted by intransit1217
The most legal way to cross is to do a pretend you're a car deal and go across one way, wait for the light and cross the other to continue.
THe most legal and the safest.
BobbyG is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 02:31 PM
  #4  
Pennylane Splitter
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,873

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1751 Post(s)
Liked 1,422 Times in 973 Posts
Like this:

The most legal way to cross is to do a pretend you're a car deal (or a pedestrian) and go across one way, wait for the light and cross the other to continue.

(Yep, its from your post, with a little addition from me. )

Seriously it doesn't sound like its a big deal. Before you start complaining to the City of Kenosha, go to the City's Public Works Department (or whatever department is responsible for road maintenance) and ask for the accident data they have for that intersection. If there's no abnormal spike in the number of accidents/collisions at it compared to other intersections in the city, then they probably won't do anything about your complaint. Heck, it sounds like you have a nice off-street bike path, too; that's gotta count for something, or someone at City Hall paying attention to bicycles!
skidder is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 04:29 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
intransit1217's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Kenosha , Wi
Posts: 1,231

Bikes: 2 Masi giramondo

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
We're better than racine in this category. And while I may be whining for the sake of whining a bit, I was curious about others wierd intersection crossing tales.
intransit1217 is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 08:56 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 7,048
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 509 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 8 Posts
Originally Posted by skidder
Seriously it doesn't sound like its a big deal. Before you start complaining to the City of Kenosha, go to the City's Public Works Department (or whatever department is responsible for road maintenance) and ask for the accident data they have for that intersection. If there's no abnormal spike in the number of accidents/collisions at it compared to other intersections in the city, then they probably won't do anything about your complaint. Heck, it sounds like you have a nice off-street bike path, too; that's gotta count for something, or someone at City Hall paying attention to bicycles!
It might be more fruitful to ask for the intersection's grade (delay time for motorists). If it is possible to put in a bike-specific signal without creating a failing grade for the intersection (waits of over 85 seconds), then all you have to do is find the funds and convince the traffic engineer to make it so (or the elected officials who are his ultimate bosses).

We've got the same thing here in Eugene. Our so-called premier bike path terminates at an intersection in a similar way. Our recently departed traffic engineer, who was allowed to resign when it became public that he had worked the past eight years without the required engineering license (his third trip to that rodeo), refused to put in the necessary bike-specific signal because it could occasionally cause delays of slightly over 85 seconds for motorists. This actually conflicts with city policy, but our elected officials generally refuse to get involved with insubordination on the part of city staff because it would then look like the city is poorly run, which would reflect poorly on them.
B. Carfree is offline  
Old 01-31-16, 10:15 PM
  #7  
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
When all else fails, I make right turns until I find a safer route. I'm not allergic to taking a longer way 'round if it's safer. I'm rarely in such a hurry that I need to take a risk or stress out over potential danger.

This is among the trickiest intersections I encounter occasionally. It's not too bad now because Fort Worth has been emphasizing bike lanes and awareness (the mayor is an avid cyclist too - she sponsors and participates in rides). To navigate this starfish intersection I take the middle of the lane, preferably behind a car heading the same direction to break a path for me. So far, so good.



There's a more dangerous route heading eastward toward downtown, involving a dangerous merge with a highway on-ramp, competing for attention with a busy four-way intersection. I try to avoid it during rush hour. If it's rush hour or my legs aren't up to sprinting, I'll take a longer way around to avoid it.

And to my west, in an otherwise rural area, there's a tricky frontage road left turn across a bridge, with traffic merging from the highway in my blind spot. Seems unusually busy even on a Sunday. And the approach to the intersection is a long uphill grade, so my legs are usually nearly spent by the time I need to sprint. Tricky, but I've become less shy about taking the lane even if folks have to slow down a bit behind me. If they choose to live that far out in the country while commuting from the big city, what's another few seconds to wait for me to huff and puff across the intersection? That's what I'm planning to tell the first person to complain, assuming I can manage to speak coherently through the asthma attack and possible confrontation with the business end of a pistol.
Attached Images
canklecat is offline  
Old 02-02-16, 03:42 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Washington Grove, Maryland
Posts: 1,466

Bikes: 2003 (24)20-Speed Specialized Allez'

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by intransit1217
There's always one.

In this case, the kenosha path reaches a 4 way intersection and, if it were marked, cuts across it diagonally at a 45 degree angle.

There are turn lanes in all directions, no turn lights, and no crosswalks.

The most legal way to cross is to do a pretend you're a car deal and go across one way, wait for the light and cross the other to continue. It's annoying.

How do you guys deal with this particular nonsense?
On my bike, I 'take the lane'. But what really struck me from what you said. Is, that four-way, has no crosswalks. What do they expect pedestrians to do.
Chris0516 is offline  
Old 02-02-16, 04:34 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,545

Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter

Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5703 Post(s)
Liked 2,432 Times in 1,345 Posts
IMO there's no one rule for intersections. How I handle each depends on traffic and overall conditions. If there's no traffic, I'd just go across the diagonal, maybe arcing toward the right so I was sort of riding with traffic flow, but not going to the corners. In heavier traffic I'd make the 2 corner maneuver you described (sometimes called a Copenhagen left turn).

If you want to be safe, use your common sense and ride as conditions dictate rather than looking for set rules.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site

An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.

Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.

“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN

WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FBinNY is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
no motor?
Commuting
3
10-10-15 07:03 PM
Solid_Spoke
Living Car Free
50
02-14-14 12:38 PM
yep202
Commuting
2
09-23-11 06:40 PM
Leebo
Advocacy & Safety
7
09-14-11 07:54 PM
Cglenny
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
31
08-23-10 08:56 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.