Advocacy & Safety - Wierd encounter

So I was commute to work. To get out my apparment comples I need to cross two lanes heading west and merge in to traffic going east (two lanes). There is a center left turning lane in the middle. What I do is pull out to that lane then when it's safe merge in to right most lane going east.
So this morning. There is no traffic going west I pull out, even before I reached the center left turning lane car going east lays on it's horn. What a hell? I pull in to the lane, wait for a car to pass (only car going east), and merge. Catch up to a car at a stop light. What a hell? Drivers reply "You were pulling out right in front of me." Me "Umm, no... I was pulling in to the center left turning lane like you are suppose too...". Anyway he got kind of defensive and somewhat rude. Told me to shut up, him having a bad morning and not wanting to deal with this. :rolleyes:
So what anoyed me is not his reaction, but that he will tell his friends that he almost hit some crazy cyclist who dashed in front of his car. Which is completely untrue, I was following the rules and was ridding to the center left turning lane, and from there would have proceded to merge once it was safe.

On a side note, I don't think most drivers know how to use it. More times then not I see people come almost to a complete stop in left most lane, then make their turn, even thought there is a center left turn lane that is there just for that purpose!

He was just being cautious. Better safe than sorry. He doesn't know you from a hole in the wall and has no idea if you are an excellent cyclist or some drunk nut on two wheels. Though, a tap of the horn probably would have sufficed and been more curteous.

They don't call it the "suicide lane" for nothing. I think it's really intended for drivers turning OFF the main drag onto side streets, not as a merge lane for drivers turning onto the main drag, could be wrong about that.

As a side note, I got a chuckle out of "What a hell"! Sorry . . . that's mean.

They don't call it the "suicide lane" for nothing. I think it's really intended for drivers turning OFF the main drag onto side streets, not as a merge lane for drivers turning onto the main drag, could be wrong about that.
In California it is also used to left turn from side street lanes on to main street: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs22thru25.htm#cltl
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/images/dlhdbk/27c.gif

In the city I live in, that is illegal, and the cops will give you a ticket, on bike or in a car. That always scares me when I see a car zip into that middle lane, when they want to turn left, but cannot complete the turn because of traffic. Can never tell if they are going to stop in the center turn lane, or cut you off.

Yep, he was just being careful. You may have known your intentions but he sure as hell didn't. For all he knew you didn't see him and were about to pull in front of him. In Ohio (and I know you're not) a left turn lane, it is just that, a left turn lane, not a lane to use for your convenience until you can move to the right. Maybe a "Thanks, but I saw you coming" would have been better than a "what the hell".

In California it is also used to left turn from side street lanes on to main street: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs22thru25.htm#cltl
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/images/dlhdbk/27c.gif
not to sure if that is legal in mi maybe some one can tell me but when I cage it in the company car I do it all the time so does everyone else

In MD, the center turn lane is for making a left turn off the main street onto the side street, not the other way around. Not that it's not abused in times of heavy traffic.

But to the OP, since there was no traffic from the left, you could have easily waited for the one car from the right to pass with no loss of time, considering you stopped in the middle anyway.

not to sure if that is legal in mi maybe some one can tell me but when I cage it in the company car I do it all the time so does everyone else
It's illegal in MI, bike or car. and it bugs the crap out of me when anyone does it......

It's illegal in MI, bike or car. and it bugs the crap out of me when anyone does it......

Well thanks for the updated rules of the road in MI thank you! :)

In California it is also used to left turn from side street lanes on to main street: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs22thru25.htm#cltl
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/images/dlhdbk/27c.gif

In Arizona, Car C is using the middle lane correctly, as a turn lane. Car D is turning illegally, using the turn lane as a place to sit waiting for the lane to clear. Car E is inconsequential.

However, Car D's move is usually overlooked in AZ, as that's often the only way to combat traffic.

EDIT: Yeah...don't worry about what he says to his friends about you. Just think of it this way: they're talking about you. You're the ruling topic of his day. He has nothing better to think about than you. That's power, man...power. Like He-Man, say it with me: "I have the POWER!"

In Arizona, Car C is using the middle lane correctly, as a turn lane. Car D is turning illegally, using the turn lane as a place to sit waiting for the lane to clear. Car E is inconsequential.

However, Car D's move is usually overlooked in AZ, as that's often the only way to combat traffic.

EDIT: Yeah...don't worry about what he says to his friends about you. Just think of it this way: they're talking about you. You're the ruling topic of his day. He has nothing better to think about than you. That's power, man...power. Like He-Man, say it with me: "I have the POWER!"
Lol.
Hmm wierd I always thought it was the same in other states, but I guess California is an oddball. ha ha.