We all know there are great views of the city and great restaurants downtown. But last I checked, they still put sideview mirrors on your cars. So please check them before you try to cross through the bike lane and park. This will save you from future ass beatings.

Your friend,

frog:D

I'm not an assbeater, but the reminder to drivers (who probably don't read ths forum unless they also bike, in which case they already know this) is a good one.

Today while driving in SF I stopped on Valencia (which has bike lanes) to parallel park. Being a cyclist and, as a result, a driver who tries to be aware of cyclists, I tried to do everything right -- I noticed that bikes were approaching from behind in the bike lane, so I signalled and when I stopped, I didn't pull into the bike lane but stopped in the car lane. Then I waited for all the bikes to pass, One of the cyclists didn't know what to make of me though. He first thought about passing me on the left but then just stopped behind me. I waved him on in the bike lane.

The problem was that pulling into the bike lane would have cut off cyclists using the lane, but I also understood the cyclist's not wanting to pass me on the left because I was taking up the whole car lane, and I also understood that he didn't know that I'd seen him until after he stopped. (I was hoping he might have extraoplated that from the "share the road" bumpers sticker from the SF Bicycle Coalition on the back of my car.) Would there have been a more bike-friendly way to handle this situation?

If you are parallel parking or turning right, you should always (safely) merge in to the bike lane first. Give the cyclists in the bike lane plenty of warning and space so they can safely pass you on your left.

haysup frogger :D

If you are parallel parking or turning right, you should always (safely) merge in to the bike lane first. Give the cyclists in the bike lane plenty of warning and space so they can safely pass you on your left.

That's what I thought. The problem I had was that the bike lane on Valencia was being well-utilized at the time, and there was a stream of cyclists using it when I got to the empty space I wanted to park in. Merging before they passed would have cut them off. The last guy in the stream, who was behind the others but not far enough behind them for me to merge into the bike lane without cutting him off, who got confused when he got to my car.

That's what I thought. The problem I had was that the bike lane on Valencia was being well-utilized at the time, and there was a stream of cyclists using it when I got to the empty space I wanted to park in. Merging before they passed would have cut them off. The last guy in the stream, who was behind the others but not far enough behind them for me to merge into the bike lane without cutting him off, who got confused when he got to my car.

If there were a lane full of moving cars on your right, what would you do? Do the same thing with a bike lane full of moving bikes. This should be a no brainer.

If there were a lane full of moving cars on your right, what would you do? Do the same thing with a bike lane full of moving bikes. This should be a no brainer.

Not so much. Car drivers and cycle riders seem to react differently. I did what I would have done had the cycles been cars -- I signalled my intent to move to the right and then stayed put, waiting until it was safe to do so by letting the vehicles on the right pass first. A car driver would have either (i) passed on the right or (ii) stopped to let me move into his lane. The last cyclist in the group I was waiting for did something a car would not have done -- he moved to pass on my left. My point in posting was that I felt bad about what he did because I'm cyclist-aware and I thought I was doing what was safest for him. From his reaction, I gather that he didn't agree with me. If people who cycle more than I do have suggestions about how I could have acted more safely under the circumstances, I wanted to hear them.

When a car driver appears to be doing something stupid, escaping around the left side is usually the safest thing to do. Stopping in the middle of the left lane when you are turning right fits in the "not so smart" category. If you can't merge safely for your turn, continuing straight is the safest thing to do, for both you and other vehicles on the road.

Oh hey man!
I didn't know you were on here!?