Advocacy & Safety - Wide lane @ intersection positioning (video)

Here is what I do @ a wide intersection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dMUE3G8hD8

Note I use a mirror and a reflective vest, so when it looks dangerous there is no traffic behind me or it is stopped.

Note this is also what you can do when you get to the other side. If the lane is narrow on the other side Take the lane through the intersection.

You want to gain some respect on the road this is the easiest and safest way to get it. Lining up with autos will go along way.

Looks reasonable to me.

You take up enough space that cars are unlikely to try to pass you when stopped and you move to the center early enough to not have much trouble with people turning right.

It's arguably illegal in most states for a bicyclist to take the lane in a WOL (the only exeption I know of off-hand is North Carolina).

WOLs also make it much more likely that some nutjob will try to pass on the right if you ride near the center of the lane (I hate it when that happens :)).

WOLs are not better for bicyclists than bike lanes are, Forester-inspired VC-ist propaganda, spear-headed by some well-meaning people in North Carolina notwithstanding.

I'm sorry, but WOLs are not the answer.

You want to gain some respect on the road this is the easiest and safest way to get it. Lining up with autos will go along way.

unfortunately there will still be occasional ass that honks at you at the red light

unfortunately there will still be occasional ass that honks at you at the red light

Who cares?

It's arguably illegal in most states for a bicyclist to take the lane in a WOL (the only exeption I know of off-hand is North Carolina).

WOLs also make it much more likely that some nutjob will try to pass on the right if you ride near the center of the lane (I hate it when that happens :)).

WOLs are not better for bicyclists than bike lanes are, Forester-inspired VC-ist propaganda, spear-headed by some well-meaning people in North Carolina notwithstanding.

I'm sorry, but WOLs are not the answer.


What is a W O L?

The most dangerous places I have ridden a places with bike lanes.

WOLs are not better for bicyclists than bike lanes are, Forester-inspired VC-ist propaganda, spear-headed by some well-meaning people in North Carolina notwithstanding.

I'm sorry, but WOLs are not the answer.

WOL = Wide Outside Lane.

JRA, I agree, I much prefer narrow outside lanes.

I tend to avoid taking the lane approaching a light and queueing behind cars unless it's a narrow lane. In a WOL, i'll filter and if the car at the front of the queue is pointing forwards with its wheels straight, I'll pull ahead and slightly in front of it to make sure the driver sees me. (I move aside when I enter the intersection) If I'm the first one there, though, I tend to take the right tire track.

As for the video, I'm not sure lane splitting at 3:35 is very VC-ish. But, to each his own.

I'd say WOLs are better than bike lanes, only because they don't insinuate that cyclists belong in that part of the road.

WOL = Wide Outside Lane.

JRA, I agree, I much prefer narrow outside lanes.

Thanks for the clarification.

I think I agree with you. I don't like to think that motorists might not be sure if I'm taking the lane or not and try to share or pass on the right, or that since the lane is wider that I'm required to be riding on the edge of it by all those parked cars.

OP video looks like how I'd approach those intersections.

If there are no cars present, you sometimes need to take the center of the WOL to trigger the traffic signal.

If I'm first in line, I move to the left hand side of the lane to let cars turn right if they want to. When I take off, I usually anticipate the light a little and move right to the center of the lane so someone doesn't try to pass me on the right. But most drivers get it, that I am letting cars turn right but proceeding straight, and respect me.