Advocacy & Safety - Advice for two scenarios in traffic

Greetings -- novice cycilst here, hoping to improve, and have begun biking to work. Had a couple questions that I'm hoping to get some advice on. Apologies if they've been discussed before, I did search but did not see anything exactly like these.

#1 -- see picture -- 111426
This is I-95 dropping off onto Aramingo Ave in Philadelphia. I'm riding in the shoulder of Aramingo, shown by the orange arrow. Suddenly the shoulder ends and I'm smack in the middle of four lanes of 40 MPH traffic. Everyone getting off the highway is trying to merge left, and a chunk of people on Aramingo are trying to get over to the right -- all in a very short amount of distance, as the picture shows. My obvious concern is that with so much lane changing going on all at once, people won't see the bicycle and will sideswipe me. My solution this far has just been to stop and wait in the shoulder until traffic clears, but waiting for a line of highway-exiting traffic at rush hour can take an awful long time. So, I wanted to see if anyone could maybe think of a better solution than I have.

#2 -- see picture -- 111427
This shows what I call a "straight-left" lane at an intersection. I'm originally from the West and they did not have lanes like this, so I'm not sure of the proper name. But basically, traffic in the left lane can either go straight or turn left through the intersection (seems to me like horribly inefficient road design, but that's besides the point). My question is, if I wanted to turn left at this intersection (I'd need to stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear), but not get flattened by drivers in the left lane who intend on going straight, what's the appropriate positioning for my bike while waiting? I do know about a two-step left, but am more trying to figure out what the legally-acceptable way of making this turn would be.

Thanks to anyone who has an opinion!

#1 Where are you ending up in the left side of the photo? Are you going for the >>>>>>> buffer area to the right of the white van?

#2 I might make a box left if the traffic is heavy.

For #1:

From the looks of an image, are you using Google Earth? I went to map.google.com and typed in "Aramingo Ave near Interstate 95, Philadelphia, PA and had trouble finding what the image resembles in the satellite view, so I'm downloading Google Earth. Is it possible if you send in a snapshot of the location using Google Earth?

I'm trying to think of a logical workaround for how you can maneuver around the four-line street.

The highway system in Philadelpha is quite complex for me to comprehend (even with cars), unlike Orlando, FL. (I've been there a couple of times but haven't fully explored Orlando since me and my parents only been to Disney World, and sometimes Universal and Sea World, but that's about it but will be moving into my apartment in Orlando.)

Have you tried to get into a far right shoulder (it's pretty wide) from where the shoulder ends? Be careful out there!

For #1, yes I'd be trying to get to the >>>>> next to the white van, in order to continue straight on Aramingo.

The image was from Bing (Microsoft) Maps, using the Bird's Eye feature. Here is a link to the map itself:
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=40.007227~-75.073311&style=h&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

Regarding #2, is a box left the same thing as a two-step left?

Here's some information about "box left." Maybe that will help.

http://www.sbbike.org/commute/how-to (Although the web page says specifically about California, I think it's pretty generic enough for most (if not all) of the states.)

For picture 1, if it was me I would look for an altenate route. That looks like a brutal spot, with traffic changing lanes both ways, and in far too short a stretch.

Looking at the map, can you go up Duncan and then over on Tacony, and if necessary then switch to James?

Take the lane before the merge. Then merge right and continue taking the lane until you get the shoulder. The traffic signals should create gaps in traffic to allow you to take the lane.

Of course, it's easy for me to say since I don't have to ride it. Sometimes the safest way across a merge is to avoid it altogether. Is there another route with traffic speeds you're comfortable with?

What would you do if you were driving a car?

Center yourself in the lane so traffic will understand at the earliest that they must merge to get around you.

Prepare to turn left by merging into the left lane when you have a gap in traffic even if the left turn is a long way off.

While waiting for traffic to clear to turn left, stand in the center of the lane and be signaling with your arm outstretched.

I remember while reading Florida Bicycle and Law Enforcement Guide (from Florida Bicycle Association). I think the guide is trying to get me to think like if I'm driving a car, even though I must stay to the right as far as practicable (hard to speak that word myself as it sounded strange to me, but I got the hang of it).

But when you ask "What would you do if you were driving a cari," it makes it easier for me to think like if I'm driving a car (except that I can't drive a car). I might be thinking that if a motorist operating a motor vehicle goes too slow that they stay in the right of the road, but I don't think that's the case.

Thanks for your advice (even though I'm not the original poster).

@53 is the same concept. Take the lane and merge when safe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5sTS9OiyPU

#1 don't ride in the emergency lane(shoulder), and when it ends you won't be left in no mans land. Ride in the lane, there is a passing lane, let them use it. Take up space, let people merge in front and behind you just like you would in a car. They may not like it, too bad.

#2 Assuming you are in the right lane approaching the turn, long before the turn, start checking over your shoulder to get over into the left lane. Get into the left lane, smack dab in the middle of it, as you come to the turn, signal your left turn aggressively so the cars behind you see it. If you have to stop to wait for oncoming traffic to clear, then stop in the middle of the lane, turning your bike about 45 degree angle in the lane, to block people who may try to squeeze by you and go strait, and also to give you a straighter shot across oncoming traffic. When traffic clears, then turn.
Basically like you'd do on a motorcycle.

Re: Item #1: Unless traffic is slow, which is seldom the case, I find similar scenarios extremely intimidating. If you can devise a reasonable bypass, do so. Otherwise, your only choices are taking and controlling a lane or stopping and waiting for a generous gap in traffic. A mirror can be your best ally -- I have even considered a right-side mirror for right-side unions such as this.

Re: Item #2; I am not so proudly vehicular that I insist on doing a vehicular left every time. If I cannot easily and confidently position myself for a left turn, I happily resort to a 2-part box turn.

Take the lane on Aramingo :lol:
Thats rich :lol:

#1 is not a good situation. Unless the cars are very slow or you are very fast, I would just wait until the merging traffic clears and then cross and continue.

#2 box lefts are always safe, if slow. An alternative would be to position on the left side of the left lane, allowing straight-through traffic to pass on your right. As you turn, merge left to first take the lane, then contunue left to allow turning traffic to pass on your left when safe.

Paul

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. Sounds like the best bet is to find an alternate route, or continue waiting for a break in traffic, like I have been -- at least until I get "better" at cycling and can go faster, change lanes and merge comfortably..

(8), yes there's no shortage of lovely drivers around here. I already had someone throw a soda cup at me (he missed) while they were going around me on Girard.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. Sounds like the best bet is to find an alternate route, or continue waiting for a break in traffic, like I have been -- at least until I get "better" at cycling and can go faster, change lanes and merge comfortably..

(8), yes there's no shortage of lovely drivers around here. I already had someone throw a soda cup at me (he missed) while they were going around me on Girard.

This is not a good place to come for advice. Really.
Everyone rides as differently as the parts of the country they live and ride in are.
Advice from Texas isnt going to be applicable in Philly.
Ride only routes you are totally comfortable with and as the miles build so will your
confidence and knowledge of ways to deal with different scenerios.
Its very simple. Whats works for you and you are most comfortable with is what works...

:)

I couldn't agree more with #16, especially with roads being so complex.

Try to stick with something simple until you're confident enough to ride in such complex routes.

... Try to stick with something simple until you're confident enough to ride in such complex routes. I have 100k miles of experience on the road and consider myself a competent cyclist, but I would probably still stop and wait for a gap in the situation shown, just as I would have 40 years ago.

Yeah, that's true. It's important to be confident once you do a lot of practice biking in the road.

For picture 1, if it was me I would look for an altenate route. That looks like a brutal spot, with traffic changing lanes both ways, and in far too short a stretch.

Looking at the map, can you go up Duncan and then over on Tacony, and if necessary then switch to James?

I was thinking the same thing, except turning left on Church just before Duncan, only because it looks like there is a traffic light at Church but not Duncan. Kind of like this (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Aramingo-Bypass326892).

I do know about a two-step left, but am more trying to figure out what the legally-acceptable way of making this turn would be.

Note that you don't say what the speed limit is on these roads.

Generally speaking, it is legal to take the lane (or lanes) to make the left turn.

Note that you can often get the cooperation of cars to block other traffic for you (they may do so reluctantly but they'll do it). The trick is to have a good sense of what the car behind you is going to do (in particular, they should be slowing down to your speed). You can often encourage the car to slow down by moving left in the lane (and signalling). If you do this, being able to look back at the driver is a help.

I would avoid #1. If that were not at all possible, I'd wait for a gap.

Unless traffic is very fast and heavy, I would act like a motor vehicle in situation #2. If volume and speed bothered me, I'd go half way through the intersection, swing slightly right into the crosswalk, do a 90 degree left, and wait for the light.