Daniel4

I'm cycling on a major road where posted speed limit is 60km/hr but most motorists go up to 70km/hr. I'm on the curb lane but in the middle of the right half keeping a safe distance from debris, sewer grates and potholes. For the most part motorists change lanes or partially change lanes as they pass me without incidence.

The a lane to my right forms for the purpose of becoming a highway on-ramp.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.73871...3R_PqOLt-g!2e0

Do I stay in the same position in my lane or
is it advisable for me to shift a little more to the right, since I have so much room on my right side that I won't get squeezed by traffic to my left anymore?

Lanovran

I'd recommend staying in the through lane, and perhaps moving over a bit more to center, since it seems like that right lane is basically a right-turn-only lane towards the highway. Maintaining your position will let car drivers behind you know unequivocally that you intend to continue on straight (one would think it obvious that a bicycle wouldn't be taking the on-ramp, but people are dumb sometimes), and you wouldn't need to perform any kind of awkward "lane re-entry" maneuver after passing the on-ramp. Staying in the through lane will also allow those cars turning right to more easily get around you in that right lane.

jyl

If few cars use that on ramp, thenI'd shift just a couple feet rightward, to the left edge of the right turn-only lane. Then look behind you when merging back into the original lane, as you approach the on ramp. If a lot of cars use that on ramp, then I'd stay in your original position.

Daniel4

Thanks to Lanovran and jyl for responding. Just to clarify, I had no intention of changing to the right lane. I just wanted to know if it's a good idea to stay in the same lane but move to the right just a bit more since there’s so much more room over there.

AlmostTrick

I move further left in that situation... so drivers turning right can clearly see that they don't need to pass me on my left.

bragi

I agree that staying in the through lane is the better option in this instance. My basic rule of thumb when riding among drivers who may not be familiar with bicycles is to pretend I'm driving a tractor. (Obey all traffic laws, be predictable, stay to the right when possible, but also take the right of way when necessary.)

ItsJustMe

Next to onramps I generally hold the right tire track, but watch my mirror. If there's someone coming up behind me that is clearly going for the ramp, I move LEFT to the left tire track, then after they get enough room to fully pass me in the onramp lane I'll move back to the right tire track.

spivonious

^ I'd do this too.

rumrunn6

nice kill zone, good luck. I've ridden past/thru these types of exit/entrance lanes and they are no fun. cars come out of nowhere, especially with it being on a straight away! can you avoid this route?

TransitBiker

Stay in the through lane. Don't even hint at going into the turn-off lane or some nut might try to cut you off.

- Andy

TransitBiker

I go 100% straight here, i do not veer right to go straight. There are a few other spots like this around town. The trick or me is to eye the lane when the lines go away, which makes room on the right for people to do right lane stuff without bothering me.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2287...-8SqcI6htw!2e0

- Andy

RubeRad

Wait wherever you have the best visibility (see/be seen) for a cohort of cars to pass so there's a gap, and jump from the curb to the paint between the thru-lane and the on-ramp lane. Ideally if the gap is at just the right time, you could jump the curb straight onto the painted line and keep going. Since situations are rarely ideal, you could either wait on the curb for the gap, or ride in the on-ramp lane (hugging the right shoulder) looking for an opening.

PatrickGSR94

Center of through lane, or left of center, always. Works for me all the time, every time.

spare_wheel

This.

I also almost always do the safety wiggle to improve the likelihood that drivers will see me. I also tend to do a stand up sprint through these kind of problem areas because it decreases time spent in the area, increases driver reaction time, and decreases the force of any potential impact.

Now that I run a 160 lumen tail light that brightens when I do the safety wiggle (or decelerate) I think my risk of not being seen has diminished.

However, I also believe this kind of maneuver should only be attempted by a strong and confident urban cyclist. The typical bike commuter should probably use the sidewalk here, IMO.

PatrickGSR94

Sidewalk would be awful through there. Assuming the OP is going east-bound as the street view link is oriented, it's a nice little downhill grade and most people could get up some decent speed through there. With the sidewalk you'd have to stop at the on-ramp, make sure it's clear, cross the on-ramp to the next sidewalk, continue to the following on-ramp, make sure that's clear, then continue on along the right lane of the road. Much easier to just stay in the right lane, go straight on through, and then move right to the right-hand lane after the off-ramp.

Not to mention the sidewalk looks much more bumpy than the road does.

treadtread

I hate riding past freeway entrances. After the first time, I used the sidewalk and tried hard to find routes that did not cross freeway entrances. Now I'm more comfortable, and also a little faster so I don't mind them, but I still don't like them. I second what spare_wheel said - slow down and use the sidewalk, take your time and just get past safely. Using the sidewalk will likely increase your commute by just a minute, at the most - and I've also discovered that if I standing on the sidewalk, waiting to cross, motorists roll to a stop and let me go through first because pedestrians have right of way. You never get that consideration if you are riding straight through.

Edited to ask: is cycling on the sidewalk legal in Toronto? If it is, I'd be tempted to ride the entire stretch on the sidewalk!

spare_wheel

And I still think that for many commuters walking the bike across that merge would be more comfortable than "taking the lane". IMO, the interested but concerned are unlikely to remain interested if the message is to HTFU and ride VC.

TrikeRider1961

I agree with Lanrovan. Staying in your chosen lane is more clear as to your intentions.

Coluber42

I'd either stay where you are or move somewhat to the left. But DO NOT move to the right. Not only do you want to make it clear you are not taking that righthand lane, you also want to discourage people from passing you on the left and then veering right into that lane. Yeah, people do that kind of thing - they are idiots. But that always strikes me as the worst hazard in case like this.

Either stay in a position that lets you really control the lane you're in, or do the stop - and - cross thing. I'd say the righthand tire track is the farthest right you should be. The middle ground between lanes is the absolute worst place to be.

CliffordK

I just hate those places with such poor bicycle engineering.

You have a sidewalk that could almost work as a bike path. And nice paved strip that they've planted telephone posts in the middle of.

If it was me, I'd be riding inches from the gutter. The turn lane is tricky, and depends on the traffic. I don't really like being passed on the right (both sides), even if I'm on a bike path. So I would probably follow a course keeping right until the point where I could cut across to a protected center island (with looking, and perhaps waiting).

If I chose to maintain the lane, I'd probably be a few inches to the left of the white line, but that is an uncomfortable place to be, so perhaps the "take the lane" for the middle lane approach would be appropriate too.

If that is a major arterial that you can not bypass, then write to your local government and suggest that they build a bikepath, although the bridge crossing is narrow (but you can live with that).

Daniel4

Wow, this thread is still going on. Now that the days are longer, I'm riding through the park which gets me across the highway from underneath. It's in the winter I take this road because I don't want to ride through the park in the dark. I've taken the sidewalk once and it was terrible. It's also illegal in Toronto.

When I'm on this part of the road, I stay in my lane and hold my position. I was honked repeatedly for quite a distance once but just ignored him until he changed lanes to pass. It was a bit nerve wracking but we as cyclists expect that sort of thing.

Walter S

I just pretend to be deaf. To the driver, I'm that deaf guy that obviously does not even hear me! At end of the day I feel a little safer. If I'm in somebody's way I move aside if I can without endangering myself and confusing drivers about my intentions. And I just pull off the road and let the cars go by for 10 or 20 seconds too, like right after leaving a red light, with traffic stacked up behind me and a right turn lane I can slip into and pedal slow for a bit. But if my safety is at issue and I need to purchase some tarmac and obstruct people that otherwise feel endowed with special powers of spatial judgment, then they'll need to adjust their tight schedules and deal with it.

spare_wheel

It's not illegal if you dismount and walk. Try it.

AlmostTrick

If they honk you know they see you, and are unlikely to hit you. Their honking also alerts other drivers nearby that something is going on, which will get them to pay attention also.

volvostephen

I agree. I pass an on ramp every day. It is by far my least favourite part of my commute. I take the lane and sprint over the bridge until I am past the on ramp and then resume a more right lane position. It is kind of crazy at this bridge. There is an amazing bike lane both before and after the on ramp but it disappears and they way the road is shaped, the lane is squeezed with 2 huge potholes. https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=borloa...39.45,,0,30.42