Originally Posted by
RoboChrist
Ride exactly on the broken line dividing the centre and right-turn lane.
Originally Posted by
bhop
I think you're already doing all you can in a situation like that. Riding exactly on the broken line as RoboChrist suggests might help give you a little more space for the 'buzzers' but that's about it.. sometimes I'll hop on the sidewalk for a bit if I feel like i'm going a lot slower than traffic until I can pick my pace back up then I get back in the street. I know a lot of people feel like they shouldn't be on the sidewalk, but whatever, i'm all for my personal safety first.
Riding the dashed line only encourages the 'buzzers' to try and squeeze by. Take the lane.
Originally Posted by
colleen c
I have an intersection that is very similar to that. There are usually three to four car behind me if I am first in the lane waiting for the light. If I tried to take the lane, I get cars crossing into oncoming traffic to pass me at a very close gap. One thing I do is to start off slow and veer toward the crosswalk after making sure cars in the right lanes are indeed turning right. I go through the intersection just barely staying out of the crosswalk at a much slower pace while letting those cars behind me pass by. In the event that there are too many cars that are going straight, then I will go up the crosswalk and into the sidewalk to wait it out. This is something I hardly ever do but only in this one intersection of mine that is similar to yours.
Veering to the right will also only encourage the 'buzzers'
and leave you trying to merge into the traffic on the other side of the intersection.
Originally Posted by
ZCow
Best thing for you to do is not worry about the cars behind you. I also don't agree with riding the lines as some have recommended. Doing so, I feel, would put you in the position of trying to merge back into the straight traffic and sandwich you between straight and turning lanes. Despite the fact that they are turn-only lanes, if motorists want to pass they will overtake in these lanes. A couple suggestions would be possibly waiting to let traffic flow calm a bit prior to going up the hill and possibly after going through the light. Maintaining lane control is key and is much more safe for you in the long run. You may get honks, but you are going within your means to get from point A to point B like everyone else.
Originally Posted by
JanMM
+1 Take the lane. (The straight lane)
Yup. Control the situation. The other side of the intersection looks like a low traffic road or, at least, a slower speed road. You
don't want to be playing 'pop goes the weasel' behind the parked cars when you enter the other road. I'd pull up behind the last car in the straight through lane square in the middle of the lane. When the traffic moves, move with it. If you are slower than the rest of the traffic, that's not really your problem.
One proviso: I always sprint across intersections. I try to clear them as quickly as possible. I ride with other people occasionally and they all want to saunter across all the intersections. I feel that intersections are where you risk the most and I'd rather get clear of them as soon as possible.