Originally Posted by
JoeyBike
There are plenty of intersections where I can see down the block, there are some intersections with poor sight lines where I need to stop at least for a moment, and everything in-between. Not so where you ride?
Also, lane positioning is critical. On one 6-lane road where I frequently ride for about 10 blocks and 10 traffic signals for instance, I hit the intersections from the left edge of the left-hand lane giving me sight lines that are clear both directions and 3-lanes wide. That's just one trick. Sure, if I rode in the gutter I could not see past the building on my right. I don't ride in the gutter. Too many bad things happen to cyclists who habitually hug the right curb/parked cars in any city.
The roads near my home and and near where I work tend to be high speed arterial in nature, (45MPH+) and thus I tend to ride in the provided bike lanes, (if they exist) thus decreasing my ability to scan way down the block.
Closer to my home, such roads are lined with parked cars (35MPH+) and those parked cars really block the view... Heck I don't even try a right turn on red while driving, as I cannot see down the block enough to determine if a car is coming.
Flat out, at your "20MPH" the answer is no, I cannot see through buildings or parked cars... there is no way I could determine if at least half a block away was clear of Motor Vehicles moving at say 25MPH, closing on me while I was moving at my typical 17-18MPH.
Nope, I need to stop and at least listen, and probably look... at best, I might be able to do this at about 4-6 MPH... just above walking speed.
On rare occasion I might come to a cross street that is curved in such a way that I can see up it and note that no other traffic is approaching, but for the most part, I just can't see around corners... you must have "special powers" to be able to do so, at speed.