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Old 10-05-06 | 08:49 PM
  #9  
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JohnBrooking
Commuter
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,568
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From: Southern Maine

Bikes: 2006 Giant Cypress EX (7-speed internal hub)

Another one for totally the drivers' fault. Legally, that is. Some would say that you had no way of knowing he would violate your space, so how could you have done anything differently? But there's also the school of "expect anyone to do something stupid at any time, and be prepared for it".

I think I've gotten accustomed to be on the lookout for this possibility anytime I see a left-turner ahead of me with one or more cars between us. In fact, there's a certain road I pass every day where people often turn left and others pull to the right around them. Only difference is that in my case, it's a plain shoulder and not a bike lane, so I have even less reason to expect them to respect the white line. When I see a left-turner here, I automatically slow down a bit, keep my hands on the brakes, and watch the intervening cars to see which they are going to do, pull out or slow down. Even if it looks like they are slowing, be careful, they could change their minds at any time!

I don't have a lot of bike lanes where I ride, none on my regular commute, in fact, but from what others have said, I think I would trust drivers to respect bike lanes about as much as they respect shoulders, which is only when it is convenient for them.
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