Originally Posted by zeytoun
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1045851
Above is a link to Texas Street, one of our nice little hills in San Diego. It's no mountain, but it's in my daily commute, and I am right proud of my tubby self for making it up every day.
The south end is the top of the hill, btw.
From the intersection below, up to about where the bike lane on the southbound/uphill side goes dashed, and disappears entirely, is a little over 1/3 of a mile at an almost 12% grade.
You'll notice that right as the dashed bike lane disappears, there is a place for cars to make a right turn. There is a signal-controlled intersection a few feet ahead, where the hill levels off.
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I have heard it said many times that when approaching a place where a right turn is allowed, one should move laterally away from the edge of the road to avoid a right hook. On this road, when I ride on it there are usually at least 1/2 a dozen right turners at the spot where the bike lane ends.
Also, I have read that when turning left at an intersection, one should either merge over one lane at a time, or do a pedestrian-style two-point left turn by going straight and crossing.
Is that how any of you VC advocates recommend handling this road?
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FWIW, I don't move left of the dashed bike lane.
I am going all of about 3-4mph at this point, since it's a steep section, and I am already tired.
Cars that turn right pass me and turn in what would be a right hook, if I were going faster. But I'm not, so there's plenty of time/space.
Then when I get within a few feet of the intersection I verify that the car(s) behind are giving me ROW, and I chug straight through. If a car right hooked me, I could easily turn with them or roll off my bike into the plants on the side, since I am going so slowly.
Of course, this has never happened, and I feel safe all the way to the top of the hill.
Then, when I get to the top, and it levels out, I usually time the light so it's red. I merge across both through-lanes in one motion, after the left-turn lane has gone solid. I move accross the solid line of the left turn lane, and cut in line.
The car drivers often smile and wave. I have never had one angry about my "rude" behavior.
Is my cycling behavior here VC?
Sounds pretty much like my left turn on Regents road after ascending from the valley where hiway 52 runs. I make a left across Regents to Luna. The speed limit on Regents is 50MPH with a 35MPH decrease about 200 yards before the top, where the light is. Motorists rarely slow to 35.
I generally time it to get behind the largest group of motorists just before the light... I am usually doing 6-8MPH, so sometimes I slow to a crawl, look for a good break in traffic and then ease left... I can't tell if anyone is coming until I move left due to the curves of the road. As I ease left I get a better view down the road and then move accordingly. I signal, but it shouldn't matter as I do this only when there is a good long break in traffic... and any approaching motorists are so far back that they probably are not looking. and don't care anyway.
Of course the left turn loop never detects me (I have reported it and they have responded... to no avail). So I have to wait for a good gap and then I run the light. (although sometimes a motorist comes into the lane and does trigger the lght.
A two point turn would hardly work as motorists barely hesitate before making the right turn at the top. And like you, I don't want to be trapped against the curb.
The key to my crossing is timing the traffic, then moving left and watching down the hill to ensure that I do have a gap. Regents does have gaps in traffic, unlike the parallel Genesee, which seems to flow steadily. This is one reason I prefer Regents, it actually gets quiet for some small period as I ascend... rather than the constant roar and rush of traffic on Genesee.
Is it VC; is your method VC... who knows, at 4MPH I am right at ped speed, and at 6MPH I am at about slow jogging speed. I am still on wheels, so am I vehicular? Who knows... it works and I am not looking for nor expecting any motorist response.
BTW I have never ridden Texas street. I have used either Fairmont or Juan street to come up from the valley... for some reason I have never needed to come up in the center.
Now I do a similar thing coming off hiway 5 and turning left on Genesee... only in this case I stick my left arm out for a long time, and await the first motorist that actually slows way down for me... I use them as a shield to make that left turn at the top. The traffic hits the ramp at 60+MPH, and you cannot tell if there is a gap during rush hour... so I wait for a "shield car" before attemting that left.
Anyone coming off the hiway will see a slow car with brake lights on and will hopefully slow too.
I have had motorists just "fly" past my outstretched arm... so I patiently wait... moving about 6MPH for 5-8 car lenths it takes to get a "shield car." I could push it and "sprint" up to maybe 10-12 MPH to make the same turn... but with with autos closing at 60, why take chances?