Originally Posted by supcom

Aside from using the crosswalk, you have a couple options.

First is, as you stated, you can take the lane and make the turn. You should have that right since it would unsafe for cars to pass you on the left since they might go straight and cut you off. You could use th opportunity to work on your sprinting skills and try to keep up with traffic as best you can.

Second is to use a trick I use where I have to make a left hand turn across three lanes of a busy road. Rather than fight my way across traffic, I stay in the right lane and go straight through the intersection until I am in front of the line of cars waiting at the light. I stop, turn the bike to the left, and wait at the front of the line until the light turns green. Then proceed straight through the intersection at the head of the pack.

In your situation, I would simply take the lane and do the best I could.