blickblocks

What is this called? In the area I commute in, I frequently ride faster than the cars are able to drive simply because of traffic. Often, as I'm coming to stop at an intersection, a car will try to pass me on the left. It really doesn't make any sense to me why they would try to do this. The past few times I've just forcefully taken the lane as I'm coming to a stop because it's just ridiculous (and it's sort of funny when they keep trying to pass and end up halfway in the left turn lane).

Tips?

donnamb 

They can't judge your speed. They need more drivers' education. All I can really think of is for you to be prepared to stop hard in case they cut you off.

Sixty Fiver

When I come to intersections I will take the centre of the lane to keep folks from trying to pass or right hook me.

donnamb 

I do too, but when there is a lane to the left, there's always some bozo who will try to pass you just before a red light because they think you're slower than you really are. Then they try to swerve in front of you and brake hard. <sigh>

Sixty Fiver

I take the centre long before I hit the intersection... and I'm usually pretty speedy.

genec

Oh it can be even worse than that... with bozos willing to cross the double yellow not knowing if someone is about to come around the corner, and yet still before a stop. Even if the stop is already blocked by other vehicles.

Clearly this is purely idiotic behaviour based on some strange notion that cars should never be behind bikes.

It makes no sense, and some motorists are willing to take what ever chances they must to simply get away from cyclists.

It doesn't matter if you ride smack dab in the middle of the road... some motorists will use wrong lanes, even go against oncoming traffic, just so they are not behind a bicycle rider.

And no doubt if they hit a cyclist while doing this, or are involved in some other accident... the comments will include something along the lines of "the cyclist swerved right out in front of me" or "I didn't see the biker," or "bikes are supposed to get out of the way... "

San Rensho 

I call it the "in a big hurry to stop" syndrome, which I agree with Genec is from some belief that bikes should never be in front of cars.

Whenever a car tries this I hold my ground. On more than one occassion, the car has had to stop at the stop sign, in the oncoming traffic lane! Of course, they are pissed at me.

wy29

I have been in this type of situation too.
As I come to a stop at the intersection, a car would speed up and overtake me before stopping at the intersection.

I hate being cut-off like this. If I had an Air-Zound, I would probably blast it!

If you have a mirror, you can see and hear drivers attempting to do this.
My trick is to imitate the driver's action. When I see/hear them speed up, I speed up too and take the lane. Then they end up waiting behind me because there is no room to pass. The disadvantage is you waste energy speeding up and braking to stop immediately after.


I guess the tip is: Don't slow down too early when approaching a stop at an intersection. Otherwise, the motorist would want to overtake you.

CommuterRun

I do this, too. I don't speed up, I just don't slow down any sooner than I would for the stop, to let them in.

seeker333

I agree completely with your comments.

This has happened to me MANY times. It's turned into a desperate-last-moment right hook on occasion where I ended up pounding the R side of a vehicle as a warning/educational attempt, not too much effort needed since the JAM has nearly stopped on top of me.

Funniest ones are where the JAM ends up clear over in the opposing lane, stopped, with a vehicle in the roadway attempting to enter, but can't due to JAM blocking his entry/ROW. So we all sit there, I chuckle, finally JAM continues on his journey to alleviate traffic jam he's created. I swear some people are too learning-impaired to safely operate motor vehicles. I know one day this will be a collision - just hope I'm still in position to laugh about it.

sbhikes

They do it whether you are in the center of the lane, the left edge of the lane, whether there is a blind curve and passing you risks killing everybody, even on single lane roads when clearly another car is coming. They are idiots. Idiotic in their belief that they must pass bicycles no matter what.

Business810

That's my exact policy, and I encounter this at least once every day. I don't speed up, because I don't want to waste the energy on my hilly commute and I don't want to be run down by someone with road rage, but I do not slow any more than I otherwise would. I just enjoy filtering past them or passing them in the next block of traffic.

mikepoole

Happens relatively often to me. I usually respond with my actual thought at the time- I turn, look at the driver and say/mouth "What _are_ you doing?" I've gotten a range of responses- averted eyes, some kind of shoulder shrug, a very occasional apology. No real obvious anger- I think it's just the "car-must-pass-bike" thing working on autopilot. Take the lane pretty early, actually stop at the sign and signal your turn (if any) to remind them that you belong on the road as much as they do...

gosmsgo

This happens all the time and in fact it happened with my wife yesterday and one of the city busses.

We always take the lane long before the intersection but most motorists just underestimate your speed.

Theres really nothing you can do about it except smile at them while they are sitting in the opposite traffic lane at the stop sign. They never look over because they are VERY embarassed.

buzzman

this is a pretty common situation and there have been several threads about this recently.

Often drivers approaching a cyclist from behind as both are approaching a stop sign will feel they have the right to pass the cyclist, if they can, before the stop sign. It's a kind of territorial imperative. Keep in mind that even in the most congested of urban environments we've catered to the automobile since the 1920's and given them major status in road usage and design. Which is why the driver feels like their world has been turned upside down when a cyclist does not give way as expected.

Sometimes I stand my ground but often I'll move aside.

I want to be prepared to deal with any consequences of not giving way to an aggressive driver even when I have the law on my side. Holding the lane until the offending driver is forced to remain in the wrong lane facing on-coming traffic may provide a smug satisfaction but could endanger an approaching innocent driver and/or cyclist unprepared for an automobile to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There is sometimes a fine line between being an assertive cyclist and playing games of chicken.

cooker

Isn't the lane wide enough to share?

gosmsgo

IMO no lane is wide enough to share at an intersection.


I've never had the motorists try to come back into my lane. They just have to stop at the intersection in the wrong lane which frankly teaches them a lesson.

Sir Bikesalot

I typically take the lane at intersections, but never had a car try to pass me on the left. Last night however, a cab passed me up on the right as I took the lane. I thought he was making a right turn, but he just wanted to shoot in front of me after the light turned green. It's ironic since one of the reasons I take the lane is so cars behind me can make a right turn, and then this guy just re-blocks the way again with his car

blickblocks

Lane "sharing" is really suspect, especially when it comes to a "your turn, now your turn" kind of situation an intersection presents. When we're travelling down the same road I'm all for sharing, it works out better for everyone if we can ignore "passing" and just pretend that one lane is two. However, I'm not going to be crammed into the corner at an intersection and possibly pushed off the road as we get to the other side.

Bekologist

some motorists totally disrespect bicyclists taking the lane. it's "Their" lane. some do it manevolently, so express displeasure with their horns, others just try to get by without much hassle, but to a lot of motorists it's still "Their" lane - in their opinion.

gosmsgo

I've never had anyone do it as a form of aggresion IMO.

In fact just last week someone did it and said "sorry" as he went by me and ran the light. He started to pass, realized he did not have time and felt as if he could not abort the manuever. When most cyclists filter why wouldnt the motorist feel that he can pass at a stop sign.....the bike should stay to the right....that is beaten into their head anytime they are sitting at a stop and have someone come sneaking by.

As more cyclists take to the street this will not happen as often IMO. In some midwest cities you could probably go years without interacting with a bicycle on the street.

Bekologist

I'm happy for you, gosmgo. I've been the brunt of more than one road rage merely for taking the lane.

see my most recent A&S thread "I had a run-in with a ragin' cager" and read the newslink.

maddyfish

Same here, in town I often go 50% faster than the cars in traffic. It is just a "see bike, must pass" mindset. Be assertive, take the lane at every intersection. And don't be afraid to put them into the other lane.

Crast

It's not really limited to midwest cities. I live in the suburbs of new york and even still cyclists on the street are a rare occurrence. In six years of driving, I've seen a cyclist on the road once and that was this month, when I moved further out east from the city. Your average casual commuter, kid, or family riding on the sidewalk? I see them all the time, but as a driver you glance and don't take much notice, as they're not a direct threat except when crossing (and they use crosswalks like pedestrians.) Yes, I used the word threat, but it's strange, your mindset changes when you're behind the wheel.

To be honest, I cycle on my local roads and deal with cars every day, but I can totally understand why people might not know how to deal with cyclists... I myself have never experienced having to drive near a cyclist before. Obviously, knowing what it's like to be in their shoes, I'd give them the courtesy I expect when I'm riding. I'd give them room whenever possible so that they can pass parked cars safely in the lane. I wouldn't zoom around them near an intersection. However, if someone were to try to squeeze through to my right, I'd probably be a little skittish, for fear I might hit them.

I-Like-To-Bike

The passing on the right at an intersection maneuver described is so common in Philadelphia that no one, either driving a car or riding a bike should be surprised. If there is enough available space on the right of any stopped vehicle (turning lane, bus stop, gap in parked cars, etc.) it is almost a sure thing that some impatient street light hot rodder will use it to pass; guaranteed if the left lane is already occupied by other traffic.

Practicing "Take the Lane!!" dogma does nothing to prevent this type of passing.