NotReady4Purple

Folks,

I have a question for you long-time commuters.

During my commute, on a moderately busy road, I need to make a left hand turn from a road with a marked bike lane. I have assumed the correct method was to merge across the through lane into the left-hand turn lane and make the left hand turn from the right-side of the left hand turn lane into the right side of the road I was turning into.

In doing this yesterday, I was loudly honked and yelled at by a driver nowhere near me (I was safely into the left hand turn lane) awaiting a break in traffic to make the turn. The honker was in the through lane and continued past me going straight ahead. (I had the left-hand turn lane all to myself).

I have done some searching and it seems Colorado law specifies one option for a left turn is to continue through the intersection in the bike lane and then cross - after the intersection. Does anyone do this? It seems less safe to me.

I've only been bicycling for a month - after more than 30 years of not bicycling. So I'm interested in knowing the best way to do this. (And I presume that the honker could just have been an idiot. ).

badhat

the honker was an idiot.

squegeeboo

Thats how I do it. Ignore the honker.

Mr. Underbridge

What does 'cross after the intersection' mean? Go straight and make a u-turn at the next smaller intersection? I'm not seeing the advantage.

Personally, the problem I have with lefts is that sometimes I can't get over. In a car, I'd get in the left lane half a mile in advance of my turn, but cyclists are supposed to stay to the right (correct?). So many times I simply can't get to my turn, so I take a right at the intersection, loop around the cars waiting at the light, and get in line (or filter) to go straight.

I do get honked at *many* times when making a left, I often get left-hooked.

NotReady4Purple

Whoa - left-hooked? I guess I've nothing to complain about being honked at. (And while I don't respond to the honkers, I don't ignore them - scares the *bleep* out of me.)

Cross after the intersection, (If I'm reading this right) means to go through the intersection and cross over as if you were a pedestrian. Strange - but that is one of the recommended methods in the state's bicycle manual. Can't say I've ever seen anyone doing it.

nightc1

I see nothing wrong with what you did. If the street was busier I'd probably turn right then loop back around to head the other direction through the intersection.

You might want to check your local laws though to see if it's legal or not for you to make the turn in the regular turning lane.

Well I checked here:
https://www.swcp.com/~nmts/laws/coloradoBikelaw.html

And it states clearly that...

So by law you were doing the right thing unless there is a local ordinance beyond the state law in play.

SDRider

Moving over into the left hand turn lane is the correct method for making a left hand turn. You are basically supposed to follow the same rules as if you were in a car. The guy who honked at you is an idiot.

With time, you'll get better at looking for a break in traffic to get over. Be assertive but don't take any unecessary risks either.

NotReady4Purple

Thanks all.

(On this particular left turn, there is no right turn, so I hadn't thought of that option.)

supercub

The alternative method, I believe, is to ride through the intersection and pull in front of the line of cars formed at the stop-line of the perpendicular street (they have the red light). Basically you end up stopped between the stop-line and the crosswalk in the right lane of the perpendicular street. When the light turns green, you go.

I use that method as a failsafe when I can't get over to the left. It seems perfectly safe.

Brusheda

When you are in the turn lane you should ride in the center of the lane. The driver was probably afraide you were going to drift into his lane or something.

uXs

I do the merging thing when I know the road and when there's little enough traffic to safely do it. Otherwise I act like a pedestrian.

GCRyder

That's how I often do it when the through traffic is too thick and fast for me to get over to the left turn lane. Other times, I do a loop through the opposite corner. That is, sometimes it's easier to travel all the way through the intersection, and make a 270 right instead of a 90 left. These are bicycles. They do that, no problem.

JeffS

You're fine. Some people are just jerks.

chephy

Don't assume car drivers know anything about rules of the road. Most of them are basically clueless.

hubcap

I have a tough left turn on my commute. Traffic is moving at 35-40mph and I have to get across two lanes to a left turn lane. I agree with the comment above that you have to be assertive, but smart. You can't wait until there are no cars back there, so you just watch for a suitable break. Yes, you might slow them down a little bit, but so what? It's traffic and you are part of it.

rando

I would do this rather than cross traffic lanes.

noisebeam

if you are already on the sidewalk it makes sense to do it this way
but remember that ped accident rates are worse than cyclist accident
al

CastIron

Always a sound assumption.

Left turn lanes exist for road users turning left. Use it. Seize the whole friggin thing too.

NotReady4Purple

Interesting scenarios. I hadn't thought through all the possibilities you are coming up with.

I don't think it'll change anyone's thoughts on this, but here's some better description of the turn in question.

1) No sidewalks
2) No traffic light or stop sign
3) A left-hand turn lane but no right hand turn
4) Road Speed limit ~40 mph
5) Traffic usually, but not always allows a break in one direction at a time - but rarely both directions.
6) Full bike lanes on both the straight away and after the left turn.

Does this change any of your advice?

CastIron

^^^ solidifies my position very firmly.

gholt

I'd use the left lane as well. Be asserative, but cautious like others.

caloso

You did it right. Except that you might as well take the dead center of the left turn lane. You're entitled to it and it reinforces that you mean to be there.

noisebeam

I prefer to just call it the center, mainly for the potential effect the adjective could have on the sub-concious.

Al

NotReady4Purple

OK. Center it is.

nightc1

The only problem with the center of the lane I see is most of the triggers for lights around here are either left or right of center... right where car wheels would normally sit.

So you may sit at the light forever unless there's a car on your back wheel triggering the light for you... or your lucky enough to have a turn where there's one of those multizone hot spot triggers where you can sit pretty much anywhere and get the light to change in your favor.

Also the center of the lane is where cars stop and drip. Oil on the road doesn't equal good traction on any kind of bike or even motorcycle tire. So stopping left or right of center would be better if you want to avoid a potential oil slick.