It was intense and my blood pumped fast. A few times I glanced down at my spedometer and realized that I was starting to climb closer to my sprint speed rather than any sort of regular cruising velocity. It's funny how a busier road and traffic can have that affect vs. when I'm riding alone on a stretch of highway.

Before attempting this adventure I've been reading up on as many threads as I can open on these forums and they have been more than helpful. As I pulled up to my first 4 way intersection my mind started racing through all the tips I had gleaned: Defensive driving! I am invisible to cars! I am a vehicle not a pedestrian! The light turned green, I waited for my opportunity and then began my left turn. Only after completing it and being honked at by 3 different cars did I realize that I had forgot to signal altogether. Don't worry I felt plenty like a moron after that .

Quick question for you guys: at a red light or stop sign, how far ahead and for how long do you signal to you indicate your turns? Also even more of a n00b question: If I need to move into a different lane than on the right next to the far curb (let's say I'm making a left hand turn from a street with 2 different lanes) and I am moving slower than the rest of traffic do I take the right, left, or center of said lane? Thanks again for the great resource you people are

If it is heavy traffic and at a time of day when people are on autopilot while talking on their cell phones and getting to/from work I have nothing against riding to the red light and then walking or scootering my bike across the intersection. Drivers around me are hidious and they will literally drive on the wrong side of the road to get around if you are taking a lane if they think they can get away with it.

I used to commute through a pretty busy area in the Mpls metro. I never had a honk or nasty look, and always took over lanes as though I was a car. It seems there is some kind of precedent set in the cities that allows for this type of bicycle ettiquette. I guess I would assess the situation you are in, be defensive yet slightly assertive. If you need to take a left, get in line with the rest of the vehicles and signal appropriately when changing lanes. The first few times I did it, I felt like I was in the way, but at the same time, I was being predictable, respectful, and waved as the vehicles passed me to show my thanks for their respect of me. My commute was at a similar time of day each day, and I'm sure by the second or third week, many of the cars actually grew into expecting me to be there. That's my little blurb on the issue.

Now I live in rural WI. I have a commute that has about 4 stop signs and no major traffic concerns. A HUGE change!

I signal as I see fit, if I'm making a left but stuck at the red, I signal for as long as it takes for the person behind (and in front, if applicable) to notice. I move to the left side of the lane once I get close and into the intersection itself. Sometimes I haven't signalled too, there have been times I've forgotten, but also times where I've not felt comfortable to (when hopping streetcar tracks, for example) - a customary glance and the body language associated seems to work in these situations.

There's a couple sections where I need to move from the bike lane across 2 lanes to the LTO lane. First, I glance over my shoulder instead of just checking my mirror. It gives the drivers some warning that I'm gonna move, even before I signal my move. Then I signal my move and move into the next available traffic break and take the right lane. I move to the left edge of the right lane and do the same thing to move into the next lane over.
People may honk and get angry that they have to slow down to my speed for a few seconds; but if they're honking, at least they see me. It's when we're all approaching a light at a backed up intersection, so it's not like anyone's really getting to their destination any slower because of me.

I have never signalled. I don't turn against traffic except out of dedicated lanes unless I have got communication with the car behind me, in which case no explicit signal seems needed.

It really depends on the traffic for me. If my lane change is going to cause action from the traffic (i.e. brake) then I signal and hope a nice soul lets me in. If I have space, I sprint the whole way to the lane. I found that when people see you really working your ass off to not be a burden to them they give you alot more respect and space.

I have one section where I go across then push the button to crosswalk a left turn. It's 4 lanes in each direction and people are stupid and fast in the area. Not worth getting squashed trying to prove that I can make a left just like a car.

Another spot where traffic is lighter and 3 lanes each way, I can easily make my transition to the left turn lane. The arrow won't trip for me there so I have to dice through 3 lanes of 45 to get across. Sometimes it's a good sprint

I don't signal very often in heavy traffic. But i will slap my ass and wave as i pass cars

I signal so that the car behind me and the oncoming cars will know what I'm doing, then I (generally) get over to the left side of the left-turn lane. It makes it pretty unambiguous what I'm going to do and also allows cars to swing around me when they're making the left.

Killer you guys. Thanks for the input and responses

I generally will look over my shoulder first - this lets me know how much room/time I have to move over and if the driver is paying attention - then I signal for a second or two making sure I stick that arm right out where they can see it, and keep signaling until I start making the lane-change, at which point I find it best to have both hands on the bars. If I'm at a stop light, it depends...
If I'm in the left-only lane, I don't find it very necessary to signal a left turn to cars that pulled up to the light behind me - there's only one way to go, left and if they didn't run me over then they must already know I'm there, plus they where probably the car that I made sure was watching when I signaled the lane change.
Right hand-turns... Ok, I'm pretty bad for forgetting to signal rights.

I don't really signal. If I need to turn, I'll take up a lane and glance over my shoulder and get closer to the lane I need to be in, or just turn if I'm in the correct lane already. I agree with the "be defensive yet slightly assertive" note, though. And maybe this doesn't work so well for busy highways or whatever, as I can keep up with (and often go faster than) traffic.

If there's a stoplight or stop sign, I just roll across the ped crossing.

yew must be one 'o' them ass-slappin' roadies!

No offense, but isn't that when it's more critical to signal when turning?

I signal if I can, but negotiating a turn with one hand on certain roads can be tricky. (Like our street car track riddled streets here in Toronto.) In which case I signal about 10~20m ahead of time for as long as I can, then put both hands on the steerer, check my blind spot to see any cars trying to cut me off, and then proceed into the turn.

Oh, and I don't just stick my arm out, I actually point my fingers like a hand gun to show my intentions.

Good idea.

And when I'm making my left (4 lanes x 4 lanes plus turn lanes) I just get into the left turn lane and from there it's pretty obvious what I'm about to do.

I will usually stay on the right side of the lane when turning and make a wide turn so the cars can cut the corner and speed on as per usual.

I think there's a bit of a misconception about turn signals. They are not very useful as a way to say "I am turning right now" or "i am changing lanes right now" because it's usually obvious what you're doing once you've started doing it.

It is useful to signal to say "I am going to change lanes or turn in the next ~20 seconds" because then people will be less surprised when you actually do it. They might not brake beforehand to give you space but they'll be ready to brake when they find you're occupying the space they wanted.

I put both hands back on the bars while I'm actually in the process of making a turn because by then people can easily see I'm turning. I ride one-handed for a few seconds with an arm out to signal, starting maybe 10 seconds before I turn-- so I'm going in a straight line while I have one hand off the bars.

Be careful not to do that near a school zone. LOL

You read that your are a vehicle. Do you think if you were in a car and made a left hand turn from the right lane next to the curb would other drivers honk at you? yes. You are a vehicle move into the left turn lane. If it is high traffic and you can not merge over into the left hand turn lane go straight across the intertion then stop on the other side and wait for the traffic light so you only have to go straight on the turn street.

I usually start looking to get over well before the light but not so far that I'm going to be out in traffic for a long time either. I have a couple lefts on my commute where I have to cross through 2 lanes of traffic moving at 45-50mph. One of them is slightly downhill and I'm usually going 25-30mph so I just start checking early for a break in traffic and when I get a break I start signaling that I'm coming over. Most times people will slow a bit and let me move over especially since the light is going to force them to slow or stop anyway.

You'll get used to doing this before long and it will become second nature to you. It's harder to explain than it is to just do it.

Be assertive with your lane changes. Don't tip toe across the lanes, because that gives the drivers behind you in those lanes you want to get into think that you might be waiting for them to speed up and pass you. Do your head check, get that arm out and move over.

Yep. Gotta be aggressive to get respect. Don't be stupid but don't be timid either. I actually point and wag my finger toward the lane I'm heading to just to make sure they see me and know my intentions.

Yep, it's funny. Cars all around tend to make me go faster too. There is an uphill I regularly take that has two narrow lanes in my direction and lots of traffic, always. I fly up it at 20 mph. I would not (and probably could not) do it if this was a quiet MUP instead.

Hard to describe... whatever seems prudent. I think most people tend to leave it until it's way too late. They seem to want to do it once they already started the turn/lane change which is kind of dumb, because it's already clear what they are doing.

For lane changes my rule of thumb (which I apply subconsciously) is that I signal late enough so that only drivers that will be affected by my actions will see my signals, but early enough that those drivers have plenty of warning. For example, if I need to change lanes to do a left turn, I don't signal a left if I intend to let a few more cars pass before I start the turn. If I am waiting for a gap, then I'll signal as soon as a gap opens up and then move to the left immediately. If I know I have to negotiate and ask a driver to let me in, I signal until someone lets me in... same as in a car.

For left turns: I signal them quite early, basically as soon as I am in the left portion of the road, so that the drivers behind me don't get confused as to what I'm doing there and don't try to pull crazy ***** like going into oncoming traffic to pass me on the left. If I'm stopped at a red waiting for a left turn, I'll do a quick signal after I stop, and then again if someone pulls up behind me, to let them know why I'm on the left.

If that lane is wide, I'll take the left portion of the lane (right next to the centerline). This way drivers can just pass you on your right while you're waiting for your turn. Just make sure that no one pulls up to your right and then tries to make a left turn with you. I mean, you can't really prevent it, but watch for it and don't go for a wide left turn unless you know for sure there is no one on your right turning with you.

If the lane is narrow, be in the centre, maybe slightly left-biased. Unless the curb lane is impassable for some reason (e.g. parked cars).

Don't attempt a left turn from a right portion of a lane (unless it's a dedicated left-turn lane). That's just asking for a collision with someone who passes you on the left with the intention of going straight...

Just remember that those drivers DO have the right of way, so make damn sure you have time and space to move over. Don't change lanes right in front of them and expect them to slam on the brakes. If you need them to slow down to complete your lane change, be damn sure they ARE slowing down and letting you in. If they are still far enough behind that you can change lanes before they are right on top of you, then sure, be assertive and just move into that gap.