What Next - Idiot Drivers
 

This morning I had something happen that I have never experienced on my commute.

Last couple of blocks from the office in the industrial park that I work in I have a traffic light with a straight/right turn lane and a left undivided turn lane. Im on the right shoulder approaching the red light, nothing coming from behind, take the lane and pull up in the traffic loop just left of the center of the lane.
A little time goes by, woman in a coffee delivery service van pulls up next to me on the right side. I'm thinking that she is turning, so no big deal ....

Light turns green, look both ways and take off going straight through. She takes off and starts overtaking me to my right side before we are even clear of the intersection. Left me sitting in the middle of the road with other traffic going by from before being able to get back to the right. All I wanted to do was to get across and get over on the right side.

Needless to say I got on the phone with the coffee company and filed a complaint.

What does everyone think, is there any end to what kind of stunts drivers will pull?

Chris - Baton Rouge, La

Wait, so you were in the left turn lane and she was in the straight/right turn lane? Or was she in the right shoulder?

I'm confused. Why were you on the left side if you needed to make a turn to the right?

No.

As I read it, he was in the middle of the lane that was either straight ahead or right turn, and then got passed on the right.

And, to answer the OP, no, but you can add "cyclists" to the list of stunters just as easily.

The road widens from 1 lane to

a) A left turn lane

b) A straight and right turn lane.

I was stopped at the light just to the left of the center of the lane (the go straight and right turn lane), waiting to go straight across the intersection.

She basically tried to pass me on the right on a road that is only 1 lane going in the direction that I was travelling.

Chris

I've had that happen before a couple times at the same intersection.

I simply started placing my bicycle smack dab in the center of the lane kind of angling it. So if they want to pass me before the light changes, they pretty much have to get in the lane to the left. Quite interesting when they cross a double yellow and wait at a red light (only happened once).

This happens to me at least three or four times a week. Annoying, but manageable.

I had this happen when I used to sit to the left in a right turn \ straight lane to let drivers take a right.
I don't bother anymore.

The thing is, I didn't think anything of her sitting there to my right beforethe light changed. In Louisiana it's legal to make a right on red. There was cross traffic coming so she could not turn right until the light changed to green.

Big surprise to me when we both took off on the green light and she is trying to pass on the right.


Wish I could have caught up to her and educated her...........

Chris

I don't give people enough room to safely make their way past me on the right.
If someone does try to squeeze past me on the right, I pick up my bike and reposition myself in front of them so they can't go anywhere.

Education would not have helped. No matter what kind.

Simply ignoring it and letting it blow off is the best thing you can do.

Yeah, when I figure out this is happening I pull into the crosswalk in front of the car to my right and turn around and glare at the driver, if there's time before the light changes. I also try not to leave enough room on my right; if someone stops back there and clearly wants to turn, I again use the crosswalk space, this time to adjust left, if I'm feeling generous.

+1

I've done this before to try to stop right and left hooks or jerk cagers trying to squeeze next to me in the lane when there's clearly not enough room to safely share it.

I roll or pick up my bike and plant it right in front of them and give them the nastiest look. On a few occasions I've yelled at them while giving them a nasty look.

Cagers can be complete, dangerous idiots sometimes.

1. Pull away as normal. Don't slow down or stop.
2. Let coffee lady pass you.
3. Signal your intention to move right, into the gap between coffee lady and the next vehicle behind.
4. Move to the right, if the driver of the next vehicle gives you room.
5. If the following driver doesn't give you room, repeat steps 2-4 with this driver.
6. Eventually, somebody will let you in or the line of traffic will get past, and you can then move to the right.

It's generally not the end of the world if a vehicle gets between you and the curb. Try not to panic.

She was either in a hurry to get around the nasty bike, or assumed you were turning left. You shouldn't leave enough room for someone to come up on your right and/or possibly be confused about your intentions.

Hey, didn't know that I could do this but here is a link from google maps that shows the intersection. I was just left of center in the lane to the right.


http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&laye...59.998375&z=19

I have about forgotten about it, just was looking at the photo of the intersection after reading everyones comments.

Have a safe weekend all ....


Chris

I don't see how it is physically possible if you were stopped on the dark grease smear in the right lane that any normal width delivery vehicle could pull up on your right.

And if it does happen, follow jeffree's advice

My bad, I thought we were talking about a vehicle passing the OP using a RH turn lane. Although a paved shoulder could facilitate the same boneheadery, could it not?

When I encounter this situation, I normally jump the light. That is I am a quarter to half way through the intersection and back to the right side of the lane before the light changes to green.

Yes this is illegal, but as long as I am sure that I am not going to get nailed by cross traffic or left turn drivers from the opposit direction I do it.

Yeah, that was my thought too. Also, I really don't get the folks who feel it's their duty to block drivers who want to make a right on red. What's up with that? They're not hurting you. They're not going where you're going. If there's room to let them by, why not do it?

For me, its not blocking people from making right turns. Its blocking people from trying to pass me on the right. The two instances this has happened were both the same intersection. This a particularly dangerous spot to try and do that as there is a decent sized traffic lane, about a decent sized bike lane, then a rather large parking line. I'm heading to that bike lane. Majority of the time, someone is parked in that parking lane.

It creates a setup where the driver accelerates WOT in an attempt to pass me before they run into the parked car.

The particular intersection I'm talking about is this: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...55.57,,0,13.24

Its a bit difficult to see the lane setup, but if you drag the little street guy over to the street I'm heading to, you get the idea.

sometimes its tuff to take a lane, maybe next time stay closer to the center, or the right

but yeah, they stink

I have had that happen, as well as motorists passing my on my right while they violate a right only turn lane... and the ultimate trump... being nearly right hooked by a motorist using a center straight only lane to turn right, right in front of me.

In every case I am properly destination positioned for the road/lanes I am using.

Idiots abound... there are no rules for them.

In my state right turns on red are legal and common... to not leave enough room on the right to permit a motorist to make such a right turn only then brings the wrath of those motorists making a legit and legal right turn on red. Further the only way I could not "eave enough room for someone to come up" and pass on either side is to turn my bike sideways... which no doubt would really leave them "confused about my intentions."