ShinyBiker

Hey everyone,
Wanted some advice on how to navigate this intersection. It's me trying to cross over this busy 2 lane street. I am coming off a neighborhood street that is pretty slim. In the past few days, I've seen cars that turn into this street that would have hit me head-on if I had been in the position diagrammed below.

The cars are trying to make quick lefts b/c there are few gaps in between the traffic. I can't really hang back because the road curves to my right so I wouldn't be able to see the cars. Going to another intersection would take me off my route about 1/4 mile. Thanks.

cerewa

I usually wouldn't recommend stopping at the far right of the lane you are using, but in this case it seems to make sense. Other than that I don't know what to recommend.

lil brown bat

You don't say what the traffic controls are: lights, four-way stop, ???

Absent any other information, given that it's a busy intersection, you could do worse than to piggyback onto a car or truck that's driving straight through.

Quel

Going off route 1/4 mile? That isn't too much more or less than 60 seconds of riding. Well worth it to get to a safer intersection.

That said, if they run into you while you are stopped, its their fault and you'll be collecting insurance and be able to replace your bike with something new. You just have to be healthy enough to ride it.

DallasSoxFan

Remember also that cars make those turns b/c they know the lane is clear. If a car was in your position, it would not likely get clipped. If you are positioned IN the lane and are visible (this is a perfect situation that warrants day-glo clothing) then they should see you and take the turn more carefully.

ShinyBiker

I have a stop, they don't.

I think the only way they would see me is if I had an orange traffic cone on my head. For some reason, I think that an orange vest would only work if a car is in front or behind me. In this case, they are seeing me sorta sideways and quickly. You assume that cars always make perfect 90 degree turns in these cases but they don't.

TrekJapan

Might that just be one of those places you need to turn right and then hook a U turn as soon as you can? Might drag you out of your way a couple blocks but it might be the path of least resistance.

John

annc

It's fairly common for cars to cut corners. There's a freeway offramp on my route that cars making a left will usually cut the corner into the oncoming traffic lane but they always adjust when they see me approach. Wearing a bright vest and a blinkly on the front helps too.

krome

Are you hidden by the "A" pillar in the car? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillar_(car) i.e. is the driver's view of you blocked by the pillar of the windshield? Can you see drivers in the eyes?

Normally I like to occupy the center of the lane when I'm stopped at an intersection. However, I also adjust for "real world" conditions.

supramax

What lil brown bat said or what TrekJapan said or what Quel said or just wait for an all clear.

LarryMelman

My commuting route is a couple miles longer than it needs to be, in order to use quieter intersections. It's well worth it to me.

TempeRider

I agree. While in most cases, acting like a car (normal left) is prefered, in a case like this, it may be best to take an alternate path

Another way to do this is to go thru the intersection, and upon reaching the other side, swinging around to the left, waiting for the light and going straight

turn.JPG

Doohickie

TempeRider has a good suggestion. Personally, I'd just ride the extra 1/4 mile. My commute is about 7 miles by the shortest distance. In the morning before traffic heats up, that's the route I take. In the afternoon I'll ride as far as 10 miles to avoid traffic and find some shade (102 at going-home time today). Sometimes it's just worth it to do a few extra miles.

Artkansas 

Or, you can even take TempeRider's path, dismount your bike and walk across the intersection, thus becoming a pedestrian for a few moments.

trekker pete

Why yes, they should, shouldn't they.

Well, you can take should and jam it up your arse, sideways.

This, IMO, is the kind of hardcore VCer attitude that gets folks dead.

I don't give a rat's arse what you wear, if you rely on the idea that you WILL be seen, if you wear bright lime green and aggressively assert your rights as a vehicle, there is a distinct chance that chuck darwin will take you out sooner or later. I do not care how bright that vest or dinotte brigher than the sun blinky is, if a 17 year old is texting as she takes that left turn, you and your neon vest are likely to get aquainted with her oil pan.

Watching joey bike's videos on this sort of thing has convinced me further that this is the case.

When riding in traffic, I like invoke the "Ray Charles rule" (I just made that up) Make believe every last stinking cage around you is piloted by Ray Charles and ride accordingly. When approaching dangerous intersections, make it Ray Charles circa 1962 and he's on a really bad heroin trip.

This is a slight exaggeration. I will at times take the lane with the hope that Ray's got someone riding shotgun to say "Ray, watch out for that bike!!!!"

To the OP.... 1/4 mile huh?

Wow.

How's about you pack an extra water bottle and a few sandwiches and make that safer trek?

DallasSoxFan

Someone piss in your coffee this morning?

For the record, I am not some hardcore VC guy. I was just trying to point out that drivers behave differently when they see a clear intersection than when they don't. I say this out of experience driving. Yes, I'll cut a corner into an empty intersection and "shoot the gap" to do it. If I see a car in the intersection I'm cutting into then I behave more cautiously.

As a bicyclist being seeable is important. Period.

Riding around as if every driver is blind and you are going to be hit by a kid texting is no way to live life. You have to make SOME assumptions that others are trying to to the right thing and aren't spending their day trying to hit things with their cars. Or, you can just live your life in fear.

If I get hit by a drunk teenager texting at 8:00 in the morning while wearing an ANSI safety vest lit up like a Christmas tree then it was simply my time to be called back to the Lord.

Use the hairs on the back of your neck as your guide. If they stand up when you are in the lane, get on the sidewalk. If they stand up when you are on the sidewalk, get on the street.

In either case, HTFU and enjoy the ride!

duke_of_hazard

I have yet to encounter this problem in my commuting. Do you have a bright light on strobe? That will get any turning motorists attention in a milli second. 200 lumen models can be found online from $20-40, see the electronics forum for specific recommendations. I agree you should remain in the middle of the lane.

trekker pete

Nope, nobody pissed in it to the best of my knowledge.

You do make very good points. Making yourself seeable is definitely a big priority, but, IMO, there are other things you can do as well. The situation sited by the OP, seems to be one of those cases where you just don't want to rely on someone else's competence to stay alive. And when you are sitting there unclipped and flatfooted, that is exactly what you are doing.

Watch joey's tutorial on running red lights. It all about staying in the clips and moving and paying close attention to site lines. When you are moving, you have manueverability. Don't give the bastids a still target. Bob and weave and all that stuff.

Not suggesting that everyone attempt some of the insane riding he does, but, I do understand why he does it and I doubt you'll ever hear about him being taken out while stopped at an intersection by a left hooker cutting the turn too tight.

jdmitch

Kind of my thoughts as well. For a large number of people the success of bike commuting, or lack thereof, is route selection. I've found that tweaking my route not only allows me to be safer but greatly reduces my stress levels. Also, these safer routes are often faster once you get them figured out and used to them. In bike commuting the quickest route between to points is often NOT a straight line.

LarryMelman

As I said earlier, I will go well out of my way to avoid busy intersections, and even to avoid making left turns across main streets. I know what my "rights" are, but I prefer to simply avoid risk and/or having to rely on every driver being totally attentive and competent.