Sometimes I have to take the lane at a busy 4 way intersection in order to make a left turn onto the MUP after getting through the intersection. Obviously I can't accelerate as fast as a car, so I hold up traffic for no more than 10 seconds from obtaining car speeds until I can get through the intersection and into my left turning lane. Would you recommend staying in the middle of the lane until I get into my turning lane or getting close to the dividing line to allow cars to pass me on the right? Or do you think that amount of time is too long, and I should find another route? Thanks.

TAKE.

THE.

LANE.

Don't invite cars to pass you during a turn when the line of travel is not well defined. Complete your turn, establish yourself in the lane after the turn, then if there is room and you feel compelled (or there is a bike lane), let the car pass. Don't EVER encourage cars to pass on the right. Ever.

'Nough said.

You aren't holding up traffic, you are traffic. Take the lane, they can wait 10 secs. In areas where I have to take the lane, and there is no room for cars to pass, I try to at least look like I am hustling. I've gotten a few waves of thanks for putting effort into those areas.

Kind of hard to picture from your description (complicated traffic patterns are hard to describe), but it sounds like you're heading straight through a 4-way, then getting into a suicide lane after the 4-way to make a left hand turn? Take the lane, and hold it until you merge into the turning lane. If you ride the dividing line, you're inviting unsafe passing (not everyone knows where the edge of their car is, and some folks will intentionally buzz you for riding in the road, provided that they think they can fit by you).

The first ten seconds from a stop most cars are slowly accelerating and only going bicycle speeds anyhow, and riding on the divider is just going to confuse everyone. Take the lane, signal your intentions, and if anyone honks because of a 10 second delay, **** 'em for the impatient SOBs that they are. While driving I've been honked at for not gunning it at the light change in the depths of winter, because I was waiting for early red light runners to clear the intersection, and I've been aggressively passed in the middle of intersections because I don't take off from the light like it's a drag race (and when I was a 20 year old male driver, I did the same thing to other people). Some people seem to object to the fact that anyone is in their way, and don't seem to care that this is an inherent condition of living in a society of more than one person.

I am in no way a staunch VCer, but there are many situations where taking the lane is the safest thing that you can do, and it sounds like you're in one of them. No one is going to hit you on purpose, but you leave enough room that they think that they can cut close to you and still get by, they'll take it; and they don't always judge correctly. By taking the lane, you ensure that no one is going to mis-judge passing distance, and it's only for 10 seconds anyway.

If it has not already been said...

TAKE THE LANE.

Do not give drivers any opportunity to pass you on the right until you have safely made your turn and position yourself in the middle of the lane as to prevent any driver from passing you on either side.

...is kinda fun sometimes.

I do whatever is necessary to ensure my safety. This means taking the ENTIRE lane EVERY time for as long as needed. Especially when there is no defined bike lane.

Always imagine the most unsafe thing that a driver could do in order to avoid inconvenience and then assume that's what they will do. If you can give them room to make an absolutely safe pass, then that's OK. Never give them just enough room to make a risky pass. When in doubt, take away the option.

It's very good to hear a chorus of the same solution. Thanks for sharing your experience. I had been taking the lane, and things had been going well. Tonight, an aggressive driver tailgated me while waiting for the light, and I moved over to the dividing line to let him go But he rode next to me to yell at me to get off the road. From now on, I'll take the lane, and if they can't wait 10 seconds and get mad, that's their prerogative, but at least I'll be safer.

You are correct. I have to accelerate through the 4 way and then ride 15-20 yards further until I reach the suicide lane to make my left. Once I make it through the intersection I typically signal left so cars behind me know that I won't be in the middle of the road for too long.

Think of it as herding cars

Yep that lane is yours and really, 10 seconds? Big deal. I have a left at a busy intersection on the way home from work daily at a light, I take the f'ing lane. Because 1) I'm traffic, its my lane, I am turning left and 2) this is Toledo Ohio, the Soccer Moms don't accelerate through the corner as fast as I do (OMG! G FORCES COULD HURT THE KIDS) I actually have to hold back a little during the corner.

That is a great way to describe it! There is a section on my commute where I have to begin to herd cars to make a left.....To the O.P.: TAKE THE LANE! Always try and control the traffic around you by being assertive and preemptive.

If you were in a car, you would be holding up traffic as well to make the left turn. No problem.

Keep the lane; cars that need to pass you can pass you in the right lane.

In general, do cars usually understand or notice arm turn signaling?

Is there any good signalling options for when your hands are occupied (biking uphill)?

There's one four way stop I'm always unsure what to do because it lacks part of the sidewalk ramp, so I basically I need to get into the middle of the intersection to turn left (then essentially going straight), which is also partially uphill so I don't usually feel comfortable letting go of the handle bars to do hand gestures.

Plus I'm 90% sure most of the cars don't even realize its an on-ramp to a MUP so I don't think they are expecting 1) a cyclist or 2) a cyclist going into what they think is a dead end (looks like a T to drivers).

...it's a really awkward intersection.

A lot of the time, no. But when they see you signaling in traffic they usually just "WTF?" and give you a lot of room cuz they have NO idea what you're about to do. The one thing to be careful of (I've read about on BF but never experienced) is that a car might take your signaling of your intentions as direction to the driver. In other words, you point your arm out to the left and the car things you're directing him around you to the left. Then when you move left.... crash.

Best defense against that is a rear view mirror.... you can simultaneously look forward and confirm traffic to the rear is accommodating your lane change.

Well today's ride through the intersection went much better despite the blinding evening glare.
I was second in line, squarely behind the car. When the light turned green and the car in front didn't move, I yelled MOVE, then sprinted as fast as I could through the intersection (following Weshigh's tact), so there wasn't much wait time for the cars behind me and the driver behind me could see that I wasn't dawdling.

If you are blinded by the low sun, there's a chance the car behind you is as well. Make sure you have a BRIGHT rear light if you frequently ride in conditions like that.

Let the cars find another route.

Glad it worked out this time. When riding, you have so much better visibility than drivers, I end up saying "move" or "go!" on a semi-regular occasion.

I don't know if aNyone had mentioned this yet in this thread, but - - TAKE THE LANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out here, I'm practically the only one doing the bicycle commute, and as a relative noobie, it's easy to feel outnumbered and too deferential to the car traffic. So I appreciate everybody's advice and moral support.

Btw, what's a VCer (as mentioned by Griddlecakes)?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/leahbuechley/2326630769/