Right Turn Only Lane
 

I'm curious as to how you guys handle going through an intersection that has a right turn only lane?

If it's red, I will try to get into the next lane to go straight, but I've recently had a few problems with cars that will stop in the right turn only lane, only to continue on straight, honking at me like I'm in the wrong? I always check before getting back over to the right side after the intersection but it's an unsettling situation to be stuck between two moving cars.

Is this the correct way to proceed through an intersection with a right turn only lane? Or should I just stay to the right and straddle the crosswalk through?

If it's right only they shouldn't proceed through and the "VC" recommendation is as you do. The problem with the crosswalk is they'll right hook you going through, and won't let you merge back in the lane afterwards.

Can you safely merge into the straight thru lane?

If I'm able to, I do. It's just the occasional drivers that don't realize the right lane is right turn only and go straight through have me rethinking how to approach the situation.

It sounds like you are doing everything the right way (or at least how I would do it). Do the cars using the right turn lane to go straight pass cars on the right as well? There is an intersection by me where this happens way more than it should. I do my best to avoid it whether I am in a car or on a bike.

I know exactly the situation you are describing & getting sandwiched. Depending on what the intersection looks like, you might find it best to hang out at the very left edge of the turn lane to allow cars to get through, but a couple seconds before the light changes, if nobody is moving behind you, move forward and right to block the turn lane. If anyone gets mad at you for this, they are an idiot. This is of course assuming there will be enough space at the other side to continue riding without being pushed into a gutter.

I will usually ride on, or just to the right of, the line between the straight-ahead lane and the right-turn-only lane. That position typically turns into the shoulder of the road on the other side of the intersection. If the road has no shoulder after the intersection, then I take the straight-ahead lane and ride as hard as I can to get to a part of the road that has a shoulder, as quickly as possible.

I find that drivers act differently if you are riding at something approaching their speed. In the city, if I ride 25 mph, I'm not going all that much slower than cars, on most roads (that I choose to ride on.). They are then more inclined to hang behind me for just a bit longer, than if I am pootling along at 10 mph. I can't ride 25 mph all the time - don't have the legs - but when I need to, I get up to that speed.

i do the same thing and try to merge into the straight only lane if traffic is stopped or i look back and noones behind me

if i have the space and the light is green i will take the lane and continue straight, if they have to wait another 4 seconds to make a right turn too bad it wont kill them (even though they make it seem like it will)

I filter between all of the cars stopped at the light and stop on top of the lane divider between the rightmost lane heading straight and the right-turn only lane. I usually stop far enough ahead of the front car in the straight-only lane such that the center of my rear wheel it at their front bumper. That way the cars in the straight lane all see me and I'm out of the way of the right-turn only lane.

I don't see any reason to "take the lane" in this situation.

The only issue I have is that mopeds will do the same filtering and stopping at the same place and take off slightly before the green (we have a yellow light as the red goes to green and as the green goes to red). This allows the mopeds to get out in front of the cars, which increases their visibility at night.

So, it can get a little busy there, especially when there is a right-turn lane merging into the rightmost straight lane from a 90° angle.

But, once you get used to it, it's not so bad.

This is how I usually do it too

This happens some times at an intersection I frequent. When I am stopped at a light, and it looks like the car to the right is not turning right, I will pull forward into the crosswalk in front of the car. When the light changes, he must follow me until I clear the right turn zone. I never stop to the right of a right turn lane.

I treat the lanes as intended. No problems so far but drivers are pretty cool around here.

This works for some intersections and seems like a considerate thing to do for all.
Or take the middle of the thru lane and hold your place in traffic.

Also many of our right turn only lanes have signs that say 'Right Turn Only - Except Bikes'. This at least, theoretically, gives cyclists some legitimacy in this situation.

I do the "hang out on the left side of right turn lanes" thing sometimes. Depends on the intersection. One intersection on my route has only one lane but about 80% of the cars turn right there. Hanging out on the far left of the only lane means many cars can turn right while I'm waiting for the red. If I hang out on the right near the fog line, people go around me and turn right in front of me, and more than once I've had one more try to sneak past me as I take off, nearly resulting in a right hook.

I generally tend towards the right side of the straight through lane, because around here I have never seen someone take the right only lane and then go straight, and by being in the right of the straight lane, people can make use of the right turn lane while the light is red, and when it turns, people going straight can pass me within the lane (the lanes are plenty wide for that here).

I take the full lane of the through lane. It gives me room to move and stay safe when the clueless drivers show up.

It also exposes you to unnecessary risk.

Actually, it reduces the overall risk.

Perhaps if you live where people don't know how to drive or places without a dedicated cycling infrastructure.

In general, agreed. If I have my kids w/ me, I tend to take and hold the thru lane.
If by myself, might hang out on the left side of the right hand turn lane to let the drivers pass, watching them through either positioning or the mirror.
Also depends on the particular intersection and traffic flow to some degree.

We all saw your dedicated bike path in one of your videos. I am happier with the through lane, it is much safer.

Once again, a logical fallacy. I can do the comparison because I have both, whereas you can't make an objective comparison.

Care to continue?

:lol:

How foolish of you to think that the USA does not have similar bad bike paths and lanes (well, maybe not as extremely bad as the one in your video). Once again, your logical fallacy.

Back to the OP. In most states Right Turn On Red after stop is allowed and at right turn only and those that have straight thru and right turn arrows I will positiion myself in the left side of the right turn lane to allow the right turnig cars to go ahead. Usually I can accelerate thru the intersection as fast or faster than cars so I can then move over to allow cars to safely pass.

I agree. You are stopped at a light. A car pulls up behind. He knows you are there. He has no choice but to follow, or commit a felony. The overwhelming majority will follow. If they happen to be a homicidal psychopath, they do not need to be in a car for that. You take your chances getting out of bed as far as that goes.

+1

Let the motorists honk. If stopped, I try to get a jump on the light changing and position myself to get back into the right side/shoulder going forward. If green, I hang out on the left side of the right turn only lane.

I have a spot on my commute where it isn't right turn only, but 90% of the cars in the right lane are turning right. IF first to the red light, I pull over to the left hand side to let cars make the permitted right turn at a red light. I then jump light and get into the right lane going forward. IF I'm not the first, I wait in line with everyone else.

lanes as intended, keeping to the right third of the lane and using hand signals to indicate that i'm staying left instead of moving into the right turn lane.

EricSteven5 - do you have a Google Earth screen shot of the intersection? Is it just one particular intersection or more?