Two-lane roads and junctions with left turns - how to stay safe?

[jonathan75]

An unnerving thing happened yesterday and I'm still quite shaken. Someone not-quite-overtook me at a junction, braked, and turned left across me, on a two-lane road, forcing me to come to a halt or be knocked off my bike. They pretty much turned 'into' me. It was frightening and upsetting. The left lane which I was in, was painted to allow people to drive straight on or turn left.

I've since thought that if that's what's going to happen at junctions then I have no choice but to either stop people overtaking in the left lane, or (in left-lane turn left only roads) get in the right-hand lane, while moving, and be maybe 1 or 2 feet to the right of the painted white line so that people wanting to turn left can undertake safely. If the left lane is painted to go forward OR left, I'm not so sure what to do.

So after deciding I couldn't let that happen again, today someone took great exception to me riding in the right hand lane leading up to a junction where the left lane was left only, a black cab, tooting for all his life's worth. I was maybe a foot or two from the painted line, so he could undertake if he wanted to turn left. It turned out he like me wanted to go straight on. When I explained what had happened the day before, he told me I was just a paranoid cyclist. I am definitely a paranoid cyclist - with good reason.

What should I have done?

 

[HarryB]

Life as a cyclist is full of such dilemmas I am afraid. Sometimes there is no right answer as it is all dependant on the personality, level of knowledge and aggression of the drivers around you (being in the wrong place at the wrong time). However in this situation I would say stick to a dominant position on the left hand lane and be ready for such manoeuvres (get a mirror). Being in the right lane is bound to wind other drivers up and result in more stress to you and others in the long run.

 

[jonathan75]

Life as a cyclist is full of such dilemmas I am afraid. Sometimes there is no right answer as it is all dependant on the personality, level of knowledge and aggression of the drivers around you (being in the wrong place at the wrong time). However in this situation I would say stick to a dominant position on the left hand lane and be ready for such manoeuvres (get a mirror). Being in the right lane is bound to wind other drivers up and result in more stress to you and others in the long run.

Thanks. Some valuable thoughts there. Do you mean the advice for the two lane roads with a left-turn only lane, or the other sort, i.e. with a straight-ahead or left turn option in the left lane?

 

[flecc]

This left turning across the front of bikes is very common, through drivers passing and not accounting for the bike's continuing progress.

In the circumstance you decribe, you should be in the left hand lane when going straight on and the rogue left turner is best dealt with by you having an effective bike mirror.

In the years I've used mirrors on bikes it's solved that problem since I get warning of it about to happen in one of two ways. First, I can see the approaching left turn indicator in the mirror, or second I see the fast but slowing approach, warning of the possibility.

In either instance the action I take is the same, usually slow to avoid the possible collision but sometimes when it's the best option, speed up to make their left turn impossible by blocking the side road entrance.

As about the slowest and most overtaken vehicle on the roads, bikes need a good rear view mirror more than any other vehicle.
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[HarryB]

Thanks. Some valuable thoughts there. Do you mean the advice for the two lane roads with a left-turn only lane, or the other sort, i.e. with a straight-ahead or left turn option in the left lane?

I am talking about your original situation where the left lane is also straight on. The left hook is a fairly common complaint from cyclists and the higher the speeds the more difficult the situation is. You have to give the other drivers an idea of your intentions either by indicating or road positioning. If you are in a left only lane then drivers will probably assume you are going left especially if you are hard over on the left. So I would suggest the right lane is the correct lane to go straight on but it takes some nerve and you have to choose your moment to move over. If you used the left hand lane you would have to ride on the right hand side of that lane so they know you are going straight on (assuming there is room at the end of the lane for you to do this).

 

[JohnCade]

If as he says the nearside lane has road markings for a left turn and straight on, than that is the lane he should be in to go straight on. You can’t legislate for rank bad driving from other road users and can only try to anticipate it, and as flecc says use a mirror.

I sometimes think back to when I used to ride my road bikes on busy roads without a mirror and wonder why I allowed myself to put my life in the hands of vehicles coming up behind me.

 

[jonathan75]

In the circumstance you decribe, you should be in the left hand lane when going straight on and the rogue left turner is best dealt with by you having an effective bike mirror.
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Thanks. Do you mean the scenario where I got swiped with two straight ahead lanes, or where I got honked with one straight ahead and one turn left? Where in the left lane do you think it's good to be?

Unfortunately the person only indicated as he was passing me. I have a mirror - the most expensive one I could find, the Mirrycle, but at 15mph you have to take your eyes off the road ahead for too long to check others' indicators, it's really only good for checking whether a car is there or not, and very quickly at that.

 

[flecc]

Thanks. Do you mean the scenario where I got swiped with two straight ahead lanes, or where I got honked with one straight ahead and one turn left? Where in the left lane do you think it's good to be?

In either case your normal left lane position, but not so close to the kerb as to invite someone to squeeze alongside and maybe make that turn. Using the right hand lane where the left lane is ahead as well as left turn will inevitably be misunderstood as obstruction, inviting abuse, and even the police might reasonably object to that bicycle positioning.

Unfortunately the person only indicated as he was passing me. I have a mirror - the most expensive one I could find, the Mirrycle, but at 15mph you have to take your eyes off the road ahead for too long to check others' indicators, it's really only good for checking whether a car is there or not, and very quickly at that.

Yes, this is so often the case with drivers. However, practice makes perfect with mirrors as with everything, and the ears can be useful at times with closing vehicles.

Don't worry too much about ahead since your peripheral vision will pick up on anything suddenly changing ahead while you are looking in the mirror.

Ahead is the lowest priority for the slowest vehicle such as a bicycle. For example the fastest such as a motorcyclist on a powerful bike doesn't have to worry about behind since all their danger is in front, who's going to catch them up? Their two mirrors are only for lane changes and looking out for the police. It's somewhat similar for cars.

Much of your cycling danger is from behind as in your illustrated case, so that should get much more attention via the mirror. A weather eye ahead or peripheral vision when looking in the mirror should cope ok with ahead at cycling speeds.

It will get better, the longer I've cycled the less troubled I am by such situations, which I can only put down to experience giving me better coping strategies.
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[jonathan75]

In either case your normal left lane position, but not so close to the kerb as to invite someone to squeeze alongside and maybe make that turn.
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Thanks for your comments, some good thoughts there.

That sounds a good idea for where both lanes are for ahead as well as left.

But if the left lane is for turning left only, and I want to go forward, then being in the left lane a meter from the kerb, seems like a real problem because at some point I'll have to move into the right lane and there may be drivers trying to turn left across me from the right lane at that point (or even overtake at speed to go forward in the left lane). I'll have forced them to choose between a crazy dangerous maneuvre or being nice and patient and defensive (and we know which option many people prefer). I'll have nowhere to go, I'll be needing to change lanes, and be forced to do that suddenly right at the end, where people are making their maneuvres, when in reality surely people should get into lane early - as I was taught when learning to drive.

 

[flecc]

But if the left lane is for turning left only, and I want to go forward, then being in the left lane a meter from the kerb, seems like a real problem because at some point I'll have to move into the right lane and there may be drivers trying to turn left across me from the right lane at that point (or even overtake at speed to go forward in the left lane). I'll have forced them to choose between a crazy dangerous maneuvre or being nice and patient and defensive (and we know which option many people prefer). I'll have nowhere to go, I'll be needing to change lanes, and be forced to do that right at the end, where people are making their maneuvres, when in reality surely people should get into lane early - as I was taught when learning to drive.

Yes that's correct and in the case of the left lane being left turn only, I'm early enough into the right hand lane to avoid being blocked from entering it by other vehicles. If there's plenty of traffic around I use a very clearly outstretched r/h signal to change lanes, making it clear what my intention is, then take command of that r/h lane as HarryB suggested earlier, to avoid anyone coming alongside and pushing you back.

And as he mentioned, that takes nerve and you may get the odd idiot yell at you, but so what. As my mum use to chant to hansom cab drivers a hundred years ago on London streets, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me".
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[jonathan75]

Excellent, I thought as much. But wasn't sure you know. When you're being tooted and shouted at by professional drivers who tell you to stop obstructing them by cycling in the correct lane, you really doubt whether you're choosing the right course. I feel reassured.

 

[flecc]

you're being tooted and shouted at by professional drivers

The trouble is our roads are only suited to one majority group of vehicles, cars and vans whose drivers accordingly act as an elite.

Milk floats, tractors, JCBs, dumper trucks and bicycles are all objects of hatred to that elite. They also get annoyed at buses travelling relatively slowly between stops, jumping ahead to stop bus drivers pulling back out in front of them after stopping.

Pedestrians trying to get across busy roads often have to wait ages for a chance to cross.

And even the much maligned truckers have many difficulties on our too narrow roads with their right angled turn side roads and lack of unloading provisions.

So we cyclists are not alone in suffering in various ways, though like the pedestrians we have the added burden of vulnerability.

My way of coping is patience with some resignation due to the inevitability of this situation, for which there are no easy answers.
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[anotherkiwi]

flecc with all due respect I beg to differ on the danger not being in the front as well. Living in a tourist resort you have to put up with people who don't know where they are and especially where the hell they are going. These people will do sudden stops and turns when you are busy watching out for the others who are behind you. Indicators are optional use when you are a tourist... Here the danger is on every side including the front!

My life has changed since I have a mirror because you can watch back and front at the same time!

 

[flecc]

flecc with all due respect I beg to differ on the danger not being in the front as well.

But I didn't say it wasn't. On that I said the following to Jonathan:

"Don't worry too much about ahead since your peripheral vision will pick up on anything suddenly changing ahead while you are looking in the mirror."

"Much of your cycling danger is from behind"

So not no danger, and later I remarked on the danger of pedestrians stepping out.

As you say and as I do, one can see both ahead and in the mirror at the same time, hence my peripheral vision remark. Only works on our bikes though, using bar end mirrors on drop handlebars removes forward vision.
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