Suppose you arrive first at a red light at a busy intersection. Let’s further suppose that you intend to pass through the intersection. I think the proper lane position in such a case is from the right tire track to mid lane.
Now let’s suppose a car pulls up behind you signaling a right turn. What do you do?
Here are some options:
1. Wait for the light to turn green and proceed as traffic should.
2. Move left and allow the car to turn.
3. Move right and allow the car to turn.
4. Fret and fidget expecting a honk.
5. Look back and chuckle with a look on your face that says “sucker.”
6. Look back and wave as if to say: Thanks for allowing me to use the road.
7. Turn up your iPod and dance to Know Your Enemy.
8. Practice trackstanding.
9. Practice the deranged person’s sideways neck crack.
10. Update Facebook with your cell phone.
Hmmmmm… I’m going with #1. The road belongs to me, too. As far as I’m concerned, it’s no different than if I were in exactly the same position driving my wife’s Honda Civic. No different.
Comments 7
LOL! I love the list!
If the right lane is wide, I tend to stop on the left side of it to allow right turns. Not a necessity, just a courtesy. It often results in a thank you wave or similar friendly exchange. There are a few places on my rat-path where a high volume of traffic turns right but I go straight. I used to do the same on my motorcycle.
But I agree with your point. If you happen to be in the middle (or the lane is narrow) there’s no need to fret about it. If you were in a car, they couldn’t turn.
Posted 15 Jun 2009 at 11:04 pm ¶Had a similar incident awhile back. Waiting at a light, in the left tire track, there’s enough room for a small car to pass on the right, but not room for a big vehicle. Car comes up behind me, wanting to turn right. We wait. Light turns green, driver calls out “you could have moved over” as I’m pulling away.
I send out a wave, but I’m thinking “Would you have said that to another car driver? To a motorcyclist? Why should you expect a bicyclist to act differently than any other vehicle?”
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 7:53 am ¶I ride through a particular busy intersection several times each week where a significant amount of the traffic will turn right. If I’m first at the light I position myself in the left tire track with my wheel on the line. When the light turns green I move back to the right.
A couple of things happen in this situation. Usually, at least one or two cars will be able to turn right. This also means that a couple more cars can probably get through before it turns red again. I am not inconvenienced. The car traffic going straight is not, either, since I move back to the right when the light changes.
I think it probably lessens congestion just a little. And it’s not bad advocacy, either. If there’s a safety or legal reason for me not to do this I’d certainly change my behavior, but so far that doesn’t seem to be the case. So what does it hurt?
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 10:46 am ¶Scott… Hurts nothing as long as it doesn’t put you into a dangerous position. I agree you’re doing the right thing at that particular intersection. But your choice is not available at all intersections.
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 11:07 am ¶Thanks, Andy. I should have mentioned that at this intersection there is also a dedicated left turn lane. If that lane were not there, it’s quite likely that left-turning traffic from my right would be very close to me at times, and I would probably just stick to the right tire track.
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 12:13 pm ¶There is no reason you cant practice your trackstand while waiting for the light to change. You never know when that skill will come in handy, perhaps when surrounded by nothing but dark tiles that everyone knows to be lava and strictly a no touche zone
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 2:49 pm ¶James… Track-standing is fine. I wonder about the spectacle of it, however
Posted 16 Jun 2009 at 3:16 pm ¶