No More Mr. Nice Guy

[Peter H]

I ride straight through 1/2 dozen or more busy 4 or 6 lane
intersections on my commute. I don't have much problem with the
intersections where I turn, but when I'm traveling straight through
and get stopped by a red light I used to pull to the right a bit when
the light went green and I was taking off, so that a few cars could
get by me and then I'd try to merge back into traffic on the far side
of the intersection. I was trying to be considerate of the drivers and
speed traffic along. Never again !!

It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a rusty old 1/2 ton pickup
driven by a material handler in need of a shave or a volvo sedan
driven by a little old lady, their reaction is the same. They will not
let you merge back into traffic. I've had one too many close calls and
I'm not going to get hit because I'm trying to speed up vehicular
traffic.

In the future I'll hold my ground. When the light turns green I'll
head straight for a spot 18" left of the curb on the far side of the
intersection and I'll not budge. The motorists will just have to sort
it out for themselves.

If anyone on this excellent group has any better ideas on how to
handle this situation please let me know.

Thanks for listening.... I feel much better now.

Peter H

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Peter H > writes:
> I ride straight through 1/2 dozen or more busy 4 or 6 lane
> intersections on my commute. I don't have much problem with the
> intersections where I turn, but when I'm traveling straight through
> and get stopped by a red light I used to pull to the right a bit when
> the light went green and I was taking off, so that a few cars could
> get by me and then I'd try to merge back into traffic on the far side
> of the intersection. I was trying to be considerate of the drivers and
> speed traffic along. Never again !!
>
> It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a rusty old 1/2 ton pickup
> driven by a material handler in need of a shave or a volvo sedan
> driven by a little old lady, their reaction is the same. They will not
> let you merge back into traffic. I've had one too many close calls and
> I'm not going to get hit because I'm trying to speed up vehicular
> traffic.
>
> In the future I'll hold my ground. When the light turns green I'll
> head straight for a spot 18" left of the curb on the far side of the
> intersection and I'll not budge. The motorists will just have to sort
> it out for themselves.
>
> If anyone on this excellent group has any better ideas on how to
> handle this situation please let me know.
>
> Thanks for listening.... I feel much better now.

I think the solution you arrived at is correct.

By sticking to your line you're making your
traffic movements more predictable to the
motorized road users. The road space directly
ahead of you is yours to take. If you give it
away, drivers will be happy to take it from you,
and not give it back. I submit it's a greater
courtesy -- in fact: /duty/ -- to make our intentions
known to other road users, than it is to break protocol
by giving away our road space.

In fact, when going straight through across intersections,
for visibility and escape route purposes I prefer to move
as much as I safely and lawfully can ~toward~ the centre
of the road, without giving the impression to nearby road
users I'm setting up for a left turn. It might just be
a slight jink to the left, leaving me some manouevering
room on both port & starboard if I need it. So rest assured
I'm not talking about directly aiming for the centreline or
the crown of the road. Although on some narrow residential
streets, that often is the best approach, when you're looking
out for cross traffic instead of oncoming traffic at
non-blind intersections.

I'm just wondering if, by pulling to the right,
you were setting up an ambiguity so the drivers
weren't sure if you were going straight through,
or setting up for a right turn?


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Jeff[_6_]]

Peter H wrote:
> I ride straight through 1/2 dozen or more busy 4 or 6 lane
> intersections on my commute. I don't have much problem with the
> intersections where I turn, but when I'm traveling straight through
> and get stopped by a red light I used to pull to the right a bit when
> the light went green and I was taking off, so that a few cars could
> get by me and then I'd try to merge back into traffic on the far side
> of the intersection. I was trying to be considerate of the drivers and
> speed traffic along. Never again !!
>
> It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a rusty old 1/2 ton pickup
> driven by a material handler in need of a shave or a volvo sedan
> driven by a little old lady, their reaction is the same. They will not
> let you merge back into traffic. I've had one too many close calls and
> I'm not going to get hit because I'm trying to speed up vehicular
> traffic.
>
> In the future I'll hold my ground. When the light turns green I'll
> head straight for a spot 18" left of the curb on the far side of the
> intersection and I'll not budge. The motorists will just have to sort
> it out for themselves.
>
> If anyone on this excellent group has any better ideas on how to
> handle this situation please let me know.
>
> Thanks for listening.... I feel much better now.
>
> Peter H

Howdy.

I do try to be nice when I ride to work, but I too have learned that you
cannot always be nice. The biggest problem I've encountered is having
clowns, um drivers, trying to make a right turn through me if I let them
pull up beside me at while waiting for the light to change. So I too
have gotten into the habit of taking the whole lane while waiting at a
light.

There are plenty of good, cyclist-friendly drivers out there but there
are even more bad drivers. When I ride, I try to manage the cars around
me. If I can be kind, I do so, but not at the expense of my safety.

JEff

[Frank Krygowski[_2_]]

On Nov 12, 7:51*pm, Peter H > wrote:
> I ride straight through 1/2 dozen or more busy 4 or 6 lane
> intersections on my commute. I don't have much problem with the
> intersections where I turn, but when I'm traveling straight through
> and get stopped by a red light I used to pull to the right a bit when
> the light went green and I was taking off, so that a few cars could
> get by me and then I'd try to merge back into traffic on the far side
> of the intersection. I was trying to be considerate of the drivers and
> speed traffic along. Never again !!
>
> It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a rusty old 1/2 ton pickup
> driven by a material handler in need of a shave or a volvo sedan
> driven by a little old lady, their reaction is the same. They will not
> let you merge back into traffic. I've had one too many close calls and
> I'm not going to get hit because I'm trying to speed up vehicular
> traffic.
>
> In the future I'll hold my ground. When the light turns green I'll
> head straight for a spot 18" left of the curb on the far side of the
> intersection and I'll not budge. The motorists will just have to sort
> it out for themselves.
>
> If anyone on this excellent group has any better ideas on how to
> handle this situation please let me know.

I think you found the best solution all by yourself. It's what I've
done for many, many years.

The way I think of it, I get in the center of the lane anytime I'm
going at the same speed the cars are. That includes when we're all
at zero speed.

I can usually accelerate as fast as most cars, anyway. And if I slow
them down by five seconds... what's five seconds?

Use your right to the road to keep yourself safe.

- Frank Krygowski

[Art Harris]

Frank Krygowski wrote:
> The way I think of it, I get in the center of the lane anytime I'm
> going at the same speed the cars are. * That includes when we're all
> at zero speed.
>
> I can usually accelerate as fast as most cars, anyway. *And if I slow
> them down by five seconds... what's five seconds?
>
> Use your right to the road to keep yourself safe.
>

I had an interesting experience along these lines a week or so ago.

I was approaching an intersection with a traffic light. I was on a
small two-lane road with no traffic, and the light was red for me.
Since I intended to go straight, I positioned myself in the center of
the lane and stopped for the light. From behind, along comes some kind
of town car (not police, maybe code enforcement). The officer (who's
going to turn right) pulls up on my right and tells me I should be
riding all the way to the right. I explain that I'm going straight. He
says it doesn't matter.

After exchanging a few words, the light changed and we each went our
own way convinced the other was wrong.

Art Harris

[DennisTheBald]

I used to get as far left as I could so that right turners could
continue to make their right on red...
But a few months ago I had two incidents where a moron with a motor (I
agree with your assertion that the age, make, color doesn't matter -
they're all clueless) attempted to pass me on the right during the
space of the intersection once the light turned green.

I'm not giving them the space to do this anymore as that was very
dangerous.

[DennisTheBald]

On Nov 13, 12:09 pm, Art Harris > wrote:
....
> After exchanging a few words, the light changed and we each went our
> own way convinced the other was wrong.
>
> Art Harris

Of course he was wrong, how could one possibly be right when they're
operating a car?

That's kinda like: yeah, he's a crackhead, but other than that he's a
really nice guy.

[Rick[_8_]]

On Nov 13, 11:47*am, DennisTheBald > wrote:
> I used to get as far left as I could so that right turners could
> continue to make their right on red...
> But a few months ago I had two incidents where a moron with a motor (I
> agree with your assertion that the age, make, color doesn't matter -
> they're all clueless) attempted to pass me on the right during the
> space of the intersection once the light turned green.
>
> I'm not giving them the space to do this anymore as that was very
> dangerous.

I have had the same exact thing happen this past few months at a
specific intersection where 90% of the cars turn right from the right
straight/turn lane. I would get over to the left to go straight
through, if I was at the head of the line. Then I had one car pull up
right next to me and wait instead of turning. Fortunately, I pulled
up a couple of feet into the crosswalk and he waited until I cleared
the intersection to accelerate past me as fast he could. But the
other came from a couple of cars back after the light turned green and
passed me on my right while in the interesection, and by then I was
moving right so that got a lot of attention. Anyway, same as you no
more moving too far left in the lane, even for the convenience of most
of the sane drivers.

Rick

[Rex Kerr]

DennisTheBald wrote:
> I used to get as far left as I could so that right turners could
> continue to make their right on red...
> But a few months ago I had two incidents where a moron with a motor (I
> agree with your assertion that the age, make, color doesn't matter -
> they're all clueless) attempted to pass me on the right during the
> space of the intersection once the light turned green.

Problem is when they do this to you as you're getting into the left turn
lane. A few nights ago I had crossed the three lanes of traffic to get
to the left lane when some idiot who was behind me sped up to pass me on
my right just in time to slam on their brakes since the light was red.

Remember the driving cartoon with Goofy where he went nuts when he was
behind the wheel? So true...

--
Work and recreation are not often effected at the same time.
One using a bicycle in business makes an exception to the rule.
- Dr. Edgar H. Earl, Rochester. (~1892)

[bluezfolk]

On Nov 12, 7:51*pm, Peter H > wrote:
> I ride straight through 1/2 dozen or more busy 4 or 6 lane
> intersections on my commute. I don't have much problem with the
> intersections where I turn, but when I'm traveling straight through
> and get stopped by a red light I used to pull to the right a bit when
> the light went green and I was taking off, so that a few cars could
> get by me and then I'd try to merge back into traffic on the far side
> of the intersection. I was trying to be considerate of the drivers and
> speed traffic along. Never again !!
>
> It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a rusty old 1/2 ton pickup
> driven by a material handler in need of a shave or a volvo sedan
> driven by a little old lady, their reaction is the same. They will not
> let you merge back into traffic. I've had one too many close calls and
> I'm not going to get hit because I'm trying to speed up vehicular
> traffic.
>
> In the future I'll hold my ground. When the light turns green I'll
> head straight for a spot 18" left of the curb on the far side of the
> intersection and I'll not budge. The motorists will just have to sort
> it out for themselves.
>
> If anyone on this excellent group has any better ideas on how to
> handle this situation please let me know.
>
> Thanks for listening.... I feel much better now.
>
> Peter H

Someone once told me that when I ride in trafic I should consider
myself to be the passenger in a car, and to take that position on the
road. It seems to have worked pretty well so far.

Eric