On 23 Jul 2003 14:53:55 -0700, Roly Poly Man
wrote:

As a novice biker, I am curious what you are supposed to do when there
is a stop sign with about 5 to 10 vehicles lined up to get their turn.

Most of the time I have seen cyclists fly by all the traffic right
up to the stop sign. Isn't this kind of dangerous? I know it's
not proper to pass traffic on the right, and I have often seen a
car suddenly pull out (which would be into a cyclist) using a
lane, gravel shoulder, etc to make an impromptu right turn.

I try to avoid roads like that. However, when in that situation, I don't
wait in the queue; I carefully ride the right shoulder -- I don't fly.

On the other hand, I can't see a cyclist entering the queue with
vehicles. At least I don't think I've ever seen this done.

This is appropriate sometimes; make a judgement call.

Also, what is the proper way to make a left turn at a typical
busy 4-lane or 6-lane boulevard? Do you keep to the right and
make two crossings?

Again, I try to avoid such roads; but on smaller roads, with a straight
lane and a left-turn-only (or even a right-turn-only) lane, I'll go ahead
and enter the queue between cars, and wait at the traffic light/stop sign
just as if I were driving. I do make every attempt not to hold up traffic
with my slow speed, and I accomplish proper speeds for these situations
pretty well.

Drivers don't seem to be ****ed off about it.

My question: Going straight when there's a right-turn-only lane. This is a
situation where I feel both danger and my slowing powered-vehicle drivers.
Consider:
-that I may have to violate the right-turn-only lane, which is dangerous
in two ways. One, traffic expects me to turn right. Two, oncoming traffic
visibility is often blocked by a vehicle turning left.
-if I don't do that, I have to cross that right-turn-only lane, into the
straight/left-turn lane. This means merging into potentially much faster
vehicular traffic, and then forcing them to wait behind.

Then there's the issue of my terrible clipless pedals that I can never seem
to get into. Now I'm holding up traffic AND embarassing myself. Gotta get
something better than Wellgo R4; maybe something in an SPD, or for ultra-
cool looks, egg beaters or m2Racer Orbs...

--
Rick Onanian