All right road cyclists, riddle me this
October 23, 2015 12:47 PM Subscribe
What should I do in the following hazardous scenarios?
First things first, I just got a bike and I lack the sense of balance that most people acquire in childhood. I am just not very good at biking. I can't take one hand off the handlebars to signal without swerving into a lane of traffic. So that's the background here.
I know HOW to ride it, so riding in a straight line on a bike path isn't going to help me. This question is specifically about riding on the road with cars.
I live in Boston but in kind of a semi-suburban part, so cars can still go really fast but it's still city enough to have a ton of cars on the road at all times of the day.
1.) Say you're riding along in the bike lane, and cars are coming past you on the left at reasonable but unpredictable speeds. You have to turn left but there's a car coming toward you just close enough where you'll have to wait a couple seconds for it to pass. The car behind you is coming up closer behind you. What do you do?
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
misc questions:
Do you think cars can, in general, see you? I keep having to ride past parking lots where a car is about to come out but I know he's looking for cars, not bikes.
What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars, just enough where anyone else could ride between but you don't have the skill, and some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing and zipping past? Hypothetically.
First things first, I just got a bike and I lack the sense of balance that most people acquire in childhood. I am just not very good at biking. I can't take one hand off the handlebars to signal without swerving into a lane of traffic. So that's the background here.
I know HOW to ride it, so riding in a straight line on a bike path isn't going to help me. This question is specifically about riding on the road with cars.
I live in Boston but in kind of a semi-suburban part, so cars can still go really fast but it's still city enough to have a ton of cars on the road at all times of the day.
1.) Say you're riding along in the bike lane, and cars are coming past you on the left at reasonable but unpredictable speeds. You have to turn left but there's a car coming toward you just close enough where you'll have to wait a couple seconds for it to pass. The car behind you is coming up closer behind you. What do you do?
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
misc questions:
Do you think cars can, in general, see you? I keep having to ride past parking lots where a car is about to come out but I know he's looking for cars, not bikes.
What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars, just enough where anyone else could ride between but you don't have the skill, and some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing and zipping past? Hypothetically.
No. 1, pull over and stop if necessary, and let the cars pass. It's not technically correct -- the car behind you should slow down and treat you like a car -- but you're not a car and you can't count on people treating you like one. This'll be a theme.
No. 2, you act just like a car. Of course, I'd get out and walk the bike like a pedestrian, but it's up to you.
No. 3, slow down and pray.
No. 4, act like a car and slow down/stop.
No. 5, pull over when you can. Again, you're not a car.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:00 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
No. 2, you act just like a car. Of course, I'd get out and walk the bike like a pedestrian, but it's up to you.
No. 3, slow down and pray.
No. 4, act like a car and slow down/stop.
No. 5, pull over when you can. Again, you're not a car.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:00 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
So, first the caveat that I'll say what I'd do and what you should do. Maybe practice being able to ride one-handed and being able to signal. I've been biking for like 30+ years so what I do isn't the same as what you might. But I'm sure you can get to where I am with some practice, I'm not that awesome. LEarning to shoulder check while riding (without swerving) is also a great skill and can be done with some practice.
Anyway:
1.) Say you're riding along in the bike lane, and cars are coming past you on the left at reasonable but unpredictable speeds. You have to turn left but there's a car coming toward you just close enough where you'll have to wait a couple seconds for it to pass. The car behind you is coming up closer behind you. What do you do?
Like at an uncontrolled intersection or a T-intersection? Depending on how heavy traffic is I might force my way into traffic to the left and then make the turn. But I might also just pull over to the right and stop and wait until traffic clears up. There's no magic here. Left turns in traffic can be really hard to make.
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
Sometimes I do exactly what a car would do - I ride into the middle of the intersection and stop and wait for a gap. There's mostly dedicated turn lights where I live so the issue doesn't come up a lot. For really busy intersections I often do a double-cross - I stick on the right side, I cross the intersection, I stop at the far side and then turn around into the bike lane there and then cross again when the light changes.
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
No one answer. It's fine to just flat out stop and let the car pull out. If it seems like I can make it I might ride around it, but I suspect I'd probably stop.
I had a similar situation the other day - there were two lanes of traffic but the bike lane on the right as cut off because there were several cars backed up making a right hand turn into a parking lot. So I rode in the left lane to get around them all. Well, just as I pass the turn point the car right beside me starts going forward because they're not turning right! And I'm trying to move into the exact same space they are. So I just waved my right hand at them and they didn't run me over, but it was not what I planned. So stopping would have been fine too.
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
Same. Generally I think this is safer to ride around, but it depends. Stopping and waiting is fine.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
Yeah, no silver bullet. Own it. You didn't plan the streets. The bus follows you. Tough luck bus.
posted by GuyZero at 1:07 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Anyway:
1.) Say you're riding along in the bike lane, and cars are coming past you on the left at reasonable but unpredictable speeds. You have to turn left but there's a car coming toward you just close enough where you'll have to wait a couple seconds for it to pass. The car behind you is coming up closer behind you. What do you do?
Like at an uncontrolled intersection or a T-intersection? Depending on how heavy traffic is I might force my way into traffic to the left and then make the turn. But I might also just pull over to the right and stop and wait until traffic clears up. There's no magic here. Left turns in traffic can be really hard to make.
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
Sometimes I do exactly what a car would do - I ride into the middle of the intersection and stop and wait for a gap. There's mostly dedicated turn lights where I live so the issue doesn't come up a lot. For really busy intersections I often do a double-cross - I stick on the right side, I cross the intersection, I stop at the far side and then turn around into the bike lane there and then cross again when the light changes.
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
No one answer. It's fine to just flat out stop and let the car pull out. If it seems like I can make it I might ride around it, but I suspect I'd probably stop.
I had a similar situation the other day - there were two lanes of traffic but the bike lane on the right as cut off because there were several cars backed up making a right hand turn into a parking lot. So I rode in the left lane to get around them all. Well, just as I pass the turn point the car right beside me starts going forward because they're not turning right! And I'm trying to move into the exact same space they are. So I just waved my right hand at them and they didn't run me over, but it was not what I planned. So stopping would have been fine too.
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
Same. Generally I think this is safer to ride around, but it depends. Stopping and waiting is fine.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
Yeah, no silver bullet. Own it. You didn't plan the streets. The bus follows you. Tough luck bus.
posted by GuyZero at 1:07 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Never assume a driver sees you. Some drivers will see you and pull in front of you anyway because they don't like cyclist.
1. Wait and hope the car behind doesn't hit you.
2. Wait and hope the car behind doesn't hit you.
3. Assume they don't see you.
4. Assume they don't see you.
5. Pull over and let the bus go by.
Caveat: I live in a bike unfriendly town.
posted by LoveHam at 1:07 PM on October 23, 2015
1. Wait and hope the car behind doesn't hit you.
2. Wait and hope the car behind doesn't hit you.
3. Assume they don't see you.
4. Assume they don't see you.
5. Pull over and let the bus go by.
Caveat: I live in a bike unfriendly town.
posted by LoveHam at 1:07 PM on October 23, 2015
some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing and zipping past?
Meh. Cool bikers don't get huffy with people. Tell them to suck eggs.
posted by GuyZero at 1:08 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Meh. Cool bikers don't get huffy with people. Tell them to suck eggs.
posted by GuyZero at 1:08 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's safest to assume cars can't see you. It's more likely they see you in front of them than behind them, but that's not saying much.
1. Not sure what's going on here.
2. Edge toward the center line so people can wibble around past you on your right.
3. Don't cut in front of cars coming up behind you, but generally take the lane. However, it's common to need to slow down or stop if you get pinched between vehicles on your left/back and front/right.
You usually have some indication that a car is going to be pulling out, like someone getting in the car, lights coming on when the engine starts, etc., but when riding in a bike lane, most of my attention is on the driver's headrest of every parked car I'm coming up on to beware that someone could be opening a door any second, or pulling out or whatever.
4. Same. Take the lane if it's safe. Slow down/stop if it's not.
5. The buses in my town know how to go around.
6. No, and parking lots entry/exits are heads-up territory.
7. Practice riding one-handed. This is an important skill.
8. Riders who give you crap because you aren't going fast enough are assholes. Ignore them.
posted by rhizome at 1:12 PM on October 23, 2015
1. Not sure what's going on here.
2. Edge toward the center line so people can wibble around past you on your right.
3. Don't cut in front of cars coming up behind you, but generally take the lane. However, it's common to need to slow down or stop if you get pinched between vehicles on your left/back and front/right.
You usually have some indication that a car is going to be pulling out, like someone getting in the car, lights coming on when the engine starts, etc., but when riding in a bike lane, most of my attention is on the driver's headrest of every parked car I'm coming up on to beware that someone could be opening a door any second, or pulling out or whatever.
4. Same. Take the lane if it's safe. Slow down/stop if it's not.
5. The buses in my town know how to go around.
6. No, and parking lots entry/exits are heads-up territory.
7. Practice riding one-handed. This is an important skill.
8. Riders who give you crap because you aren't going fast enough are assholes. Ignore them.
posted by rhizome at 1:12 PM on October 23, 2015
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you.
Honestly? Gun it for a few blocks until I find a red light that's safe to run, to put some space between me and the bus. In my opinion, this is an excellent reason to run a red light. Cyclists have been killed by buses.
#3 and #4 are opportunities to practice your slow-motion riding/track stand.
posted by the_blizz at 1:28 PM on October 23, 2015
Honestly? Gun it for a few blocks until I find a red light that's safe to run, to put some space between me and the bus. In my opinion, this is an excellent reason to run a red light. Cyclists have been killed by buses.
#3 and #4 are opportunities to practice your slow-motion riding/track stand.
posted by the_blizz at 1:28 PM on October 23, 2015
Regarding left turns, you might want to consider what's sometimes known as a Copenhagen Left---that is, pull to the right, then position yourself at the head of traffic waiting for the light, as imaged here: http://labikeguide.org/tip/31/
When you've got some free time, go out to a parking lot, trail, or another practice area without many cars or strange people, and practice riding while signalling and with only one hand in general. Here in PA, there's actually an exception in the statute that allows not signalling if you need both hands to control your bike, but it's still a skill you need. It's also a good idea to practice riding in narrow spaces and on rough surfaces...
Regarding #3/4, this is a less-often-mentioned good reason to ride well away from parked cars -- but sometimes you just have to stop and wait for someone pulling in/out. Kinda like the car behind you likely will, too.
Regarding #5, you might not have room to get out from in front of the bus right now, but do it when you can. If you're going several blocks, consider either switching to another parallel road if available, or just go around the block to let the bus & whoever's behind it get ahead of you.
Also, remember that with stops and such, the bus isn't likely to be going much faster than you anyway, even if it will make a lot more noise in the process....you'll likely start pulling away from it sooner than (either of) you expect.
> Do you think cars can, in general, see you? I keep having to ride past parking lots where a car is about to come out but I know he's looking for cars, not bikes.
Never assume people can see you. Get out further away from the curb, so that you're closer to the place where drivers expect to look for people, and use a strong headlight, even during daytime.
> What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars, just enough where anyone else could ride between but you don't have the skill, and some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing and zipping past? Hypothetically.
Let them stew. Just like the driver momentarily stuck behind you, they'll find their opening and make up any hypothetical lost time soon enough.
posted by FlyingMonkey at 1:30 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
When you've got some free time, go out to a parking lot, trail, or another practice area without many cars or strange people, and practice riding while signalling and with only one hand in general. Here in PA, there's actually an exception in the statute that allows not signalling if you need both hands to control your bike, but it's still a skill you need. It's also a good idea to practice riding in narrow spaces and on rough surfaces...
Regarding #3/4, this is a less-often-mentioned good reason to ride well away from parked cars -- but sometimes you just have to stop and wait for someone pulling in/out. Kinda like the car behind you likely will, too.
Regarding #5, you might not have room to get out from in front of the bus right now, but do it when you can. If you're going several blocks, consider either switching to another parallel road if available, or just go around the block to let the bus & whoever's behind it get ahead of you.
Also, remember that with stops and such, the bus isn't likely to be going much faster than you anyway, even if it will make a lot more noise in the process....you'll likely start pulling away from it sooner than (either of) you expect.
> Do you think cars can, in general, see you? I keep having to ride past parking lots where a car is about to come out but I know he's looking for cars, not bikes.
Never assume people can see you. Get out further away from the curb, so that you're closer to the place where drivers expect to look for people, and use a strong headlight, even during daytime.
> What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars, just enough where anyone else could ride between but you don't have the skill, and some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing and zipping past? Hypothetically.
Let them stew. Just like the driver momentarily stuck behind you, they'll find their opening and make up any hypothetical lost time soon enough.
posted by FlyingMonkey at 1:30 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
1) and 2) - In situations where I have to turn left but traffic is too heavy to do so safely or without annoying a dozen drivers, the easy thing to do is ride straight across the intersection, stop, turn yourself around, and proceed straight across on the next light. (on preview, this is the Copenhagen Left mentioned by FlyingMonkey).
3) and 4) - If you can get out of the way, get out of the way; if you can safely stop, stop; otherwise, execute some kind of merge while glancing back constantly to (a) make drivers aware that you're trying to merge and (b) try to find a spot you can merge into. Use your bell, and/or yell, if you are in danger of getting backed into.
5) I just chill out behind the bus until the bus gets to a stop.
I have just come to accept people behind me getting huffy.
posted by Jeanne at 1:31 PM on October 23, 2015
3) and 4) - If you can get out of the way, get out of the way; if you can safely stop, stop; otherwise, execute some kind of merge while glancing back constantly to (a) make drivers aware that you're trying to merge and (b) try to find a spot you can merge into. Use your bell, and/or yell, if you are in danger of getting backed into.
5) I just chill out behind the bus until the bus gets to a stop.
I have just come to accept people behind me getting huffy.
posted by Jeanne at 1:31 PM on October 23, 2015
1) I stick my left arm out and point to the left while simultaneously looking over my left shoulder and make eye contact with the driver. When they understand that I'm going to take their lane so I can turn left, I do so. If they're oblivious or they aren't going to cede the lane, I wait until they pass. I start doing this early enough so that I don't have to hit the brakes.
You can't signal, so I don't know what you'd do here. I guess look over your shoulder and wait for the opportunity to take the lane.
2) I'm a vehicle. I'm waiting for a safe opening to turn left and cross oncoming traffic. I wait. Cars behind me can wait behind the vehicle (me) as well.
3) Sounds like you need to get ready to stop suddenly. Swerving left might just bring you into the path of the car pulling out, or it might make them finally see you, or you might get run over by the car coming up behind you on your left. Safest thing would be to stop or slow down until you're sure the car pulling out sees you.
4) Same as #3.
5) If I'm going 5mph I must be going up a pretty steep hill. It should be pretty easy for the bus to change lanes and safely accelerate past me and then change lanes again to be in front of me. Buses in my city do this to me all the time, it's normal traffic. If it's not safe for the bus to pass me, then the bus should stay in its lane and wait for a safe passing opportunity.
Do you think cars can, in general, see you
I ride with one 750 lumen light in the daytime, and 2 of those at night. Yes, they can see me.
What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
You need to find an empty lot and practice riding with one hand. Practice riding in a straight line and looking over your shoulder. If for some reason I couldn't signal, I would look for an opportunity to move left and do it when I could, and I'd do it sooner rather than later. Failing that, if I'm headed north and need to turn west, I would ride through the intersection and join west bound traffic at the light, and then wait for that light to turn green.
What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars...
They can pass you when it's safe to pass you, and until then they can keep riding behind you.
When people aren't assholes, it shouldn't be a problem to pass a cyclist at all. If they're riding way slower than traffic, then slow down, wait for a safe moment to pass, and accelerate your car past them. Shouldn't be a problem at all. If they're going a little slower than traffic, but not much, the same rule applies. If they're going the same speed as traffic, then why are you trying to pass in the first place? And if I am catching you at every single light on my bike, then guess what? We are travelling at the same average speed.
Good luck. Ride safe. Ride with confidence.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:42 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
You can't signal, so I don't know what you'd do here. I guess look over your shoulder and wait for the opportunity to take the lane.
2) I'm a vehicle. I'm waiting for a safe opening to turn left and cross oncoming traffic. I wait. Cars behind me can wait behind the vehicle (me) as well.
3) Sounds like you need to get ready to stop suddenly. Swerving left might just bring you into the path of the car pulling out, or it might make them finally see you, or you might get run over by the car coming up behind you on your left. Safest thing would be to stop or slow down until you're sure the car pulling out sees you.
4) Same as #3.
5) If I'm going 5mph I must be going up a pretty steep hill. It should be pretty easy for the bus to change lanes and safely accelerate past me and then change lanes again to be in front of me. Buses in my city do this to me all the time, it's normal traffic. If it's not safe for the bus to pass me, then the bus should stay in its lane and wait for a safe passing opportunity.
Do you think cars can, in general, see you
I ride with one 750 lumen light in the daytime, and 2 of those at night. Yes, they can see me.
What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
You need to find an empty lot and practice riding with one hand. Practice riding in a straight line and looking over your shoulder. If for some reason I couldn't signal, I would look for an opportunity to move left and do it when I could, and I'd do it sooner rather than later. Failing that, if I'm headed north and need to turn west, I would ride through the intersection and join west bound traffic at the light, and then wait for that light to turn green.
What would you do if there's a small space between a lane of traffic and a row of parked cars...
They can pass you when it's safe to pass you, and until then they can keep riding behind you.
When people aren't assholes, it shouldn't be a problem to pass a cyclist at all. If they're riding way slower than traffic, then slow down, wait for a safe moment to pass, and accelerate your car past them. Shouldn't be a problem at all. If they're going a little slower than traffic, but not much, the same rule applies. If they're going the same speed as traffic, then why are you trying to pass in the first place? And if I am catching you at every single light on my bike, then guess what? We are travelling at the same average speed.
Good luck. Ride safe. Ride with confidence.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:42 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
Ride to the corner, cross, turn the bike, ride with traffic through the intersection. It takes longer, but it's safer for you if you can't signal.
....some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing.....
In all questions about the cool bikers versus the rest of us, it's important to remember that their opinion of you isn't worth a cup spit. Ride so that you feel safe.
posted by 26.2 at 1:43 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ride to the corner, cross, turn the bike, ride with traffic through the intersection. It takes longer, but it's safer for you if you can't signal.
....some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're not doing the cool biker thing.....
In all questions about the cool bikers versus the rest of us, it's important to remember that their opinion of you isn't worth a cup spit. Ride so that you feel safe.
posted by 26.2 at 1:43 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
This website covers some, but not all of your scenarios, but it has lots helpful bicycling tips to avoid getting hit by cars in all types of traffic.
I use the Copenhagen Left that Flying Monkey describes when turning left from streets in Washington DC that lack a dedicated left-turn lane. As that bicyclesafe.com site I linked to states, you're at risk of getting rear-ended when otherwise waiting to turn left, especially if there's no dedicated left turn lane.
posted by hhc5 at 1:45 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
I use the Copenhagen Left that Flying Monkey describes when turning left from streets in Washington DC that lack a dedicated left-turn lane. As that bicyclesafe.com site I linked to states, you're at risk of getting rear-ended when otherwise waiting to turn left, especially if there's no dedicated left turn lane.
posted by hhc5 at 1:45 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Honestly, in all of those scenarios I'd pull onto the sidewalk, get off the bike, and walk the bike past/around the hazardous spot. That way I can use the pedestrian crossing zone if I have to, and I'm away from the cars.
It's not what most drivers would do, but I'm also a bit timid on a bike, and I know that my hemming and hawing is probably not going to do either me or the other drivers any favors, so removing myself from the situation and walking my bike for a block or two does everyone good.
This is also why I don't bike when I'm in a hurry.
Good luck.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:46 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's not what most drivers would do, but I'm also a bit timid on a bike, and I know that my hemming and hawing is probably not going to do either me or the other drivers any favors, so removing myself from the situation and walking my bike for a block or two does everyone good.
This is also why I don't bike when I'm in a hurry.
Good luck.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:46 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Some of this will be helped as your balance improves, part of it is the same kind of road awareness that one learns when they drive. (I've been road biking for a long time and just learned how to drive recently. The skills are a little different even though a bike is supposed to be a vehicle.)
First off, please do a lot of practicing with riding around with one hand on the handle bars, and turning your head around while riding. Start small, with one hand resting on (not gripping) the handlebar. Most drivers don't know the hand signals but I find they slow down when I do them because they know I'm about to do SOMETHING. A further caveat: I'm a really conservative non-road-warrior type cyclist and usually moving relatively slowly towing a trailer with a kid, so these answers are probably reasonably appropriate for a newish cyclist.
1) If you're only noticing vehicles coming up behind you when you're right on the intersection, you've left it too late. Depending on how heavy traffic is, I'll be modulating my speed a block or two beforehand, checking behind me to see if there's an opening. If it's too busy for that, I slow to a stop wherever I would cross as a pedestrian and walk my bike across in that spot.
2) Wait. Same as a car. Since you're not riding, you could put your arm out so that the drivers behind you are aware of your planned action.
3/4) Stop. Just as you would if you were in a car and weren't sure if someone could execute the move they were doing without hitting you.
5) Ugh I hate aggressive vehicles. if there's a safe place to pull out of the way, I'll do that, otherwise the bus can wait for the traffic to clear to get around you, since you are following the law and have a right to drive down the road. If there were a tractor or Amish buggy going down the road the bus would have the same choices.
>Do you think cars can, in general, see you?
Sometimes. I try to get eye contact, just as I do as a pedestrian, and I'll absolutely slow down and stop if the person seems oblivious.
>What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
Stop where a pedestrian could legally cross, cross the street on foot.
>you're not doing the cool biker thing
I do this by being visibly, obviously uncool and slow. I have a granny bike, I have a trailer, I wear street clothes. And then I roll my eyes.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:51 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
First off, please do a lot of practicing with riding around with one hand on the handle bars, and turning your head around while riding. Start small, with one hand resting on (not gripping) the handlebar. Most drivers don't know the hand signals but I find they slow down when I do them because they know I'm about to do SOMETHING. A further caveat: I'm a really conservative non-road-warrior type cyclist and usually moving relatively slowly towing a trailer with a kid, so these answers are probably reasonably appropriate for a newish cyclist.
1) If you're only noticing vehicles coming up behind you when you're right on the intersection, you've left it too late. Depending on how heavy traffic is, I'll be modulating my speed a block or two beforehand, checking behind me to see if there's an opening. If it's too busy for that, I slow to a stop wherever I would cross as a pedestrian and walk my bike across in that spot.
2) Wait. Same as a car. Since you're not riding, you could put your arm out so that the drivers behind you are aware of your planned action.
3/4) Stop. Just as you would if you were in a car and weren't sure if someone could execute the move they were doing without hitting you.
5) Ugh I hate aggressive vehicles. if there's a safe place to pull out of the way, I'll do that, otherwise the bus can wait for the traffic to clear to get around you, since you are following the law and have a right to drive down the road. If there were a tractor or Amish buggy going down the road the bus would have the same choices.
>Do you think cars can, in general, see you?
Sometimes. I try to get eye contact, just as I do as a pedestrian, and I'll absolutely slow down and stop if the person seems oblivious.
>What's the best way to turn left when you don't have the dexterity to signal left??
Stop where a pedestrian could legally cross, cross the street on foot.
>you're not doing the cool biker thing
I do this by being visibly, obviously uncool and slow. I have a granny bike, I have a trailer, I wear street clothes. And then I roll my eyes.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:51 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
People given you good answers to questions 1-5 above (take your time, use a Copenhagen turn, take advantage of traffic signals, be sure you are always safe to stop)
I'll stick to the bonus questions:
It's dangerous to assume you've been seen by any car. Even with eye contact, in my experience. This really means being ready to stop, and trying to stay out of the places that are hard to see in a car (blind spots especially).
Balance and turning: this is practice. I'd want to practice cycling straight lines without wobbling. Drive through puddles and look at your tire tracks---you should see one line, not something that looks like a series of figure 8s. Graduate to riding through a series of soft obstacles, like a line of cones. One trick to cycling is to realize that you steer where you look. If you want to go straight, keep looking at a fixed point. Turning, you look where you want to turn to. If you want to bike between two (scarily close) things, look between them, not at the things.
Balance (and bike handling) is not a gift, it's a trainable skill. You don't expect to be a dancer without practice, do you? Biking is just as much a skill as dancing. If at all possible take an adult bike skills class, they're exactly for this sort of problem. You will get better and more confident the more you do it.
Always, always maintain a 3 foot/ 1m distance between you and a parked car. A meter isn't much, but if you can't do that, then it really isn't a safe road to travel. Look for alternates. The Huffy Cyclist is also then an Idiot Cyclist. Let them be the one to get doored.
posted by bonehead at 2:04 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'll stick to the bonus questions:
It's dangerous to assume you've been seen by any car. Even with eye contact, in my experience. This really means being ready to stop, and trying to stay out of the places that are hard to see in a car (blind spots especially).
Balance and turning: this is practice. I'd want to practice cycling straight lines without wobbling. Drive through puddles and look at your tire tracks---you should see one line, not something that looks like a series of figure 8s. Graduate to riding through a series of soft obstacles, like a line of cones. One trick to cycling is to realize that you steer where you look. If you want to go straight, keep looking at a fixed point. Turning, you look where you want to turn to. If you want to bike between two (scarily close) things, look between them, not at the things.
Balance (and bike handling) is not a gift, it's a trainable skill. You don't expect to be a dancer without practice, do you? Biking is just as much a skill as dancing. If at all possible take an adult bike skills class, they're exactly for this sort of problem. You will get better and more confident the more you do it.
Always, always maintain a 3 foot/ 1m distance between you and a parked car. A meter isn't much, but if you can't do that, then it really isn't a safe road to travel. Look for alternates. The Huffy Cyclist is also then an Idiot Cyclist. Let them be the one to get doored.
posted by bonehead at 2:04 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
A few guidelines that more or less cover your scenarios and many more:
1) Never ever ever move left even a little without being completely sure the way is clear (either no cars, or cars that you're 100% sure see you and are letting you merge in). Cars will often pass you by inches and swerving a few inches left to avoid something can kill you.
2) Do not expect people to brake (or swerve, etc) for you, ever. If they don't see you, you're dead. Imagine you're invisible (while making yourself as visible as possible, obviously).
3) Similarly, if someone is cutting you off, do not expect that they'll see you and stop. Slow down enough that if they don't, you can stop in time to not die, if not dying is something that's important to you.
4) You can ask people to slow down to let you merge in front of them (ie for a too-narrow road or a left turn), and if they're not total assholes (and your city is somewhat bike-friendly), they usually will. You do this with a left arm signal, well in advance. If you can't signal, you absolutely cannot ask or expect people to slow down as you merge in front of them (and you really shouldn't be doing it without a signal even if they don't need to slow down).
5) If at any time you feel unsafe, dismount and turn into a pedestrian to go on the sidewalk, cross the road, let someone pass, etc.
6) As you're doing here already, think ahead to avoid dangerous situations like being doored or cars turning left into you. Check out biking safety websites like http://bicyclesafe.com/ for tips.
posted by randomnity at 2:04 PM on October 23, 2015
1) Never ever ever move left even a little without being completely sure the way is clear (either no cars, or cars that you're 100% sure see you and are letting you merge in). Cars will often pass you by inches and swerving a few inches left to avoid something can kill you.
2) Do not expect people to brake (or swerve, etc) for you, ever. If they don't see you, you're dead. Imagine you're invisible (while making yourself as visible as possible, obviously).
3) Similarly, if someone is cutting you off, do not expect that they'll see you and stop. Slow down enough that if they don't, you can stop in time to not die, if not dying is something that's important to you.
4) You can ask people to slow down to let you merge in front of them (ie for a too-narrow road or a left turn), and if they're not total assholes (and your city is somewhat bike-friendly), they usually will. You do this with a left arm signal, well in advance. If you can't signal, you absolutely cannot ask or expect people to slow down as you merge in front of them (and you really shouldn't be doing it without a signal even if they don't need to slow down).
5) If at any time you feel unsafe, dismount and turn into a pedestrian to go on the sidewalk, cross the road, let someone pass, etc.
6) As you're doing here already, think ahead to avoid dangerous situations like being doored or cars turning left into you. Check out biking safety websites like http://bicyclesafe.com/ for tips.
posted by randomnity at 2:04 PM on October 23, 2015
1. I do number one every day on my commute. I do all sorts of things depending on my mood, the weather, the traffic. Mostly I just stick my arm out, often by the time I turn my head the driver has slowed down to allow me to go. If they don't I give up and do a Copenhagen left. tchemgrrl is right that it takes practice and you have to start early, I give up on my most tired mornings so I can take the time I need.
posted by Gor-ella at 2:05 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by Gor-ella at 2:05 PM on October 23, 2015
Good answers to these and other such questions are offered by John S. Allen (who lives in one of the Boston suburbs, I think) in his booklet Bicycling Street Smarts, available in a free online version. (Those of you in the UK, Japan, NZ, and other such places might prefer the left-hand-driving edition.)
Here's what I would do in your scenarios. The thing to do is clearer if you realize that moving from the bike lane around an obstacle is exactly the same as making any other lane change: you verify that there's enough room for the change, then make it. A rear-view mirror is very useful. Don't rely on it to judge whether there is enough room; a glance over your shoulder is safer. But a mirror can let you know that there isn't room without having to turn your head, and it gives you a general sense of traffic behind you.
#1. If there's enough room for you to pull over, signal left and do so. (As others have said, unless you have a disability that prevents it, you should learn to ride with one hand on the bar so you can signal or do other things with the other.) If not, you slow down or stop until there is. If you dismount and look like you want to cross the street, many drivers will yield the right of way while you walk across. You could also go past the intersection, make a U-turn when possible, and then return.
#2. You pull as far into the intersection as is safe, wait for a gap, and then turn left. If it's safe for a bike and a car to make the turn simultaneously (e.g., there is a motor vehicle lane and a bike lane on the street where I'm turning, or two travel lanes), I'll pull far enough forward that a car behind me can also make the turn simultaneously. Alternately, I'll do a Copenhagen turn.
#3. Look for brake lights when you're riding next to parked cars. They're a clue that someone ahead might be getting ready to pull out. If it's not possible to safely change lanes, slow down or stop unless you're sure that the driver pulling out has seen you.
#4. Same answer.
#5. If there's no room for the bus to safely pass in the same lane, then you take the lane, so that an impatient driver won't give it a try anyway. However, you have to remember that a vehicle impeding traffic is obliged to pull over and let faster traffic past when it's reasonable. I can't imagine a scenario where you would go 10 city blocks before there was somewhere to let the bus by, or where it would have enough room to pass.
Finally, the situation you describe at the end (passing between two rows of cars, whether parked or not) is called "filtering." I do it if it's clearly safe and there's enough room. But if not, I don't, and if another cyclist yells at me for not doing it, that's their problem, not mine. If they want to get past, they can walk around me on the sidewalk.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:34 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here's what I would do in your scenarios. The thing to do is clearer if you realize that moving from the bike lane around an obstacle is exactly the same as making any other lane change: you verify that there's enough room for the change, then make it. A rear-view mirror is very useful. Don't rely on it to judge whether there is enough room; a glance over your shoulder is safer. But a mirror can let you know that there isn't room without having to turn your head, and it gives you a general sense of traffic behind you.
#1. If there's enough room for you to pull over, signal left and do so. (As others have said, unless you have a disability that prevents it, you should learn to ride with one hand on the bar so you can signal or do other things with the other.) If not, you slow down or stop until there is. If you dismount and look like you want to cross the street, many drivers will yield the right of way while you walk across. You could also go past the intersection, make a U-turn when possible, and then return.
#2. You pull as far into the intersection as is safe, wait for a gap, and then turn left. If it's safe for a bike and a car to make the turn simultaneously (e.g., there is a motor vehicle lane and a bike lane on the street where I'm turning, or two travel lanes), I'll pull far enough forward that a car behind me can also make the turn simultaneously. Alternately, I'll do a Copenhagen turn.
#3. Look for brake lights when you're riding next to parked cars. They're a clue that someone ahead might be getting ready to pull out. If it's not possible to safely change lanes, slow down or stop unless you're sure that the driver pulling out has seen you.
#4. Same answer.
#5. If there's no room for the bus to safely pass in the same lane, then you take the lane, so that an impatient driver won't give it a try anyway. However, you have to remember that a vehicle impeding traffic is obliged to pull over and let faster traffic past when it's reasonable. I can't imagine a scenario where you would go 10 city blocks before there was somewhere to let the bus by, or where it would have enough room to pass.
Finally, the situation you describe at the end (passing between two rows of cars, whether parked or not) is called "filtering." I do it if it's clearly safe and there's enough room. But if not, I don't, and if another cyclist yells at me for not doing it, that's their problem, not mine. If they want to get past, they can walk around me on the sidewalk.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:34 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
My #1 suggestion is to take a bicycling class, such as those offered in the Boston area here and here. This will change your (bicycling) life immensely for the better.
These classes are designed to help you learn & practice exactly the skills you need to be able to handle the type of situations you describe.
These related videos are pretty helpful as well.
posted by flug at 2:42 PM on October 23, 2015 [6 favorites]
These classes are designed to help you learn & practice exactly the skills you need to be able to handle the type of situations you describe.
These related videos are pretty helpful as well.
posted by flug at 2:42 PM on October 23, 2015 [6 favorites]
Nthing the "take a vehicular cycling class from your local bicycle advocacy group" suggestion, but something that helps me:
Imagine that you are driving a tractor. Think about the space you'd take up driving that tractor: the full lane. Think about when you'd be able to pull off to let other vehicles by.
You, as a cyclist, are entitled to that much space. Take it with confidence.
(And then moderate that confidence with the knowledge that everyone else on the road is casually waving around a weapon that's used to kill more people every year than firearms, and that most of them are either as clueless as the yahoo who shoots himself in the 'nads while carrying, or actively hostile.)
posted by straw at 2:48 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Imagine that you are driving a tractor. Think about the space you'd take up driving that tractor: the full lane. Think about when you'd be able to pull off to let other vehicles by.
You, as a cyclist, are entitled to that much space. Take it with confidence.
(And then moderate that confidence with the knowledge that everyone else on the road is casually waving around a weapon that's used to kill more people every year than firearms, and that most of them are either as clueless as the yahoo who shoots himself in the 'nads while carrying, or actively hostile.)
posted by straw at 2:48 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
A followup: the best way to learn how to balance your bike is to find a grassy area with firm soil that's relatively flat but has some hills. Take off your bike pedals and lower your saddle so that you can use the bike as a push bike, propelling yourself with your feet. Practice going straight and turning gently, then more sharply. As you get more confident, walk the bike up a gentle hill and then roll down. Once you're confident doing that, try doing it while taking your non-dominant hand off the handlebar. It helps to move the other hand closer to the handlebar stem, so that it will require more force to move the bars. When you're comfortable doing that, try taking your dominant hand off.
You'll learn by doing that the basic truth of bicycle steering: you don't really steer much by turning the handlebars; rather, you do so by leaning. And when you do turn the bars, you "countersteer": that is, to turn left, you turn the front wheel slightly to the right. That moves the front wheel out from under the centerline, which makes the bike-and-rider system tilt left. You then adjust the steering in the turn so that the gravitational attraction that makes the bike want to fall over to the left is counterbalanced by the component of your momentum that makes it want to stand upright. That's why cyclists and motorcyclists lean into turns. It's also why many cyclists have a hard time adjusting to tricycles, which turn in a completely different way.
You do all this on a grassy surface so that you can fall without hurting yourself. And you do it at low speeds because a bicycle is less stable at low speeds than at high ones, so if you can control your bike one-handed at 3-5 mph, you'll have no problem at a commuting speed.
Good luck!
On preview: flug's suggested classes and videos are also a good idea.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:50 PM on October 23, 2015
You'll learn by doing that the basic truth of bicycle steering: you don't really steer much by turning the handlebars; rather, you do so by leaning. And when you do turn the bars, you "countersteer": that is, to turn left, you turn the front wheel slightly to the right. That moves the front wheel out from under the centerline, which makes the bike-and-rider system tilt left. You then adjust the steering in the turn so that the gravitational attraction that makes the bike want to fall over to the left is counterbalanced by the component of your momentum that makes it want to stand upright. That's why cyclists and motorcyclists lean into turns. It's also why many cyclists have a hard time adjusting to tricycles, which turn in a completely different way.
You do all this on a grassy surface so that you can fall without hurting yourself. And you do it at low speeds because a bicycle is less stable at low speeds than at high ones, so if you can control your bike one-handed at 3-5 mph, you'll have no problem at a commuting speed.
Good luck!
On preview: flug's suggested classes and videos are also a good idea.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:50 PM on October 23, 2015
- Get over to the left of the motor-vehicle lane well before the turn
- Same as 1
- I don't ride to the right of the bike lane; I try to look ahead and see these situations before they happen. If I see a car pulling out of a parking spot, I move out into the motor-vehicle lane
- Same as 3
- At the earliest safe opportunity, pull over.
- Cars can't see. People can. Some people choose not to. Driveway intersections are among the most dangerous places for bikes. Being as far away from the lip of the driveway so that you enter their sightline sooner is the thing to do.
- You need to get comfortable enough on your bike that you can take a hand off to signal. Not just to signal though. This is a serious safety issue.
- Hypothetically I don't care.
posted by adamrice at 3:04 PM on October 23, 2015
1.) Say you're riding along in the bike lane, and cars are coming past you on the left at reasonable but unpredictable speeds. You have to turn left but there's a car coming toward you just close enough where you'll have to wait a couple seconds for it to pass. The car behind you is coming up closer behind you. What do you do?
In very low traffic, wait for oncoming traffic, then turn left as if you were in a car. Otherwise, head straight through the intersection, then stop/turn at the edge of the cross-street. Go straight with the traffic on the cross street through the intersection to complete the "turn".
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
Same as previous "low traffic" condition. Keep to the left, wait for oncoming traffic to clear before making your turn. If this is a higher traffic area, head straight through the intersection and head over to the cross street bike lane (or edge of road if no bike lane). If this is a multi-lane road, do not attempt to get into the left lane until you are more comfortable, just use the cross-turn-cross trick.
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
Stop. If you're not sure the driver can see you, assume the driver does not see you. If you are sure the driver sees you, it's still a good idea to assume otherwise. I wouldn't continue without a very obvious indicator like eye contact plus waving me ahead.
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
Stop. Wait for the car.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
Find a safe spot to pull over, and let the bus pass.
posted by jraenar at 3:05 PM on October 23, 2015
In very low traffic, wait for oncoming traffic, then turn left as if you were in a car. Otherwise, head straight through the intersection, then stop/turn at the edge of the cross-street. Go straight with the traffic on the cross street through the intersection to complete the "turn".
2.) Similar situation, you're at an intersection and the light just turned green. You're taking up the whole lane because you have to turn left, but it's a solid green light and you have to wait for the line of cars coming toward you to pass before you can turn. What do you do??
Same as previous "low traffic" condition. Keep to the left, wait for oncoming traffic to clear before making your turn. If this is a higher traffic area, head straight through the intersection and head over to the cross street bike lane (or edge of road if no bike lane). If this is a multi-lane road, do not attempt to get into the left lane until you are more comfortable, just use the cross-turn-cross trick.
3.) A car in front of you starts pulling out of its parallel parking space on the side of the road right in front of you. You're kind of to the right in the bike lane but you don't want to stop suddenly but the car behind you is trying to squeeze past both of you, and you don't know if the car pulling out sees you. What do you do?
Stop. If you're not sure the driver can see you, assume the driver does not see you. If you are sure the driver sees you, it's still a good idea to assume otherwise. I wouldn't continue without a very obvious indicator like eye contact plus waving me ahead.
4.) Same situation as #3 but a car pulling into a spot/backing up into a parallel parking spot.
Stop. Wait for the car.
5.) There's a bus coming up behind you but you don't have any room to get over out of its way. It's riding your ass and you don't want to go ten more blocks at like 5mph with a bus right behind you. Although for that one I don't really think there's any good way to handle it.
Find a safe spot to pull over, and let the bus pass.
posted by jraenar at 3:05 PM on October 23, 2015
5. City bus drivers are, in my experience both riding a bike and riding the bus, very competent. Plus, they can see you much better than cars, they have a bigger windshield. While I always tried to cooperate with buses, if you can't let them around, they are usually safe and won't try to mow you down. They're not in that big of a hurry.
I rode for years on Mass Ave in Cambridge and Arlington, and the drivers of the 77 and 79 really were bike aware and bike friendly. I didn't fully appreciate it until I was injured, and then rode those buses for a year - then I saw how much the drivers really do look out. Props to them, and whoever made it a priority of the mbta to train that into drivers.
posted by Dashy at 3:39 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
I rode for years on Mass Ave in Cambridge and Arlington, and the drivers of the 77 and 79 really were bike aware and bike friendly. I didn't fully appreciate it until I was injured, and then rode those buses for a year - then I saw how much the drivers really do look out. Props to them, and whoever made it a priority of the mbta to train that into drivers.
posted by Dashy at 3:39 PM on October 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Generally when in doubt stop, or pull over. Turning right to turn left is a perfectly viable, and safe option especially if you can't signal comfortably. If it's not clear what I mean, make the right turn, pull a quick u-turn and wait for the light. If there's no light at the intersection b you want to turn left on, you may have to ride am extra few blocks. Your safety is more important than the 60s you may save by making the left directly.
posted by askmehow at 4:34 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by askmehow at 4:34 PM on October 23, 2015
I often box my turns (go right to turn left) in Chicago--particularly at signal-controlled intersections with four+ lanes of impatient drivers traffic.
If I'm stuck in a leapfrog situation with a bus (we keep catching each other at bus stops or lights or whatever), I either pull over and give the bus 5-10 minutes to get ahead of me or I cross over to a parallel route (in Chicago, that's usually a trivial matter).
If another cyclist thinks I'm moving too slowly (it happens!) and I'm in proper lane position, the other cyclist can take the lane to pass me (and I will absolutely not leap frog that person if I catch him at a light cause I know his pace is faster than mine). That's his caution--not mine.
Practice signalling; practice signalling. Practice signalling. Maybe get a rear view mirror. It will make you more confident when you move to the center of the lane around parallel parking drivers or to turn left or any time you need to take the lane because that is the safe course of action. Confidence matters, but drivers honestly pay attention when you clearly signal your intentions, just like they do when other drivers use their turn signals.
I stick my left arm out when I'm turning left and my right arm out when I'm turning right. I only signal stops on the shared path--not the roads--I assume (probably wrongly) that drivers expect me to stop at stop lights and stop signs and would not know I was signalling a stop anyway.
posted by crush-onastick at 5:12 PM on October 23, 2015
If I'm stuck in a leapfrog situation with a bus (we keep catching each other at bus stops or lights or whatever), I either pull over and give the bus 5-10 minutes to get ahead of me or I cross over to a parallel route (in Chicago, that's usually a trivial matter).
If another cyclist thinks I'm moving too slowly (it happens!) and I'm in proper lane position, the other cyclist can take the lane to pass me (and I will absolutely not leap frog that person if I catch him at a light cause I know his pace is faster than mine). That's his caution--not mine.
Practice signalling; practice signalling. Practice signalling. Maybe get a rear view mirror. It will make you more confident when you move to the center of the lane around parallel parking drivers or to turn left or any time you need to take the lane because that is the safe course of action. Confidence matters, but drivers honestly pay attention when you clearly signal your intentions, just like they do when other drivers use their turn signals.
I stick my left arm out when I'm turning left and my right arm out when I'm turning right. I only signal stops on the shared path--not the roads--I assume (probably wrongly) that drivers expect me to stop at stop lights and stop signs and would not know I was signalling a stop anyway.
posted by crush-onastick at 5:12 PM on October 23, 2015
You've got great responses to your specific questions above.
In general terms, I'd give this advice: Avoid traffic when you can. There are often alternative routes to your destination, and they may not be the ones you'd take in a car. I have several routes I take through residential areas (or better yet, on trails), that I developed specifically to avoid busy streets. Google maps is wonderful for this. In other words, don't assume the best car route is the best bike route. I always shake my head when I see a rider making his way up a crazy busy street when I know there's a relatively quiet ride a block over.
Always operate on the assumption that cars do not see you and will hit you. I was surprised recently when riding through a quiet light industrial area I frequently pass through. Here at an intersection (a quiet one) was a "ghost bike" memorial to a rider who had died there. I had never considered the intersection dangerous.
And, ride like a car. Ie, use the rules of the road. You have every right to take up a lane. You are not a pedestrian. Stake out your turf and make sure you are seen. Don't let cars intimidate you into the gutter. But, that also means you should respect cars... Give right of way where due; don't run red lights; ride as if you were driving.
Stay safe... Have fun!
posted by ecorrocio at 7:31 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
In general terms, I'd give this advice: Avoid traffic when you can. There are often alternative routes to your destination, and they may not be the ones you'd take in a car. I have several routes I take through residential areas (or better yet, on trails), that I developed specifically to avoid busy streets. Google maps is wonderful for this. In other words, don't assume the best car route is the best bike route. I always shake my head when I see a rider making his way up a crazy busy street when I know there's a relatively quiet ride a block over.
Always operate on the assumption that cars do not see you and will hit you. I was surprised recently when riding through a quiet light industrial area I frequently pass through. Here at an intersection (a quiet one) was a "ghost bike" memorial to a rider who had died there. I had never considered the intersection dangerous.
And, ride like a car. Ie, use the rules of the road. You have every right to take up a lane. You are not a pedestrian. Stake out your turf and make sure you are seen. Don't let cars intimidate you into the gutter. But, that also means you should respect cars... Give right of way where due; don't run red lights; ride as if you were driving.
Stay safe... Have fun!
posted by ecorrocio at 7:31 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
One final remark: If you don't know Bikeyface, rectify your ignorance! Her comics are brilliant.
posted by brianogilvie at 8:12 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by brianogilvie at 8:12 PM on October 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Join a club and ride regularly with more experienced riders.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:50 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:50 PM on October 23, 2015
Lots of good specific answers above, so I'll just say welcome to the streets, from another rider! Riding a bike on the street is kind of an exercise in humility no matter how long you've been doing it, so don't feel like you have to be fast or slick. You're on your bike, and that's its own reward.
posted by Maxwell's demon at 10:57 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by Maxwell's demon at 10:57 PM on October 23, 2015
Know where the bicycle lanes and trails are - I don't usually mind cyclists except when I have one in front of me along a long thin road that is literally parallel and mostly within sight of a major cycling trail. Why do they do this? I have no idea but it seems very inconsiderate to me.
posted by meepmeow at 11:26 AM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by meepmeow at 11:26 AM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
We have a lot in common! I also learned to ride as an adult and while I still mostly depend on public transit, my bike is great for sunny days and when it can get me to my destination faster than transit. I also don't have the balance to make hand signals, but I will shoulder check and listen well in advance of my turn to determine if there are any cars coming behind me. If there are, and it's a quiet intersection, I will pull over to the sidewalk and wait until it's safe to continue in my direction. If it's a busier street I usually don't even bother trying to make a left-turn directly; I will cross the intersection and then wait for the light to change to continue on.
That said, I live in a city with decent cycling infrastructure and (mostly) understanding drivers. YMMV.
For visibility, lights, even in the daytime (especially during the morning commute). A friend suggested a helmet-mounted light would be more visible to drivers than a rear light mounted on a seat-post. Another friend of mine bikes with a reflective safety vest.
As for "cool bikers": psh, whatever. I've been in that situation where I just felt "nope, if I try to ride between those cars I will be extremely uncomfortable and might panic that is a whole lot worse than just waiting 45 seconds in traffic for this light". In those times I take the lane (in case there is a zippy cyclist behind me who wants to navigate that space), and wait until there is a safe gap for me to go through.
Happy cycling!
posted by invokeuse at 11:43 AM on October 24, 2015
That said, I live in a city with decent cycling infrastructure and (mostly) understanding drivers. YMMV.
For visibility, lights, even in the daytime (especially during the morning commute). A friend suggested a helmet-mounted light would be more visible to drivers than a rear light mounted on a seat-post. Another friend of mine bikes with a reflective safety vest.
As for "cool bikers": psh, whatever. I've been in that situation where I just felt "nope, if I try to ride between those cars I will be extremely uncomfortable and might panic that is a whole lot worse than just waiting 45 seconds in traffic for this light". In those times I take the lane (in case there is a zippy cyclist behind me who wants to navigate that space), and wait until there is a safe gap for me to go through.
Happy cycling!
posted by invokeuse at 11:43 AM on October 24, 2015
I think everyone's got all the specific strategies down - I just wanted to chime in and reassure you that you will eventually be able to confidently navigate all these situations. I started commuting in Mexico City two years ago, and I only had ever previously ridden a bike as a teenager now and again for fun. The first 6 months I was wobbly and insecure, and I when in doubt I would always just stop, or get out of the way, or wait - while other cyclists zipped on by.
It's been a really cool experience to feel my confidence, strength and ability developing week by week, month by month. When you get a good amount of experience, and combine that with strength and balance, you will feel very strong.
Oh, yeah, on the weekends, or at other moments when you are riding on a smooth space where there are no cars, practice sticking your arm out. Or even on your commute. I was ecstatic when I finally learned to ride with no hands, it just takes a while. There are so many levels of ability. Just keep riding and riding. It'll all come together.
posted by Locochona at 4:06 PM on October 24, 2015
It's been a really cool experience to feel my confidence, strength and ability developing week by week, month by month. When you get a good amount of experience, and combine that with strength and balance, you will feel very strong.
Oh, yeah, on the weekends, or at other moments when you are riding on a smooth space where there are no cars, practice sticking your arm out. Or even on your commute. I was ecstatic when I finally learned to ride with no hands, it just takes a while. There are so many levels of ability. Just keep riding and riding. It'll all come together.
posted by Locochona at 4:06 PM on October 24, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
If some biker comes up behind you all huffy because you're slower than him, flip him off and forget about it.
posted by erst at 12:53 PM on October 23, 2015