Fear

You know that feeling you get when a car is gunning the engine to turn in front of you? And all you can do is slam on the brakes and hope you stop in time?

That’s what I experience several times a day. On every bike ride.

Why does this happen?

Primarily because drivers don’t pay enough attention, or make their intentions clear enough.

Or they don’t see, or don’t look for, bikes and pedestrians.

Just the other day, a car nearly ran over a woman pushing a stroller because it started to turn without bothering to look in the crosswalk where it was turning. I know, because I watched the entire thing while I was at the stop light. The driver never looked.

Another driver decided to enter the bike lanes and turn onto the street. They eventually stopped before hitting me, but they did a kind of rolling entry, so they never stopped completely before the bike lane and left me confused about whether they saw me, intended to stop before entering the road, or understood that bike lanes might have bikes in them.

The Law

The law on all this behavior is clear.

If you operate a motor vehicle, you do not have the right of way to turn left until you are sure the “coast is clear.”

Even if the other person is speeding.

Even if you have a fast car and can “beat” the vehicle you’re turning in front of.

Even if the light is yellow.

Even if the light is red.

You must wait until both oncoming traffic is cleared AND you must look into the pathway of where you are going. You cannot begin a turn until you are sure the roadway into which you are turning is free of pedestrians, bikes, scooters, or other vehicles.

Right turns are similar. You cannot just turn right without checking in your side and rear view mirrors to ensure there are no bikes, scooters, or pedestrians. The law is that if one is coming up on you, you MUST let them go past BEFORE you begin your right turn.

If you don’t look forward to where you are turning, and you hit a pedestrian, you are in the wrong!

But I’m in a Hurry. But Not All Bikes Follow All the Rules. But I’ve Always Done it This Way.

Great. You’re still wrong, both legally and ethically.

Let me propose an experiment. You take out your bike. I’ll get in my car. I’ll inch into the bike lane. Or I’ll make a right turn as you approach my vehicle from behind. Or I’ll gun a left turn in front of you.

Bet you’ll be terrified.

As my father used to say to a certain overanxious son, “wait.” Just wait. An extra second or two. That’s it. You will still get to your destination on time.

Pay attention. Look for pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, pedestrians, and other vehicles.

Don’t make any maneuvers until you’ve thought through the entire sequence.

Put the phone down. Hands-free phone usage still distracts your brain a bit, but it’s legal. Holding your phone is not. Stop eating while driving. If you’re talking to someone in the car, keep your eyes and brain on the road.

If you come to a stop, come to a complete stop. No inching, creeping, or other semi/sort-of stops. Because if you are moving, no one knows what you intend.

Thank you!

Takeaways

• Many drivers turn without looking for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles
• The law requires you to look ahead to where you are turning
• Bikes are especially vulnerable in traffic

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