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Posted 3 years ago #
From Duncan's City Ride:
The reasons for breaking the rules of the road are plenty, but I offer up what I believe the three most common are.
Why do you think cyclists break the rules? Are the reasons any different from those who break the rules in cars?
Posted 3 years ago #
i hear that cyclists are not supposed to cross at crosswalks when turning left, rather change lanes into the center and turn from there. On some Toronto streets this is crazy.I argue that this is one where following the car-law can be extremely dangerous.
also what is the problem with bikes and residential one way streets. these are to prevent non-local car traffic from roaring through quiet neighborhoods. this has nothing to do with bikes. it is much easier and takes no physical effort whatsoever for a car to go three extra blocks to approach their destination from the legal direction.
bikes operate very differently from cars, and it feels like so many of these regulations were written from a completely car-centric point of view.
Posted 3 years ago #
Jeff,
These laws feel like they were written from a car-centric stance, because they were.
There's one street where I use what I call a "wide left" or crosswalk left turn because drivers there are too impatient behind me making a left turn and the oncoming traffic has to make a bit of a jag, so it's just not a safe place to be on a bicycle.
Posted 3 years ago #
Where there isn't much traffic or where there's an advanced green for left turns, I will make the lane change and turn left from the left lane. Otherwise, if the light is green, I continue to the next corner and re-position myself while I wait for the light to change (the "wide left" as Duncan calls it). If the light is red, I will get off my bike and *walk* it through the two crosswalks and only get back on once I'm on the opposite corner.
Duncan, I read your explanation of why bikes run red lights. I have a different strategy to deal with the issue you raise, especially at a few intersections where there's a bit of a jog in the road, but also in places where there's a long line of backed up cars (up to two blocks in one place!) so that I filter to the front. Rather than "cut in" at the green light, which would only cause grumblings, I cross the intersection and wait until the light turns red again. This way, I let all the cars through and I can follow from behind, with no one breathing down my neck. I used this strategy on Yonge recently and it was great - the cars were going so fast that they were well ahead of me, and there was no one behind me so I felt like I had the road to myself! It's spared me a few grey hairs on Bathurst, heading N. from St. Clair where the road narrows at the intersection and where there's a jog a bit further up.
Posted 3 years ago #
Annie,
That's an interesting way of handling red lights. Do you pull completely off the road?
Lately, whether I'm first in line or behind a few cars I find myself filling the lane at red lights. While there are still some who try to get right on top of me, the majority of people leave a good amount of room and actually prepare to change lanes to pass me. I move over once the light turns green, but at lights I assert myself so no one can say, "Sorry officer, I didn't see him."
And I know what you mean on Bathurst north of St. Clair... it's part of my daily commute.
Posted 3 years ago #
There needs to be more clarity with right turning cars. I love the way the bike lane on Sherbourne moves to the left of the right turn lane, it would work very well if the *&^&^%$ cars changing to the right turn lane didn't always block the bikelane. On Wellesley yesterday there were two cars signalling a right turn, neither of which merged with the bike lane before their turn. I couldn't pass on the left because the cars stuck behind them didn't leave enough room between them. The right-turning cars were held back by pedestrians so I felt like a bit of an idiot for not passing them on the right but I wouldn't do it on principle and so I missed the green light. Anyway, I digress. With Bathurst, the "going straight" lane is usually backed up quite a ways so lately I've started walking on the sidewalk to get past the right turning cars, and then walking through the crosswalk and waiting on the sidewalk past the lights. At other intersections, I find I can safely wait right on the diagonal of the corner so that I'm not in the way of cars going in either direction - which would get pretty crowded if other cyclists started adopting this strategy! A strong argument in favour of bike boxes. The disappearing bike lanes on Wellesley are another place where drivers aren't eager to let you in for the few metres it takes before the lane picks up again. I like the one spot where the sharrows clearly indicate that bikes are supposed to be on the left of the right turning lane (heading East, at Bay), so I can take my position in front of the cars until the bike lane resumes on the other side. Probably the only sharrows I actually like. Other cyclists never seem to follow the sharrows, and then they block or get stuck by right turning cars.
Posted 3 years ago #
i hear what you are saying guys. but regarding the get off and walk approach at crosswalks, this is just shamefully poor urban planning. i mean to car drivers ever have to get out and push to avoid breaking the law? it's ridiculous.
Posted 3 years ago #
do not to. sorry.
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