I am very new to commuting and road biking in general. From everything I have read, it's good safety practice to take the lane and get behind cars at intersections.
But then (in the USA at least) bike lane look like this picture. They stop at intersections, then start up again on the other side.
What is the proper way to navigate this? Should you be staying in the path of the bike lane at point A here, or trying to take up space in the lane at point B?
*edit:
there is a second. scenario I am confused about as well. Sometimes you have a bike lane, but then it sort of just turns into the right turn lane. what would you do then as well?
by Enough-Youth836
4 Comments
If a is right only personally I would take the lane on B clear the intersection and reenter the bike lane after clearing the intersection. If not I might just stay right on a.
Option one, as you approach the intersection, move out of the bike lane into the far left traffic lane, the same one cars would make a left turn from.
Option 2 is sometimes called a Copenhagen or pedestrian left. Go through the intersection and wait at the corner for traffic lights to change, then proceed at 90° to your prior direction of travel.
Bike lane changes into a right turn lane? Exit the curbside lane and use the lane a car would use to proceed straight.
If you’re just going straight through, I would definitely just stay in the bike lane B. The lane doesn’t “stop” at the intersection, it continues across just like the car lanes do just it isn’t painted.
If the bike lane turns into the right turn lane, I’d again just stay in the same position, essentially taking the right turn lane.
Weaving back and forth is confusing to other road users.
The dashed lines indicate where cars are allowed to merge into the bike lane so that they can turn right. Do not merge left into the car thru lane. You can just continue forward, through the intersection. Drivers are supposed to look for cyclists before merging to turn, but they often don’t, so keep an eye out and slow down if someone looks like they haven’t noticed you and are about to turn right.