Cycling past a side road / junction

Squarepants

I've been wondering about this for a while and don't recall an onslaught of threads regarding the subject.

When I occasionally ride on the road I often ride past a junction or side road and wonder who has right of way. Is it

a) me cycling past the side road / junction or
b) the car that may be wanting to turn in to that road at the same time that I'm cycling across it

I saw a dawdling cyclist yesterday meander their way across a junction with a car attempting to beat the cyclist to it and turn in left (6 of 1 and half dozen of the other imo) only having to stop during the manovour (which caused traffic to brake suddenly behind) as the cyclist shook their head and arm gestured to the driver (annoyed I guess that the driver almost drove in to their side) before slowly crossing the junction.

I always look behind me when crossing main side roads etc and if a car is coming up behind me and slowing/indicating left, I'll either get a wriggle and cross quickly so as not to get in the drivers way or I'll stop.

So what's the rulez?

Moodyman

Whoever is on that road has 'priority'

If someone is leaving a side road to join that road, they should wait.

Many drivers don't know/care about this and will take a chance where a cyclist is involved. Always have your brakes covered and expect drivers to pull out. Never take anything for granted. Worrying about priority is futile when you're splattered.

corshamjim

If I've understood you correctly, what the car is doing in that sort of situation technically is overtaking the cyclist on the junction. Highway code rule 167 applies.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_070314

Specifically:-

167

DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example
* approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road
...
* stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn left
...

thistle_

The car tried to overtake the cyclist at the junction then turn left across the cyclist? :?

White Horse

I think the fact that you are on a bike is confusing you.

Put yourself in exactly the same position and pretend you're in a car. Who would have right of way?

neiltb

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

The car tried to overtake the cyclist at the junction then turn left across the cyclist? :?

if this is correct, then arm gesture justified.

rubertoe

This happens all the time - Cars speed to overtake you and then turn left into a side street.

Hands on brafkes is a must when approaching side streets especially if they are main

Twostage

The cyclist has right of way but as above it's a common occurrence for a driver to be determined to overtake so they can do a manouvre 0.0002 seconds quicker. I've had the 'overtake so I can get in front of you to turn left' only once. The driver realised that they weren't far enough in front to complete the left turn so simply stopped across my path. I stopped as I couldn't go forward and had to wait until they realised that the only option was for them to get out of the way. I regularly get the 'I must overtake you so I can get to the back of the traffic jam before you' so they have to slam on the brakes before crashing into the last car. Had a good variation recently - the 'I want to overtake you but I also want to avoid letting my left hand wheels go over the speedbump' so they simply pulled along side me and then pulled left so I was forced into the gutter. :evil:

Squarepants

corshamjim wrote:

If I've understood you correctly, what the car is doing in that sort of situation technically is overtaking the cyclist on the junction. Highway code rule 167 applies.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_070314

Specifically:-

167

DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example
* approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road
...
* stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn left
...

That sums it up for me, probably not a huge issue but from a few responses can see it agrevates both parties.

Glad I ride predominantly off road

beverick

As well as getting a shift-on, try moving more towards the centre of the lane on approach to a left hand side T junction. It tends to stop the "I must overtake before turning left" bozos!

In the example you mention it sounds as if the cyclist could be seen as committing an offence of either obstruction or careless cycling (or and the car driver of careless driving/driving wihout due care and attention. However, as the cyclist had priority, the car driver would be the one liable to receive the ticket.

Bob

redhanded

An additional question on this... coming up to a side road on the left, what if there is:
- a cycle lane (dashed lines so "advisory")
- a lane with turn left arrow
- a lane with straight on arrow

Does the turn left arrow also apply to the cycle lane? That is, if you are on a bike and want to go straight on, you should get out of the cycle lane and get into the lane with the straight on arrow?

I have a junction like this on my commute, and have been left hooked a number of times when going straight on in the cycle lane. I now move over to the straight on lane and don't bother with the cycle lane at this point.

The Rookie

As the car would be entering the cycle lane by crossing the white line between the cycle lane and turn left lane, te car driver still has to give way to a cyclists going straight on in the cycle lane, but intelligent manouevering as you suggest is better than getting squashed when you're in the right!

corshamjim

Definitely agree with both above. It's about using position on the road (and eye-contact, and signals, and ...) to make it bleedin' obvious to other road users where you're going.

redhanded

The Beginner wrote:

As the car would be entering the cycle lane by crossing the white line between the cycle lane and turn left lane, te car driver still has to give way to a cyclists going straight on in the cycle lane, but intelligent manouevering as you suggest is better than getting squashed when you're in the right!

My description wasn't complete enough... the cycle lane stops before the junction ... see here...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Goldhawk+ ... =12,0,,0,0

So for the cyclist you can see in google maps, if going straight on they stand a good chance of being left hooked by a car in the left lane, and the cyclist would be best advised to get out of the cycle lane and into the right lane. Another example of poor design as a lot of cyclists will just stick in the cycle lane even if going straight on.

wyadvd

im not an urban cyclist, but when im approaching a junction and have a car ehind me that I either suspect (sixthsense!) or who is indicating left, and I dont want to be left hooked, then I go into the primary position as I indicate left.

My advice to you is to read 'Cyclecraft' carefully.