traffic etiquette in DC and elsewhere

[Arlingtonrider]

Thank you for bringing these issues up, and I’m sorry you had these experiences. With respect to your first question, I can’t speak for everyone, but if I was in the bike lane and saw a car in front of me signaling that they were going to make a right turn, and then saw that the driver stopped or saw me, I would slow down or stop (depending on my distance from the car) and expect the car to proceed with the turn before I went on. I would not pass the car on the right knowing the car was about to turn right, so in that situation I would have expected you to move on. I think most experienced cyclists are very aware of the danger of “right hooks,” so while I don’t condone the cyclist’s words to you, I do understand why he or she was sitting there wondering why you weren’t moving on.

In the second situation, if I was driving a car and a cyclist waved to me to pass, I would not attempt to pass until I felt comfortable that there was not an oncoming car that would force me into an unsafe situation. The oncoming car might not have been there at the moment the cyclist thought to wave you on, or the cyclist might not have realized how fast it was moving toward you. You have to be the judge of that.

Most of us try to ride safely and predictably, and its good to have an opportunity to address questions like these.

[mstone]

The cyclist would generally be nuts to get to the right of a car about to turn right, because that’s a good way for the cyclist to get run over. The proper way to turn right in the presence of a bike lane is to first enter the bike lane (when it is clear) and then make the right turn from the bike lane. That should be done far enough from the intersection that you’re not having to cut sharply across the bike lane to make the turn.

[jrenaut]

The proper way to turn right through a bike lane is to put on your signal and then merge into the bike lane when it’s clear, just like you would a car lane. However, no one ever does this, instead usually preferring to make the hard right from the car lane without looking. The fact that you signaled put you ahead of 50% or so of drivers. Had I been the cyclist, I would not have expected you to yield to me, despite the law. The f-bomb probably wasn’t necessary. Anyway, I think you did the right thing, but doing the right thing is so unexpected that it throws everyone off.

The second guy just sounds like a crazy person, and we should all simply hope that he doesn’t kill himself or anyone else. I’m pretty sure bikes are not allowed on that section of the Parkway, though I can’t blame him for not wanting to use that horribly maintained “bike path”. And my mother told me 1000 times when she was teaching me to drive – never, ever, ever assume that the person waving you on is accurately assessing the situation. If you can’t see for yourself it’s clear, then it’s not clear.

[arlrider]

Just to follow on – no cyclist in their right mind in this area, ESPECIALLY at night, is going to assume that a car stopped and about to turn right across the bike lane is waiting for them. No way, no how. You know what I assume? That the driver is probably texting or using a GPS, and is going to floor it across that bike lane at any second. I will wait for that car all day long before I go to the right of it.

The second guy sounds like he was nearing the end of his life and looking to go out with a bang.

Additionally, since this is a car/cyclist interaction thread, I’d like to follow on to the first point about “waiting” for cyclists. If you are in a car at night and you are going the opposite direction or perpendicular to me, I CANNOT SEE YOU WAVING ME ON through your windows because your lights ARE BLINDING ME. I realize this has probably been said a hundred times before but it cannot be said enough. So many times I just sit there thinking, “I wonder what that car is going to do?”

And, @Arlingtonrider – my apologies for the semi-hijack of the username – it was not intentional. I was surprised “arlrider” hadn’t been taken, and I’d not seen yours before. Hopefully I can sufficiently differentiate myself such that there is no confusion.

[DaveK]

When I’m riding out in the “real Virginia” I always wave cars on to pass when I can see. Sometimes they are grateful and wave back, sometimes they wait until they can see. Either way, I try to do my part to share the road, and that includes waving them on. It’s the same as being waved into a gap in traffic when you’re trying to turn across stopped traffic in a car. If you blindly listen to the person waving, it’s still you’re fault if you get hit.

[DismalScientist]

All the above responses are right about cars merging into the bike lane when turning right. Bike lanes should have dashed left lines before intersections to indicate this. They are often not painted this way. Furthermore, if they are painted this way, the dashed line should extended further back.

If a driver signals a right turn, I’m going to stop or pass him on the left. Unfortunately, some cyclists don’t do this. The car merging into the bike lane will stop cyclists passing on the right.

[DismalScientist]

@DaveK 33624 wrote:

When I’m riding out in the “real Virginia” I always wave cars on to pass when I can see. Sometimes they are grateful and wave back, sometimes they wait until they can see. Either way, I try to do my part to share the road, and that includes waving them on. It’s the same as being waved into a gap in traffic when you’re trying to turn across stopped traffic in a car. If you blindly listen to the person waving, it’s still you’re fault if you get hit.

The wave also tells the driver that the cyclist is aware of his presence, doesn’t want to obstruct traffic, and won’t be surprised by the pass.

[jrenaut]

Until the car merges into the bike lane, I will continue through the bike lane (cautiously). If a blinker stops all bike traffic, the car is never going to learn what they are legally required to do in that situation, and it will never get safer.

I continue to hope that I do not get run over for my troubles.

[thecyclingeconomist]

I definitely never pass a car on the right when its turn signal is on (and there aren’t other cars in the lane in front of it that aren’t turning). F-bomb was ridiculous, and he should be slapped for that. Never is it necessary.

Insofar as the wave-through. I have waved through cars thinking that it was clear, only to see a car speeding towards us at twice the speed limit. I was trying to be courteous, but remember… the wave through should only be interpreted as “hey… that cyclist knows I am here. Now, let me make sure it is safe to pass without putting myself and the cyclist in danger.” – just my take on it.

Thank you for having the wherewithal to even consider the cyclists!

God bless, and welcome to D.C. (I’m a newb to the area too, having moved here in May, and it’s pretty nutz for cyclists and drivers and peds. too!)

[KLizotte]

Yup, the first cyclist was just being a jerk (especially if he didn’t wave to indicate that you should make the turn). The second cyclist should have his pedals taken away; he’s a menace to himself and others.

Yes, all bike lanes should have a dashed line at the intersection but most don’t and until I started cycling I was not aware that cars are supposed to merge into the bike lane when making a right turn. I don’t recall ever being told that in drivers ed and who gets more driving training after they get their license? Thanks for being a considerate driver in this instance. Unfortunately most drivers and cyclists are unaware of the law when it comes to this situation and most sane cyclists will stop to let cars make the right hook. Unless the driver waves me through I’m gonna wait for the car to make the first move (I will wave at times to make it clear). Also, the biker most definitely should have had lights if it was dark out.

The second cyclist clearly has never been in an accident and overestimates his own abilities (and of those around him). Those are the folks that give the rest of us a bad name.

I will sometimes wave to cars to pass me when I’m taking the lane but I expect the driver will pass when it is safe for all concerned to do so.

Keep in mind that with Capital Bikeshare there are a lot of folks who haven’t a clue how to ride in traffic and are frequently unfamiliar with the area (tourists). Fortunately the Bikeshare bikes are really slow and heavy but I always give those folks wide berth. They also have a tendency to ride in the door zone and on sidewalks.

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