[chollaball]

Saturday I was riding my bike home from the gym, stopped at the light at McKellips\Power. This is a photo-radar intersection, one of the worst in Mesa for accidents. I stood for a full red light on the curb waiting to cross in the crosswalk when the light changed. When I started riding, a car pulled in front of me into the 2nd lane to turn right. So, they saw me enough to not turn right into me, instead choosing to run me over 10 feet further into the road. I threw the bird, cursed so loudly that I got the attention of several drivers who had their windows open. As usual, nothing I could do but crap my pants, and the driver never even looked up.

Anywho, today I called the Mesa PD traffic div and asked if they could spot the violation on the photo radar. The officer (tech?) worked with me for about 10 min reviewing the film, and while he could not find anything, I wanted to shout out to him for spending the time.

I'm going to try harder to call in incidents like this when there are good odds I can make something happen. I know of nothing else we can do to protect ourselves and not be in violation of the law. A month ago a similar thing happened and the driver parked and went into a store...that should be a situation where I should have hung out and called the police.

 

[liteandfast]

Damn I hate those close calls. Glad to hear you're ok. Next time cross on the red

 

[berzerker]

This is good reason for helmet cams. You could have captured the whole incident as well and license plate. Is this what society has come to. Record everything or else it's your word against theirs. :madman:

 

[Dag Nabbit]

Big Brother for the little man. And I thought it would only lead to oppression! Catching idiot drivers sounds like liberation! Bike is Peace.

Hopefully there wont' be a next time but.....better luck next time.

 

[Enel]

I stood for a full red light on the curb waiting to cross in the crosswalk when the light changed. When I started riding, a car pulled in front of me into the 2nd lane to turn right.

I don't know the intersection and maybe I don't understand the issue, but I think you would be a lot safer in the middle of the right hand lane directly in front of the cars while the light is red. Continue across when the light turns green. Sitting at the curb is asking for someone to turn in front of you which can be very deadly. Just pretend you are riding a really slow motorcycle and make yourself seen.

I'm glad the cops were helpful.

Be safe out there.

 

[chollaball]

I don't know the intersection and maybe I don't understand the issue, but I think you would be a lot safer in the middle of the right hand lane directly in front of the cars while the light is red. Continue across when the light turns green. Sitting at the curb is asking for someone to turn in front of you which can be very deadly. Just pretend you are riding a really slow motorcycle and make yourself seen.

I'm glad the cops were helpful.

Be safe out there.

The problem is if you sit in the right lane, then you block all cars who want to turn right on red. its kinda a jerk move on a bike or in a car, and I don't want to sit in front of a car with an aggro driver right behind me. In those situations, I typically hang about half a car-length back in the bike lane or sit on the sidewalk. I watch the cars creep into a right hand turn as the signal change is approaching, and either make sure i have eye contact with the driver or just let them turn right rather than play chicken. In this case, the driver came up behind me after I was 2 cranks into the intersection and just tried to race ahead of me. Go figure, here the safest thing would have been act like a car in the right lane like you suggest and ignore the bike lane and sidewalk.

Almost getting hit sucks, but at least if someone sees you and learns from the mistake you feel a little better about it. Feeling like you are helpless and the driver sails on in ignorance after nearly killing you is the worst part for me - makes me want to throw a rock or shoot at the car, but now you are starting a fight with someone in a 2 ton car (not to mention assaulting them). It feels kinda pointless calling this into the police, but I dont know any other constructive approach. I really appreciated that the officer I spoke with took my call seriously.

 

[Phillbo]

I really appreciated that the officer I spoke with took my call seriously.

Thats cool and about all you could hope for ..... other than video evidence and a plate number so you could send the Po Po out for a visit that is :thumbsup:

 

[crispy]

Photo-radar at red lights=Good
Photo-radar on highway=Evil

 

[Kortface]

This is why you need a nice ball peen hammer mount on your bike

.

 

[rideandshoot]

Photo-radar at red lights=Good
Photo-radar on highway=Evil

Amen.

 

[tjkm]

I just started road riding and am curious about using left turn lanes. Do you guys swing over from the bike lane to a left turn lane when it is clear, or do you cross in the cross walks like a pedestrian?

I did my first "real" road ride yesterday and and used the turn lane at a small intersection, but did the cross walk thing at a crowded major intersection. Just trying to be safe, and not break any traffic rules. Thanks!

 

[kenbentit]

I use the left turn lane just like a car but I also try to be realistic. I'm not too crazy about hanging out in the middle of a whole line of cars. If it looks risky I'll just do the crosswalk thing and get through on the next light. As for riding defensively, I constantly practice reading and memorizing license plate #'s of cars passing by. I started that after my first egging incident. Those a$$holes got away but the second group got busted...

 

[chollaball]

I use the left turn lane just like a car but I also try to be realistic. I'm not too crazy about hanging out in the middle of a whole line of cars. If it looks risky I'll just do the crosswalk thing and get through on the next light. As for riding defensively, I constantly practice reading and memorizing license plate #'s of cars passing by. I started that after my first egging incident. Those a$$holes got away but the second group got busted...

yup pretty much what Ken said about left turns - if i can get there in flow and there is a dedicated turning lane, but this intersection is busy and I could not get across 3 lanes of traffic. There are pros and cons to how you approach intersections as this story shows. Its always better imo to be active instead of reactive, but you cant do an effing thing sometimes.

 

[Enel]

The problem is if you sit in the right lane, then you block all cars who want to turn right on red. its kinda a jerk move on a bike or in a car, and I don't want to sit in front of a car with an aggro driver right behind me. In those situations, I typically hang about half a car-length back in the bike lane or sit on the sidewalk. I watch the cars creep into a right hand turn as the signal change is approaching, and either make sure i have eye contact with the driver or just let them turn right rather than play chicken. In this case, the driver came up behind me after I was 2 cranks into the intersection and just tried to race ahead of me. Go figure, here the safest thing would have been act like a car in the right lane like you suggest and ignore the bike lane and sidewalk.

Okay, I hear you. That is a tricky situation. I used to pass cars on the right and get to the front of the line on a red, but now I think it is a bad idea. Better to merge with traffic if possible at the light, or maybe even sit at the left hand side of the right lane so the right turners have space. Either way, that is a dangerous situation.

 

[tannerdrummer]

If you really think about it...sometimes j walking is safer.
Not saying to do it but think about it.
When you cross at a legal crossing you have to watch for cars turning right, cars turning in the intersection, and the occasional red light runner. J walking you just look left and right for a big break and go. Again, not saying to do it but I kinda thought of that...

 

[Phillbo]

If I have to turn left at an intersection and there is not a dedicated left turn arrow, I accomplish it by crossing the 2 cross walks. I let everyone turning right go before i enter the cross walk and always keep an eye on the approaching left turn lane.

 

[cookiedough]

If I have to turn left at an intersection and there is not a dedicated left turn arrow, I accomplish it by crossing the 2 cross walks. I let everyone turning right go before i enter the cross walk and always keep an eye on the approaching left turn lane.

I'm a cross walk guy - I've had two friends get rear-ended (in cars) while sitting waiting for the light to change green. I don't want to be them while on my bike. Always looking at that turning lane to make sure there isn't a vehicle approaching.

 

[Phillbo]

I've been rear ended on a motorcycle...not fun.

 

[randyharris]

Left turns are the root of all evil.

 

[rideandshoot]

it depends

Of course if it's a right turn only lane I get to the left of it or I stop till traffic clears.

For right lanes with through traffic...

If traffic is already stopped (light is red) I'll roll up to the front on the far right and give the red light right turners room (stay back one car from the front)… When the light changes to green eye contact with the driver next to me.

If the light turns green when I'm approaching I'll get in line wherever I'm at when the light changed and then ride far enough out so that I can't be passed then I move over after passing the right turn area.

Rolling through a green is similar except through traffic is moving too fast for me to "take the lane". This may be the most dangerous situation when you are riding alone because cars may come up fast and decide to turn right at the last second probably without signaling. There is really very little you can do except to check your six and be prepared to stop or turn right with the car. The one time this happened to me it was actual a drive way not an intersection but it's the same dynamic. I managed to turn with the car and caught the end of my handlebar and bar end on her door. When she realized what she had done she stopped but not until the end of my bar dragged all the way down the side of her car. I was unscathed other than my shorts but her paint job... not so much. I still consider that incident one of the top 10 luckiest days of my life.

I just told her I was OK, she apologized profusely and I rode on into work.