Best practice to avoid car overtaking and turning left?

[Ferdie]

I know this is a common bugbear and has probably been covered many times , but I'm clueless about what to do apart from making sure I have good disc brakes!

On my commute I have to pass a few junctions and it's common for cars to turn left from the right lane in front of me or to overtake me just before a turn and turn left forcing me to skid to a stop.

I've taken to slowing down just before left turns to allow potential late turners to do the business and let me carry on. But this has led to some angry drivers behind me. The other option is to stay on the right lane but I'm no speed freak and this leads to mroe angry drivers.

How do you guys cope with left turners who come out of nowhere?

 

[Simba]

Move to primary about 50 metres from the junction, then move back over to secondary once you pass. Most motorists will understand what you are doing.

 

[Ferdie]

Move to primary about 50 metres from the junction, then move back over to secondary once you pass. Most motorists will understand what you are doing.

Yeh I tried this and and I thought drivers would get that too!

Looks like I'll have to continue giving some drivers road rage

 

[Simba]

Well I never get drivers raging at me, most left turners hang back from me and let me pass the junction.

 

[summerdays]

[QUOTE 1286788"]
You don't need to move out or change you line. Before the junction perform a very quick shoulder check to see what is behind you.
[/quote]

All that will do is tell you whether you need to do an emergency brake ... if you move to a more primary position it tends to discourage them from overtaking.

I take it from your description, it is on a stretch of road with two lanes which does make it harder to prevent. Is it always at particular junctions or is it all the way along the road?

 

[thomas]

Don't cycle?

 

[Headgardener]

I know this is a common bugbear and has probably been covered many times , but I'm clueless about what to do apart from making sure I have good disc brakes!

On my commute I have to pass a few junctions and it's common for cars to turn left from the right lane in front of me or to overtake me just before a turn and turn left forcing me to skid to a stop.

I've taken to slowing down just before left turns to allow potential late turners to do the business and let me carry on. But this has led to some angry drivers behind me. The other option is to stay on the right lane but I'm no speed freak and this leads to mroe angry drivers.

How do you guys cope with left turners who come out of nowhere?

It's know as a "left hook" and is probably classed as driving without due care and attention. Usualy caused by drivers trying to get somewhere in a hurry, doesn't occour to them that if they hit you they may not get to where they're going to at all.

 

[Bromptonaut]

There are a couple of places on my Central London commute where this is a problem. Observation + primary usually solves it.

 

[ohnovino]

I find a shoulder check will normally discourage a dodgy overtake, but then I've worked long and hard on my Don't-Even-Think-About-It stare.

 

[Moodyman]

Another vote for shoulder checks. It alerts the driver behind that you may have to move out.

For drivers ahead of you...a good trick is to meander gently so that a would-be left-hooker or side-road entrant, sees you.

Cyclists are quite narrow and often blend into the environment. A gentle wobble or meander catches the driver's eye.

 

[MartinC]

Some drivers are angry. Doesn't matter what you do they'll still be angry. If you stop cycling they'll just be angry with something else.

The shoulder check is vital 'cos it's vital that you understand what's happening behind you and react to it.

Riding where drivers can see you and take you into account (i.e. not in the gutter but in the moving lane of traffic) minimises the chances of it happening. It will still happen (see the 2 points above) but you'll have more room to react in.

 

[gaz]

If your skidding to a stop then you aren't braking properly, more front less rear.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Yeh I tried this and and I thought drivers would get that too!

Looks like I'll have to continue giving some drivers road rage

You don't cause the road rage - they already have that problem in their head.

The safest would be to crawl along at 1mph, or maybe even not go out - for everyone else, there is the primary position.

Looking at them can help a bit - wobbling around like a mad man is also an option.

 

[GrasB]

[QUOTE 1286788"]
You don't need to move out or change you line. Before the junction perform a very quick shoulder check to see what is behind you.
[/quote]
I'd say a deliberate shoulder check & if there is someone close behind quick repeated rechecks. This will stop almost all drivers from executing a left hook, but you'll be left with a small minority who will do it anyway.

 

[HJ]

Move to primary about 50 metres from the junction, then move back over to secondary once you pass. Most motorists will understand what you are doing.

+1