want to turn right in busy traffic downhill?

[candyfloss94]

I'm a newbie commuter. This is my first thread!!
I live in a 'hilly' area. On the way back home, I just go down until there's downhill through the busy traffic junction, and I want to turn right. I heard that the safest way is to go for left side to the junction, and when it's safe to do so, push your bike across the road. I usually see bikers take primary position and go through little way between vehicle lines. I feel awful everytime I want to overtake to be in primary position in this area, and one day a driver didn't give me chance and I end up in the middle of the street.
Does anyone could suggest the convenient way, or is the information that I got quite right? And... could someone describe how to overtake to be in primary position and when should I do it? Thanks for replying! (:

P.S There're usually some cars park in the left side of the street, make me can't smoothly take the left side. I have to "cut-in" through the vehicle on the right.

 

[BentMikey]

Could you link to a google maps location for us?

 

[swede54]

Think what you would do if you were in a car, get into position and wait your turn.

 

[Edge705]

Have a look at this thread http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/roundabout-question.94934/#post-1709134 ok it talks about roundabouts by my post shows how I go right on a downhill section

 

[sabian92]

Act as if you were a car. Getting off and wheeling it takes ages, it sounds as if you need to be more confident in your riding.

 

[Melonfish]

[QUOTE 1825939, member: 1314"]Primary by default, secondary if safe. Early maneuver, loads of cheesy but assertive communication with drivers. Hand signals, thumbs up etc.

As said, cycle as though you're driving a car.

But remember to look cool at all times.[/quote]

^ This.
its brill when you use lots of signaling and wave to the motorists, it really catches their attention and saying thanks with a hand gesture is usually appreciated and unexpected by the drivers.

 

[Ian Cooper]

[QUOTE 1825939, member: 1314"]Primary by default, secondary if safe...[/quote]

An excellent maxim. Though in some cases, primary can be best even when secondary is safe, as (on a road with more than one lane of same-way traffic) it communicates to drivers who are approaching far behind you that they should move to the next lane if they want to maintain their speed. Drivers often don't understand that we're trying to help them by doing this, but oh well.

The alternative would be to take secondary while it's safe and pull out into primary when cars approached close enough behind you to threaten an unsafe overtake within the lane. This would probably anger motorists more, as they might think they could overtake within the lane, but when they approached and you move to primary, they'd be frustrated because they'd have to slow down and then they'd be going too slow to merge right.

Illustrated in this video from the US:

View: http://vimeo.com/17300276


So I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Primary by default, secondary if safe, unless it makes things difficult for other road users. Though I suppose that destroys the simplicity of the maxim.

 

[candyfloss94]

useful sources, @Ian Copper, clear and precise answers @User1314 & @sabian92.
Thanks everyone!

in addition, here's the location I mean..
turn right to Broughton Rd

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1...7NJ8seHSDEJTNrU0ujV9Q&oq=Brou&mra=ls&t=m&z=15

 

[gavintc]

I agree with the other posters. Look over your shoulder first to make sure it is clear, signal a right turn, get out into the middle (on the white line) and then turn when clear. If you are on the white line (just left of it actually), vehicles going straight on can undertake you and vehicles turning right cannot overtake you. Be positive and assertive.

 

[Theseus]

useful sources, @Ian Copper, clear and precise answers @User1314 & @sabian92.
Thanks everyone!

in addition, here's the location I mean..
turn right to Broughton Rd

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=14 Rodney Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH7 4EA, United Kingdom (Bellevue Hair Salon)&daddr=Broughton Road, Edinburgh, United Kingdom&hl=en&ll=55.963807,-3.193417&spn=0.013115,0.038581&sll=55.9652,-3.195434&sspn=0.013115,0.038581&geocode=FQbrVQMdzTrP_yE4415tGwBjpSlNN4Uk7ceHSDGCckrXLGqcyw;Fbb2VQMdH1PP_ynVB7NJ8seHSDEJTNrU0ujV9Q&oq=Brou&mra=ls&t=m&z=15

I know that junction very well ... I turn left there every morning though.

An interesting one to turn right on, but as others have said, take control and communicate.

 

[gambatte]

keep thinking I'm riding assertively and then keep realising it needs to be more assertive. Such as when I turn right into a junction. I have a tendency to move into secondary when there's queuing traffic in the oncoming lane.
Meant it was partly my bad, when I got a close overtake from a small flat bed pick up. Of course I could see the driver through the back of his cab and realised that the main reason was that rather than observing the road he was having an animated discussion with his passenger.
I bet if you'd stopped him 50 yards on and asked him what he thought about his overtake... he'd have said "What cyclist?"