Polite Endangerment At Crossroads

[Mr Evil]

I don't like turning right at busy crossroads because inevitably someone coming the other way turning right will stop in front of me, thinking that they are being nice giving way, when actually they are setting me up to be splatted by the car behind them who will likely go around the waiting car without seeing me. To prevent this, I refuse to turn in front of anyone, but that leads to us both sitting there until the lights change, and sometimes even angry beeping.

I would just silently put up with it, but I decided to vent here because today it happened again when the approaching car had a driving school sign on it and only one occupant, who was thus presumably a driving instructor. She was waving for me to go, but there was a car behind her so I waited. Of course that car went around her and would have come into conflict with me had I not waited.

What hope do drivers today have if they aren't even being initially instructed how to turn safely at a junction?

[Cyril Haearn]

I hate this too

Try shouting *YOU HAVE PRIORITY!*


In this case I would have certainly noted the vehicle number and sought out the driver for a chat, maybe I would introduce myself as a someone wanting to *learn to drive* (after the checking the HC). I would have contacted the cops too

Just as bad is flashing headlights to say *I will let you out*

[pete75]

I don't like turning right at busy crossroads because inevitably someone coming the other way turning right will stop in front of me, thinking that they are being nice giving way, when actually they are setting me up to be splatted by the car behind them who will likely go around the waiting car without seeing me. To prevent this, I refuse to turn in front of anyone, but that leads to us both sitting there until the lights change, and sometimes even angry beeping.

I would just silently put up with it, but I decided to vent here because today it happened again when the approaching car had a driving school sign on it and only one occupant, who was thus presumably a driving instructor. She was waving for me to go, but there was a car behind her so I waited. Of course that car went around her and would have come into conflict with me had I not waited.

What hope do drivers today have if they aren't even being initially instructed how to turn safely at a junction?

Bizarre. Have turned right many hundreds of times in the circumstances you describe without any problems. Sometimes it's almost impossible to turn right from a minor road onto a busy main road unless someone turning right from the main road waits to let you out.

[hayers]

They're trying to be helpful - but agree not always safe to go in which case I'd wave them on with a smile.

[Mick F]

Yesterday, I was far less than polite!

Turning right off a main road into a minor road. I came along, traffic behind away off and way off in front, and I had my hand out straight and clear.
Car coming out from where I was going in.
My arm was still out and I was in the centre of the road just about to turn in.
Car coming out, the driver looked both ways.
The driver didn't look in front of him!

As I crossed his front, I shouted very loudly and fiercely - no swearing, but I was FIERCE - something like Oi! I'm here turning!
He slammed on his brakes and looked very shocked indeed, and I carried on into the turning shouting THANK YOU!

[The utility cyclist]

Just wait until it's clear, why stress about what other motorists are indicating for you to do. You have to satisfy yourself it's safe to proceed. I've never had issues turning right at busy junctions even ones on trunk roads/through roads with 3 lanes.

[Mick F]

I never had issues either, in all my years of cycling ................... until that day.
Had I reached the junction whilst he was pulling out, or just about to pull out, I'd have waited and thought nothing of it.

It was just that I had started to turn when he turned up and didn't look in front, only looking left and right. I could possibly have slammed the brakes on and stopped in time and he'd have gone past and not seen me, but I decided to tell him off in a very loud voice instead, then carry on into the side road.

[The utility cyclist]

I wasn't specifically referring to your post MickF, but it's still a once in a lifetime/very very infrequent occurence, stuff happens, we can talk about it but it's not something high up on the issues people on bikes face and in 99.99999999999% of scenarios something that is totally within our control to avoid incident.

[PH]

I don't like turning right at busy crossroads because inevitably someone coming the other way turning right will stop in front of me, thinking that they are being nice giving way, when actually they are setting me up to be splatted by the car behind them who will likely go around the waiting car without seeing me. To prevent this,

I don't understand the scenario?
if the car coming towards you is turning right it'll be indicating right and why would anyone overtake it?
If you mean it's turning left and going into the same road as you, I'd get in front of it at the soonest, I'd rather they hadn't, but the priority for me would be to get off what you identify as the vulnerable position.

[[XAP]Bob]

People pass right turning cars on the left all the time...

[PH]

People pass right turning cars on the left all the time...

Of course, it's a perfectly legal manoeuvre, not sure what point you're making? If there was room for another vehicle on the inside of the waiting car I wouldn't ride into that space unless I was sure it was clear. I don't think that's what the OP was saying.

[John Holiday]

We often encounter this problem while doing 'Bikeability 'training in schools. Often drivers will stop to let a group of children across, but we have to explain to them that if cycling on their own, a motorist will rarely give way when they are turning across the oncoming traffic.

[Mr Evil]

Just wait until it's clear, why stress about what other motorists are indicating for you to do. You have to satisfy yourself it's safe to proceed...

Because it delays me and others. Only a few days ago I was stuck in a queue of traffic at a junction where two cars were in the same position as I described above - one unwilling to turn behind, and one unwilling to turn in front of the other. They didn't manage to go until the lights had turned red, causing quite a lot of people to have to wait for an entire cycle of the lights. Furthermore, even though I always wait until I'm sure it's clear, not everyone does, and those people are being put at risk.

...I've never had issues turning right at busy junctions even ones on trunk roads/through roads with 3 lanes.

I'm glad there are some places left where road users are well behaved. I don't think many people around here would recognise the highway code if I walked up to them and smacked them upside the head with a copy.

People pass right turning cars on the left all the time...

Indeed, which is why the safest way for two cars trying to turn right in opposite directions is to turn behind each other. That way they can see oncoming traffic, and the oncoming traffic can see them.

[PH]

People pass right turning cars on the left all the time...

Indeed, which is why the safest way for two cars trying to turn right in opposite directions is to turn behind each other. That way they can see oncoming traffic, and the oncoming traffic can see them.

I was taught to always do that, though the Highway Code approves both methods though there is a warning to watch out for cyclists

[Ellieb]

Sorry to be dense here, but can you not just exercise your judgement as to whether a car is likely to be coming up the inside of the one waiting to turn across you.... maybe even moving forward slowly and looking around said car if you are concerned there is one that you can't see. It is a technique that seems to have worked for me for the last 250,000 miles of two wheeled travel.