Safety question - left turners

^^ I don't buy his argument. He's saying being in the middle of two equal threats is better than being too close to any one of them. I would say that the left turner is a way bigger threat and I always stay to the right of my blocker - so the left turner has to go through him to get to me.
 
Twitch18 said:
I keep an eye out for both the left and right turners. Sometimes they start to roll forward as I approach, so I release the throttle and tap the horn. The two times I remember doing this both cars stopped moving. One car was about to make a right turn into my lane ahead of me (view of me was obstructed by a pickup waiting to turn left); the other was waiting to make a left and started rolling forward to initiate the turn.
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This sounds like an ultimate death trap for bikers - you have left turners and also right turners whose view is blocked by big trucks or something at his left.

In this case I may not wanna ride in the right track of the right lane then... jeez... so much to watch out for...
 
ikelso said:
BTW here is the link to the article by James R. Davies which argues to have the blocking vehicle on the right hand side as you enter an intersection:

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=011&Set=...
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The blocker vehicle on the right is an interesting idea. With the blocker vehicle on the left you have a good certainty that the left turner will not only stop for you, but if the left turner still turns, the blocker vehicle gets hit and you will not get hurt. The risk is that you might be in the blind spot of the blocker vehicle, and that there is a risk of the right turner from the right side. Riding on the right lane may also give you more options for an alternate escape route.

With the blocker vehicle on your right the left turner should still be able to see the blocker vehicle and stop, but if the left turner still turns or partially turns, you will be sandwiched between him and the blocker vehicle with nowhere to go. There is also no alternative escape route. OTOH you have no risk of the right turner from the right side.

There are risks for both strategies, but the risks are not the same. I prefer the blocker vehicle between me and the greatest threat, the left turner.
 
Add to the situation the wild card. Someone makes a turn, right or left, assuming they can swing through quick. A pedestrian suddenly decides to make a u-turn in the middle of the walkway blocking the path. Or the cager making the turn in front decides to stop in the parking lot entry to let out a passenger or have a conference about where to park. The escape routes are closed.
 
Be predictable. Be visible. Be aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to brake and avoid.

Realize, though, that there comes a point of no return at which there's absolutely nothing that you can do, to avoid a collision.
 
if you're in a full-tuck approaching the intersection with your chest pasted to the tank, sit up a bit so the left-turner can see your hi-viz vest ...
this will help a bit to avoid Mr. "SMIDSY"
 
ikelso said:
BTW here is the link to the article by James R. Davies which argues to have the blocking vehicle on the right hand side as you enter an intersection:

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=011&Set=

His site on motorcycle safety has hundreds of tips. Highly recommended.
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This is the one situation where I prefer to be in someone's blind spot.

When approaching a high traffic intersection where there is an approaching left turner and a person waiting to turn right from the cross street into the direction that I am going, I prefer to be in the right lane and have a car to my left but just up ahead so that I have clear space (just behind that car's bumper) to my left.

Normally this is not a good place to be, because it is in that vehicle's blind spot. BUT ...

As others have noted, it puts that car between the potential left turner and me. The left turner is much less likely to turn left and if they do, they have to go through that car to get to me.

If the right turner starts moving then I can swing to the left, in behind that car in the left lane, or momentarily lane-split. By being very close behind that car, the following vehicle won't be in that space.

Nothing is ever 100% effective but I think this is as close as one can get.
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