A van driver who killed a cyclist after failing to see him on the road, despite the 54-year-old riding with two rear lights, has been handed a suspended 10-month prison sentence.Graham Nash was riding his bike on a single carriageway section of the A65 Settle bypass in Craven, North Yorkshire on 6 August 2024, when ... Read more
Z, you’re not understanding. I know how lanes and directions work.
I’m referring to when I don’t have a bike lane and have to use the main roads. I get in the lane I ultimately will need to turn from, which until last week felt like the safest idea, but not anymore.
It’s generally safer to perform a hook turn when turning across traffic (turning left for you, since you’re in the U.S.). By doing so, you always stay in the outside lane. In Japan, all cyclists and scooters must perform hook turns by law. Is this not common in the US?
I don’t know about the US but in the UK a lot of road layouts actively prevent hook turns, so you either cycle in the outside lane or dismount and use the pedestrian crossings (if they exist).
I don’t mean to sound argumentative but I can’t imagine how the layout could prevent a hook turn. Are there physical barriers? I’m genuinely curious.
We also have the option to cross by walking across the crosswalks, but many have a space for bicycles, so it is ok to cycle across (but if on a scooter, you must walk it).
In addition, I forgot to mention that hook turns are only mandatory here for roads which are larger than one lane in each direction.
Yeah, small island that splits the lanes into left and right/straight on. Like this circled section, but mirrored because we drive on the left.
I believe they’re intended to increase traffic throughput as many of the islands are also pedestrian crossings and the lights around the junction are staggered so there’s always at least 1 active lane and 1 active pedestrian crossing. I don’t think they’re quite continuous flow intersections, but very similar. We don’t have many traditional 4 way stops, they’re usually replaced with these things or roundabouts.
Yea, that’s not safe. It makes you much more vulnerable to getting into an accident with another user. People honking at you are probably trying to let you know being on the wrong side of the road is not safe.
Careless people making a right turn onto your road don’t think to check if there is wrong way traffic coming from the bike lane to their right. They mostly look left to see if traffic is coming from the left and then they pull out. Going 30mph against the flow of traffic is a recipe for disaster.
Z, you’re not understanding. I know how lanes and directions work.
I’m referring to when I don’t have a bike lane and have to use the main roads. I get in the lane I ultimately will need to turn from, which until last week felt like the safest idea, but not anymore.
Can’t exactly go 30 mph on sidewalks.
It’s generally safer to perform a hook turn when turning across traffic (turning left for you, since you’re in the U.S.). By doing so, you always stay in the outside lane. In Japan, all cyclists and scooters must perform hook turns by law. Is this not common in the US?
I don’t know about the US but in the UK a lot of road layouts actively prevent hook turns, so you either cycle in the outside lane or dismount and use the pedestrian crossings (if they exist).
I don’t mean to sound argumentative but I can’t imagine how the layout could prevent a hook turn. Are there physical barriers? I’m genuinely curious.
We also have the option to cross by walking across the crosswalks, but many have a space for bicycles, so it is ok to cycle across (but if on a scooter, you must walk it).
In addition, I forgot to mention that hook turns are only mandatory here for roads which are larger than one lane in each direction.
Yeah, small island that splits the lanes into left and right/straight on. Like this circled section, but mirrored because we drive on the left. I believe they’re intended to increase traffic throughput as many of the islands are also pedestrian crossings and the lights around the junction are staggered so there’s always at least 1 active lane and 1 active pedestrian crossing. I don’t think they’re quite continuous flow intersections, but very similar. We don’t have many traditional 4 way stops, they’re usually replaced with these things or roundabouts.
Ah I see. Yeah slip lanes for turning would stuff up a hook turn. Makes sense. Thanks for the clear explanation.
Yea, that’s not safe. It makes you much more vulnerable to getting into an accident with another user. People honking at you are probably trying to let you know being on the wrong side of the road is not safe.
Careless people making a right turn onto your road don’t think to check if there is wrong way traffic coming from the bike lane to their right. They mostly look left to see if traffic is coming from the left and then they pull out. Going 30mph against the flow of traffic is a recipe for disaster.
Never mind. Clearly you’re just not reading what I’m writing. Good day.