# Left turns at busy intersections



## 93561rider (Dec 6, 2007)

I've seen a few different ways of making a left turn at a busy intersection in SoCal. What is the generally accepted way to turn left? I'm talking about large intersections with one or two turn lanes and several lanes going straight.

Also what about lights where the other road T's from the left into the road your one, like on PCH going south. I see some people cruise on through, others stop, and one guy always hops onto the sidewalk while in the intersection. 

Thanks


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

93561rider said:


> I've seen a few different ways of making a left turn at a busy intersection in SoCal. What is the generally accepted way to turn left? I'm talking about large intersections with one or two turn lanes and several lanes going straight.


I generally ride to the front, just to the right of the first car and wait for the green arrow or light... I like to get out front just enough for everyone to see I'm there, without blocking the crosswalk too much. The problem with this is if the traffic going straight has a green light but the turn is still red, you'll have cars going by you on your right side. I still like to be out front though when the light turns green. 

If I'm late to the green and cars are already rolling, I'll fall in line like any other car and make the turn with them.



93561rider said:


> Also what about lights where the other road T's from the left into the road your one, like on PCH going south. I see some people cruise on through, others stop, and one guy always hops onto the sidewalk while in the intersection.


Depends, usually cruise on through* if there are no pedestrians around that might step off the curb. If thats the case, then I'll stop.


*_HW nor RBR condones or advocates deliberately breaking local laws and regulations. Check with your town Constable before each ride if you're unsure._


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## 93561rider (Dec 6, 2007)

Hollywood said:


> I generally ride to the front, just to the right of the first car and wait for the green arrow or light... I like to get out front just enough for everyone to see I'm there, without blocking the crosswalk too much. The problem with this is if the traffic going straight has a green light but the turn is still red, you'll have cars going by you on your right side. I still like to be out front though when the light turns green.
> 
> If I'm late to the green and cars are already rolling, I'll fall in line like any other car and make the turn with them.
> .[/I]



Thats what Ive been doing. A few times the speed difference was too great and the traffic too dense so I just cruised on through and stopped at the front of the cross traffic. Kind of a Michigan left for bikes. 

I just started riding in SoCal and overall have found the roads and people very friendly toward bikes. I just didn't know if most people have a certain way they go through these huge intersections. I've found over the years the safest place to be is were the local drivers expect you to be.

Thanks


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Hollywood said:


> I generally ride to the front, just to the right of the first car and wait for the green arrow or light... I like to get out front just enough for everyone to see I'm there, without blocking the crosswalk too much. The problem with this is if the traffic going straight has a green light but the turn is still red, you'll have cars going by you on your right side. I still like to be out front though when the light turns green.
> 
> If I'm late to the green and cars are already rolling, I'll fall in line like any other car and make the turn with them.
> 
> ...


+1 for the most part.

I'm a little more on the conservative side with red lights. I always stop, except occasionally at the aforementioned T-interesections. If there's a lot going on, i.e. pedestrians, traffic, I'll usually stop. Just to give us cyclists a good name. I also usually stop in Santa Monica, as those are some bored police.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Bob Mionske covered the t-intersection thing on VeloNews a few weeks ago. Bottom line: it's against the law, so proceed at your own risk.

Slightly off topic, in Thousand Oaks there is/will be a new system for causing the light to change. The city will be putting markers in the street indicating where a cyclist meant to stop. When stopped at this place some sort of magic recognition system kicks in, causing the light to change. It apparently works for straight through as well as left turns.

JSR


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## carbon13 (Dec 23, 2007)

If it is a big and busy intersection l ride strait though on green to other side on the right. Join the traffic thats going to the left on the other road.
lt takes a little longer but you dont have to be out in the middle of cars.
Would probably be easier to understand with a diagram but l havent progress to visual inserts yet.


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## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

In my experience the best way to make a left turn at a busy/big intersection is to do it the same way all the other vehicular traffic such as cars, motorcycles and scooters. This means basically what Hollywood wrote, except in general (but not always) I just pull into the left-turn lane behind the last car in the line instead of pulling all the way up and either blocking the sidewalk or being "between lanes" and running into the situation Hollywood mentioned where cars going straight could be whizzing by pretty close. There are always exceptions though, like if the line-up of cars is ridiculous I may slide up, or if there is a large bus or truck I usually feel it's safer to move up in front of them. 

In situations where there are multiple left-turn lanes I always use the "outside" or right-hand of them so that I don't end up with cars on my right. I see cyclists sometime turn left from the inside left-turn lane when there is a second left-turn lane and I think that's pretty dangerous, unless of course you are making a U-Turn.


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## [email protected] (Aug 30, 2007)

JSR said:


> Bob Mionske covered the t-intersection thing on VeloNews a few weeks ago. Bottom line: it's against the law, so proceed at your own risk.
> 
> Slightly off topic, in Thousand Oaks there is/will be a new system for causing the light to change. The city will be putting markers in the street indicating where a cyclist meant to stop. When stopped at this place some sort of magic recognition system kicks in, causing the light to change. It apparently works for straight through as well as left turns.
> 
> JSR


I ride in north Orange County and go through 3 T-intersections on my normal route. About a month ago, myself and two other riders went through a red light at a T-intersection in Brea and were pulled over by a motorcycle policeman who gave us all tickets, which he said would be $60. When I got the ticket in the mail it was $182.50. I now stop at all T-intersections.


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## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

Depending on the level of traffic, I'll pull in and occupy a space as if I'm in a car. I've gone to the front and outermost area of the turn pocket as well. 

Lately the light timing in my area hasn't been friendly for cyclists and truck traffic has increased. So with the lane width, I'm often trying to squeeze between large vehicles which makes me uncomfortable. Large vehicles passing to my right also makes me nervous so not wanting to get caught by the cell phone dazed drivers, I have begun using the crosswalks and pulling up onto curb at corners. This gives me more space for semi-trucks making right hand turns as well. (I dislike being among traffic but the are minimal alternate routing choices at times.)


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## Fender (Feb 26, 2002)

Same as Hollywood... just a warning though, if riding through Huntington Beach, stop at all lights and signs. Considering I have lived in SF, SD, LA and the OC, its suprisenly the only place I have been pulled over. Cops in HB are extremely strict towards cyclists, so heads up. 

Welcome to SoCal. Hit me up if your in San Diego.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Same as HW on regular intersections. 

I stop at the T intersections.


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