The traffic tag has no wiki summary.
5
votes
2answers
163 views
How do you ride on a road that doesn't have a bicycle lane?
I live in Washington State and here the law states cyclists have the choice to ride on the sidewalks, bicycle lane, or on the road with other traffic. I usually just ride to school and back, which is ...
18
votes
7answers
648 views
Bicycling and a Right Turn Only Lane?
When commuting with a bike I usually stick to the right lane (I am based in the USA). When approaching a right turn only lane while biking, should I stay in the turn lane and signal to the car behind ...
5
votes
5answers
161 views
Left Turn Across Major Intersection
I'm new at biking, and have seen many examples of left-turn situations, but none that quite match this one. Simply, what is the proper / best way to complete the turn pictured below, or is it smarter ...
4
votes
2answers
228 views
How to get back on the road again?
I am from Mumbai, India. And as some of you might be knowing, it is a pretty crazy traffic on roads here. Many times, it so happens that trucks, cars etc. may force you to get off the road while you ...
8
votes
3answers
482 views
What does “claiming the lane” mean?
If one is "claiming the lane" does that mean:
a) they simply ride on the street (i.e. on the left side of the lane in the US, Germany, France, ..) or
b) they are riding in the middle of the lane, ...
2
votes
2answers
155 views
How to avoid riding on a gravel on the road sides? + Riding through traffic lights
I'm commuting to work almost every day. The roads on my way are quite thin so I have ride on the edge of it. But there is usually some gravel and it's quite hard to ride on that especially when riding ...
6
votes
2answers
169 views
wind noise obscuring traffic noise
My eyesight isn't so good so I'm more reliant on my ears to let me know that there's traffic close by. Normally I'm fine, but at higher speeds, the noise of wind blowing past my ears can obscure the ...
8
votes
2answers
163 views
What natural features and governmental conditions contribute to a bicycle friendly town/city?
I enjoy bicycling the most in cities that provide separate lanes for bicyclists - Portland and Boulder come to mind. In addition to bicycle lanes, what other governmental/civic actions ensure a safe ...
9
votes
1answer
222 views
What is the proper technique for crossing railroad tracks?
I cross railroads as perpendicularly as is possible, but that's all I know to do. Safety is a priority, speed not so much. Specifically:
Is there an optimum speed?
Should you pedal through them ...
17
votes
7answers
942 views
What are some alternatives to fruitlessly ringing my bell at a motorist?
I doubt that motor-vehicle drivers can hear the "ding" sound that a bicycle bell makes. What are some better alternatives?
3
votes
6answers
363 views
How would the “pros” bike this commute?
I've been putting up some pounds and have a bike gathering dust at home =D
I normally commute by bus or carpool, but would like an opinion from some more seasoned bikers on how you'd tackle this ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Is it legal to pass a car on the right when that car is turning?
So I've been poring over the bikes SE, and as a recreational biker and an automobile commuter, I'm naturally most interested in topics addressing how bikes interact with automotive traffic.
In one ...
37
votes
8answers
3k views
Why is it safer to bike with traffic, instead of facing oncoming cars?
There has been an ongoing debate in my area's local newspaper, regarding biking with vs. against the flow of traffic. A recent incident in which a cyclist was hit from behind, and later died of his ...
8
votes
4answers
211 views
Supervising a beginner in traffic
Let's say you persuade some significant other to ride with you in the city. You both have good bikes, they are inexperienced, and you are (I am) used to commuting, including in traffic.
How do you ...
5
votes
4answers
495 views
Cycling traffic signs and rules in Germany
I'm over 30 and have just started cycling in real traffic, my first experience, as I have only ever ridden as a child in parks and such. I live in a university town in the state of Baden-Württemberg ...
2
votes
4answers
245 views
Cycling in high traffic roads
Riding on roads?
I want to go to the work (in São Paulo, Brazil), by bicycle. But I live in a neighbor city, and I need to get a high traffic road.
What is your experience with this, and could it ...
5
votes
4answers
284 views
How far do I “pull over” in a bike lane?
If I am riding down a marked bike lane on a road which is adjacent to the curb, and I need to stop for a very short time (e.g. to adjust something, turn on lights, or drink some water), how far should ...
3
votes
3answers
993 views
What does a flashing yellow arrow traffic signal mean?
While bike commuting in an urban setting, I've started noticing that some intersections have flashing yellow turn signals during part of the light cycle. What does this mean? If I am on my bike in the ...
4
votes
2answers
173 views
Rules for rotary/roundabout?
Does a cyclist have the right of way in a traffic circle/roundabout/rotary (in the US)? Any tips for riding around one of these scary things?
This past summer, I was riding around a rotary (a.k.a. ...
24
votes
5answers
808 views
Intersection detection doesn't notice me, what should I do?
I have just come to the USA (Bay Area) and got a bicycle to commute to my university. Being new to this place I kept wondering why sometimes I have to wait for a long time for a green light to make a ...
3
votes
4answers
403 views
What statutes govern the directing of traffic by citizens in Massachusetts?
Are there laws or statutes governing the directing of traffic by citizens or "members of the public"?
A scenario I often encounter is one in which someone — typically another rider or pedestrian in a ...
5
votes
1answer
349 views
Do cyclists make safer drivers?
Is there any research that suggests cyclists are safer drivers than drivers who don't cycle? Is there evidence to suggest the opposite?
Please remember this is not a discussion. Please include ...
3
votes
4answers
337 views
Should I ring my bell before going around corners?
I'm in a town in Bavaria, Germany and the local custom with the more dangerous corners is to honk a horn or ring a bell. Will this actually make me safer?
Currently I am cycling in a half-urban ...
2
votes
3answers
180 views
Using the outer lane of an inner-city one way system - where do I ride?
In my nearest town centre there is a fearsome one-way system with three lanes of traffic. This cuts through the town and is unavoidable - you have to cross it to get anywhere. It is always busy but ...
9
votes
2answers
957 views
What do you do when a bus stops in front of you?
When a double decker bus stops in front of you, what do you do? Is it safe to attempt to overtake the bus?
7
votes
2answers
315 views
How do Traffic Lights Notice Bicyclists?
This totally unrelated reply raised my question about traffic lights.
I am starting to think that my chinese head lamp is a magical instrument, every time I go near traffic lights they turn green. It ...
26
votes
8answers
646 views
How can I be visible in the dark when I'm signalling a turn?
My bike and I are fairly visible at night--white light in front, red light in the back, bright yellow fenders, reflective tabs and a light on my helmet. I use hand signals to alert motorists when I'm ...
17
votes
8answers
2k views
Arguments for/against bike lanes?
What are the arguments for and against bike lanes? Can anyone summarize the best reasons they're good for and bad for cyclists and automobile drivers?
For example, Are there some environments ...
17
votes
6answers
391 views
Do cyclists warrant special consideration under traffic laws?
I recently saw a YouTube channel where a motorist with an agenda has taken it upon himself to film cyclists as they break traffic laws. Most (perhaps not all) of the actions I observed would be what I ...
13
votes
2answers
542 views
Passing cars on the right, and later merging into their lane
My commute takes me along a fairly busy road, with 4 lanes of traffic and parked cars along most of it. There are no bike lanes, but in some places, it's wide enough that I can easily pass traffic on ...
12
votes
4answers
318 views
Determining if a road is safe to bike on
How do you determine which roads are safe to ride on and which should be avoided? What traffic patterns do you feel comfortable riding in, and which ones set off alarms? What sorts of intersections do ...
12
votes
4answers
483 views
Is complaining to companies about bad driving like howling at the moon?
On my commute in this morning I found myself in another situation where I was in conflict with another road user. (Briefly, a truck and I arrived at a roundabout at a roughly similar time, but I was ...
20
votes
5answers
1k views
Which states or countries have stop-sign-as-yield laws for bicyclists (Idaho stop law)?
In Idaho (PDF), bicyclists are allowed to treat stop signs as yields, and red lights as stop signs (essentially; see the actual law for details). This seems like a very reasonable approach, balancing ...
17
votes
10answers
541 views
Safety guidelines for cycling in traffic
Please post your safety tips for cycling/commuting that should help you get to your destination place in one piece.
I came across a nice printed guideline a few years ago when working as courier, it ...
29
votes
21answers
3k views
How can I make my bike (and myself) visible at night?
By winter I will be commuting on my bike at night. How can I make my bike as visible as possible to all car drivers?
