Bikes and Left-Turning Cars
Safety for Cyclists: Staying Safe When Approaching Cars Turn Left
Cyclists can stay safer while riding their bicycles when they learn how to recognize and avoid the danger of left-turning motor vehicles.
Left-turning motor vehicles present a particular risk for cyclists, a risk that is not at all obvious for newer and less experienced riders. When a cyclist is going straight through an intersection at the same time that a car approaching from the opposite direction is making a left turn, there’s a potential for collision. The bicycle will pass directly through the car’s path, and there is usually a small blind spot for the motor vehicle driver where the front windshield meets the side window. Therefor, from a driver’s point of view, a cyclist in this situation may seem to disappear... or they may never be visible in the first place. This is a situation that may hapen dozens of times a day in the normal course of bicycle commuting. Luckily, once a cyclist learns to watch out for this particular traffic configuration, there are many ways to avoid trouble. Here are a few of them:
1. Always watch out for left-turning vehicles.
2. Many cyclists riding on well-lit city streets think they don’t really need a white light on the front of their bicycle, but this situation is the best argument for riding with a light. (Any cyclist who doubts this should try the experiment of watching for cyclists the next time they’re driving or riding as a passenger in a car at night. Many bike riders who don’t drive themselves simply have no idea how hard they are to spot after dark.)
3. If light allows, try to make eye contact with the driver before you commit to moving into the path of their vehicle, so you are sure they have seen you and will slow down or stop to let you through.
4. When riding through an intersection, maintain a straight line. For example, you may be tempted to drop towards the curb after passing a line of parked cars; however, oncoming drivers may mistakenly interpret this as a preparation to turn right. Also, keep pedaling, since the motion of the pedals will serve as another signal to the driver that you intend to keep moving forward.
5. Let cars that are moving in the same direction as you "block" for you. While they’re moving through the intersection, no other car can get past them. However, don’t time this maneuver so that the "blocking" car passes you while you are still in the middle of the intersection. If this happens, you may be hidden from left-turning drivers until the last minute, when they may quickly accelerate into a turn, especially if they’re facing a light that’s about to turn red.
6. As a last resort, bicycle safety classes teach cyclists to practice a quick emergency turn in the same direction that the oncoming car is moving. A fast-enough turn may save the cyclist from colllision.
This article is part of a series about safety tips for cyclists. You can read about left turns and lane changes here and about avoiding car doors here. In my next article, I’ll discuss how to deal with right-turning motor vehicles.
