Question re filtering to turn

irlirishkev

Hi,

My commute home in the evenings brings me up Mespil Road, and then on to Leeson Street towards Stephen's Green.
I did a search for this specific question but couldn't find an answer, and I can't find it in the rotr.ie site either..

What's the "correct" way to approach this junction on a bike, when turning right? Normally I would move from the cycle lane on the left, to the left side of the right-turn lane, and then slowly continue up between the two lanes of (usually stationary) traffic to the front of the cars, and then move out to the junction when the lights go green, and wait for a gap, or for the lights to change again.

I'm just not sure about the whole 'between' cars bit..

Cheers.

galwaycyclist

irlirishkev wrote: »

Hi,

My commute home in the evenings brings me up Mespil Road, and then on to Leeson Street towards Stephen's Green.
I did a search for this specific question but couldn't find an answer, and I can't find it in the rotr.ie site either..

What's the "correct" way to approach this junction on a bike, when turning right? Normally I would move from the cycle lane on the left, to the left side of the right-turn lane, and then slowly continue up between the two lanes of (usually stationary) traffic to the front of the cars, and then move out to the junction when the lights go green, and wait for a gap, or for the lights to change again.

I'm just not sure about the whole 'between' cars bit.

Edit: I would not give any weight to the instruction in the RoTR for cyclists to stay on the left of a right-turn lane. There is nothing about this in the Traffic Regulations. If you can keep up with the cars you might be as well off to hold a central position.


Edit: I would not give any weight to the instruction in the RoTR for cyclists to stay on the left of a right-turn lane. There is nothing about this in the Traffic Regulations. If you can keep up with the cars you might be as well off to hold a central position.

Edit: I would not treat the RoTRs instruction for cyclists to stay on the left of a right-turn lane as having any legal weight there is nothing about this in the traffic regulations. If you can stay with the cars you might be as will to hold a central position.

Cheers.

Technically you are allowed to do it but you should be prepared to join which ever traffic stream you want to be in if they start moving. This might need negotiation (hand signals- eye contact etc) with one of the drivers to let you in. Other wise quiet often you will find a useable gap between two cars near the top before they start moving - again a good idea to make eye contact and a hand signal first.

I am not sure about the go in front of cars thing - is there an advanced stop line?

galwaycyclist

Additional comment: I would not give any weight to the instruction in the RoTR for cyclists to stay on the left of a right-turn lane. There is nothing about this in the Traffic Regulations. If you can keep up with the cars you might be as well off to hold a central position.

irlirishkev

This is the junction.
There's space for bikes at the front of the traffic queue, without blocking pedestrians.

irlirishkev

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Additional comment: I would not give any weight to the instruction in the RoTR for cyclists to stay on the left of a right-turn lane. There is nothing about this in the Traffic Regulations. If you can keep up with the cars you might be as well off to hold a central position.

Inevitably traffic will be stopped when I get there, and there's usually a big queue, that's why I'd go up between the lines of cars. It's either that, or sit behind traffic of about 10 cars, which moves maybe 2 at a time at each light change.

galwaycyclist

irlirishkev wrote: »

This is the junction.
There's space for bikes at the front of the traffic queue, without blocking pedestrians.

Yep that looks legal to me.

cdaly_

irlirishkev wrote: »

Inevitably traffic will be stopped when I get there, and there's usually a big queue, that's why I'd go up between the lines of cars.

If there's a big queue and a quiet time for opposing traffic, I would go up to the right of the right-hand lane and then cut back in at the top. That leaves you more room to dodge somebody popping out from behind a van into your path.

eeeee

I know that junction well and it's pretty busy round there. You're best off I think if you know the lights are going to be red for a while (i.e. you have seen them just turn red on your approach) heading up the outside of the cars, and wait in the box at the front of the junction. Otherwise I filter in-between the two streams and keep my eyes peeled for indicators and follow on to the right then behind the nearest right turning vehicle. I think it's more dangerous to take a right when in the left hand lane, you're crossing traffic in a hurry by those lights down the canal.

On a side note I hate cycling the canal. Loads of lights, shoaling other cyclists, pedestrians randomly crossing out of nowhere from behind vans and cars, opening doors, cars shooting off to the left in front of you at one of the many junctions sans indicator, bikes doing the same with no indication. Feickin canal!

CramCycle

I would merge into the left lane before the junction and move with traffic if possible. When an opportunity presents itself, merge into the right lane or if traffic is stalled, merge in at or near the top.

If the light turns red as you approach, I would either overtake on the left as they will be stalled for a bit or hook turn on the ASL at the top.

irlirishkev

Cheers. If traffic is moving on the left that's what I'd normally do. It's more if both lanes are stationary that I was wondering what the best move would be. In moving traffic I would do as you suggested.

CramCycle wrote: »

I would merge into the left lane before the junction and move with traffic if possible. When an opportunity presents itself, merge into the right lane or if traffic is stalled, merge in at or near the top.

If the light turns red as you approach, I would either overtake on the left as they will be stalled for a bit or hook turn on the ASL at the top.

CramCycle

irlirishkev wrote: »

Cheers. If traffic is moving on the left that's what I'd normally do. It's more if both lanes are stationary that I was wondering what the best move would be. In moving traffic I would do as you suggested.

I wouldn't go down on the right side of traffic, as I think (not know) that motor vehicles do not expect you there as they would not be expecting an overtake coming up to a right turn. Approaching traffic might be the same as they swing left from the bridge. I would move up on the left of the right lane stationary traffic. If there is place to pull in at the top, do so, if traffic starts moving as you progress you can merge into the right lane if space appears, or into the left lane to progress to the top.

galwaycyclist

CramCycle wrote: »

I wouldn't go down on the right side of traffic, as I think (not know) that motor vehicles do not expect you there as they would not be expecting an overtake coming up to a right turn. Approaching traffic might be the same as they swing left from the bridge. I would move up on the left of the right lane stationary traffic. If there is place to pull in at the top, do so, if traffic starts moving as you progress you can merge into the right lane if space appears, or into the left lane to progress to the top.

Addtional to this and just with regard to the legalities- if you come up on the outside all the way to the top you are technically on the wrong side of a solid white line - unless there is room to squeeze along just inside it - which I doubt looking at streetview.