Safely negotiating a junction on the N11

Pa ElGrande

I encounter a potential problem when negotiating this stretch of road to the junction after dark with traffic turning left towards Leopardstown.




The problem is that cars are bleeding off speed and some will occasionally overtake and pull across in front of me to make that left turn. There is not a whole lot I can do other than make sure I'm well lit up and visible and its not a position I want to stall on either with more traffic coming up the rear.

What I want to know is what are the rules here, is the overtaking manoeuvre permitted while I am on that section of road?

pablo128

Yes, as there is a dotted line on the cycle lane.

If you haven't got some kind of camera already though, I'd be getting one.

flatface

Pa ElGrande wrote: »

I encounter a potential problem when negotiating this stretch of road to the junction after dark with traffic turning left towards Leopardstown.






The problem is that cars are bleeding off speed and some will occasionally overtake and pull across in front of me to make that left turn. There is not a whole lot I can do other than make sure I'm well lit up and visible and its not a position I want to stall on either with more traffic coming up the rear.

What I want to know is what are the rules here, is the overtaking manoeuvre permitted while I am on that section of road?

No one should be overtaking and turn left across you in a dangerous way. You clearly have the right of way as you are going straight ahead. That said you will regularly encounter this from impatient drivers. You can’t really take the lane here as it’s a busy enough bus lane but a position on the rightmost of the cycle lane or on the line I feel works better when going straight ahead.

I would approach this section being very aware of what traffic is approaching over my right shoulder and judge their intent as I go through the junction. You get a feel for spotting cars that are going to cut you off and you can speed up or slow down to avoid.

Eyeball anyone until you are sure they are giving way.

godtabh

I’ve cycled that many times in the dark and never had an issue. As said lights are key

During the peaks the issues usually is the backing up of traffic.

micar

Used to be on my way home from work......usually around 4.15pm.....never dark.

Many many close calls.....with motorits passing on the right and cutting across the front of me to turn left.

Spoke to a few drivers as their light was red. Completely oblivious as the the danger they put me in.

My most scary encounter this junction was from a large truck with a roll on / roll off skip.....cut across the front of me to turn left.

Almost got wedged between the kerb and the truck. Was forced to stop and roll the bike backwards.

I went ballistic. I went to speak to the driver who stopped at the light. Refused to engage with me and rolled his window up......just stared straight ahead ignoring me.Truck had no company logos on it.

That was incidently the same day I received my cycle cam. It was back my backpack.

Thank God I moved office and no longer cycle the N11.

The downhill section approaching Foxrock Church is equally dangerous. Went nuts at a driver once. He then got out of his car and started threatening me.

homer911

That left turning lane is very short and drivers may think there is more room in it as they approach.
(That being said, its way too narrow too!)

Panjandrums

In the picture, there is another cycle lane to the left, it may be a safer option dispite it's route taking longer.

Salary Negotiator

At junctions like these I sometimes hold my right arm out as if I’m going to turn right but continue straight-on.

My thinking is that it snaps motorists out of autopilot and makes them think about their next manoeuvre.

DavyD_83

Panjandrums wrote: »

In the picture, there is another cycle lane to the left, it may be a safer option dispite it's route taking longer.

You'll then find yourself at the corner on footpath with nowhere to go...
Cycle tracks with no logical exit route are nearly as bad as these type of junctions, although usually not life threatening

Carawaystick

Either take the tarmac off road lane and cross with the pedestrian crossing, or move out into the middle of the Bus Lane.

eeeee

I always rode in the bus lane there, the arm indicating right is a good idea. That said it's one of the less contentious junctions on that heure of a road.
Man I'm so glad I don't live off the N11 anymore, worst road I've had to cycle on.

C3PO

I find the junction at Cabinteely (heading South), further out the N11, far more dangerous - I’ve actually been hit twice by cars turning left on to Johnstown Road!

CramCycle

I hope into the bus lane early there and stay it in through the junction. If traffic is backed up, I make a judgement call on going outside or using the lane and just waiting till it stalls completely. I prefer going outsde as so may drivers seem to think the bike lane is a parking space during rush hour.

tomasrojo

Slip lanes are the work of the devil and should have no place in urban or suburban environments.

There are a few ways to deal with them. The safest but most time-consuming way is to go down the side road a bit, cross back over as a pedestrian using the pedestrian light and continue on your way. If the traffic following me as I approach a junction with a slip lane is going very fast and I'm on the cargo bike, I usually do this, as I'm not fast enough or manoeuvrable enough to deal with other people's unpredictable behaviour.

The second option is to point straight down or slightly right repeatedly as you approach the junction to indicate that you're keeping your line. This does work, sort of, but I think it confuses people as well, and some people think you're leaving the cycle lane and veering right into the main line.

The third option is to cycle along the right margin of the cycle lane, or actually in the main traffic lane to draw attention to yourself. This does work, but you can end up with punishment passes, or you can end up feeling a nuisance because you're slowing other people down.

I've tried all three of these, and I usually end up cycling on the right of the cycle lane and pointing straight down. It's not perfect. If traffic is moving briskly, I do the first option and go left, cross over as a pedestrian and continue on my way after that.

I personally would pick -- if it were possible -- a route that didn't have that slip lane in it, and I would try to find a route that didn't use the N11 too.