Right of way

Dampsquid

I was wondering, who has the right of way when you are turning left.

Driving in slow moving traffic, and there is a cyclist just to the left rear of your car. You indicate to turn left for the next junction. Should you slow (almost stop) to let him pass, or should he slow to let you turn.

Chimaera

I'm not sure really, but if you're still some way from the junction, and the cyclist is moving faster than you, then I guess he'd have the right of way. In any case, it's polite to give the cyclist room - I've had a few nasty experiences with motorists who didn't leave me room to pass, or who moved across the road to make sure I couldn't :mad:

When I'm driving, I tend to give cyclists plenty of room, and yield the right of way if they are in a better position than I am to to take it.

Krusty_Clown

You should slow and let him pass..

Think of it, as if they were in a car, in a lane to your left (you being in the fast lane). You would never cut-up a car in a lane left of you, in order to turn left...

I believe that it's in the Rules of the road handbook, covering cycle lanes..

A cyclist was killed last year on O'Connell Bridge, because a lorry turned left, and couldn't see the cyclist..

Watch out for those cyclists!

Krusty_Clown

Just as an addendum, this applies to cyclists only. The same rule does not apply to Mopeds and motorcyclists, as they should not be in the left hand side of the road anyway.

ando

i slow down and let them pass

BrianD3

This is an interesting one I'm not sure what the rule is though. First of all I assume that the original poster was talking about normal roads where there isn't a designated cycle lane.

If the cyclist has the right of way this would appear to conflict with the "undertaking" rule i.e a vehicle is only allowed undertake (pass on the left) in certain situations and passing a left turning vehicle on the left in not one of those situations. So let's say you are in front of the cyclist when you signal your intention to turn left surely the cyclist would be in the wrong if he tried to zoom up your inside as you were turning? Perhaps there are different rules for cyclists though...alongside the rules that say they can disobey traffic signals and travel on the footpath maybe?


Brian

Pimp Ninja

Cyclists and padestrians always have the right of way.

Personally I would slow down, if not come to a complete stop, to let the cyclist continue. however you will find in most cases, the cyclist will come to a stop rather than risk going up your inside while turning.

Benbaz

I was reading this thread yesterday about an hour before I was going to do a pre-test so I asked my instructor who had right of way when turning left and as pimp ninja said "cyclists and pedestrians ALWAYS have right of way!" And krusty was on the money about this rule not applying to mopeds and motorcycles.

P.S. Passed my test too!!! And had the joyous experience of ringing my insurance company to tell them that I'd passed my test with the result in my policy being reduced by €134. a month!!!!! Yeeeehaar!!!

Bigalow

they pay no road tax and the government have even given them there own bicycle lanes plus they have the right of way!!! Who else gets preferential treatment like that??? Its a joke if you ask me !

Chimaera

Who else is as vulnerable in an accident situation?

Cyclists are unique in that they have about as much protection as a pedestrian, and are still capable of travelling fast enough to keep up with city traffic.

Bigalow

They wont have an accident if they stay in the cyclists lanes. Every day going to and from work I see them on the road almost in the middle of the road I may add when the lain is right beside them and when you beep at them you get a mouth full of verbal abuse of them. So they are the one's putting them self's in a vulnerable situation.

seamus

Originally posted by Bigalow
they pay no road tax and the government have even given them there own bicycle lanes plus they have the right of way!!! Who else gets preferential treatment like that??? Its a joke if you ask me !

They barely use up any road, and generate no pollution. As well as that, they don't cause any cumulative damage to the roads (at least none that would appear in our lifetimes). That's why cyclists don't pay road tax. Motorbikes pay greatly reduced road tax for the same reason. Pedestrians and cyclists have right-of-way in all situations for their own protection. If they didn't you'd get all manner of gob****es driving close to them, or pushing them off the road, or not givng way to pedestrians crossing the road.

They wont have an accident if they stay in the cyclists lanes

Bull. Many cars completely ignore the prescence of bike lanes and drive on them. The amount of times in Dublin City Centre I've seen cars attempt to use the bike lane as a third lane, and beep at cyclists in the way. Us bikers us them too, when we can. So it's not that much safer for cyclists in the bike lane.

That said, some of them can take too many liberties when it comes to roads. Cycling straight through ped. lights is the one big one. I pushed some young guy (16ish) off his bike one day when he tried to go through while I was trying to cross. He would have hit me. Twas very satisfying. As well as that, some of them are just grumpy, and give out to cars who don't give them ten feet of room. I was driving behind one (in the bike lane ) and he started waving his fists and giving out to me (without stopping, mind), despite the fact that I held back about 10 feet behind him, not revving the engine, or owt.