Turning left - indicate or not?

xxamr_corpxx

Because of the right hand rule, if you indicate left and a car coming in the opposite direction is turning right, then you have to give way.

So in such a context, would turning left without indicating be safer?

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Johnny_Monkey

This is only the rule in NZ. In Australia the vehicle turning right gives way to the vehicle turning left - much better rule IMO.

If you really want to be safe you should stop and give way, otherwise it may be up to the specific situation. It also depends on whether you think it's necessary to follow the rules of the road.

I think the NZ police have been mooting a change to this rule to bring it in line with the UK and Oz but I don't know if they'll ever get around to changing it.

daviddd

In the UK I guess the cyclist would have the right of way, but to make it a bit safer (apart from the obvious readiness to react to whatever might happen) I directly eyeball the driver of the car - this usually encourages them to be more alert / careful. In fact I do this is most situations when cycling, it is assertive and also maximises your own awareness.

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62vette

Would it give you the shits if you were the right turning driver and any vehicle (cycle, car, whatever...) turned without indicating or giving way?

My answer is yes! Indicate, give way and keep it sweet with the car drivers. We can all do without the bad feelings.

daviddd

I should have added that yes I do signal too - I was trying to make the point that making eye contact with the driver helps enormously.

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artemidorus

Crikey, I've driven in NZ without observing (or knowing about) this rule! Aus. got rid of it before I was born, I think. I'll be more careful next time.

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quickbuck

Right, an answer from a kiwi (for once).

Hi xxamr_corpxx, good to see you here...

Anyhow, as mentioned in a previous post, I usually make eye contact with the driver (comes from years on motorbikes), this way you can tell if they have seen you.

I don't indicate left (on pushbike).
Simple reason is a pushbike takes up very little width, and fits onto the lane in the next road with another vehicle there anyhow.

See folks (who live in countries with real rules that make sense), when you indicate left if there is a vehicle turning right, it means you have to stop and give way to it.
Problems arise when there is still straight through traffic. This means you can GO! and carry on turning left. The vehicle turning right remains in the middle of the road until traffic has gone.

Now, on a pushbike if you are going straight through the right turning car still has to give way to you. If you are turning left, you will be doing it at 30+k. This is MUCH faster than the average car driver will ever take the same corner! The car turning right will be behind you soon enough, and I have never had one yell abuse and complain.

They probably think "B***dy Cyclists" and get on with their day. It really won't upset them at all, as there are much bigger things that will tick them off on the same journey.

Safer? Yes, because at least both hands are on the bars while turning.

So there is the short version lol....

cyclist2

do any riders have problems indicating arround buzy round abouts?or avoid them altogether

quickbuck

Yeah, roundabouts are a bit of a pain. What, hand signals, brakes, gears (sometimes), and then the worry of clipping the concrete.

I tend to do more nodding of the head to ensure the motorist is understanding what exit I want to sake.
The roundabouts in my town are very small, and again, the bike will go around them much faster than a responsible car driver will.

Can't really say I make a habit of riding in town though. The furthest I can go through town is 1.6K.
The luxury of living in a small town

xxamr_corpxx

The roundabouts here in Auckland tend to be fairly wide. A bike turning left can do so without worrying about clipping a car, although I tend to stop completely to turn right or go straight.

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2005 Giant Elwood
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thebirdman

Roundabouts in Darwin vary from small 'why bother' to large 2 laner's.

I now ride them the same way as I would use them when driving my car. That is I signal as appropriate and ride in the centre of appropriate lane. Since I have been doing this (over a year now) I have not, once, been crowded or pushed off the road or had any abuse hurled at me.

If I don't have some post pubescent boy hurl abuse at me when I ride on the road, while obeying road rules, I feel I'm missing out on something.

When I use to creep around the edge of roundabouts the amount of near misses by people who did not see me, caused me to avoid roundabouts all together or walk the bike across the intersection.

willocrew

I think its a ridiculous rule.

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SteveA

At one time (1980's), the only State to have this rule was Vic.

A few people were killed when Victorians driving interstate claimed non-existent right of way when none existed.
As no-one else had that rule, most other Australians did not even know it existed. Imagine their surprise when a crazy Mexican turned right in front of them!

"I'm turning right here, Doris. Why isn't that crazy Queenslander slowing down for us?"...BANG

SteveA

quickbuck

Speaking of Round abouts,

Well we were earlier,
I took my bike in for a 6 week service today.
As I have never transported it by motor vehicle I kept up the tradition and rode the 35k from work to the city (Palmerston North). I know, not far really.

I was 2 blocks away from the bike shop and negotiating a roundabout.
No traffic on the roundabout, so I pedal on.
Then an old codger comes up to the entrance on the left and stopped.
Great I thought. Then I made an almost fatal mistake....
I didn't get to look into his eyes (mind, by this time I was doing about 35), and looking at the exit I was about to take.
At this time this old smelly stomach air decided that the light blue bike with 6foot tall 200 pound rider wearing a bright red shirt with reflectorized yellow stripes all over it wasn't a vehicle that he had to give way to!

So, as I crossed the front of his puss bucket 2003ish Toymota Camry or some such heap, I really had to "gas" it to avoid this mental case from hitting me and writing us both off!!! (me and the bike).

I was so tempted to turn around and chase this sharp pointed object and deal out some street justice.

But for the sake of cycling New Zealand I thought I'd better leave it and let him carry on with his day with his old ticker sitting at about 220 for the next few minutes.
Hopefully that will shorten his life enough to realise he has no right to take anybody else's.

Urined???
Yes I am!!!