Comments on: Bike Lanes and Motorist Right Turns http://www.cabobike.org/2009/11/02/bike-lanes-and-motorist-right-turns/ California Association of Bicycling Organizations Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:09:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brian DeSousa http://www.cabobike.org/2009/11/02/bike-lanes-and-motorist-right-turns/comment-page-1/#comment-252 Brian DeSousa Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:16:47 +0000 http://www.cabobike.org/?p=143#comment-252 Yet more confusion about the law - from a Public Works Director of a city. http://www.ocregister.com/news/california-226056-curious-know.html Yet more confusion about the law – from a Public Works Director of a city.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/california-226056-curious-know.html

]]> By: Brian DeSousa http://www.cabobike.org/2009/11/02/bike-lanes-and-motorist-right-turns/comment-page-1/#comment-176 Brian DeSousa Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:27:25 +0000 http://www.cabobike.org/?p=143#comment-176 I know of a couple of motorists in Orange County who were ticketed for merging into the bike lane too early before turning right. I believe these were both instances where the bike lane stripe changed from solid to dashed only 50-100 feet in advance of the intersection, and the police were clearly using the solid striping as a guide rather than the 200 feet specified in CVC 21209. I know of a couple of motorists in Orange County who were ticketed for merging into the bike lane too early before turning right. I believe these were both instances where the bike lane stripe changed from solid to dashed only 50-100 feet in advance of the intersection, and the police were clearly using the solid striping as a guide rather than the 200 feet specified in CVC 21209.

]]> By: Bob Sutterfield http://www.cabobike.org/2009/11/02/bike-lanes-and-motorist-right-turns/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Bob Sutterfield Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:22:19 +0000 http://www.cabobike.org/?p=143#comment-165 Alas, cyclists try to overtake stopped traffic on the right even absent an edge stripe or bike lane stripe (solid or dashed or colored), with results in California as tragic as those in Oregon: http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13564329 I see very low motorist compliance with 21209(a)(2)/(3) or 21717 or 22100(a). Long vehicles wouldn't be able to make the turn if they started at the curb or edge, so "as close as practicable" for them could be fifteen feet away. But it's unusual to see drivers of even normal sized vehicles merging to the curb before turning, unless perhaps they arrive at the intersection on a red signal. This certainly isn't an enforcement priority. Alas, cyclists try to overtake stopped traffic on the right even absent an edge stripe or bike lane stripe (solid or dashed or colored), with results in California as tragic as those in Oregon: http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13564329

I see very low motorist compliance with 21209(a)(2)/(3) or 21717 or 22100(a). Long vehicles wouldn’t be able to make the turn if they started at the curb or edge, so “as close as practicable” for them could be fifteen feet away. But it’s unusual to see drivers of even normal sized vehicles merging to the curb before turning, unless perhaps they arrive at the intersection on a red signal. This certainly isn’t an enforcement priority.

]]> By: Michael Graff http://www.cabobike.org/2009/11/02/bike-lanes-and-motorist-right-turns/comment-page-1/#comment-162 Michael Graff Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:27:38 +0000 http://www.cabobike.org/?p=143#comment-162 Part of the confusion comes from the similarity between 6" bike lane stripes and 4" shoulder stripes, which have opposite rules. Motorists are not allowed to merge into shoulders to turn right, but are required to merge into bike lanes to turn right. There's also inconsistency between the law and bike lane designs. While the law (CVC 21209) allows merging into the bike lane up to 200 feet before turning, the bike lane design standards specify that bike lane stripes be dropped or dashed 100 to 200 feet before intersections. I often see only 50 feet of dashing. So the dashed/dropped zone is often much shorter than the legal merge zone. Also, the dashed/dropped striping seems to be applied only at intersections, not driveways. So right turns into driveways usually involve merging into and crossing a solid bike lane stripe. Part of the confusion comes from the similarity between 6″ bike lane stripes and 4″ shoulder stripes, which have opposite rules. Motorists are not allowed to merge into shoulders to turn right, but are required to merge into bike lanes to turn right.

There’s also inconsistency between the law and bike lane designs. While the law (CVC 21209) allows merging into the bike lane up to 200 feet before turning, the bike lane design standards specify that bike lane stripes be dropped or dashed 100 to 200 feet before intersections. I often see only 50 feet of dashing. So the dashed/dropped zone is often much shorter than the legal merge zone.

Also, the dashed/dropped striping seems to be applied only at intersections, not driveways. So right turns into driveways usually involve merging into and crossing a solid bike lane stripe.

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