Car Vs. cylist

[davexnet]

I picked up my daughter from school and we were driving home. There's a 4-way stop intersection, one lane of
traffic each way - residential area. I approached with my left signal on. There was a cyclist coming up the road
I was to turn into and we got to the intersection at the same time. He stopped at the line.

I had my window down and he was looking at me; I waved at him to go first since he was facing uphill. He didn't move,
but he shouted at me "Drive your car. You're putting me in danger"

This is the first time this has ever happened to me. Was I in the wrong ? Should I have insisted on my "right-of-way",
and just gone first since I was on his right ?

[KarMa]

I guess you should have gone first but I don't know about putting the cyclist in danger.

[stiltman]

He is a dumb ass cyclist and he would of cussed you out anyway if you had gone first.
You were the one with proper etiquette (both at the intersection at the same time)

I would have flipped the guy off or just stayed there until he start moving, then I'd start moving to tick him off

[bendixG15]

He is a dumb ass cyclist and he would of cussed you out anyway if you had gone first.
You were the one with proper etiquette (both at the intersection at the same time)

I would have flipped the guy off or just stayed there until he start moving, then I'd start moving to tick him off

You've been here long enough ...... it's time to mellow out.

[DB83]

Don't shout at the cyclist. If he was travelling uphill it is difficult to stay straight and you would have tried, at some stage, to overtake. Hence the 'danger'

Actually, in your scenario, if I read you correctly, you were not at his right. He was at your right. It seems that it was his right of way which he yielded. Somewhat within his rights.

Just my two cents.

[JVRaines]

I approached with my left signal on. There was a cyclist coming up the road
I was to turn into and we got to the intersection at the same time. He stopped at the line.

You were the vehicle on the right and therefore had the right of way. Since the cyclist stopped (a rarity where I live!), there was no reason for you to yield. Had this been a driving test, the examiner would have marked you down for causing unnecessary confusion and delay.

[DB83]

<< Car is turning left into this road << Cyclist is here.
.................................................. ..^
.................................................. ..^
..................................Car is here ready to turn left

That is how the OP describes the situation. How can he possibly be on the right ?

[JVRaines]

<< Car is turning left into this road << Cyclist is here.
.................................................. ..^
.................................................. ..^
..................................Car is here ready to turn left

That is how the OP describes the situation. How can he possibly be on the right ?

Because he is signalling left and the cyclist is "coming up the road I was to turn into." Therefore, the cyclist is on his left.

[DB83]

This is all a matter of interpretation and lack of clarity by the OP.

My take on 'Coming Up' means he is going straight on. Your take is that he is already on the road that the driver is to turn in to. Surely that means 'Going Down'

[JVRaines]

The OP asks, "Should I have insisted on my 'right-of-way,' and just gone first since I was on his right ?" I'm inclined to take the OP at his word, but that's just me.

[davexnet]

The OP asks, "Should I have insisted on my 'right-of-way,' and just gone first since I was on his right ?" I'm inclined to take the OP at his word, but that's just me.

JVRaines, you're correct. Cyclist was going straight easterly direction, while my direction was facing north and
turning to the west. SO I was on his right. And according to stop sign procedures, he should yield to me since
we got there simultaneously.

I must say the chap had an extremely tense looking demeanor. (The cause of which I can only guess at;
perhaps he'd had a bad experience in the past)
Since my window was down and we're only about 4 yards away from each other communication wasn't an issue.
He could have waved me through or just said "after you".

I can only assume I upset him somehow.

[DB83]

Yeah. I read that but just did not understand it by my own, probably wrong, interpretation of the situation.

But what is more important, and what can not be satisfactorily answered, is why the cyclist sensed some danger. Maybe he had been there before and had been knocked off.

[acheter]

I have been mowed down by a car before too, although the car wasnt going fast. got away with a fractured nose and broken bicycle. in that case it was clearly the drivers fault, ignoring a "stop. give way" sign. after that I didnt feel safe riding in traffic, the image in my mind of a car completely ignoring the rules and mowing me down was in my mind so even if the cars had red light I didnt feel like I could trust them, who knows how many drivers like that are out there

[davexnet]

I have been mowed down by a car before too, although the car wasnt going fast. got away with a fractured nose and broken bicycle. in that case it was clearly the drivers fault, ignoring a "stop. give way" sign. after that I didnt feel safe riding in traffic, the image in my mind of a car completely ignoring the rules and mowing me down was in my mind so even if the cars had red light I didnt feel like I could trust them, who knows how many drivers like that are out there

Thanks for posting and giving the cyclists' point of view. I can understand it, you had a terrible experience.

[acheter]

a lot of places view cyclists as cars as far as moving vehicles goes. Unfortunately a lot of drivers are not looking for them on the road way. Always good to have a camera.

[lordsmurf]

I used to flip off bike riders.
Get off the f'ing road unless you want to be a hood ornament.

I didn't take my car on bikes trails.

[KarMa]

I used to flip off bike riders.
Get off the f'ing road unless you want to be a hood ornament.

I didn't take my car on bikes trails.

Bikes are considered vehicles in most if not all of the US, predating the automobile. Required to follow the same traffic laws as gas powered vehicles. So your middle finger has no basis in law.

[DB83]

As a former cyclist I can sympathise with the 'pedaler'. I had an 'argument' once with a car which left me flying without the aid of a safety net.

Did not have a lot of sympathy with the police either who inferred that I should not have been on that particular road in the first place although it was perfectly legal for me to do so.

[lordsmurf]

I used to flip off bike riders.
Get off the f'ing road unless you want to be a hood ornament.
I didn't take my car on bikes trails.

Bikes are considered vehicles in most if not all of the US, predating the automobile. Required to follow the same traffic laws as gas powered vehicles. So your middle finger has no basis in law.

I feel the same way about tractors on the road. Go plow something, it's not a car.

Most bike riders fail to follow traffic laws. That's what makes them a hazard on the road. That, and going 20 max in a 40-55 road.

I'm only understanding of kids on bikes in residential areas.

I don't really drive anymore anyway.