You did the right thing. I would not even have interacted with the driver. There is no mandatory-use law.
2017-06-26 22:51:29
9
Penn Avenue Bike Lane - Proper West-Bound Right Turn-Copenhagen Right? merge?
After an encounter with a driver on Penn Avenue in Downtown, I am seeking clarity on an issue. Sorry for the intense detail, I just want to show that my actions (whether right or wrong) were thoughtfully constructed as someone who wants to be in harmony with drivers and bicyclists (as a driver AND a bicyclist, depending on the day). Ultimately, I want to learn the right way to handle this situation so I can participate in a community where all of the rules are known, understood, and followed to promote predictability and harmonious safety.
Here's the scene: I was cycling in the Penn Avenue bicycle lane traveling inbound at around 8am on a weekday. My destination was by PNC Park and I wanted to stay on protected lanes (Penn Avenue then 6th Street Bridge). Traffic was slow with decent volume, as it generally is at that time, and this status impacted my decision making.
As I crossed the 7th Street intersection I started to prepare for my right-hand turn. I decided the best course of action was to, if clear, responsibly merge from the bicycle lane into traffic and make a right hand turn from the right lane of the two lanes of traffic. I perceived this move to be acceptable as well as advantageous to the future traffic on 6th Street (sharrows only) where I would have extra travel time before their light turns green and not hold up those folks.
As is often the case on Penn Avenue during the morning commute, delivery trucks and employee drop-offs made the right lane non-functional for moving traffic. If you are unfamiliar, at that time it more-so resembles the airport pickup traffic flow (side note: I believe it's important to consider everything that impacts traffic, not just the existence of a bicycle dedicated lane, but also traffic signal timing, and all user behavior).
I got about half way past 7th street and checked behind me - there were no approaching cars. I caught the end of the green light at 7th, which provided a wide open opportunity to merge. I only went over one lane, because there was a delivery truck in the right lane up at the light. The traffic signal at 6th Street was red, so I pull behind the last car (occupying the full lane), leaving about 15 feet between me and the car in front of me so as to protect myself from a getting caught in a multi-car rear-ending situation.
I was stopped at the red light with maybe 6 cars in front of me when I heard a pretty light honk behind me. I glanced back, didn't perceive anything out of the ordinary, so went back to looking ahead. Then I heard another slightly more aggressive honk. I turned back to see the driver of the car gesturing for me to go back into the bike lane. As we mime (probably comically) a conversation where I try to explain that I'm turning right, the light turns green, which catches me off guard as I'm now twisted backwards, at which point he further gestures now implying I am an obstruction.
Luckily, the two cars in front of me didn't make the light either, so I could not be blamed for holding up traffic. At this point we had an additional light cycle to have a conversation. I positioned myself somewhat to the side so we could converse. Not surprisingly, the conversation doesn't go anywhere productive. I'm not great at these types of interactions and typically try to avoid them (hence my attempt to thoughtfully plan my move). He believed I should be in the bicycle lane and that me riding with traffic makes no sense; I believe that from a traffic standpoint, this move will get me out ahead of 6th street traffic minimizing delay and separating myself from cars (safe!) until I can reach the next dedicated lane, on the 6th Street Bridge.
Looking back, I suppose I could have stopped at 6th Street from the bicycle lane, re-oriented towards the bridge and continued with the light on 6th Street (Copenhagen Right?). That makes me nervous from a perception standpoint and invites possible conflict from the driver that I'm getting directly in front of. Again, that block of 6th Street between Penn and Ft. Duquesne is sharrow, not a dedicated lane in that direction.
-Legally, I believe as long as I'm following traffic rules, I can be in whatever lane I want.
-From driver perception (which I definitely pay attention to and do NOT want act in a way that people complain about) it probably doesn't look good to have a cyclist riding in a lane of traffic right next to a dedicated bicycle lane, regardless of the situation.
Ok, FINALLY, the question - What's the proper move and what is the hierarchy of values (besides safety first)? I would welcome perspective on the laws, what's best for traffic flow, what's the safest move given the circumstances, and what's best for traveling in an predictable manner that doesn't startle or distract others.
Looking for constructive input, and thanks, but keep your snark at bay unless it's really clever :)
Thanks for reading!
2017-06-26 22:08:50
I think for a non cyclist driver, it makes sense that you would conclude that if there is a bike lane, a cyclist should be in it. I mean, the city already took away parking lanes and turned two way streets into one way just so you cyclists could have your own space on the road, and now your not even going to use it?
Before I was a cyclist, I may have very well thought this way.
Was the conversation aggressive?
2017-06-27 05:01:40
@italianblend thanks for your comment - I agree that the situation could be (and obviously was) confusing for a driver.
I would say the driver was not aggressive - he seemed to be speaking, though animatedly, from a place of frustration and respected and maintained distance from me with his vehicle. I never felt like my safety was being threatened, just my actions questioned.
2017-06-27 08:33:23
@pjdubber - Yeah, you were not doing anything wrong. Some jagoff just wanted to rage against cyclists, and you were a target. I am a big fan of the hook turn / Copenhagen turn / etc, which is definitely an option here as well, but I do both, depending on traffic. Often a hook turn can be less stressful when there are backups since you jump the queue basically. Do what you're comfortable with and ignore the haters when you're doing it right and legal. Haters hate it when you ignore them.
@italianblend, they didn't take away parking on penn ave downtown to the best of my knowledge. It's pretty much the same setup as it was prior to the bikeway, but without the outbound lane of car traffic. Pretty much the same parking situation exists on Penn ave as before. See it in 2011 on street view versus current. But yeah, they did take away some parking on other bike lane projects, most recently I think the bayard bike lanes (which I use everyday).
2017-06-27 09:07:02
I think you did everything fine. I guess you could have signaled your turn (hand signal) when the guy tapped his horn, but being several cars back & stopped, I wouldn't hold my arm up for five minutes either. Remember, some drivers are just jerks.
As said earlier, you are NOT required to use bike lanes in PA., and this is a good situation where it can make sense not to.
2017-06-27 11:42:55
In this kind of situation I find it helpful to pretend that the driver is trying to let you know that "they've got your back," whatever their real intent. This puts me in the right frame of mind. So, in response to the first honk, I would point to the turn or something like that. In response to the second, I'd wave "Thanks!" At worst this doesn't create any additional conflict with the driver. At best, they'll realize that you know what you're doing, and there's no point in continuing to honk.
2017-06-27 12:11:55
I don't think you did anything wrong, but at the Penn/6th intersection, I usually just do a Copenhagen/hook turn or turn my bike into a pedestrian, depending on the situation and traffic. I think that simply avoids and confusion or confrontation.
For example, if I'm on 6th heading inbound (away from the bridge), if I'm entering back into traffic or turning left down the Penn bike lane, most of the time I just stop at the intersection and wait for the pedestrian signal to walk to where I want to go. Even if I'm just going to get back on my bike and head down 6th outbound. I think this is just easier and eliminates any perception that I'm "cutting" ahead of traffic.
2017-06-27 12:25:09
@jonawebb. Good reframe. I like that. I find the whole Penn bike track stressful to ride, especially when riding in the direction of traffic when there is a lot of traffic. Too many people turning left from Penn not expecting or seeing a cyclist going straight...
As for parking, there are lots of parking options downtown and in the cultural district. We go down for shows quite often and never have problems parking, especially if using a garage. 9th/Penn, Smithfield/liberty, grant transportation center (my fav garage, always only 50 percent full or less), 6th/ft Duquesne.
And city of pgh vastly underprices parking. Both on the street and in the garages.
2017-06-27 13:03:44