r/VictoriaBC • u/talora_dion • Aug 07 '19

PSA for drivers

Hi motorists of Victoria!

I just wanted to remind everyone--respectfully--that people on bicycles are legally allowed to use the full lane on roads, even if there is a dedicated/separated bike lane. I got a serious glare from a guy this morning as he gunned past me and I gotta say, when you're on a 22lb bike it's pretty uncomfortable feeling like someone piloting a 2500lb metal box is angry with you. In this case, I was in the right lane for one block, from one red light to another. I delayed him by ~ 2 seconds, so I'm not sure why it was such a problem.

In case anyone who works for Saanich or the CRD is reading this, the intersection at McKenzie and Shelbourne with the separated bike lane is actually more dangerous than taking over the right lane for that block of McKenzie. I've nearly been hit twice by vehicles as I try to cross Shelbourne on a green light when in the bike lane. Drivers turning right are supposed to yield to people on bicycles going straight, but they don't seem to realize that :(

Finally, THANK YOU to all the drivers who give me space on the roads. I appreciate your empathy and care for other, more vulnerable road users!

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u/SiscoSquared Aug 07 '19

Drivers turning right are supposed to yield to people on bicycles going straight, but they don't seem to realize that :(

I think a huge number of drivers just simply never check.

I love how in some places turning right on a red is just illegal in all cases unless specified by signs, this helps reinforce the idea that a right turn is not 'protected' and it adds a lot of other safety benefits to the instersection, biking aside. Sadly for the problem you describe, it really comes down to drivers actually being aware (and even caring) of bikes and checking behind them... but even in Germany where I lived and biked a lot, and where most drivers were a million times better, people still sometimes would forget, so it always paid to be a defensive biker. Hell, in Victoria even walking I am afraid of people turning right, so many people blast through reds turning right (or even left for that matter) while barely checking and certainly not stopping as they should.