Red Light Safety Tips
You stop to the right of a car that’s already waiting at a red light or stop sign. The driver can’t see you. When the light turns green, you move forward, and then the car turns right, directly into you. Even small cars can cause significant harm, but this scenario is especially dangerous when it’s a bus or a semi that you’re stopping next to.
HOW TO AVOID THIS COLLISION: ✎
Don’t stop in a blind spot. Stopping to the right of a car is a blind spot for the driver. Don’t do it!- Simply stop behind a car, instead of to the right of it. This makes you very visible to traffic on all sides. It’s impossible for the car behind you to avoid seeing you when you’re right in front of it.
Another option is to stop slightly ahead of the first driver (instead of beside) where the first driver can see you. If you choose to stop ahead of the first driver, then as soon as the light turns green, ride quickly to cross the street. Don’t look at the motorist to see if they want to go ahead and turn. If they want to turn, then you are in their way. Why would you stop ahead of the car if you weren’t planning to be the first to proceed? When the light turns green, just go, and go quickly. (But of course make sure cars aren’t running the red light on the cross street.)
A similar option is to stop slightly ahead of the second car (but behind the first car), especially when the first car has the right turn signal on. This way, the second driver can see you clearly. It does no good to avoid stopping to the right of the first car if you’re going to make the mistake of stopping to the right of the second car. EITHER car can do you in. If you choose the second car, then when the light turns green, DON’T pass the first car in front of you — stay behind it, because it might turn right at any second. If it doesn’t make a right turn quickly, it may turn right into a driveway or parking lot unexpectedly at any point.
Don’t count on drivers to signal! Sometimes, they don’t. Assume that a car may turn right at any time. NEVER pass a moving car on the right when approaching an intersection! But try to stay ahead of the car behind you until you’re through the intersection, because otherwise they might try to turn right in front of you.
The Safety Committee, excerpted from BicycleSafe.com