I think I know why it annoys me when...

...drivers wave me through a 4-way stop out of turn (i.e., when I am supposed to yield to them).  When they do this, my gut reaction is to pretend I can't see them, put my feet down, fold my arms and wait for them to go first.

Clearly drivers who do this think they are being polite.  What they may not realize is that it might not be safe for the biker to go out of turn - just because one driver waves you on does not mean everyone else at the intersection understands and agrees or even notices the little hand signal.

But I don't think this is what really bothers me so much.  I think it's really the notion that by using the little hand signals, the driver is (perhaps unconsciously) presuming that they (rather than the rules of the road) have the authority to determine when a biker can pass.

Does anybody else react like me?

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 26, 2011 at 2:58am

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.

"If a motorist is turning right and a bicyclist is approaching on the right, let the
bicyclist go through the intersection first before making a right turn. Remember to
always signal when turning."

"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

 

OK that's my nerd you're wrong moment.


David A. Pertuz said:

In a sense, they do 'have the authority to determine when a biker can pass.' When a vehicle has the right of way, it does not necessarily have to take it, even if in almost all cases it does. There is no reason one cannot cede one's right of way to someone else.
Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on October 26, 2011 at 3:12am

Funny you mentioned this, as this morning driving my kid to school I'm waiting for a pedestrian to walk across the crosswalk so I can turn left.  While waiting in the intersection, turn signal clicking away, I see a bike approaching me who without stopping goes halfway through the intersection, then starts angrily shaking his head to "give" me the right of the way (which was mine in the first place), clearly 100% oblivious to the pedestrian.

 

I could go on about the dozen motorists who were equally stupid & selfish on my commute, but this was a bit too topical not to share - everyone on the road needs to be considerate of pedestrians, and if you're already in the wrong legally, getting bent out of shape about that fact is really just the cyclist version of road rage.  And it's worth mentioning that this guy could definitely have caused a serious accident by throwing that disruption ingredient into the soup.


Mike Zumwalt said:

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.


"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

Permalink Reply by Becca on October 26, 2011 at 4:28am
I'm in the same boat as you here.  I don't mind a motorist waving me through if we arrive at the same time to the stop sign and it's not 100% clear who should go.  But if I'm already stopping, it drives me nuts to get waved through and have to build that momentum again.  I often feel pressured to go faster than I would have otherwise since cyclists can't always accelerate as fast as cars.  (Though we're way, way faster than SUV's and trucks to get going.)

koala said:
The only time it really gets to me is when the motorist reaches the intersection well before me and waits. I'm slowing and obviously yielding, just go already! But the motorist waits until I give up all my momentum, come to a complete stop and put my feet down. And then the motorist waves me through.

That's when I put my head down until the car goes away.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on October 26, 2011 at 4:47am

I don't think you really read that right.  He is saying that, regardless of the law and who actually has the right of way, one road user can cede right of way to another.

 

I really will never understand why people get upset about people waving them through an intersection.  I mean I get wanting things to work to the letter of the law and the whole sharing the road thing but is it really worth getting upset over?

 

I also don't get inferring all these negative motivations and judgments on the drivers for doing it.  They do it because they think they are being nice, and in most cases I agree that they are being nice.

 

Mike Zumwalt said:

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.

"If a motorist is turning right and a bicyclist is approaching on the right, let the
bicyclist go through the intersection first before making a right turn. Remember to
always signal when turning."

"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

 

OK that's my nerd you're wrong moment.


David A. Pertuz said:

In a sense, they do 'have the authority to determine when a biker can pass.' When a vehicle has the right of way, it does not necessarily have to take it, even if in almost all cases it does. There is no reason one cannot cede one's right of way to someone else.
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on October 26, 2011 at 6:19am
1+

koala said:
The only time it really gets to me is when the motorist reaches the intersection well before me and waits. I'm slowing and obviously yielding, just go already! But the motorist waits until I give up all my momentum, come to a complete stop and put my feet down. And then the motorist waves me through.

That's when I put my head down until the car goes away.
Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on October 26, 2011 at 6:55am

Hi,

 I'm with DUG on this one.

 I may probably be considered an 'annoyance' to most of my fellow travelers be they cagers, cyclists, sk8rs, what-have-you, because I let everyone go ahead of me whenever possible.

 The reason I do this is entirely a selfish one. (There's already been one St. Francis and I ain't him.)

 If I let you go 1st you are a LOT less likely to be a hazard to me.
 -f

 


notoriousDUG said: 

I really will never understand why people get upset about people waving them through an intersection.  I mean I get wanting things to work to the letter of the law and the whole sharing the road thing but is it really worth getting upset over?

 

Permalink Reply by Carl on October 26, 2011 at 7:02am
True, but no one ever seems to remember that kind of minutia at the moment when it happens (certainly not me), and people still just sit there waiting for someone else to do something. 

nik was here said:
In regards to order of operations at intersections, remember, if two people show up to the intersection at the same time, the person to the right has the right-of-way.
Permalink Reply by David P. on October 26, 2011 at 11:53am

Notorious,

 

You're correct - that's all I meant.

 

DP

notoriousDUG said:

I don't think you really read that right.  He is saying that, regardless of the law and who actually has the right of way, one road user can cede right of way to another.

 

I really will never understand why people get upset about people waving them through an intersection.  I mean I get wanting things to work to the letter of the law and the whole sharing the road thing but is it really worth getting upset over?

 

I also don't get inferring all these negative motivations and judgments on the drivers for doing it.  They do it because they think they are being nice, and in most cases I agree that they are being nice.

 

Mike Zumwalt said:

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.

"If a motorist is turning right and a bicyclist is approaching on the right, let the
bicyclist go through the intersection first before making a right turn. Remember to
always signal when turning."

"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

 

OK that's my nerd you're wrong moment.


David A. Pertuz said:

In a sense, they do 'have the authority to determine when a biker can pass.' When a vehicle has the right of way, it does not necessarily have to take it, even if in almost all cases it does. There is no reason one cannot cede one's right of way to someone else.
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 26, 2011 at 12:12pm

I don't get upset really but as I approach the intersection and the vehicle is already stopped so  I'm already calculating to go behind as it pulls away so I don't lose momentum but NOOOO I come to a complete stop with the vehicle clearly having right of way and THEN you allow me to go through.

Now if I hadn't stopped they'd be on the horn.

Can't win.

Much like the lone pedestrian texting while crossing and then being shocked at a bike coming towards them so they freeze in the crosswalk!!! We've already seen you and have a plan to go around you.

I don't get why pedestrians and motorists think we're just riding along in a daze not noticing anything, I see everything otherwise I would not have been able to ride my bike in the streets for 7 years.

 

eDavid A. Pertuz said:

Notorious,

 

You're correct - that's all I meant.

 

DP

notoriousDUG said:

I don't think you really read that right.  He is saying that, regardless of the law and who actually has the right of way, one road user can cede right of way to another.

 

I really will never understand why people get upset about people waving them through an intersection.  I mean I get wanting things to work to the letter of the law and the whole sharing the road thing but is it really worth getting upset over?

 

I also don't get inferring all these negative motivations and judgments on the drivers for doing it.  They do it because they think they are being nice, and in most cases I agree that they are being nice.

 

Mike Zumwalt said:

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.

"If a motorist is turning right and a bicyclist is approaching on the right, let the
bicyclist go through the intersection first before making a right turn. Remember to
always signal when turning."

"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

 

OK that's my nerd you're wrong moment.


David A. Pertuz said:

In a sense, they do 'have the authority to determine when a biker can pass.' When a vehicle has the right of way, it does not necessarily have to take it, even if in almost all cases it does. There is no reason one cannot cede one's right of way to someone else.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on October 26, 2011 at 12:23pm

Uh, if you're making a left, you must yield right-of-way to any and all oncoming traffic...


 From your post, i must assume that the cyclist was coming through from the other direction?

 


Carter O'Brien said:

Funny you mentioned this, as this morning driving my kid to school I'm waiting for a pedestrian to walk across the crosswalk so I can turn left.  While waiting in the intersection, turn signal clicking away, I see a bike approaching me who without stopping goes halfway through the intersection, then starts angrily shaking his head to "give" me the right of the way (which was mine in the first place), clearly 100% oblivious to the pedestrian.

 

I could go on about the dozen motorists who were equally stupid & selfish on my commute, but this was a bit too topical not to share - everyone on the road needs to be considerate of pedestrians, and if you're already in the wrong legally, getting bent out of shape about that fact is really just the cyclist version of road rage.  And it's worth mentioning that this guy could definitely have caused a serious accident by throwing that disruption ingredient into the soup.


Mike Zumwalt said:

Incorrect. Copied from the Illinois rules of the road.


"When a motorist is turning left and there is a bicyclist entering the intersection
from the opposite direction, the driver should wait for the bicyclist to pass before
making the turn. Also, if a motorist is sharing the left turn lane with a bicyclist,
stay behind them until they have safely completed their turn."

"Drivers must yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist just as they would to another
vehicle."

Permalink Reply by David P. on October 26, 2011 at 5:52pm

I certainly share that annoyance. But, all the same, I understand where it comes from. I plan for what they seem to be doing because I don't want to come to a dead stop unless I abso-damn-lutely have to, but often they will wait. But given the number of cyclists who blaze through four-way stops and such with no attention at all to right of way (I'm talking about taking your turn, not stopping) I can hardly blame your average person driving a car for expecting me blithely barrel through, too. On my own end, I tend to assume in some situation (pick your favorite) that that car is going to do X risky thing that so many cars do, because that assumption is a better tender of my own safety. If they don't, well, it's pleasant and I can hardly think of it as an inconvenience.

 

A for the freezing thing, we're all still animals. Like squirrels, just a bit more advanced and quicker to adapt!

 

DP


Mike Zumwalt said:

I don't get upset really but as I approach the intersection and the vehicle is already stopped so  I'm already calculating to go behind as it pulls away so I don't lose momentum but NOOOO I come to a complete stop with the vehicle clearly having right of way and THEN you allow me to go through.

Now if I hadn't stopped they'd be on the horn.

Can't win.

Much like the lone pedestrian texting while crossing and then being shocked at a bike coming towards them so they freeze in the crosswalk!!! We've already seen you and have a plan to go around you.

I don't get why pedestrians and motorists think we're just riding along in a daze not noticing anything, I see everything otherwise I would not have been able to ride my bike in the streets for 7 years.

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 27, 2011 at 4:18am
+2  At times when there is no conflict with other vehicles or pedestrians, I have no problem with someone waving me through - BEFORE I've slowed to a stop. 

On the flipside, yesterday I was riding home from the grocery store with a heavy, full-loaded trailer, waiting at a red light.  A car across the intersection from me was signaling for a left turn that would cross my path.  I had no problem with waving that guy through because I knew I'd be slow to get rolling.  There was no conflicting traffic there, so there was no disregard for others who might have the right of way at the intersection.

Michael J Blane said:
1+

koala said:
The only time it really gets to me is when the motorist reaches the intersection well before me and waits. I'm slowing and obviously yielding, just go already! But the motorist waits until I give up all my momentum, come to a complete stop and put my feet down. And then the motorist waves me through.

That's when I put my head down until the car goes away.

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