Right Turn Across a Bike Lane as the Light Turns Yellow
At 5:20 p.m. on a clear weekday, you are driving north in the right lane of a DC avenue. A dashed bike lane runs along your right side. You plan to turn right at the next intersection, where the bike lane becomes solid about 50 feet before the corner. A cyclist wearing a light and helmet is about 25 feet behind you in the bike lane, traveling at 15 mph. Your speed is 20 mph. A row of parked cars is to your right beyond the bike lane, and one driver has just opened a door into the bike lane. The signal ahead turns yellow. You have not yet signaled. The cyclist is not in your mirror for long because of a slight curve. You must choose whether to speed up, brake, or wait before turning.
1. How should you position your vehicle and use your turn signal before the right turn?
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Signal before the dashed section and use it to move toward the bike lane only after a mirror and shoulder check confirms the cyclist is not already beside you. You are planning a right turn, so you need to be close to the right edge, but you must not cut across the cyclist's path. Because the cyclist is behind you at 15 mph and you are at 20 mph, a small speed change can close the gap quickly. If there is not a clear gap, slow and let the cyclist pass, or wait behind the solid bike-lane section rather than crossing it abruptly. Do not swing wide into the parked-car door zone.
2. The cyclist is behind you and the light turns yellow. Should you accelerate to turn ahead of the cyclist? Explain.
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No. Accelerating to beat the cyclist creates a classic right-hook risk: the cyclist is going straight in the bike lane while you cross that lane to turn. A yellow light means stop if you can do so safely, not speed up to clear the intersection. If you cannot stop safely, proceed cautiously, but still yield to the cyclist before turning. The better choice is to slow, let the cyclist pass if needed, and turn only when the bike lane and crosswalk are clear.
3. What should you do about the parked car door opening into the bike lane?
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Treat the open door as an active hazard. The cyclist may swerve left into your path to avoid it, so do not move right or turn across the bike lane at that moment. Reduce speed, give the cyclist room, and be prepared to stop. Do not honk or crowd the cyclist. If you are turning, wait until the cyclist has cleared the door zone and your path is clear. Your lane position should protect the cyclist's escape space, not squeeze it.