Interesting point by made by Sapol...
So I called the SA Police today to report an incident. They were extremely helpful and it was a very worthwhile exercise.
In the course of that conversation, they said:
If a vehicle is turning left from one road to another (for example turning from Frome St onto Flinders St, heading south) and pedestrians have not yet started crossing the other road (in this example, Flinders Street) then they must wait to let you turn, provided that you're indicating and otherwise behaving legally. They're not in the road. They can't cut you off by entering the road.
However, cyclists on the left-hand-most part of the road are 'on the road'. Even if you're in your vehicle, indicating, you must wait to let them pass. Cutting them off if illegal. The rules of the road apply.
Furthermore, cutting them off without indicating in an deliberately aggressive manner could potentially constitute assault with a deadly weapon or a similar serious charge.
However, riding along on your bike, if a car is indicating to turn, you may not overtake them on the inside. It's just as illegal. So don't do it.
Please ride safe.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Warner on -
So it's illegal for us to overtake a moving, indicating car on the left, but if we do, it has to give way to us? Although this maximizes our safety, it seems like a bit of a legal paradox :-)
-
Permalink Reply by Ben Nicol on -
I read it as we ARENT allowed to pass a moving car on the left if it indicating to turn left. No laradox there.
Would be a pretty silly thing to do though
-
Permalink Reply by Ben Nicol on
-
And by laradox, I mean paradox! Stupid fingers not doing what they are told
-
Permalink Reply by Derek Hasel on -
No if you are turning left and the car is turning left, the car must give way to you. If the car is turning left, and indicating so, and you, on a bike , are going straight thru the Intersection, you must allow the car to turn left before you proceed. In other words, if the car is indicating that it is turning left, don;t overtake it on the inside. Self preservation !
-
Permalink Reply by Vujos Ostojic on -
Who would be stupid enough!!!!!
-
Permalink Reply by Derek Hasel on
-
Certainly not me. They got an indicator on, they sure are going first.
-
Permalink Reply by Vujos Ostojic on
-
patience is bliss
-
Permalink Reply by Doddsy on -
Some times cars have electrical faults, and sometimes motorists stupidly half overtake on the right before attempting to turn left (thats when i usually tap on their window).
But yeah, signal or not: undertaking at intersections is generally a bad idea. Mayswell do it if your riding through grid lock but beware right turning vehicles don't have xray vision so they often don't see that your trying to go straight ahead.
-
Permalink Reply by Wombat on -
This is not true if the cyclist is in a bike lane. If you are in a bike lane you can overtake (obviously only if safe and traffic is stopped) a car with its indicator flashing. ALSO they have to give way to the cyclist in this instance.
As I have said in other discussions, I always try to make eye contact and let the driver know via hand signals where I intend to go. Saves confusion when the lights do change.
-
Permalink Reply by Wombat on
-
With regards to the assertion that a driver (or bicycle rider) has the right of way when turning left at an intersection, obviously that officer has not read his or her Australian Road Rules properly.
Rule 67, Para 4 states:
If the driver is turning left or right or making a U–turn, the driver must also give way to any pedestrian at or near the intersection on the road, or part of the road, the driver is entering.
That clearly states the officer was badly mistaken.
What are they teaching them these days? I had an off duty officer tell me that the No Standing sign in front of her meant she wasn't allowed to park across the driveway it was near. She totally ignored the fact that the same signs (showing arrows BOTH directions and on both sides of the same street) appeared from one corner of that street to the next and had done for the last 5 months or so!
She left her car and went inside the house she was visiting. She then returned a couple of minutes later to move her car. I wouldn't ordinarily have stopped. Nor would I have known she was an officer except for the fact that she saw my girls and I riding on the opposite side of the road to her, proceeded to perform a 3 point turn in front of us and pull in to the curb, the resulting confusion causing two of my girls to crash into one another! She just calmly walked inside. Not impressed!
End of rant.
-
Permalink Reply by Derek Hasel on
-
I thought we were talking about bike riders, not pedestrians !
-
Permalink Reply by VeloAvenger on
-
Assuming there's no bike lane in this example? Then if there is, car's give way.
© 2013 Created by Gus K.
