Crossing at red lights...

[NhiTrac]

Am curious.

I need to make a right turn at an intersection however it is a no tight turn. What I've been doing is basically a "hook turn" where I cross the road and block the cars on my left* which have stopped on their red. When the lights turn green, I proceed as lead.

* is a two lane road. Left lane is left and or straight. Right lane is right and or straight.


Question: am I allowed to do this? Where should I position myself?

Far left next to curb?
Middle of left lane?
Middle of both lanes?
Middle of right lane?
You fool you're an idiot?

Thanks

[il padrone]

Yes, certainly quite OK in Victoria.

A hook turn is allowed for cyclists at every intersection. The only exception is if there is a sign saying specifically "No hook-turns". Personally I don't ever recall seeing one of these.

Position? Stop on the left-side of the left lane*, out of the traffic flow, directly in front of the stopped cross-traffic. In practice you may be over the pedestrian crossing in the space before the cars stop-line. You proceed on the green for the cross-street, ahead of the cross-traffic.



*[edit] Ah, yes, I was referring to the left lane of the road you are turning from. Stop in the front of the left lane of the road you're entering - middle of the lane if there is any concern about traffic squeezing you out on the green light procession.

[human909]

As il padrone says. Hook turns are legal pretty much everywhere for bicycles. In fact even if they weren't legal, there doesn't seem much in the behaviour of a hook turn that makes it explicitly illegal as long as you aren't blocking the intersection.

In reality you can position yourself anywhere you choose however it would be normally best to position yourself Far left next to curb OR Middle of left lane?. I would only position myself next to the curb if I think there is room for a bicycle and a car in the lane. Otherwise it would be middle of left lane and occupy that lane while I am riding.


NOTE: Occupying the right lane would seem to be against the law as the law says "the rider is as near as practicable to the far side of the road that the rider is entering". However if I had a need to be in the right lane then I would do so. The law is an ass when it comes to bicycles.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/ ... 8/s35.html

[Mulger bill]

Big fan of hook turns if you can't get over to the right lane in good time. If there's a box in the cross street I'll drop meself in there as if I'd just filtered to the front of that line otherwise not blocking traffic in the street I'm leaving in the lane most suitable to my next move. Basic roadcraft.