Recumbent Bicycling

Sharing the Lane in Red Oaks Mill

We’re in the middle of three southbound lanes on Rt 376 in Red Oaks Mill, turning left into the rightmost lane going down the hill across the bridge, when a car approaches from behind:

Red Oaks Mill Intersection - close pass - approach - 2020-12-24
Red Oaks Mill Intersection – close pass – approach – 2020-12-24

Most drivers seem content to wait behind us until we get into the huge intersection where there’s plenty of room (comparatively speaking) to pass, but not this one:

Red Oaks Mill Intersection - close pass - waiting - 2020-12-24
Red Oaks Mill Intersection – close pass – waiting – 2020-12-24

I warned Mary (one the reasons we have radios on our bikes) about the mirror just behind her shoulder and she verified the minimal clearance:

Red Oaks Mill Intersection - close pass - arms length - 2020-12-24
Red Oaks Mill Intersection – close pass – arms length – 2020-12-24

Prudence dictated we wait until he was clear before moving:

Red Oaks Mill Intersection - close pass - rolling - 2020-12-24
Red Oaks Mill Intersection – close pass – rolling – 2020-12-24

Of course, the signal timing doesn’t let us get all the way through the intersection under the best of conditions, but we make an impressive enough parade to keep oncoming cars from moving before we’re out of their way.

This section of NY Rt 376 is also NY Bike Route 9, which doesn’t explain why NYS DOT pays so little attention to bicycle safety.

6 thoughts on “Sharing the Lane in Red Oaks Mill”

  1. Although I have long ago given up trying to understand humanlike life forms, I still shake my head when I see someone aggressively weaving in heavy traffic seemingly to shave mere seconds off their travel time.

    1. It’s even scarier to see bikes weaving through traffic; sometimes cyclists really are their own worst enemies.

  2. We have the same problems in Arizona. They are compounded by ill-advised street restriping and an influx of out-of-state drivers who think their former state’s rules apply here.

    1. Rolling with the pedestrian signals from the end of Burnett would help by getting us well into the middle of the intersection before the cars start moving.

      Given that the bill is opposed by the police and requires NYS DOT implementation, I won’t hold my breath while waiting for it.

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