Was I in the wrong

[buggi]

You weren’t in the wrong, but you should not allow a cycle lane to dictate where you should be at a junction. They are put there by people who don’t ride bikes and we are not obliged by law to use them.
Instead of staying in the cycle lane, you should take the middle of the lane that you would if you were driving a car. We call this “primary position”, assertive cycling, defensive cycling or “taking the lane” and it controls the car drivers behind and encourages them to stay behind you until you are through the junction.
What this woman did was dangerous and stupid, and you can’t be blamed for that, but use primary position at junctions and roundabouts (even if you are turning left) and it will discourage this type of behaviour. Just think about what lane you would be in, if you were in your car, and take the middle of that lane as you go through the junction. Stay in this position, as if you are a car, all the way through the junction.
Do not allow drivers to intimidate you into doing anything different. Occasionally, you will get an impatient knob giving you verbal but don’t let it get to you. Keep your position.

 

[boydj]

There's a similar junction near me where the majority of the cars in the nearside lane go left. I normally filter between the lanes. If the car at the front on the nearside is not indicating, then I'll ask the driver if they are going left or straight and position myself accordingly. As others have said, if there only a few cars in the queue, then I just join the queue in the middle of the nearside lane.

 

[damiengreathouse]

You were right but it doesn't really matter to the driver of the car. May drivers see bike riders, or motorcycle riders for that fact, as not being entitled to the road. Just last night I had a car pull up behind me on the road and yell out the window that I should not use the same road as cars (I do not really have bike lanes where I am at). I know I was correct and the road needs to be shared so I just brushed it off and did not take it personally.

I just do my best to educate the people in my life that do not ride.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

You were right but it doesn't really matter to the driver of the car. May drivers see bike riders, or motorcycle riders for that fact, as not being entitled to the road. Just last night I had a car pull up behind me on the road and yell out the window that I should not use the same road as cars (I do not really have bike lanes where I am at). I know I was correct and the road needs to be shared so I just brushed it off and did not take it personally.

I just do my best to educate the people in my life that do not ride.

My fiancee's lad had a Mercedes pull out on him as he rode his 125. She wound down the window and said "You're ONLY on a motorbike".
Brave woman saying that to a 6'5" 20 stone 18 year old with a foul temper and worse vocabulary that she's just nearly killed.

As for the OP, it's another reason why cycles lanes are a waste of time and paint.

 

[Exile]

I dislike Alan Turing Way with something bordering on a passion. It has so much cycling infrastructure which initially seems good but in use turns out to be so poorly implemented it can actually lead to more conflict than if it didn't exist. The lack of ASL's at many of the junctions also doesn't help matters as you're essentially left in the firing line. Whoever thought plonking cyclists down on the offside of traffic waiting at the lights was a good idea needs a stern talking to. I wouldn't say I'm angry with them just... disappointed..

But on to the matter at hand. You weren't at fault, end of. The driver has a stem at the side of their steering wheel which turns on little flashing lights showing which was they are planning to turn. I tend to do as others have advised and get out of the cycle lane and across to the middle of the lane I need as soon as possible, although this particular junction (along with many on this road) has the issue of a segregated section of cycle path which ends fairly close to the lights meaning the window to move is much tighter than on, say, Ashton New Road where on-road facilities make it possible to move out as and when you need to.

To get around this, I've started to indicate my intent to leave the cycle lane whilst approaching still in the segregated section, and 9 times out of 10 the cars behind slow up a little and let me in. I always give a little wave of thanks in return, it's only polite given the circumstances. The other time, well, I sure the driver in the car behind them will appreciate the wave more anyway.

 

[Colin B]

I dislike Alan Turing Way with something bordering on a passion. It has so much cycling infrastructure which initially seems good but in use turns out to be so poorly implemented it can actually lead to more conflict than if it didn't exist. The lack of ASL's at many of the junctions also doesn't help matters as you're essentially left in the firing line. Whoever thought plonking cyclists down on the offside of traffic waiting at the lights was a good idea needs a stern talking to. I wouldn't say I'm angry with them just... disappointed..

But on to the matter at hand. You weren't at fault, end of. The driver has a stem at the side of their steering wheel which turns on little flashing lights showing which was they are planning to turn. I tend to do as others have advised and get out of the cycle lane and across to the middle of the lane I need as soon as possible, although this particular junction (along with many on this road) has the issue of a segregated section of cycle path which ends fairly close to the lights meaning the window to move is much tighter than on, say, Ashton New Road where on-road facilities make it possible to move out as and when you need to.

To get around this, I've started to indicate my intent to leave the cycle lane whilst approaching still in the segregated section, and 9 times out of 10 the cars behind slow up a little and let me in. I always give a little wave of thanks in return, it's only polite given the circumstances. The other time, well, I sure the driver in the car behind them will appreciate the wave more anyway.

Perhaps a more helpful solution at these junctions would be an early green on the cycle lane giving that lane a few seconds to get going . as I slowed here to stop the cars piled up and made it impossible for me to take primary as there was 20 or more cars in the queue had the lane not been segregated I would have got into primary but didn't want to cross the white line to do it .If the early green was there I wouldn't need to do it . Considering this is the velodrome area I agree its a horrid design and I don't think a cyclist a s involved in the planning

 

[Exile]

Perhaps a more helpful solution at these junctions would be an early green on the cycle lane giving that lane a few seconds to get going . as I slowed here to stop the cars piled up and made it impossible for me to take primary as there was 20 or more cars in the queue had the lane not been segregated I would have got into primary but didn't want to cross the white line to do it .If the early green was there I wouldn't need to do it . Considering this is the velodrome area I agree its a horrid design and I don't think a cyclist a s involved in the planning

The early green would be ideal, and I had a feeling getting in to primary wouldn't be too easy depending on the time you were riding, it does get rather busy at times, which as you say makes getting in to lanes neigh on impossible. I do really like the idea of the cyclist only phase, and think it would be a good thing for all major junctions.

As for the design along that stretch, I'm not sure when the lanes were put in, but I agree it seems like a poor fit for the overall area given the abundance of cycling venues. I do tend to consider the fact that the cycle lane markings outside the NCC itself have been allowed to wear away tells a lot about where in their list of priorities the local authority put cycling.

 

[Colin B]

It had so much potential around there I mean look at the pavement widths they are huge and if they had made em slimmer they could have easily accommodated Dutch style cycle paths a lot wider than they are now . Agreed cycle lanes have been allowed to fade but IMHO cycle lanes should be coloured so they are visible throughout and not this green box crap every so far . No ASL is a joke a and for the life of me I can't think if there's any around there . I hope that when this velocity 2014 starts they redo the lot because it couldn't get worse bud

 

[Colin B]

Oh and that stupid super wide central reservation why ? . If that was reduced you could even easier make a wider cycle lane and still retain the same amount of lanes as there is now

 

[Soup890]

Well I can't say much but all I can say is Stay safe and all the best

 

[Exile]

It had so much potential around there I mean look at the pavement widths they are huge and if they had made em slimmer they could have easily accommodated Dutch style cycle paths a lot wider than they are now . Agreed cycle lanes have been allowed to fade but IMHO cycle lanes should be coloured so they are visible throughout and not this green box crap every so far . No ASL is a joke a and for the life of me I can't think if there's any around there . I hope that when this velocity 2014 starts they redo the lot because it couldn't get worse bud

Oh and that stupid super wide central reservation why ? . If that was reduced you could even easier make a wider cycle lane and still retain the same amount of lanes as there is now

Preaching to the choir, mate. It looks like the cycle facilities were a complete after thought along Alan Turing Way. I use Chester Road on my commute, and whilst it's not perfect, the segregation along there is much better than round here. Fingers crossed Manchester City Council get it right, I guess the Oxford Road scheme will show how committed they are to cycling. Here's hoping.