"Just Turn Right"

There’s plenty of hand wringing in my city about traffic lights that don’t detect bicycles. Maybe the hand wringing is more about what to do in the case of a red light that won’t change to green. We’re good people. We don’t want to be scofflaws.

One common answer to this problem is to “just turn right.” Here are my 4 favorite arguments against "just turn right."

1. Red lights that need actuation are almost always lights that govern intersections where a lower traffic volume road is crossing a higher volume road. This type of intersection is just the sort that attracts riders who prefer the relative peace of low traffic roadways. The invitation to “just turn right” is often an invitation to leave a 2,000 vehicle per day road and join a 30,000 vehicle per day road. This is unacceptable.

2. In the circle below is the intersection of Dardanella Road and Marion Road. A rider approaching from the west to cross Marion Road must wait for the light to be actuated. The "just turn right" solution follows the red line, a distance of approximately 5 miles to go a net 50 feet.

3. Below is the intersection of Grange and 12^th Street. A rider approaching from the north to turn left for some Black Sheep Coffee must actuate the light. A "just turn right" solution is not legal because turning right from the left lane is not legal and crossing two lanes of roadway to turn right is not safe.

4. Below is the intersection of 12^th Street and Main Avenue. Main Avenue is one way from north to south. Riders approaching from the east must actuate the light. A “just turn right” solution here is not legal because riding the wrong way on a one-way is not legal.

Speaking of scofflaw. It's written in city ordinance: "Every person driving a bicycle shall have all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle by this Code..." I assume working traffic controls are a right that drivers expect.