#townsendroundabout

[yourturnsignalisbroken]

Two close calls with bad drivers today. This one was on the way home at the Townsend roundabout which drivers are notoriously bad at.

I followed the taxi into the roundabout as usual, drafting on a larger vehicle that other cars can see since it's safer, especially at night. Note that I was further left than the other bikes, taking the lane to indicate I was staying in the roundabout. Then the woman in the silver car directly behind us at the roundabout went straight through, blasting past me on the left, cutting me off as I was veering left to continue around the roundabout to my turn. 

She had to have seen me as I entered the roundabout directly in front of her.

If I hadn't heard her accelerate I probably would have gotten creamed. One of the reasons I don't wear headphones while biking despite how nice it would be to have a soundtrack for my ride.

[yourturnsignalisbroken]

Pulled up to the stop sign at the Townsend roundabout. Stopped, and then followed the white car into the roundabout. You'll notice the van to my left. He left the stop sign at the same time as me. He definitely saw me, I looked him in the eye, then he sped up and cut me off to take his exit from the roundabout without any signaling.

I bike this roundabout almost every day. I've learned that following a car into the intersection but immediately getting behind them so they can go straight is the safest approach. This gives me protection from both cars in the roundabout as well as ones trying to enter the roundabout as cars generally see other cars, while bikes are often invisible.

What should have happened: The van shouldn't have been a jerk. He should have maintained his speed and turned on his turn signal.

License Plate: 19390B1