I'm a bit rusty on some of my road etiquette, so perhaps someone can clue me in...
I'm in far right lane and going to turn right at signal. Car ahead of me signals to turn right as well. Car ahead of him (the first one at the stop light) is going straight but we are all stopped by a red light, so the head car forces us to wait until the light turns green so we can turn. Car in front of me has plenty of room on right between him and the curb, so instead of waiting, I squeeze by on the right between him and the curb and past the car at the head of the line and make my right turn on red. less than a minute later (I presume the light turned green seconds after I turned), the car who was in front of me, zooms up right behind me and rides my behind all the way until he finally turns. I presume he was mad at me for what he perceived as my cutting ahead of him. But he was stuck there, I wasn't!
Should I have waited behind him for the light to turn green just because he was turning right, too? Or was I okay to squeeze past him because I could?
1. Overtaking on the right side is FORBIDDEN by the law in most countries, unless the vehicle being overtaken is waiting stationary to turn LEFT. I have just checked law applicable in USA (Nevada, for example) and it is the same.
2. Most scooterists/motorcycle drivers do what you did, so do I. However, I know idiots who overtake me, usually with 50 cc scoots, from the right side WHILE we are driving. I have had that happen to me with cars too. This is quite incredible how careless and ignorant people are.
3. There are big risks associated with overtaking from the right side. Primary risk, especially during summer, are stupid people opening their door on the passenger side to vent the car, and people exiting the vehicle during vehicle being stopped at the red light. This happens often in urban areas.
4. Do not overtake long vehicles that are stationary at red lights unless you want to be pancaked. While turning they usually use all width of the lane, especially buses and long trailer trucks. It takes quite a few seconds to overtake them and green light may turn on anytime and if they start moving while you are beside them, you are fu**ed, meaning, mangled. Also, you are in the dead angle and cannot be seen.
Most of this is not riding etiquette, it is common sense.
I am least worried about the law and hurt egos of cagers left behind, I worry about my own ass getting to destination intact. If I am commuting, this usually involves also "in least time", so my driving style is a compromise between all these factors.
