Advice on undertaking traffic in cycling lanes

[EasyPeez]

No reason for it to be dangerous as long as it's not near a junction.

I'm not sure about this. On the roads I use I've seen lorries and buses swerve into the cycle lane while moving along straight sections of road with no imminent junctions - for example when approaching traffic islands or if another large vehicle is coming in the opposite direction. Depending on line of sight it's not always possible to anticipate this, and I'm never confident they can see me in the rear-view mirror, so I avoid passing them at all on the left.

No, a normal one-lane-each-way road's not wide enough to pass on the left safely if the other vehicle is in the same lane, so I'd pass on the right.

Me too. But this suggests that you don't pass on the left with a cycle lane either? Which for me would mean leaving a cycle lane to go across the line of cars for overtaking and then re-cross to get back in the cycle lane when the cars speed up. I think this would just confuse and infuriate a good number of drivers, and be at best a faff and at worst dangerous with the roads and traffic conditions on my route.

 

[EasyPeez]

I'm decidedly uncomfortable undertaking vehicles at any time. If faced with this situation my default position is to overtake.

Mine too, on a road without a cycle lane. But on a road which has quite narrow lanes and does have a cycle lane it seems to me it can be more dangerous and more confusing/annoying for drivers if one is to repeatedly leave the lane to overtake and then re-enter it when traffic speeds up. It would be fine in theory but on my route the overtaking room on the right can be minimal/non-existant without crossing the centre line and it's not always easy to judge the traffic flow in order to get back across to the left without getting stranded by quickly accelerating traffic.

The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves...

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I'm not a fast rider, but I do use cycle lanes when available (unless blatantly unsafe) BUT you need to expect every side road to have some numpty left hook (with or without indicating); or stop and let cross-traffic through who can't see you in the cycle lane; or let a passenger out and door you in the process.
I have been left hooked (once) by a non-indicating van who turned across the cycle path and I now assume that every vehicle that could possibly left hook me (given proximity) will do so and ride accordingly.

 

[hatler]

Mine too, on a road without a cycle lane. But on a road which has quite narrow lanes and does have a cycle lane it seems to me it can be more dangerous and more confusing/annoying for drivers if one is to repeatedly leave the lane to overtake and then re-enter it when traffic speeds up. It would be fine in theory but on my route the overtaking room on the right can be minimal/non-existant without crossing the centre line and it's not always easy to judge the traffic flow in order to get back across to the left without getting stranded by quickly accelerating traffic.

The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves...

To be clear, that is my default position regardless of whether there's a marked cycle lane or not.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

As a response to
"The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves..."
I am not fast enough to overtake on the right, safely, and I would prefer a collision with a vehicle going the same direction as me to one coming head on. If I was forced to overtake on the right I would give up riding.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves...

Absolutely bang on and TMN's response encompasses why perfectly.

They also seem to be taken by drivers as mandatory that when on bikes we should use them without exception, irrespective that they've barely ever been designed from the viewpoint of the cyclist or even with parity with motor vehicles in mind.
There also seems to be an expectation amongst some in motor vehicles that we should be in them even when they're full of parked cars

also re:

As a response to
"The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves..."
I am not fast enough to overtake on the right, safely, and I would prefer a collision with a vehicle going the same direction as me to one coming head on. If I was forced to overtake on the right I would give up riding.

I can't think why the permanent absence of the typical gutter ghetto cycle lane would mandate overtaking on the right, Matters would undoubtedly remain as they are now; with cycle lanes relatively few and far between; normal riding, filtering, undertaking if you so choose, on the left is and would surely remain prevalent and be received as normal behaviour by pretty much all road users.

Right hand riding of the sort you imply is filtering in the vicinity of a junction when you're passing a stationary or a near as... line of vehicles still within or at worst on the central line, not mixing it with flowing traffic at speed and in the opposite carriageway.

 

[hatler]

I find that when I am overtaking a line of stationary or moving traffic, the oncoming vehicles present the least hazard of all. Where I am, I'm directly in the line of most focus of oncoming drivers who are very keen not to scratch their paintwork. They see me very well indeed, always give me room and never present a hazard. If the oncoming vehicle is large then if necessary I pull in to a gap in the traffic queue I am going past.

 

[mjr]

I'm not sure about this. On the roads I use I've seen lorries and buses swerve into the cycle lane while moving along straight sections of road with no imminent junctions - for example when approaching traffic islands or if another large vehicle is coming in the opposite direction. Depending on line of sight it's not always possible to anticipate this, and I'm never confident they can see me in the rear-view mirror, so I avoid passing them at all on the left.

I've not seen this and I'm surprised that drivers so crap they can't stay in their lane are driving HGVs. Most of the ones I encounter are driven by some of the best-behaved drivers out there, at least when moving basically in a straight line (even if their navigation and low-speed manouveuring skills are rather lacking, if you've seen the recent navigation thread).

Now, buses and skip trucks, on the other hand...

Me too. But this suggests that you don't pass on the left with a cycle lane either? ...

No: if the cycle lane is a decent enough width that I'm using it, the road must be wider than a normal one-lane-each-way road (I think it's type S2 in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges).

The more I think about it and the more I read some of the responses here the more I wonder if the cycle lane doesn't actually create more problems than it solves...

There seems a fairly strong "we hate all cycle-specific infrastructure" macho subculture on this site, so I'm sure you'll get plenty of support for that

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I find that when I am overtaking a line of stationary or moving traffic, the oncoming vehicles present the least hazard of all. Where I am, I'm directly in the line of most focus of oncoming drivers who are very keen not to scratch their paintwork. They see me very well indeed, always give me room and never present a hazard. If the oncoming vehicle is large then if necessary I pull in to a gap in the traffic queue I am going past.

How fast is the traffic though? I might, I suppose, be persuaded to pass on the right if the traffic was guaranteed to be doing no more than 5mph and there was a guaranteed gap for me to pull into, but the roads I drive are not like this at all. If traffic is stationary, there are no gaps big enough. Round here the traffic normally builds up at a traffic light, so it's stop/start, and when it starts, all the traffic wants to do more than the 20mph limit they should be sticking to, and I can just about do 20mph for short stretches but not long enough.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

There seems a fairly strong "we hate all cycle-specific infrastructure" macho subculture on this site, so I'm sure you'll get plenty of support for that

I completely support EP's assertion based on my experience but not from any macho posturing.

I've oft bemoaned Manchester's seeming obsession with the grand scheme building or pointless structures such as the subscription only (and literally always locked up empty) bike lockers at metalling stops that arts TfGM's answer to multi modal travel. They are not putting in the infrastructure to actually get there in comfort and/or safety though.
It is increasingly frustrating that despite engagement directly and through social media from the general cycling community and organised bike groups with the authorities with control of road planning or the money we get locally for cycling; it is going on was appear to be vanity projects or with the attitude of I don't care what you regular practitioners say, this'll play well to the wider populace regardless of actual value in practice to the users.

The drawback being that even if as a non cyclist you catch a blipvert on North West Tonight or accidentally stumble across the near as dammit non existent information on these grand schemes (because TfGM and local authorities do bugger all in the way of general promotion or awareness outside of their clique of twitter followers), once you've been on s**t, rutted gutter, poorly cleaned roads, mixing it unprotected by anything but a white painted line with high volumes of motor vehicles only to have to pay for a lock up at a cycle hub the first time, you are not going to do it again and the elephant becomes whiter and whiter all the time whilst the roads remain unchanged (well look at the lack of uptake oat the cycle hubs.... catch 22) firmly wedded to the motor vehicle and neanderthal attitudes to cyclists rights and needs.

 

[jonny jeez]

I feel there must be a thread or three about this already, but either the search function or my brain are proving substandard today as I can't find anything. Happy to be redirected rather than dig over old ground.

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on undertaking moving traffic on the inside (left) on a single-lane road using a demarcated cycle lane. I can't find anything about it in the Highway Code.

At what speed (of the traffic) does filtering become undertaking? Do you undertake, or is it just a bad idea full stop? If so do you refrain from doing so beyond a certain riding speed or once the traffic achieves a certain speed?

I appreciate common sense, road conditions etc are paramount, but just wondered generally what people's views and riding styles are around this.

I have a few such lanes on my commute, traffic being pretty constant alongside them most mornings, with vehicle speeds constantly fluctuating between 0-30mph. With a clear cycle lane ahead of me I would happily zip along at 17-19mph the whole way, but there are often drivers who seem oblivious to the lane, wing-mirrors and wheels over the line, swerving into it to avoid potholes, last minute left turns with late indication etc so for my own safety I tend to match my speed to that of the traffic and not undertake the flow unless it drops below 10mph or so, which can be pretty frustrating at times, not to mention diesel-fumey.

Am I doing the right thing or should I see the lane as mine and go at my own pace (slowing for indicating traffic, other cyclists etc obv)?

Cheers, Andy

Slow down
Keep left (assuming you are in a nearside cy le lane)
Be watchful for gaps in the traffic (they are there for a reason)
Don't get carried away, be prepared to stop if it gets too unnerving.
Don't target fixate...be aware of all the surroundings a d slow down still further if its all too much to process in the moment.

 

[Origamist]

The dangers posed filtering in a cycle lane are almost identical to the problems faced filtering on the nearside of traffic without a cycle lane. Arguably though, if you’re in a cycle lane you might feel, subjectively, a little safer. The reality is the threats are pretty much the same – doors, junctions, drive ways, closer proximity to pedestrians on the pavement, reduced visibility, poor road surface/drains etc. If you do not want to wait in the queue, your best bet is to proceed with caution. This gives you a better chance to avoid a collision, or mitigate the consequences of one if it is unavoidable.

 

[spen666]

Legally speaking, it is perfectly lawful to undertake whether in a motor vehicle or on a bike.

If you undertaken in a manner that cause other driver to, for example, brake or swerve, then it may be carelss or dangerous driving ( or cycling)

There is no offence of undertaking


However, is it sensible or advisable? That is a different issue and only you at the scene can properly make that decision after taking into account all the risks (and there are many)

 

[MontyVeda]

I've no problem with undertaking or overtaking slow moving or stationary traffic. Plenty of other vehicles do it and I'm sure it's not illegal. eg. the traffic in the LH lane of dual carriageway/motorway can often be moving faster than the other lanes when it's busy. No one expects cars to move at the same or slower rate as vehicles to their right in such situations.

 

[vickster]

If using a cycle lane and the traffic is slower moving, I wouldn't ride more than 15mph and remain vigilant, head up, hands covering brakes
Filtering on the right past slower or stationary traffic, I doubt I'd go more than about 12 or 13, if possible to the right of the white line, head up, hands covering brakes.
If road too narrow to filter safely, I don't. I'll move with the traffic. Might use a shared path if available.
Hence I prefer to avoid busy roads in the rush hour