ASL at T-junction

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DaveReading

Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
Location
Reading, obvs
One of my commutes involves a road (single lane in each direction) that terminates in a T-junction with traffic lights and an ASL box which has the usual entry lane on the left-hand side.

Once or twice I've filtered into the box in the approved manner, only to find that the lights change from red to green as I'm doing so, with a consequent risk of being left hooked before I can get over to the RHS.

What does the conventional wisdom recommend in these circumstances:

i) enter the ASL box on the right, while watching for right-turning traffic should the lights change?

ii) enter from the left, but pause to allow left-turning traffic past before proceeding?

iii) don't enter the ASL box at all, but stay in primary in the queuing traffic?
 

Tin Pot

Guru
What's an ASL box?
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
What's an ASL box?

Advanced stop line - where cyclists are supposed to go at a junction to provide best visibility of them for other road users. Reality might have it that taxis stop there more than cyclists.

One of my commutes involves a road (single lane in each direction) that terminates in a T-junction with traffic lights and an ASL box which has the usual entry lane on the left-hand side.

Once or twice I've filtered into the box in the approved manner, only to find that the lights change from red to green as I'm doing so, with a consequent risk of being left hooked before I can get over to the RHS.

What does the conventional wisdom recommend in these circumstances:

i) enter the ASL box on the right, while watching for right-turning traffic should the lights change?

ii) enter from the left, but pause to allow left-turning traffic past before proceeding?

iii) don't enter the ASL box at all, but stay in primary in the queuing traffic?

I'd go 3 if you consistently have problems with this junction.
 

Tin Pot

Guru
I always go to the ASL box but pay attention to whether the crossing traffic indicates that the lights are likely to change.

If everything is ok, I take a primary position so the driver behind can see me clearly.

If it looks like traffic is about to move or lights change I stay on the left and let them turn.
 
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Mr_Kipling

Über Member
Location
Berkshire
If the que of traffic is not long (50 meters) I just sit in the traffic. If the que is long I filter down the offside when safe to do so and then pull in to the que when closer to the lights. I almost never use ASLs.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
530cbdc9670af-sachs.l.m.jpg


Que?!
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I have one, well more than one on my commute, but two are close together that I arrive in the first via the right (even though I've just joined the road from the left 100 yards back), and then bomb to the second one (another 100 yards or so) where I turn right.

Each one is different and can be different each time you approach it. But it wouldn't stop me entering from the right just because the feeder lane was on the left.
 

RedRider

Pulling through
Use your judgement and keep your wits whenever filtering past slow/stopped traffic so I'd say i, ii or iii depending on a, b and c! More often than not I end up slotting into a gap near the front of the queue but it all depends.
 

jarlrmai

Veteran
If I know I can make the lights at next change I don't bother with ASL, stay primary and move with the traffic.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I am prudent (and slow, ahem), choose option 3 every time.
Only once that I can recall I did filter (on the right) one car in front because he was a mgif driver, did it just to annoy him. ^_^
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Enter on the side for the direction you're turning, no matter what the lanes, IMO.

I usually use them because some traffic lights only let a few cars out of some side roads each time and all that stop/sstart is energy sapping and time wasting: we wouldn't need lights if there were only cycles.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
I don't trust them for the very reasons the OP cites. I always stop behind the first vehicle in the queue or maintain my position in the queue holding the primary.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
If you are turning right and you want to use the ASL, then overtake on the offside to get there. There's no danger of being left-hooked and it should be easier to slot in if the lights change as you make your way to the front.
 
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