do you filter up to the lights when traffic lights are on red?

[T4tomo]

Depends which bit of London you are in and which roads you are on. On very few of the urban roads (SW19/20 and out) I ride would that apply other than in Rush hour.

I was meaning west end and city, Brompton commute post train ride in. Sw19/20 is more like the West Country.

 

[summerdays]

I dont see the point in overtaking a car if it is immediatley going to overtake me again.

This morning I doubt there was a car that ever saw me.... gridlock... I'd have been so late if I'd waited in line!

 

[steveindenmark]

If its gridlock they are not going to immediately overtake you are they.

What I am saying is that there is no point in squeezing yourself past cars just to get a few seconds in front of a them, for it then to come past you again. I find it less stressful and safer, just to hang back a bit and move with the flow of the traffic.

There are times when filtering is perfectly acceptable. You just need to pick them.

 

[Sandra6]

It depends if the cars that are now ahead of me have just close passed me or not

 

[mjr]

If it's good enough for Her Maj...

I'm told she's actually pretty good near cyclists, too, as you might expect with various relatives reportedly cycling in Norfolk, but her accompanying special branch drivers are rather more variable. I've not seen her myself AFAIK (but I rarely figure out who's behind the glass anyway) but Harry passed with plenty of room.

 

[summerdays]

It depends if the cars that are now ahead of me have just close passed me or not

Or just overtook me to pull in and stop at the back of the queue 2 ft ahead.... that definitely results in a smile at them as I pass them... I don't care how far forward ... just enough to say well that was worth your effort then

 

[alecstilleyedye]

depends on a variety of factors;

• phase of lights - if i don't know what the phase is i'm more cautious
• makeup of the traffic - filtering between two lanes of cars is fine, but with a bus in one lane and a lorry in the other, discretion is the better part of valour

if overtaking moving traffic that is slowly increasing speed, i always tuck back behind the car behind the one i think i can realistically overtake…

 

[keithmac]

Or just overtook me to pull in and stop at the back of the queue 2 ft ahead.... that definitely results in a smile at them as I pass them... I don't care how far forward ... just enough to say well that was worth your effort then

This often amazes me, cars will wizz past then 30 seconds later you're passing them in the traffic jam (which presumably they knew was there?).

Buses overtaking then immediately pulling into a stop is another bugbear of mine, what's the point?.

 

[mustang1]

I usually filter to the front but only if mostly convenient and safe. If lights have been red for a while then I just hang back. But different situations and all that.

The real answer is.... It depends.

 

[mjr]

This often amazes me, cars will wizz past then 30 seconds later you're passing them in the traffic jam (which presumably they knew was there?).

No, they didn't know because most motorists only seem to think about the next three seconds. The existence of a queue in the same place there's always a queue seems to surprise them.

Such limited foresight is almost a requirement of motoring these days, else more people would realise that cycling in most towns is faster in many cases - it might not have as fast a top speed, but people cycling can usually avoid being stopped sat in lines as much and park much closer to their destination - neither of which can be changed in most towns without huge destruction of buildings and massive construction of usually-ugly flyovers, underpasses and car parks.

 

[Drago]

Not to any great extent. Every car you pass is liable to overtake you back anyway, so nothings gained. A proportion of those will do so dangerously. For the seconds you might, if you're very lucky, save it's hardly worth the effort and risk.

 

[summerdays]

Not to any great extent. Every car you pass is liable to overtake you back anyway, so nothings gained. A proportion of those will do so dangerously. For the seconds you might, if you're very lucky, save it's hardly worth the effort and risk.

Not if the traffic is just bumper to bumper.... I quite often pass a car and it may be another mile before it overtakes or one of us turns off before they do.

 

[HLaB]

Mibbes Aye, Mibbes Naw, Just Mibbes

Translation: It depends for me, is there an ASL, timing/ staging of the lights, length of queue, number of lanes, easiness, my mood, is it safer, purpose, (my movement straight on or left/right), etc.

 

[david k]

Most of the cycling I do is on routes avoiding heavy traffic and lots of lights.

When I am in that situation I look for a safe spot rather than one up the queue.

Sometimes the safe spot is at the front if the road is wide enough for all to pass safely, sometimes it's where a car has left more space, if on a thin road I usually just stay where I am, I find it safer

 

[david k]

If its gridlock they are not going to immediately overtake you are they.

What I am saying is that there is no point in squeezing yourself past cars just to get a few seconds in front of a them, for it then to come past you again. I find it less stressful and safer, just to hang back a bit and move with the flow of the traffic.

There are times when filtering is perfectly acceptable. You just need to pick them.

In my experience there's usually minimal gain, so I always look at safety first, potential gain second