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

[Jimidh]

Depends on the situation - if filtering up will get me through the lights before they change then I will.

If I'll get through without filtering then I just sit behind the last car and wait my turn.

 

[PK99]

I avoid sitting at the back of a long queue through several changes of lights so tend to filter towards but not to the front of the queue.

 

[Salty seadog]

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

Haha, yes, on the Sandringham estate maybe, stick her on the south circular and it would be utter carnage....

 

[Slick]

I have to admit, I do love filtering passed a particularly long que of cars that had passed me earlier on one particular stretch of road.

 

[kingrollo]

I tend to look who will be overtaking me. If its white van man for example - I stay behind - Id rather him out of the way

 

[Morning all]

Almost always, I don't pull up alongside large vehicles though but if I know I can get in front then I will.

 

[DaveReading]

Slightly different situation, but there's a junction in town where a bus/cycle only lane crosses over a dual carriageway at a light-controlled junction.

There's never much crossing traffic, for obvious reasons, but if I'm waiting at the lights when a bus draws up alongside me I'll always wave it on when the lights change as I'd much rather have it where I can see it (plus there's a bus stop about 100 yards after the junction).

Most bus drivers seem a bit surprised when I do that.

 

[r04DiE]

Good idea.

 

[froze]

Technically bicycles are looked as vehicles according to most state laws, and as a vehicle you have to line up behind the car in front of you. Of course most states wouldn't probably care if you cut in front of a line of cars, but the motorists might not like you so you should expect them to pass you close instead of the 3 foot deal. The only time I ever cut in front a line of cars is IF there is either a bike path or a wide shoulder starting on the other side of the intersection.

 

[mjr]

Technically bicycles are looked as vehicles according to most state laws, and as a vehicle you have to line up behind the car in front of you.

The UK doesn't require one to line up behind the car in front - is most of the US really so backwards as to require bikes (and presumably motorbikes?) to wait when cars are causing queues?

 

[froze]

The UK doesn't require one to line up behind the car in front - is most of the US really so backwards as to require bikes (and presumably motorbikes?) to wait when cars are causing queues?

While it is required most states don't enforce any rules for bicycles accept cash strapped states like California. Personally I don't find line up behind a car in front as backwards, I find it safer. How's that you backcountry backward hick you scream? I've found that cutting ahead of motorists simply pisses them off, because then they have to pass you all over again which could be dangerous depending on circumstances. I've also found that by staying behind a car the driver of the car in front sees me, as does the driver behind me, thus there can be no excuses for cutting me off, or getting mad. Obviously if there is a bike lane then I can ride the lane to the front of the traffic.

 

[mjr]

I've found that cutting ahead of motorists simply pisses them off, because then they have to pass you all over again which could be dangerous depending on circumstances.

They really don't have to pass you. Also, in a lot of urban areas in England now, the average motor traffic speed is often slower than what many cyclists will do (famously below 10mph in many at peak times) so they might not be able to, depending on road layouts.

I've also found that by staying behind a car the driver of the car in front sees me, as does the driver behind me, thus there can be no excuses for cutting me off, or getting mad.

I've mentioned before that the driver behind often doesn't seem to see a car/van/lorry in front of them and crashes into its rear, so what hope that such people will see a cyclist? I don't feel it's safe to wait to be caught in a concertina if you can avoid it.

Obviously if there is a bike lane then I can ride the lane to the front of the traffic.

Why wouldn't that annoy drivers too? It seems a bit like too much faith in paint.

 

[mustang1]

If I sense lights are not gonna change soon and it's safe to do so, then yes, nearly always. But if I think lights will change to green, then I just stay back. I don't have a problem staying back.

 

[KnackeredBike]

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

If I filter to part way through the queue I always stop directly in front of the driver rather than on the left hand side so even the doziest driver can't miss me.

Around here ASLs are few and far between so I stay back unless I won't be able to get through on the first green cycle. There are enough anti-cyclist nutters that will do a punishment overtake because you didn't "wait your turn" no matter how idiotic that attitude may be.

 

[Milzy]

Some times I do, sometimes I don't. On my commute I pretty much know the sequence of any of the lights at junctions. If I know it's going to be a long wait I may get to the front, especially if there's an ASL, sometimes if there's not. If I know I won't have time then I will hang back. If I'm in the way of any car that want's to overtake and they can't overtake then that's tough. They just have to wait.

^^^^^^^^^^^ This for me.