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

[Vantage]

I generally take the view that if I don't jump the queue at the cash machine then I don't jump the queue for the lights.
Unless I'm in a motorist hating mood that day of course in which case, f**k 'em.

 

[froze]

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 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.


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

In America the car scene is obviously very different than in England, in America the motorist has the mentality that they come first, and they will pass cyclist (and each other) no matter what because a cyclist is impeding their ability to get somewhere, and if that means they'll have to put you in danger they'll do it. Our urban streets, or streets with houses and families, the speed limit is 30 mph, which I think is too fast, motorists often do 40 to 45, main urban streets are 35 to 40 with again people going at least 10 over. So it's highly unlikely that a cyclist is going to be challenging our motorist for speed. The only time a cyclist would be able to challenge the speed of a car is in heavy traffic times.

Even with all the aggressiveness on our street not a lot of rear end accidents happen, not saying they never happen but it's not as common as someone running a stop and getting hit by the other car. If I'm in a line of traffic everyone knows that people are stopping, and I always take a look behind me to make sure the driver is aware of my presence.

Bike lanes painted on a street is only useful when cyclists are on the lane, then motorists tend to pay attention to it more, but just like riding on the street without a painted lane you still have to be aware and careful, I don't deny that, doing anything counter to that and someday it could catch up with you. It's a lot like buying a car that can self drive, even though the instructions say to be paying attention, people will get laxed and will fail to pay attention then an accident will happen, so likewise even if you're in a dedicated bike lane you still have to pay attention.

 

[ufkacbln]

.... ish


Local knowledge and experience

For instance there is a set of lights near where I work. With a Cycle Path on the inside (I still consider this filtering)

If lights are red and Traffic is coming straight across the Junction then filtering is absolutely safe and fine
If Lights are red and Traffic is turning right across my path, then there is about 40 seconds (and reducing) to filter safely
If this time is running close then filtering becomes dodgy as most traffic turns right across the path, so I assume the lights will change, tuck into the traffic stream (out of the cycle path) and continue across the junction, pulling back into the cycle path when across the junction

 

[chriscross1966]

Sounds like I'm similar to most here. If it's a short queue and it looks like I will get through on the next green I just wait in line. If the queue is longer I will filter. Usually up the outside but no hard and fast rule. Really depends how wide the road is and where the filtering space is

What I wouldn't do though is filter all the way to the front by going up the inside if there is a left turn at the lights. I'd worry about being caught a few cars from the front when the lights change and get left hooked. In those circumstances I'll hold back a few cars and look to take a central position when the traffic starts moving

This is me I think, filter into the ASL if there is one, if there isn't and there's a left turn I will sit in front of a car near the front so it can see me and definitely not get alongside a van or lorry.... I set the mirrors on my van to avoid left-hooking but a lot of folks don't... Thankfully most of these issues are in Oxford, which has near stationary traffic a lot of the time, in Swindon we have a lot better cycling infrastructure so I'm rarely playing in traffic in the same way.

 

[mjr]

In America the car scene is obviously very different than in England, in America the motorist has the mentality that they come first, and they will pass cyclist (and each other) no matter what because a cyclist is impeding their ability to get somewhere, and if that means they'll have to put you in danger they'll do it. Our urban streets, or streets with houses and families, the speed limit is 30 mph, which I think is too fast, motorists often do 40 to 45, main urban streets are 35 to 40 with again people going at least 10 over. So it's highly unlikely that a cyclist is going to be challenging our motorist for speed. The only time a cyclist would be able to challenge the speed of a car is in heavy traffic times.

I'm not sure the mentality is any different - motorists with a "Must Get In Front" attitude are often mentioned, even to the point where they'll speed to overtake a cyclist and then crash into a car in front that they hadn't noticed - and the 30mph speed limit is still general here (although "20's Plenty" is spreading), but I think the big difference may be that "heavy traffic times" are more common here, so only a few urban motorists are physically able to pass a cyclist between each set of lights and it's a low probability that one of those will be a punishment-passing nobber.

 

[KnackeredBike]

I'm not sure the mentality is any different - motorists with a "Must Get In Front" attitude are often mentioned, even to the point where they'll speed to overtake a cyclist and then crash into a car in front that they hadn't noticed - and the 30mph speed limit is still general here (although "20's Plenty" is spreading), but I think the big difference may be that "heavy traffic times" are more common here, so only a few urban motorists are physically able to pass a cyclist between each set of lights and it's a low probability that one of those will be a punishment-passing nobber.

Difference as well is that in most of America the roads are much wider to allow more distance when passing. Sometimes terrifyingly wide of course.

Here especially many rural roads are wide enough for a cyclist, fag paper and car to all pass at a molecular level when there is oncoming traffic and a minority of drivers seem to think that is plenty of space.

Cycling on rural roads in America when I was there was bliss. Loads of space, much fewer cars, better weather.

 

[Turknhof]

Hi, personally I'm up the front every time, right on the light waiting for green, lol, not everones cup of tea maybe, probably depends on bike skills/confidence etc but I will never wait my turn behind a bunch of cars if there's a way forward, otherwise I may as well have brought my four wheel ride instead of the two.

 

[summerdays]

Earlier this week I was filtering past a long queue to the lights, not aiming to get to the front, just aiming to reduce the number of light sequences I was going to wait before the lights and Mr gold BMW didn't like it, so moved right next to the pavement in a deliberate way (parked cars ahead so cars normally don't along that section). I took great pleasure in passing the other side, then turning giving him the thumbs up and HUGE grin before deciding to disappear into the distance to make my point!

 

[3narf]

If one or two cars overtake me sensibly a decent distance before the lights, I'll probably wait in the queue.

When a convoy of idiots overtake just before a red light, because they've barely registered my existence in their rush to be at the lights so they can stop, I overtake and go right to the front.

My policy is to always be aggressive and visible at traffic lights.