Experienced city cyclists, do you hang back at junctions

[scouserinlondon]

I've had to actually get to work on time this week so have been cycling in the middle of rush hour in London (8-8.45 rather than my normal 8.45 - 9.20). The last couple of days I've been horrified by the bad cycling I've seen. People mounting pavements at speed, no observation or signalling before lane changes, and most annoyingly lemming-like lunges to make it to the ASL at lights.

One man who cut me up with a snarl even got a slow handclap as I passed him on a straight for the third time.

I've always been a fan of hanging back in primary in the trafffic at busy intersections. Is this something London city cycling old hands recommend?

It's my second autumn of cycling and I actually can't wait to see some of the summer mob eff off for winter.

 

[upsidedown]

Don't know what the accepted London practice is but i always hang back in primary with a car length clear in front, giving me room to start moving when the car 2 ahead goes.
The only experience i have of cycling in London was on the Saturday morning after the Martlett's run and that was bad enough, but i'm sure it's ok once you get used to it.

 

[Blackandblue]

I filter if it's safe but don't jump kerbs to do so or barge through other road users is there isn't space. If it's not safe/clear I hang back. I tend to commute during "rush hour" in the mornings so filtering is quite handy as I typically travel faster than motorists. There are however a lot of cyclists who, despite a lack of speed, seem dead keen to be at the front of the queue at junctions no matter what is in front of them.

This morning I was holding back more than usual - I just felt too tired to go quickly (and so saw no point in trying to get ahead of traffic that would soon pass me) and I was quite depressed to see people trying to squeeze through gaps in stationary traffic that simply were not big enough - only to then have a scary moment as the traffic started to move. I find it quite astounding that people can't read the road better: don't know what space they need to squeeze themselves through and aren't looking far enough ahead to judge at what point traffic will start moving.

 

[scouserinlondon]

Don't know what the accepted London practice is but i always hang back in primary with a car length clear in front, giving me room to start moving when the car 2 ahead goes.
The only experience i have of cycling in London was on the Saturday morning after the Martlett's run and that was bad enough, but i'm sure it's ok once you get used to it.

By and large it is okay cycling in London, ut there's a real 'every man for himself' mentality and some real morons around. Today I was amazed by people pushing forwards to an ASL which was packed with cyclists, like blackandblue says, no roadsense.

 

[Asprilla]

Depends on the junction and the traffic, which usually depends on the time of day.

If I can clearly filter, the ASL isn't full and I know the lights aren't going to shange whilst I'm in less than great filtering position then I'll make my way to the front. However, I'm happy to hand back and take my place in the queue if that's what is required.

 

[MacB]

I'd tend to go with the hang back bit but there're are so many subjective factors to account for. I was up in London last night, took my eldest and some of his friends to a gig at The Underworld, under the Worlds End in Camden. So I had nearly 4 hours to kill mooching before taking them home.

First, I am always taken aback by the sheer number of cyclists in London, I just don't go there enough for it to become old hat. I got my first glimpse of Boris Bikes in action, that brought a smile to my face. I had a good nose around bikes that were locked up, while trying not to look suspicious. A few smart looking ones, a few more well disguised nice ones and a heck of a lot of bikes that I wouldn't want to ride. I saw the same variety in riders and styles of riding. Got a bit miffed with one guy that barged me as he hopped onto the pavement to avoid some lights. One of those enlightening exchanges, I said Oi and he shouted **** off as he cycled away.

But the overwhelming impression was one of a very busy place and mixed mode travel. In fact, at times, the cars seemed like interlopers on a scene dominated by buses, taxis, pedestrians and cyclists. I know how I'd expect to ride if I lived in London but I suspect that I'd probably develop a new style when faced with the reality of it.

 

[skudupnorth]

An ASL full of cyclists ??? Round here they are normally full of car/bus/van !

 

[Blackandblue]

One of those enlightening exchanges, I said Oi and he shouted **** off as he cycled away.

I had similar last night - only more polite. I was waiting in line behind a cyclist and on the inside of a car at a red light. Some old geezer taps me on the shoulder, pushes past me and says "You gotta go otherwise you'll wait forever". I said "No, I'll just have to wait for the green light". I then catch him 100 yds later at the next light (I am not exaggerating the distance for effect - another quirk of London commuting). Really, why is he so important that he doesn't have to wait in line (or at a red light)? That's a rhetorical question, btw.

 

[Alan Whicker]

My default setting is to hang back, but it depends. Makes zero difference to the time it takes to complete the journey, and most of the time I catch up with all the RLJs anyway

 

[MacB]

My default setting is to hang back, but it depends. Makes zero difference to the time it takes to complete the journey, and most of the time I catch up with all the RLJs anyway

I suppose it's the same mix, and makeup, as drivers, you get people that hare along accelerating and braking all the time and the patient pootlers that try to let the gearing take the strain.

Unless you took significant risks on a bike I can't see a London journey being much different timewise either way.

 

[swee'pea99]

I generally filter my way thru' to join the ruck at the front, though generally I'll 'take my place in the queue' if others have arrived before me (I do find it irritating when slower riders pull up in front of me). I'd never hang back in primary, unless there really is no way through (or the lights are just about to change).

 

[Davidc]

Experienced - yes
City - yes but not so much now
London - rarely
Hang back - yes. Don't really like ASLs much. I feel very exposed.
Be assertive and make it clear what I'm doing - yes
Not as fast as I used to be (all right - I'm now slow) but I still seem to catch up with the RLJers and the impatienti, even in a smallish town like Taunton.


When I visit London, central or the SW boroughs, I'm amazed at how many more cyclists there are now compared to the 1980s and 90s, and how badly many behave. At the time when I thought road cycling in London would die out (mid 80s), when I counted 7 other cyclists between Cheam and Regent Street return during rush hours, jumping onto pavements, RLJing, and so on would likely have resulted in getting thumped!

 

[CopperBrompton]

I'll do whatever seems sensible at the time, but certainly don't understand the Must get to the ASL at all costs mentality that some cyclists seem to have. If there's not room and time enough to comfortably reach the ASL, I'll happily sit in primary two or three cars back in the queue of traffic.

 

[gaz]

For me it depends on a few things.

How easy can I get to the asl/front?
How safely can I do it?
When are the lights going to change?
What escape routes do I have?
How will I re-join the traffic?

If I can do it then I will, unless I know the lights will not change then I don't filter into asl's but go behind the 1st or 2nd vehicle in the queue.

I see plenty of cyclists taking unnecessary risks everyday. Hence my silly cyclists series.

 

[Origamist]

The real question is do you want to filter forward (you don’t have to) and if so, how far? Although different junctions require different strategies on my commute, the overriding factor that affects my road behaviour is the traffic dynamic at that particular point in time. A default strategy is fine, but you need to be flexible as conditions change.

For example, at a RaB, I will not filter to the head of the queue as traffic at the front is usually focussed on trying to find a gap in order to join the RaB – they’re unlikely to be checking their mirrors for a cyclists overtaking or undertaking. At single lane, light controlled junctions the benefits of sitting in front of traffic at ASLs are often overrated. For one, there appears to be very little (if any) safety benefit in plonking yourself down at the head of a queue –that said, I often filter to the front of reservoir as it means I don’t have to overtake cyclists as I pull away and I can use them as a traffic calming measure.

What you need to be particularly aware of is the light phasing, oncoming traffic and other vehicles filtering as you make your way forward. If the ASL is full I filter forward and look for gaps in front of cars - ideally, I like to sit behind the 3rd or 4[sup]th [/sup]car (in the centre of the lane) – meaning I can still make the next green phase and maintain primary through the junction (I’ll often look back and thank drivers for letting me in). However, if the ASL is full and cars are tightly packed together, I’ll wait in line. If I approach a queue of cars that are moving slowly, I will be far more circumspect about filtering. If I do filter, it’s worth trying to see what’s happening further ahead as this will give you an indication of what’s likely to happen as you make progress and when best to re-join the traffic flow.