Filter to the ASL on left or right?

[leemo]

What are the merits of approaching the ASL round the left of a queue of motor vehicles or the right?

Here is a particular junction where I would normally go round the right of the two lanes to get to the ASL.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.503...wTeWJJkRyKz_sn1RS3td9w&cbp=12,171.19,,0,29.03

The other day I approached this when the lights were red and went round the right. I dont want to turn left and the there are usually cars turning left, so if you go on the left and the lights turn green you are in something of an awkward situation having to cut across the left lane traffic flow. If you are on the right and the lights turn green the you can just slot back into the traffic flow as it accelerates and continue on and go into secondary once you are across the junction.

Anyway at the front of the queue was a long HGV. As I came along side the HGV the lights went green. Although the HGV was very slow to accelerate I judge there was too little gap between it and the traffic island to get in front.

On the other hand my usually technique of slotting back into the traffic flow as it accelerates wasn't going to be easy because the HGV was so long and slow to accelerate. I would have had to come to a stop myself and then wait for the HGV to pass and then accelerate very hard to merge into the traffic before reaching the traffic island again.

So what I did, as the least worst option in the heat of the moment was to go round the right of the traffic island. I already had some momentum and could accelerate so that I got round the island before the oncoming traffic, which was only just setting off, reached me.

Anyway may left is best when there is an island. Which side do you take and why?

 

[SquareDaff]

The right - drivers tend to look in their right hand side mirror more than the left and even the rear view mirror angles that way!

 

[martint235]

Judging by the streetmap that appears, I'd cycle down the cycle lane until I reached the junction. You can then either just go straight on as it's not a left filter in the left hand lane or move into primary in the left hand lane and go straight on if you want to make things clearer to drivers. Either way there's not really a reason for going around the island.

 

[leemo]

SquareDaff, would you also go round the right of the traffic island in the situation I described above? If not then what?

 

[martint235]

If I was in the cycle lane with an HGV in front of me at the lights then I'd wait behind the HGV to see what he's planning on doing. Join the traffic behind it and continue on your way.

 

[leemo]

Judging by the streetmap that appears, I'd cycle down the cycle lane until I reached the junction. You can then either just go straight on as it's not a left filter in the left hand lane or move into primary in the left hand lane and go straight on if you want to make things clearer to drivers. Either way there's not really a reason for going around the island.

OK. Lets suppose you are going down the cycle lane on the left and as you approach the lights they turn green. Lets suppose also that there are vehicles in the left hand lane which start to accelerate. Do you take any evasive action in case any of the vehicles are turning left? (If so what?) If not then you are expecting those vehicles to notice you, when you may be in their blind spot) and not turn left. Isnt that putting yourself in a dangerous situation?

 

[leemo]

If I was in the cycle lane with an HGV in front of me at the lights then I'd wait behind the HGV to see what he's planning on doing. Join the traffic behind it and continue on your way.

Advice taken if the HGV is at the front of the queue. If the HGV is not at the front, how far back from the front would it be before you would consider filtering past it on the right, or do you never filter past HGVs?

 

[martint235]

So I'm moving down the cycle lane past a lane of stationary traffic when I notice the lights go red+amber. I look out for a gap that will open and will be suitable for me to slot into. It may be the next space or the one in front of that. Get alongside that space, indicate clearly and as it opens pull into it. I would be moving so I wouldn't be in the blind spot of a stationary vehicle for long. It's only the same as being on the right handside and then pulling across into secondary.

I know the road well (used to work at Waterloo) and I still don't see a reason for going round the island or for messing about with an HGV.

 

[martint235]

Advice taken if the HGV is at the front of the queue. If the HGV is not at the front, how far back from the front would it be before you would consider filtering past it on the right, or do you never filter past HGVs?

Depends how well I know the lights. If I'm going past an HGV on either side I like to know a. what it's going to do b. when it's going to do it. If there's any doubt wait behind it. If you filter on the right and he turns left you'll completely disappear from the driver's view quite quickly which is rarely a good thing.

 

[ferret fur]

In your situation I'd accept that I'd misjudjed it and stop behind the isalnd and wait until the next phase. In any event I would always have an idea of what the lights are about to do before filtering on either side.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

why the hurry? Forget the ASL, forget filtering to it, sit in the queue and own your piece of road.

Puts you more in control and less vulnerable to the ill considered whims of other road users.

 

[Linford]

As a skin saving exercise if I'd have done what you did and recognised the prospect of getting squished, and TBH, I'd take any and all exit routes to keep a distance from the HGV if I found myseld in a corner like that even if it meant hopping the pavement on the far side.

However, the wisdom of hindsight is a woinderful thing, and if I was in doubt, I'd hang back.

Strictly speaking,The only point of legal access to an ASL is through the feeder cycle lane on the LHS of it (unless this lane splits a pair of lanes as it does in my town)

 

[Maz]

Don't feel obliged to filter up to the ASL.
In the case with the HGV lorry cited above, I wouldnt have bothered to get in front of the HGV. Slot in behind a car and just wait with the rest of the traffic, no rush.

 

[Linford]

Don't feel obliged to filter up to the ASL.
In the case with the HGV lorry cited above, I wouldnt have bothered to get in front of the HGV. Slot in behind a car and just wait with the rest of the traffic, no rush.

I don't like HGV's passing me at the best of times irrespective of being on a cycle, m/bike, car, Horse, etc. If you know they are going to come past you 50 yards beyond the junction, is it worth the risk of squeezing past risking them pulling off (ooer) with you along side, only so they can do the whole thing over again just up the road ?

 

[SquareDaff]

SquareDaff, would you also go round the right of the traffic island in the situation I described above? If not then what?

If there was that little room between the lorry and the island when he'd just set off then I assume things were quite tight before this. Given that I'd have stopped just behind the lorry (even if the lights were red) in the view of it's mirror and directly in front of the driver behind. There's no point in arguing with a lorry - there's only ever one winner!