Filtering as lights change

[Hawk]

Hi all,

What do people do if they're filtering and are level with the 2nd front or front car when the lights change to green?

I usually head for an ASL where one exists or otherwise try to slot in behind the 2nd car - but there's not always room in either case.

Careful manoeuvring and eye contact with driver behind means you can assert yourself a space but that doesn't really work when the car level or juuuussstt about to be behind you is accelerating away when you need to move in to a lane.

I feel that I'm "accelerating" but then somewhat cutting up motorists who are pulling away - not ideal.

Any thoughts?

 

[Norm]

Learn / anticipate the sequences better and don't stress so much about getting to the front of the queue. Stopping 3 or 4 cars back if you can't be certain of getting to the front will only cost you a few seconds and will save you the concerns you appear to be facing.

 

[slowmotion]

If you are filtering on the outside, I would usually get back into the inside of the traffic before the gap I'm crossing starts moving. I don't want to cut across when the traffic wants to accelerate faster than I can go.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I normally pick on a slower accelerating vehicle,like at the new pinch point road works near Cambridge Heath on the Mile End Road.Lorry came storming up so I let him past and waited behind him at the lights,it sort of worked better than being in front of him.Sometimes I will wait behind a bus at the lights also.

 

[summerdays]

The minute the lights start changing I stop filtering and look to move back into the traffic. I can't think of more than a handful of occasions where I wasn't let straight back in - but the aim is to get in position to get in the traffic before it starts moving.

 

[BentMikey]

If you are filtering on the outside, I would usually get back into the inside of the traffic before the gap I'm crossing starts moving. I don't want to cut across when the traffic wants to accelerate faster than I can go.

I think it might be better to stay to the outside, and negotiate into a gap in the queue. Then you'll be in primary as you should be anyway across the junction, and after the junction you can drop back to secondary with a thank you wave to let the kind car driver behind you past. If one driver won't let you in, either take the gap ahead, or the one behind. A queue of cars rarely accelerates faster than a cyclist can, even if occasionally the first car or two is much quicker off the mark.

Back to the OP though, I think Norm's post has the measure of it.

 

[Matthew_T]

I am lucky enough to know most of the light sequences around my area. I have gotten used to how long they take and monitor the traffic on green. I also look at the other lights to determine if they are green or not so that I can prepare to move off.

When filtering, I always look for an oppurtunity to slot back into the line of traffic if the lights were to change to green. You might think that you are cutting up motorists, but often I find that if the driver has seen you in their mirror (not always the case) then they will set off a little slowly if you shoulder check and make it look like you need to join the traffic.
When rejoining the traffic, I can often keep up with the car infront for a little as I accellerate as to not hold the car behind more than I need to. I then move over when safe to do so or when I can see the cars ahead pulling away from me and allow the cars behind to pass.

Just follow these easy steps:

1. Monitor lights/cars carefully and their movements.
2. Look for an oppurtunity to rejoin traffic (or a nice gap to slot in).
3. Signal your intentions to the car you are going infront of and make eye contact with the driver.
4. Attempt to keep up with the car infront and take primary.
5. When safe to do so, move out of primary.
6. Ensure you thank the driver behind for allowing you to rejoin traffic.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I generally stick to where I was in the traffic and queue with the other vehicles unless it is a really long queue. I don't mind waiting 1 or 2 light sequences and have found that vehicles are much more helpful and sympathetic (on the whole) if I wait with them. I won't go down the inside of a car unless I know they know I am there and that this is plenty (and I mean plenty) of space. BUT I don't generally have to queue much and live rurally only venturing into towns at the moment because the cycle lane across a certain bridge and up a hill is not gritted and someone at the top of said hill defrosts their car in the mornings with water... cycling uphill on an ice rink is not going to work (mind you downhill does not either).
If there is a cycle lane, then I will happily use it to get to the front of the traffic, but only once I get to it.
If I am close to the front of the queue and someone comes too close alongside then they get a good long look from me which usually works wonders, but if they don't back down or point blank refuse to acknowledge me, I will just let them go and hold back and usually the next vehicle is more helpful. Rural Cheshire is not exactly like cycling in major cities and I am in no rush to kill myself getting to my destination so I usually just pretend to be a car and take a car's space.

 

[jarlrmai]

I have one of these right at the start of my commute, a huge queue I filter along which is so long that I can't even see the lights or juntion, If I wait I'll miss the lights, sometimes twice.

I filter along the outside then indicate into a gap if the traffic starts moving.

 

[GrasB]

Hi all,

What do people do if they're filtering and are level with the 2nd front or front car when the lights change to green?

I usually head for an ASL where one exists or otherwise try to slot in behind the 2nd car - but there's not always room in either case.

Careful manoeuvring and eye contact with driver behind means you can assert yourself a space but that doesn't really work when the car level or juuuussstt about to be behind you is accelerating away when you need to move in to a lane.

In that exact situation, sprint... but then again I can 'comfortably' keep up with 30mph traffic on the flat & a slight headwind.

Your best bet is simply not to get into those situations to start with, You generally don't need to be that close to the front of the queue. Even 4 or 5 cars back you can filter through most greens even if the traffic is stationary.

 

[CopperCyclist]

In that exact situation, sprint... but then again I can 'comfortably' keep up with 30mph traffic on the flat & a slight headwind.

Your best bet is simply not to get into those situations to start with, You generally don't need to be that close to the front of the queue. Even 4 or 5 cars back you can filter through most greens even if the traffic is stationary.

Ditto the above advice. As BentMikey said, a bike can accelerate away from the lights quicker, and if you can keep up with the 30mph traffic even for a short moment, that gap isn't too hard to find.

 

[subaqua]

I normally pick on a slower accelerating vehicle,like at the new pinch point road works near Cambridge Heath on the Mile End Road.Lorry came storming up so I let him past and waited behind him at the lights,it sort of worked better than being in front of him.Sometimes I will wait behind a bus at the lights also.

I know that Jcn very well. thats where idiot tried to pass me this morning

 

[psmiffy]

I tend to ignore ASL's unless I happen to be there when the lights change to red - If there is a long queue of traffic I will come down the outside until I am in a good position for the next green cycle and make myself a place in the traffic before it goes green - otherwise I just make myself a space in the traffic and wait my turn

 

[thefollen]

Sorry, haven't read all the comments. Just back from my dept's Christmas lunch in which we all sank 6 pints of ale. Not cycling today though!

Aaaanyway.

If lights change as you're filtering- get in a decent gear, judge the traffic and slot in somehwere. Simples.

 

[fossyant]

Sorry, haven't read all the comments. Just back from my dept's Christmas lunch in which we all sank 6 pints of ale. Not cycling today though!

Aaaanyway.

If lights change as you're filtering- get in a decent gear, judge the traffic and slot in somehwere. Simples.

Drunks always talk sense !