How soon should you move into primary?

[Norm]

Perhaps riding in heavy London traffic means I have to be a little more assertive? Giving that hand signal often persuades the driver behind to slow up a little and allow me out into primary, as I'm often having to move out with a constant stream of traffic overtaking me.

I completely take your point, BM, but, as we are talking about the "right word", I don't think that assertive is necessarily the one I'd choose because moving around within your lane without signalling can require the cyclist to be very assertive.

I'll accept plenty of other alternatives, though. I'm thinking "obvious" or "visual" or "blatant" or similar, for instance.

 

[BentMikey]

Perhaps I meant pushy rather than assertive? There definitely is a small element of pushy in London driving/riding, as the space/time available is usually less than in other more relaxed locales, and people tend to be a little more impatient too.

I still remember getting back home after driving here for a few years, and getting angrily beeped by a several of drivers for "pulling out in front of them". I thought I'd been giving them loads of time and space by London standards, and didn't even make them change speed or need to avoid me. The perceived required space is considerably different in different places. Just look at many of the Leftpondian YouTube channels, were their close passes would often be a meh for us.

 

[Norm]

That would work.

 

[Matthew_T]

Boy racers just overtake on the wrong side of the island

I must be honest and admit that I have done this when filtering past very heavy traffic (of course I made sure there was no oncoming traffic).