Question: best thing to do on this bit of road?

[400bhp]

Scenario - very heavy commuter traffic, generally backed up to the point on the map here, with a line of traffic waiting to turn right at the traffic lights that you can just see in the distance-perhaps 20 cars in a line. There's a ASL at the front but often this has cars in it. You are approaching the lights to turn right.

The right turn is a right filter and perhaps 5 cars can get through.

After the right turn, the road here is only wide enough for one vehicle as cars are waiting on the opposite side waiting to enter the main A road, however the entry to the road is quite wide Traffic on the opposite is generally backed up perhaps 500 yards or so.

There is a shared use pavement on the lane you turn into.

If you are approaching by bicycle and the lights are on red, where would you position yourself?

 

[Canrider]

Pick another route?
Get off and walk?
Take the helicopter?

That's a gnarly right turn especially (for me) given the entrance angles away from the turning traffic. I *think* I would try and filter up between the right-turn and adjacent straight-on lanes with a view to making the turn verrry wide to give the cars room to make their own turn. I presume many of them floor it to get through on the short light and also cut the corner so wide gives me more room to escape 'outwards' from the turn..

 

[400bhp]

Good observation.

I've tried this, but what I have found is that as the mouth of the right turn is wide then narrows, I've had some drivers floor it to get to the narrow part first.

 

[Pauluk]

I agree with Canrider, if there was enough room to safely filter and then take a very wide turn. I'd go up on the curb right on the corner if I felt the need.
The other way would be to stay in primary behind the car in front and take you turn like everyone else. I know this may take longer and wouldn't suit some cyclists but it may be a safer and more polite option if filtering was unsafe. If the delays are that bad I'd find an alternative route.

 

[400bhp]

Peoples' thoughts about positioning here?

 

[400bhp]

1. I agree with Canrider, if there was enough room to safely filter and then take a very wide turn. I'd go up on the curb right on the corner if I felt the need.
2. The other way would be to stay in primary behind the car in front and take you turn like everyone else. I know this may take longer and wouldn't suit some cyclists but it may be a safer and more polite option if filtering was unsafe. If the delays are that bad I'd find an alternative route.

Do you mean go on the pavement after making the turn? The issue I've found with this is getting back on the road. There's a left turn 150 yards further on - usually there's a car or 2 waiting to join the queue of cars looking to get on the main road.

2. You mean stay at the back of the initial queue, or move 2nd in the queue?

 

[gaz]

Not sure you're linking to the maps in the best way. If you click on the anchor link image, then you can get a direct view to the streetview.

So you are approaching the lights from this side?
And you are going up here?

If so, power up and take control of the lane. But that is just going by what I can see on streetview.

 

[400bhp]

Not sure you're linking to the maps in the best way. If you click on the anchor link image, then you can get a direct view to the streetview.

So you are approaching the lights from this side?
And you are going up here?

If so, power up and take control of the lane. But that is just going by what I can see on streetview.

Yeah that's it

So, go to the front of the queue and take the lane?

 

[gaz]

Yeah that's it

So, go to the front of the queue and take the lane?

I would hang a few cars back, maybe 2 or 3. That way you can keep up with the vehicle in front and generally the car behind won't pressure you to get out of the way. If you go right to the front, then the car behind will see clear road ahead and will want to get in front of you ASAP.

 

[400bhp]

I would hang a few cars back, maybe 2 or 3. That way you can keep up with the vehicle in front and generally the car behind won't pressure you to get out of the way. If you go right to the front, then the car behind will see clear road ahead and will want to get in front of you ASAP.

I think you're right Gaz.

I went to the front today - first time the roads have been busy (i.e. cars on the opposite side of the road after the turn) since the kids have been back. I'd forgotton my usual approach. Got the initial car behind revving - looked back and he was gesticulating for me to move over. Obviously that wasn't going to happen. As soon as the road was clear he went past-problem was, he was closely followed by 2 other cars, one of them stupid enough to left hook me on top of the roundabout (if you move forward in street view you'll see it). Luckily I was turning left.

If I was in the middle of a group of cars, I suspect I'd have less of an issue. Cyclist at front of queue is (wrongly) perceived to be causing an obstruction.

But, no point being right and dead is there.

 

[Pauluk]

1. Initially I meant if there was safe room to filter I would take a wide turn and get into the cycle lane that starts on the corner then onto the shared pavement/path.

2. I mean stay in the queue in primary, but holding your place. Sometimes filtering and making a turn (or even going straight on) can aggravate drivers as they now have to constantly monitor your position through the hazard. I know in an ideal world this should be ok and they should give you room but sometimes I think it's perceived as pushing in and possibly dangerous. We want to be treated as equals on the road, sometimes we have to behave as an equal and take our turn around tricky junctions.

This is only my personal opinion but admit its a bit difficult not having first hand experience.

My filtering is getting better with more experience but I like to know what my eventual exit options are and what effect this has on other vehicles before I filter.

Its a tricky one.

You second one with the door zone cycle lane is even more tricky. I think I would go as fast as possible in primary over that short stretch of road (hope its not up hill).

 

[400bhp]

You second one with the door zone cycle lane is even more tricky. I think I would go as fast as possible in primary over that short stretch of road (hope its not up hill).

I do as you suggest. The cycle lane is dangerous there (I should contact the council about it). I think I'm going to start taking a different way. Anecdotally it feels recently (since the kids went back) like I'm getting more irate drivers when I take primary. I had a driver force his way past me on Monday. This morning I was beeped. I pointed to the line of cars. Afterwards he slowed slightly as he passed me. I couldn't be arsed conversing so just stared ahead.

 

[Pauluk]

Well today I was signalling to turn right and moved to middle of the road. Just before I made the turn, white van man decided to overtake me. I was in the middle of the road, he was on the right hand side of the road with cars coming at him from the opposite direction. Everyone screeched to a alt, I was able to make my turn across the front of his van.

I think your right, the roads have suddenly got more challenging since the kids have gone back and I think it as a knock-on effect on a lot of drivers and not just the school run ones.

 

[400bhp]

Thanks for advice and thoughts chaps - appreciated.