Zipping past stationary traffic

[slowmotion]

I would welcome some advice. I commute in central London and there are often times when there are, maybe, two hundred yards of stationary vehicles waiting for the lights to change ahead. The road has a broken white line, and there are no-oncoming cars etc.

I ride up the outside, sometimes over the broken white line, but never stay over it if there is something coming towards me.

Can anybody tell me if that is OK as regards the Highway Code?

BTW, I gave up jumping red lights a long time ago because I felt it really peeded off motorists and it gave off the wrong message between two and four wheel road users. I will admit to driving a White Van sometimes, but do not let that inhibit your replies.

Thank-you.

 

[slowmotion]

Yes, I know the risks when I get to the front of the queue. Spare me the lectures.

 

[hackbike 666]

Lot of Monday morning quarterbacks around today.

 

[gavintc]

I do it, and as long as you watch out for oncoming traffic you are generally OK. I think it is OK legally. There are 2 issues I find. The first is that you can find yourself caught when a truck comes toward you and there is no space to squeeze back into the line - time your move carefully. The second issue is when the lights change and the traffic starts to move, timing the slide leftwards can be tricky. The worst time is when you are about one car from the front and then the lights change. But, I don't think it is wrong.

 

[Debian]

Personal choice I think, after weighing up the safety implications. For me it also depends on the lights cycle. If it's only going to cost me a couple of minutes then I'll wait at the back of the queue. If it's a big and slow moving queue then I'll filter.

 

[rb58]

On part of my commute there is a cycle lane on the approach to a set of lights which always has a queue. The cycle lane is one of those narrow, painted on the road ones, next the the curb. I presume it's acceptable to pass the stationary traffic down this lane? Problem is, they've recently opened a new petrol station/Tesco Express at this junction and the entrance is positioned such that cars have to squeeze through the queuing traffic and across the cycle lane to get in. As it's also a downhill stretch bike speed can be quite quick. Of course, cars rarely notice the cycle lane. Last November one pulled across right in front of me and I hit him squarely on the passenger door. Now I go down the outside of the queuing cars, avoiding that stretch of cycle lane. Am I right to do this?

 

[BentMikey]

rb58, undertaking leads to the undertakers - it's usually more risky than overtaking as the OP suggests. That said, overtaking a stationary queue of traffic should also be done with much caution.

 

[WimbledonCyclist]

Yes, it's legal. Check out the advice on filtering for motorcyclists and scooter riders for more safety tips - they do it all the time. Police advice for motorbikes, taken from http://www.bikesafe-london.co.uk/toptips.htm:

13. Filtering - take opportunities, don't take chances. Take extreme care; always identify a place where you can rejoin the traffic.

The OP writes about riding over the broken line - that is fine. The tricky bit is resisting the temptation to pass a central reservation on the right - doing that is clearly against the highway code.

Also, I once attended a BikeSafe day and recall that the police warned about the muddled insurance situation that may arise if things go wrong during filtering. That was aimed at motorbikes, but I wouldn't be surprised if insurance companies start claiming the filtering cyclist knowingly took a risk and try to wriggle out of liability for damages (or even try to hold you liable for damage to the other party).

"Taking extreme care" also means that you cycle past at a slow pace. Pedestrians will cross, cars will suddenly pull out to do three point turns or to jump the queue if they're close to a side road on the right they want to get into, people will suddenly open car doors, you name it, it happens.

Some countries have come up with codes of practice for motorbike filtering past stationary or slow moving traffic - consensus in the Netherlands for example is that motorbikes should keep the speed difference below 10 km/h. Sorry to keep coming back to motorbikes, but in the absence of specific stuff for bicycles, keeping eyes open for advice given to our other friends on two wheels can be useful.

 

[Origamist]

I would welcome some advice. I commute in central London and there are often times when there are, maybe, two hundred yards of stationary vehicles waiting for the lights to change ahead. The road has a broken white line, and there are no-oncoming cars etc.

I ride up the outside, sometimes over the broken white line, but never stay over it if there is something coming towards me.

Can anybody tell me if that is OK as regards the Highway Code?

Thank-you.

There is no specific law that forbids filtering (apart from a couple of exceptions) - the problems tend to start with liability issues if you are involved in a collision.

As for filtering past a long queue of stationary traffic, think of it as lots of individual overtakes - this helps to focus your attention on the the road/traffic conditions. Watch out for doors, motorcyclists/cyclsits pedestrians and turning vehicles.

There's quite a bit on filtering here:

https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[thomas]

I ride up the outside, sometimes over the broken white line, but never stay over it if there is something coming towards me.

Can anybody tell me if that is OK as regards the Highway Code?

Sounds like what I would do. Depending on the road, and how far back I am I might wait in the que. If for instance, I know that the cars won't hold me up and I will make the green man I don't mind waiting

I'd always overtake, unless someone was indicating right, then I'd undertake them as I believe that's just good practice. Keep an eye on the lights, you don't want to be stuck outside traffic when they change. Also, sometimes it's easier to drop in a couple people back, if there's a gap, rather than getting to the front and not having space/waiting over the stop line.

But, don't feel you need to get to the front. Just do it when you feel safe and think it'll benefit you.

 

[swee'pea99]

Main two things: one, don't go fast - one day someone in that queue is going to mutter *&$% this and pull a sudden three point turn, without signalling. You have to be able to stop in time if they do. Two, be doubly, triply, quadruply careful when going past anything you can't see past. I slow down from 10 mph to walking pace or less to go past a bus or a truck - just in case a pedestrian suddenly appears without looking.

Oh, and one other: as long as it's clearly safe ahead - ie, no traffic coming the other way - keep well out. A metre or two...half way across the other side of the road. Gives you more room to manoevre if a driver or pedestrian does suddenly pull something.

 

[slowmotion]

Thank you for the replies. I very much appreciate the advice. I had never really considered the question of speed. Now I have the perfect excuse for going even more slowly.

 

[potsy]

You could always hop onto the pavement like most of the pobs/chavs seem to do round here
I used to hang back,but with a bit more experience/confidence I now like nothing better than going right down the outside of a long queue of traffic,as others have said be careful when doing it,also watch for peds crossing between the queing cars seems to be quite popular that one.

 

[Matty]

But, don't feel you need to get to the front. Just do it when you feel safe and think it'll benefit you.

Agree. The point is to keep momentum, not rush to the front and sit still waiting for the lights. It is normally easy to pull back in as there as so many dozy drivers leaving enormous gaps when pulling away or combing hair, or fiddling with phone etc.

 

[potsy]

Agree. The point is to keep momentum, not rush to the front and sit still waiting for the lights. It is normally easy to pull back in as there as so many dozy drivers leaving enormous gaps when pulling away or combing hair, or fiddling with phone etc.

If the traffic starts flowing again while I'm stuck on the outside I just indicate left and usually a kindly driver will give me a gap,always remember a little wave of thanks too we have to try to be nice to them don't we