Zipping past stationary traffic

[Maz]

I do this filtering thing from time to time. I tend to ride in the middle of the oncoming lane when I can see far enough ahead of me. Also, as Gavintc said, you need an 'escape gap' in case you need to move back in sharpish.

Also, if there are (eg) temporary lights/roadworks ahead, look out for impatient motorists who decide to leave the queue by doing a 360 in front of you without looking.

 

[Norm]

My Rule #1 on the motorbike is always to keep within 15mph of the slowest lane around you. When cycling, I bring that down a bit because of the reduced vehicular abilities.

My other Rule #1 is to always have an escape route.

The other thing to remember is the POV of the drivers you go past. We get pissed off with drivers who overtake then try to block us. From their perspective, though, that is exactly what we are doing if we pass when they are stationary and they have to wait to re-pass further up the road. Whilst that actions is not illegal, it doesn't do much to help the cause of cyclists if drivers have to wait to overtake cyclists who have passed them at the lights.

IMO.

 

[skudupnorth]

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

+ 1 I've started waving a lot of thanks and it seems to cheer the poor mites up

 

[Ian H]

Yup, overtaking is safer than undertaking. Lots of good advice in this thread.

 

[slowmotion]

+ 1 I've started waving a lot of thanks and it seems to cheer the poor mites up

Yes, I do that too, and it is good manners. Slightly off-topic, but I ride a lot on paths shared with pedestrians by the Thames. Quite often there are families with kids weaving about in front of me, and they have just as much right as I do to be there. I do not think is reasonable for me to blast past them, and I do not think that even pinging my (non-existant) bell sends off the right message. I slow down about ten yards behind and make a gear shift, a loud clicky one. What I have found faintly depressing is that when they that realise there is a cyclist behind , they "jump into the bushes" and usually offer sincere apologies, with a look of absolute terror on their faces. I offer my thanks, but ride on with a sense of gloom that they think we are all angry maniacs. Are we?