UKC

I've just started cycling in earnest, and I'm having quandaries about the correct etiquette when there's a long queue of traffic and not a lot of space between them and the kerb (i.e 12" or less when you take wingmirrors into account).

So what would you do?
a) Hop up onto the pavement to get past
b) Stay in the traffic where you are
c) Lean at a ridiculous angle to walk/hop past the cars to try and get at/near the front
d) Something else.

In reply to RankAmateur:

Don't pass the cars on the inside. If there are two lines of traffic then filter between them. If there is only one line of traffic then filter round the outside if there's nothing coming the other way or there is plenty of space between your line and the oncoming traffic. Be ready to move back into the line of traffic.

Otherwise just wait.

In reply to RankAmateur:


I seem to make my way with a mixture of all the above, with the exception of a). However, I do none of the above when I come up to a bus or large lorry. Just not worth it. I also really try to avoid riding down the inside of two opposing lanes (trying to describe a normal two lane road), just seems silly too me unless mahoosive congestion going on and the place at gridlock.

In reply to RankAmateur:

Just go down the outside of the cars

In reply to RankAmateur:

Another vote for going round the outside. Filtering on the inside will get you squished sooner or later. Just be careful when on the outside - keep an eye out for right-turns and obstacles on teh left that a car may move out to avoid. And keep an eye on what is coming towards you, and where you will go to avoid it.

In reply to RankAmateur:

I tend to do, in order of preference:

1 - overtake stationary/slow moving traffic traffic on outside, if safe to do so, depending on what's coming the other way and amount of space (check for motorbikes/other bikes/impatient sales rep doing the same thing before you pull out). Make sure you plan where you can cut back in if you have to before you start.

2 - filter down between 2 lanes going same way, but ONLY if both are stationary, never when either are moving.

3 - very rarely and ONLY when traffic is stopped and there's enough room to cycle normally, pass on the inside.

For 2 & 3, I stop passing anything when the traffic starts to move again.

NEVER undertake anything larger than the average family car - anything bigger might not see you and won't be expecting you.

Watch the vehicles you're passing for indicators that they're going to turn and watch a few vehicles ahead for indicators, as other vehicles might come into your path to avoid them, etc.

In reply to RankAmateur:

If the cars are not moving at all or are crawling along at 5 mph and you can get past them on the left without having to lean to miss mirrors then you can filter past but i would go at walking pace because the drivers will not be looking out for you. I would also never filter on the left if there are any turnings/ junctions with a left hand turn as you will get squashed.

In reply to LastBoyScout:
When overtaking slow/stationary traffic look out for oncoming vehicles turning across your lane. A lot of the time they assume that as the traffic has stoppped no one is moving so fail to notice bikes when turning.

In reply to RankAmateur:

Rule 1 don't filter up the left side you can't/won't be seen.

In reply to RankAmateur: I just don't understand how people can say no left hand side filtering. Yes I'm aware that there are more visible areas to be around a motor vehicle, but if that rule was followed with commuters with some city riding, you'd never get anywhere. 5 of my 18 (each way) commuting km's are through a small city, but if I followed the no left rule, it would add 20+ minutes to my 40 minute (each way) ride.

That being said, I am very observant and careful. two years doing this commute and no accidents - *touch wood*.

In reply to RankAmateur:

Down the outside or wait in line for me - mainly for two reasons:

1) Drivers are conditioned to expect to be overtaken on the outside - mopeds and motorbikes do it so I do too

2) If you're filtering down the left, you can become invisible to right-turning traffic coming from the opposite direction. A driver ahead could flash their lights to let someone in but you won't see this as you'll be behind them. This can happen in more-or-less stationary traffic.

In reply to RankAmateur: Drivers won't easily see you filtering on either side so it is a high risk business. Generally a lot of sense in just waiting if the traffic is moving at all. If it has really stopped then the inside can work but beware of it starting and you being trapped and unseen beside a car (or worse a car turning left). The outside as suggested above is also risky because of cars coming the other way, cars in the queue pulling out etc.

In reply to RankAmateur: Generally I'll only pass on the left if:
* the traffic is stationary at lights
* I'm pretty sure I can get to the front of the queue before the lights change (because I know the cycle at that junction)
* there aren't any turnings on the left before the lights
* there isn't anything big anywhere near the kerb

Otherwise I'll either get off the bike and push it along the pavement (if I think I can get to the front that way) or just wait.

In reply to RankAmateur: b) or overtake on the ouside if safe to do so.

In reply to RankAmateur: Should really be B) Stay in the traffic where you are. If a car started over taking we would all get upset.

However as a cyclist I hate queues as much as anybody but I assess each situation and do what I think is best. Sometimes that means staying in the queue.

In reply to JWB:

ermmm, cars do overtake quite a lot.

For op: generally on the outside although depends on how wide the road is.
If its close to a junction (eg once within 3-4 cars) get back in lane.

There are no rules.

Every decision is situational.

If you can, pass them on the right in the oncoming lane, being careful obviously.

Or jump up onto the pavement and do it that way, depending.

Or pass on the left, but as said, you'll get hit if you do this often enough so be careful.

The answer to your question is completely situation-dependant and with time you'll be able to make the decision in a split-second. Always be thinking "what could hit me now" and make sure you can stop in time for the nearest blind spot or threat.

In reply to Voltemands:

I have to agree, I have now had 20 years of daily commuting through a busy town and I use all the above methods, including the filtering up the left hand side and the occasional foray onto empty pavements.
That said, I do ride conservatively, expecting the worst of everyone, knowing they can't/won't see me, and don't undertake lorries and buses unless they are definitely remaining stationary for a long period.
My most hairy moments in this time have been from people opening doors in my face, or left hand turns across my path in non stationary traffic!

In reply to RankAmateur:

For what it's worth i would follow the advice given on filtering on the left even if there is a cycle lane there as drivers tend to not aknowledge cycle lanes especially on narrow roads.

There's a cycle lane on part of my daily commute and it's allways full of cars, most annoying is people turning into traffic from a side road will block the cycle lane just to get thier nose into the stream of traffic.

In reply to RankAmateur: The thing that seems to happen on my busiest stretch of road - three lane bus/car/car situation - and REALLY gets my groat is when someone looks you in the eyes, looks you right in the eyes!, and pulls out across the bus/cycle (to get their nose out) lane and make you come to a complete stop.

The worse time it has happened, I actually only just managed to stop and contacted the guys front wheel arch. The next five minutes were not my proudest moment...fear the beast that is cycle road rage.

In reply to RankAmateur: i either wait in line if it`t a short que or get off , on to the pavement and push my bike past the que , then get back on with a smug look on my face

In reply to RankAmateur:

Its interesting reading the views on this. My choice would be offside, or middle or wait. There is a problem with going down the inside which has been commented already.

However as cyclists we need to be predictable and follow a general trend. It's all very well complaining about car drivers but what are they supposed to do when some people undertake, some overtake, some weave...

filtering on the left is the reason so many cyclists get killed, this is especially the case at junctions and at lights

In reply to Voltemands:

I'd fear more than that ! The same thing happend to my mothers best friend , he did not stop in time , broke his neck and is now dead ! he was doing 10/15 mph !

In reply to RankAmateur: I do a combo of all except the pavement. If the traffic is absolutely stopped, a) isn't too bad, but you have to watch out for car doors opening and people turning into and from side turnings. One the traffic starts moving again, you need to get yourself out of the gutter. Cycling down the outside of standing traffic is also doable, but only if there isn't much coming the other way.

Finding an alternative route is probably the best way out of serious traffic.

In reply to RankAmateur:
Another thing to be wary of is oncoming traffic turning right across your path having been waived through by the stationary vehicles. I had this happen recently and made a nice dint in some stupid beatches van.

Assume everyone is blind, deaf, stupid and wants to kill you!
Also assume the police will be no use whatsoever.

In reply to vark:

Or maybe you were going to fast and not looking.

In reply to EeeByGum:


+1

In reply to Bimbler:
I was doing about 15-20mph in a bus/cycle lane with stationary traffic in the lane to my right. The view of the van was obscured by a lorry but this didn't stop her turning across the bus/cycle lane. Fortunately because I was looking I saw her as soon as she started to turn so I was able to brake and get the bike sideways hence minor soft issue injury and dent to the van rather broken neck and bike +/-death.

So no I don't think I was going to fast or not looking, it was the van driver who failed to look.