Opinions of filtering

[russh]

Hi,

I wonder others opinion on filtering through traffic. My daily journey involves quite a few sets of traffic lights, (mostly right turns) If I find the lights are on red, or more so if I’ve seen them change to red on approaching, so I know I have a few minutes, if conditions and other traffic etc. allow I filter down the offside of the cars queuing, when getting to the front I pull just in front of the first car in the queue.

I do this so as to stop the car screeching off ahead maybe forcing me into oncoming traffic if the driver gets the hump for being overtaken. However it is illegal to overtake the vehicle at the front of the queue at a red traffic light.

This feels far safer than hanging back a car or two sitting very near or just over the white line, then trying to rejoin moving traffic on a green light.

What do you do

[matthelliwell]

Hi,

I wonder others opinion on filtering through traffic. My daily journey involves quite a few sets of traffic lights, (mostly right turns) If I find the lights are on red, or more so if I’ve seen them change to red on approaching, so I know I have a few minutes, if conditions and other traffic etc. allow I filter down the offside of the cars queuing, when getting to the front I pull just in front of the first car in the queue.

I do this so as to stop the car screeching off ahead maybe forcing me into oncoming traffic if the driver gets the hump for being overtaken. However it is illegal to overtake the vehicle at the front of the queue at a red traffic light.

This feels far safer than hanging back a car or two sitting very near or just over the white line, then trying to rejoin moving traffic on a green light.

What do you do

(Second post this morning, spot he man off work with a cold). Depends on the traffic. If it is somewhere where cars are used to bikes filtering I'll pull in front, over the white line where I can be seen. I just make sure I pull away fast enough not to hold up the cars.

If it's a lorry, I often won't filter past in case the lights change when I'm along side it or if I won't be able to position myself where he driver will be able to see me.

If it's somewhere where car driver (or policeman) might take exception to somebody being over the white line, I might pull up along side them and just pull in front when the lights change.

[Whealie]

There's no absolute right or wrong. The risks of doing what you say include the police etc, but also pissing off the driver who has queued up. They may just nudge into you, they may get angry enough to try to overtake you later on the road, they may come up next to you on another stretch and just come a bit too close.
If you pulled up next to the second or third car in the queue and smiled at them, they might indicate that you are free to go in front. How much time have you saved by getting that extra car ahead? Is it worth the risk? - sometimes it will make sense. A lot of the time it just annoys people, means you have broken the law, and you don't really get that much benefit out of it.
Go on a Bikesafe day with your local police (or come to London for one). These are the sorts of things you can discuss.

[Cie]

However it is illegal to overtake the vehicle at the front of the queue at a red traffic light.

Is it? I didn't know that

[Scott]

I always go to the front without exception at all lights.
I travel to Vauxhall from Sidcup every day with sh*t loads of lights to traverse.

I always go past everything where possible and always use Bus Lanes regardless.

My personal opinion is to keep myself as safe as possible and feck it if I happen to offend someone in a car who's been queueing for 2 hours.

Get a fekkin bike then !?

I'm such a **** aren't I

[jvaughan]

Filtering, always push my way as far forward as possible.
99% of London Traffic are used to bikes in teh traffic, but when out and about, some people can take exception.

This summer, I managed to pully my way though 10 miles of stationary traffic out of Bornemouth with 4 sports bikes following me. 80% of the traffic pulled out of the way immediatly and let us thought the middle of the two lanes. Those that didnt move were given an incentive as I squeezed though, crashbars protruding close to bodywork and wing mirrors.

I have no problem Filtering, but sometimes have to settle down as the speed increases and tell myself that I dont need to be filtering past cars at 80mph on the Motorway.

When we went to Chelsea Bridge earlier this year, it was good filtering with the Truimph Tiger that joined us at Fleet Services. Two bikes that knew the road, and knew the london "etiquet".

Last year, Filtering though Glasgow en-route to Skye was also interesting... Following the Uber Commuter Roy and Tracy kinda gave me the confidence to bike in heavy traffic

[Wee Jack]

However it is illegal to overtake the vehicle at the front of the queue at a red traffic light.

Is it? I didn't know that

No it isn't - not if you don't cross the solid stop line - but there again how many cars leave a whole bike length between the bonnet and the stop light ????

Just filter were possible and safe, as often as possible, the more we do it the more cars will expect us to be there. I was in Barcelona in June , millions of scooters and bikes. Car drivers accept filtering and at least 6 bikes jooking in front of them at the lights . Never saw a single rage incident or accident. It's just accepted as a matter of course.

I'm often asked/challenged by my car bound colleagues "why do bikes do that , why don't they wait like everyone else" my response is always "we do it because we can - get over it or buy a bike".

[Dilbert]

However it is illegal to overtake the vehicle at the front of the queue at a red traffic light.

Is it? I didn't know that

No it isn't - not if you don't cross the solid stop line - but there again how many cars leave a whole bike length between the bonnet and the stop light ????

Just filter were possible and safe, as often as possible, the more we do it the more cars will expect us to be there. I was in Barcelona in June , millions of scooters and bikes. Car drivers accept filtering and at least 6 bikes jooking in front of them at the lights . Never saw a single rage incident or accident. It's just accepted as a matter of course.

I'm often asked/challenged by my car bound colleagues "why do bikes do that , why don't they wait like everyone else" my response is always "we do it because we can - get over it or buy a bike".

Ditto Pukka reply, Rome is awash with scooters and bikes, they set off before the lights change, filter like crazy and totally ignore pedestrian crossings, but everyone knows what to expect and nobody gets hurt or angry

[SteveWilko]

In my home town (nuneaton) filtering to the front of the queue is generally not needed... Most of the time the traffic moves fast enough and delays are not a bother....
Our local road system design is terrible, so queing happens at nearly all junctions...

On some junctions I will filter to get nearer the front because im used to the time delays at those lights and know if I can get to say .... 3 cars from the front .... I will be let out with the next light change....

However.... some drivers (usually cars with 2 or more youths in them) do spit their dummies out and rev engines.... I can understand them getting mad.... but why rev the engine?

[squirrelciv]

Great believer in filtering me I look on it as my perk for freezing my knackers off in the rain. All the sulky car drivers have radio's, heaters and comfortable chairs to sit in while they wait for the lights, I don't So it's straight to the front for me, but I try not to cross the white line, I prefer to get alongside the driver and blip the throttle a bit to let them know I'm there. Only once has someone given me a dirty look and I can live with that, but when I used to go over the line, people seemed to get madder at me. I suppose it must have come over as a bit arrogant

Here's another to ponder...... Undertaking This is a crime I'm occasionally guilty of, but only when provoked Nowt worse than a queue of cars in the outside lane and nothing in the nearside one. One at a time and plenty of observations, but hey, if they don't want the lane it's a shame to waste it