Commuting - Technique used at stop lights with waiting cars

In the Running Red Lights thread a sub-topic arose that I found interesting. Various posters had varying ideas on how to best handle the following:

A line of cars is queued at a stop -- sign or light (hereafter light). The road has at least one lane that continues on (straight) after the light. To the right of that lane there is a right turn lane or at least enough space to allow motorists to thread their way and make a right turn at the light.

Let's assume you're continuing straight beyond the light. The line of cars can be any size, depending on the traffic flow and how long the light is red. You're approaching the light.

Do you: Snake your way up to the light
Join the queue of cars My take is as follows:

Provided the light will remain red, I'll move to the front of the rightmost travel lane and stop in the front of that lane, blocking it (but only somewhat so). This leaves room for right-turn traffic to continue and keeps me front-and-center (and visible). When the light changes I'll immediately take my place on the right shoulder. In this manner I don't block traffic, yet all the traffic knows I'm there. It also saves some time by allowing me to keep up speed in case the light turns green. Further, I'm not blocking right-turn traffic.

What's your technique? (Sorry, UK folks ... this is a US-based post. Just change left for right and you get the idea!!)

I do exactly the same thing as you Andy except when it is a truck or bus ahead of me in which case I just queue behind it.

A trickier situation is making a left turn on a stop light where there is a separate lane for vehicles making left turns... another topic starter perhaps.

Originally posted by cyclocommuter
... A trickier situation is making a left turn on a stop light where there is a separate lane for vehicles making left turns... another topic starter perhaps.
Yes, true. And if you don't post this as a technique question on a separate thread, I will. I would like opinions on this technique as well ... but separate from the current topic.

I generally pick my way to the front. The reason being that I generally have faster acceleration than the cars, and can get across the intersection and take my place in the lane before they move.

The reason being that I generally have faster acceleration than the cars
I have noticed down here that as soon as the lights turn green, it's like the start of a Grand Prix, foot flat to the floor and race up to 60kph then jam on the brakes for the next set of red lights. I assume it is because we had the GP for a number of years, and now we have the touring car race. I thought Surfer's would be the same due to the Indy.

CHEERS.

Mark

I wait my turn in line, because I'd be displeased if anyone cut in front of me too. If I happen to be at the front of the line, I will definitely accelerate as hard as practical. In most things I make an effort to be a good ambassador, if you will.

As for left turns, I do the same as in my car... check the lane for traffic, yield to others if necessary, signal the lane change, move to the turn lane, signal the turn, and complete the turn after yielding the ROW to oncoming traffic.

Originally posted by Dutchy

I have noticed down here that as soon as the lights turn green, it's like the start of a Grand Prix, foot flat to the floor and race up to 60kph then jam on the brakes for the next set of red lights. I assume it is because we had the GP for a number of years, and now we have the touring car race. I thought Surfer's would be the same due to the Indy.

The Gold Coast is like that all the time. The thing is, most of the drivers are that unfit, they have really slow reaction time, so I've usually got a couple of seconds head-start. Of course, this only applies if they actually stop at the red light, something that doesn't always happen around here.

And yes, people do generally behave a lot less sensibly in the month or so immediately following the Indy.

I stay in the line just because the motorists might get pissed off when someone passes them in a line. They must pass you once again after the light has change, and they have to wait in line when we can slide pass them. "God damn cyclists" they think and then they give you less space on the shoulder when passing you than they would if not beeing pissed off.

Anders K

I tend to play it by ear.

I admit to occasionally wandering up that right turn lane and then acting like I changed my mind or was surprised that it was right turn only. At that point I signal and wait for someone to gesture me into line. Since cars in that lane are all going straight through (I hope) sometimes I just ride beside them.

None of these methods guarantees a harrassment free passage expecially if the commute time is a regular one where eventually people will learn the trick.

Generally when planning a route, I try to avoid the known complicated and high-traffic intersections. This usually makes the ride longer but not appreciably so.

Of course, I am riding in a small town too. A "line" of traffic here is usually only a few vehicles.

Carl

Originally posted by Anders K
I stay in the line just because the motorists might get pissed off when someone passes them in a line. They must pass you once again after the light has change, and they have to wait in line when we can slide pass them. "God damn cyclists" they think and then they give you less space on the shoulder when passing you than they would if not beeing pissed off.

I do the same thing that Andy Dreisch does. I figure if it's ok for them to pass me (and it certainly is) then it's perfectly ok for me to pass them.

Originally posted by mechBgon
I wait my turn in line, because I'd be displeased if anyone cut in front of me too. If I happen to be at the front of the line, I will definitely accelerate as hard as practical. In most things I make an effort to be a good ambassador, if you will.

As for left turns, I do the same as in my car... check the lane for traffic, yield to others if necessary, signal the lane change, move to the turn lane, signal the turn, and complete the turn after yielding the ROW to oncoming traffic.

Ditto, I ride just as if I were driving a car.

Good ideas, each one. Of course you could try what I did a few weeks back. Come to a stop, but forget to loosen your toe straps. It gets you plenty of attention, some of it could even be from some cute ladies. :D :D :D :D

Roger

I find it to be situational. If I know I can make it through the light at my position in line, I'll stay put. If I don't think I can make it I go to the front of the line. If anyone says anything about it I just point at them and say "I'm gonna get you...and your little dog too!".

make your way to the front and do a trackstand. they'll be too busy watching you to notice the light turn green, and by the time they realize it you'll be a few blocks ahead.

If going left, I snake up slowly between the cars who will be turning left and those who are proceeding straight or right. In the case of going straight or right, I snake up on the far right and take notice of blinkers. I queue behind any cars which are obviously going turn right and otherwise make sure I make eye contact with any car beside me and let them know I will be proceeding straight. This works for me

I too play it by ear , it depends how they pass me if the drivers are queing up behind me I stay in line but if they pass me I move up. otherwise like left turn lanes I do the same as if I was in a car. Now theres one how do you all handle left turn signals run by sensor in heavy traffic. I have even waved cars in front of me to trigger them. But there arew times when htere are no cars. Why cant they set those lights to see us?

I have one light on my commute where I don't know what to do. It has two lanes that both go straight and the right lane curls out to let people turn right. I'm usually the first one there but cars queue up behind me. At first I just stayed in the right lane about in line with where the curb would go if it didn't curl out. Then I worried that people are trying to turn right and I'm blocking them. Now I get in the center of the left lane (I'm not going to split lanes here because there aren't lines on the road, just bumps) and merge back to the right lane after the light.

I guess this is best but I wonder if I should stay right and hang back against the curb where it's still straight.

I ride with the traffic. if a street has a right turn line and I'm going straight I go with the traffic that is going straight and stay out of the turning lane.
As for left turns if there is a left turning lane I get in that lane but stay to the right in that lane.
I always make I contact, single and wave thanks then when the move is done yell thanks. In New York City and as well as the brubs of New jersey this works well.
At stops I always go to the front "Be seen" "make Eye Contact"
be nice and smile becuase I'm have fun .

Originally posted by JDP
I have one light on my commute where I don't know what to do. It has two lanes that both go straight and the right lane curls out to let people turn right. I'm usually the first one there but cars queue up behind me. At first I just stayed in the right lane about in line with where the curb would go if it didn't curl out. Then I worried that people are trying to turn right and I'm blocking them. Now I get in the center of the left lane (I'm not going to split lanes here because there aren't lines on the road, just bumps) and merge back to the right lane after the light.

I guess this is best but I wonder if I should stay right and hang back against the curb where it's still straight.

In that situation, if I'm in the front of the line and it's highly likely that people will want to turn right (which sounds like the case), then I'd put myself in the lane position that lines up with the center of a car going straight. That's far enough to the left that they can make a right turn, hopefully, but not so far to the left that they try to get alongside and pass on your right at startup. I would also stop about 6-8 feet back of the crosswalk so that I can roll forward to clip in when I see the light changing, and get a fast launch. As soon as I start moving I'd begin merging back to the right edge of the through lane.

In city situations here, there is usually no "curl" but if I see someone behind me has their turn signal on, I can also use my 6-foot space to roll forward and to the left edge of my lane, then wave them up on my right so they can turn. This is made much easier by my helmet-mounted mirror :) Of course, there are plenty of people here who don't signal when planning a turn... their loss. :rolleyes:

Today I just hung back by the curb and a car pulled up beside me. That worked well. She was going straight so I didn't have to deal with a car crossing my path by turning right. I guess I would just wait for a car turning right. I do need to get a mirror. I can hold a line while looking back but I get tired of it and I don't have a continuous view.

I do both. When there's room on the right to move ahead safely, I do. I figure, like some above, that if cars can pass me, I can pass cars too. But, if the lane becomes narrow, I always take my que with the cars. That way, I can simply go with the cars until it is safe to go by on the right. There is a bridge that restricts the flow of traffic that comes readily to mind. There is one stop light, which matches the description above, except that in the next hundred yards the lane is restricted, and there is very little room to pass (two lane highway, single lane in each direction and no shoulder). At this one, I opt for a third solution--I wait and let the cars go first, then just beat the red light. That way, they are not passing me at close range, and I can get to the downhill portion to easily hit about 25 mph.

I'm interested in that left turn situation too, as that is what caused my accident.

John

Regarding the left turn signal sensor, why not run the redlight? In most places it's legal to turn left on red if you need to clear the intersection. This is the case where you don't have a turn signal and you creep into the intersection while waiting on a gap in the oncoming traffic. As the light turns red, the oncoming traffic stops and you have a moment until cross traffic gets a green. I would think you could bend this rule to apply to a bicycle that can't trigger a left turn arrow.

Otherwise, why not pull up as far as possible so the car behind you triggers the sensor?

I usually stay in the queue. On a right turn, I point right with my right hand arm extended, so they are clear where I'm going. I continue through at my usual 2-3' from the line on the right of the road.

Left turns can be tricky. There I stay in the queue, position myself about the middle of the lane, in the middle of the intersection I hand signal to the right, and move right. (Once I was passed in the middle of the intersection by some whacko gunning it!) :(