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Do you filter (lane split) to the front at stop lights?

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Do you filter (lane split) to the front at stop lights?

Old 08-24-07, 05:25 PM
  #1  
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Do you filter (lane split) to the front at stop lights?

It is not illegal to do so in California. I do this on my bike (and I do it on my motorcycle). Does this piss off the VC camp? If so, why? I don't see why it is efficient to wait behind a long line of cars when I can pass them on my bike. Sure, they may pass me later, but I can't help that. To me, riding a bike means using advantages available to cars (e.g., use of lane when that is safest), motorcycles (e.g., lane splitting), and pedestrians (e.g., walking my bike on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk if that that is the fastest way to get where I'm going).
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Old 08-24-07, 07:10 PM
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Yes.

IMHO, few but the teminally anal retentive wouldn't.

But, then, this is the VC lunacy forum. And Forester-worshiping terminally anal retentive nutcases probably represent the majority of card-carrying VC-ists.

But, then, that's just a personal opinion.

I have no doubt that a true believer will assert that I'm wrong.

Zealotry knows no uncertainty.
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Old 08-24-07, 07:14 PM
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Yeah, but how do you really feel?
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Old 08-24-07, 07:32 PM
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Originally Posted by ROJA
Yeah, but how do you really feel?
Forester believing card-carrying VC-ists are the salt of the Earth.
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Old 08-24-07, 11:29 PM
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Good job JRA, jumping right in to declare what others believe, rather than listening for their answer.
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Old 08-25-07, 01:10 AM
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sometimes yes, sometimes no. its very situational.

but that still doesn't change the reality JRA alludes to-

VC holy book thumpers ARE full of zeal, pomp and circumstance about their riding style being the true faith of bicycling.
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Old 08-25-07, 10:04 AM
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We've talked about this many times. Even Forester splits lanes.

The main differences seems to be in terms of when (in what circumstances) it is done, and where (how far forward, and positioned exactly where) you end up.

Many cyclists seem to always split lanes, it never even occurring to them to stop behind the last car in line, even if there was only one car stopped in front of them at the light. Most of them will stop off to the side even when there is no one else at the light yet, instead of stopping in the center of the lane, where, again, it wouldn't even occur for them to stop. When they do lane split to get to the front, they seem to pass everyone, including the first car in line, and stop in front of them, ahead of the stop line or in the crosswalk. They seem oblivious as to how this causes delay to those who got there first when the light turns green.

The vehicular cyclists I've seen and talked to seem to take a more measured approach, stopping behind the last car in line, at least when the line of cars is short enough that they know they won't miss a cycle if they wait there. If they do choose to split lanes to get ahead, they seem to stop before the first car. What i like to do is find a gap between the first few cars, always looking back and acknowledging the driver I'm stopping in front of. If some cyclist goes by and stops in front, I usually end up passing him very shortly after the light turns green. Being a few cars back means I can see the light turn green and be prepared to go as soon as the car in front of me starts moving, getting some draft advantage from it to boot, while the guy at the front hesitates before starting when the light turns green, then moves out of the way and gets no draft advantage.
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Old 08-25-07, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
sometimes yes, sometimes no. its very situational.

but that still doesn't change the reality JRA alludes to-

VC holy book thumpers ARE full of zeal, pomp and circumstance about their riding style being the true faith of bicycling.
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Old 08-25-07, 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by CB HI
Good job JRA, jumping right in to declare what others believe, rather than listening for their answer.
VC antagonists are mind readers, don't you know?
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Old 08-25-07, 02:55 PM
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I do it very rarely. I figure, what's the point of stressing out about a few extra seconds spent on the road? That's a disease for car-people. I don't need it. I do filter occasionally when I'm in a particular hurry if there is enough space to do it safely. I don't want to be too close to the side of a car when the light turns green and I certainly don't want to be in someone's blind spot when the light turns green. I very much prefer to do it when there room to pass on the left and when I can find a spot to land in advance.
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Old 08-25-07, 08:36 PM
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why do the "VC" stop behind the first car? is that some solidarity gesture to the drivers?


and why does the rider at the front of the pack 'supposedly' hesitate at the green?

what a bunch of conjecture.

Some riders, riding according the the vehicular rules of the road, have NO compelling need to stop a few cars back, head.

not every 'vehikular cyklist' rides just like you, head.

tonight, I split, but was on a big basket bike, so when the cruch got tight, I hopped onto the sidewalk, advanced past a bus, then smoothly curbed it back into the road, to make a right on red ever so gracefully. probably got ahead of three blocks of stopped traffic.

there are evangelical VC who insist in staying behind cars under the 'same roads same rules' slogan.

Last edited by Bekologist; 08-25-07 at 11:02 PM.
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Old 08-26-07, 12:20 PM
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Well, I split lanes all the time

Actually, it really is situation-dependent, like a couple of other posters said. If there are like 3 cars in a line, then I take my place at the back. If there's a total traffic jam thing going on, I'll filter to the front and go through the gridlock at the green light.

I'm a CA resident, too, so I'm not breaking any laws here (yet).
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Old 08-26-07, 07:22 PM
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Yep
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Old 08-26-07, 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
sometimes yes, sometimes no. its very situational.
+1.

Originally Posted by Bekologist
but that still doesn't change the reality JRA alludes to-

VC holy book thumpers ARE full of zeal, pomp and circumstance about their riding style being the true faith of bicycling.
yawn

Originally Posted by Allister
A classic example of cycling being faster than motoring in gridlock (Allister, you've got bigger nutz than I do! I'd bypass some other way...)
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Last edited by LittleBigMan; 08-26-07 at 09:04 PM.
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Old 08-26-07, 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by LittleBigMan
A classic example of cycling being faster than motoring in gridlock (Allister, you've got bigger nutz than I do! I'd bypass some other way...)
There aren't really any alternative routes that are any less chocka with traffic. There's the footpath, which many cyclists do use, but where's the fun in that?

Really, it's less dangerous than you probably think.
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Old 08-26-07, 10:29 PM
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yeah, you're obviously deficient in traffic cycling ability, allister.

your video makes me think mr. head would be left in the dust, quaking in his cycling shoes, cursing your recument, if he had to follow your lead traffic splitting. (being that he's more of a weekend/club rider, I suspect head is likely a bit of a neophyte at that type of riding.)
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Old 08-26-07, 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
yeah, you're obviously deficient in traffic cycling ability, allister.

your video makes me think mr. head would be left in the dust, quaking in his cycling shoes, cursing your recument, if he had to follow your lead traffic splitting. (being that he's more of a weekend/club rider, I suspect head is likely a bit of a neophyte at that type of riding.)
I'm just waiting for him to tell me how I'm doing it wrong.
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Old 08-27-07, 10:25 AM
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Allister, is that a recumbent you're riding? Just curious.

Oh, and in answer to the question you posed on your video, I would go, go, go! Definitely, in a situation like that
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Old 08-27-07, 03:23 PM
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Filtering is for people who think the bike lane isn't really a lane.
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Old 08-27-07, 03:53 PM
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..I bet that's helmet head's take on bike lanes, Diane. Although using a bike lane to move past traffic is simply use of preferred class lanes to advance on stopped traffic. Having seen pics of HH's commute, he gets to use bike lanes a lot. No real splitting going on in a bike lane

filtering lane splits, like allister's Youtube video, is an altogther different animal.

Last edited by Bekologist; 08-27-07 at 05:02 PM.
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Old 08-27-07, 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Allister
Please excuse me if anyone finds this offensive ...

Allister ... you must have a pair of coconuts in your pants.

How do you stay visible when weaving in and out of traffic on a bike so low? (how low are you?)

Does slower traffic stay on the left when you drive on the left-side of the road? I never thought about it. But I guess it makes sense.

-G
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Old 08-27-07, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by fat_bike_nut
Allister, is that a recumbent you're riding? Just curious.
Yes

Originally Posted by fat_bike_nut
Oh, and in answer to the question you posed on your video, I would go, go, go! Definitely, in a situation like that
You'd be silly not to, really.

Originally Posted by invisiblehand
How do you stay visible when weaving in and out of traffic on a bike so low? (how low are you?)
I'm not that low. It's a dual 26" wheel highracer that puts me on about the same eye level as motorists. A bit lower than a regular bike, but not that much.

Originally Posted by invisiblehand
Does slower traffic stay on the left when you drive on the left-side of the road? I never thought about it. But I guess it makes sense.
Yeah. Basically, it's exactly the same as driving on the right, only opposite.
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Old 08-27-07, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
yeah, you're obviously deficient in traffic cycling ability, allister.
I never said that. Frankly, Bekologist, I always thought of Allister as a comrade commuting cyclist.

You really have sunk low to try to turn me against Allister.
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Old 08-27-07, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Allister
I'm just waiting for him to tell me how I'm doing it wrong.
How can I tell you you're doing it wrong, when I've never done it myself?

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Old 08-27-07, 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted by LittleBigMan
I never said that. Frankly, Bekologist, I always thought of Allister as a comrade commuting cyclist.

You really have sunk low to try to turn me against Allister.

**********???

dude, get a grip. allister knows how to split.

I made no alludes to your comments in this thread.
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