I wait at red lights for the light to change, and I generally just take my place in line. I'm as fast off the start as the cars are, especially around corners -- it's not until they start to get up to speed that I'd be holding them up. Keep in mind, a majority of the roads I travel on are 55 mph. I cross the intersection in the lane, then move to the side as I clear the intersection.

My favorite place to be is a car or two back, and if I do filter up that's as far as I'll go. Being a car or two back gives me time (as those cars get moving) to get into my clips and to start pedaling. I'm not holding up the cars behind as long as I'm going the speed of the cars ahead , and I like to think that improves good will among the drivers behind me.

I don't trigger most of the lights around here, so having a car in front of me helps with that, too. I'll often let a car pass me so he can get on the trigger.

While I'm stopped, I keep an eye on what's behind me until there's something behind me. Once I have a car behind me, I don't worry about it anymore (seriously, it would take a pretty major bump from the cars behind him to send him into me).



Ya know, "Share the Road" means you, too.