mac

Hmm... I'll be aware of that next time. Thanks. There are other things that I do. If there is no specific right-turn lane, I sometimes cruise right up to the curb in the gutter, unclip, and rest my foot on the curb. Much easier to clip in afterwards since I'm still in the saddle. If there is a right-turn lane, then sometimes I put the front wheel in the crosswalk and split the lane. This way I'm not blocking any car and when the light turns green they can accelerate w/o waiting for me.

noisebeam

I think there is a mis-perceptoin of the delay it really causes, it is more than you think. Most cyclists are used to being across the intersection before cars, hitting even 20mph by the other side (at least for large multilane intersections). So you think you don't delay cars. But most drivers are courteous and don't tailgate and while following you out of an intersection do go a bit slower than they would, especially for the pass, and it has a trickle down effect to each following car. Next time you go across an intersection on a multilane road from front of line, note how the car next to/behind you (in shared lane) you are about faster than. But then you will also note that it takes longer for the 2nd and 3rd cars to pass in your shared lane compared to middle and center lanes. Like Serge said, fine if you are first to intersection, but if those cars already passed you, then you pass them on right, then they pass again while being delayed. Makes one not like cyclists.

This is really part of the 'should I filter forward' debate. I just don't see any reason to get out in front of cars, stay you place in line. The only exception for your conviencience is to move forward only enough as needed to make the green light cycle. Why do you want all those cars to have to pass you again?

The perception from auto drivers is that you think you are special in your slower bike riding to front. Quite obnoxious I think.

Not only is is arguably safer staying in line, it also gets you respect from drivers. You want to be treated like a legitimate vehicle/road user? Then act like one.

Al

chroot

noisebeam,

I don't have much sympathy for anyone that chooses to sit in a single-occupant vehicle in rush-hour traffic. In traffic, my mode of transportation is much faster than theirs, not slower. It's also easier, more fun, and helps keep their gas prices down.

Part of the reason I ride a bike is because I don't get ensnarled in the crappy rush-hour traffic jams caused by thousands of single-occupant cars. And, of course, I choose routes to avoid automobile traffic jams, and usually ride on bike lanes. There's only a mile or so of my commute route that puts me through bad traffic, and, while lacking a bike lane, the road is actually designated and signed as a bike route (whatever that means). I routinely filter through about a mile of traffic to get to the light which causes it.

If I had to sit in line with those thousands of cars, breathing their noxious exhaust two feet from their tailpipes without so much as the benefit of a cabin air filter, I'd rather not even ride a bike. That's torture.

They're already sitting in traffic for tens of minutes to get to the light anyway, what's another couple of seconds for me to clear an intersection? People in this country need to get a grip: I'm working my tail off to ride a human-powered vehicle which, while saving the environment, saving their precious gas, and helping to ease congestion, is normally downtrodden by virtually everyone. It doesn't have air conditioning. It doesn't have a nice radio. The seat's not cushy and supportive in all the right places. It doesn't have a cupholder or a seat warmer. It's hard frigging work! Then they want to begrudge me the one slice of cake, the one advantage I have over them, because it might cost them three seconds at a light?

- Warren

Helmet Head

What you describe is a very common technique used in American traffic cycling culture. It falls out from a guiding principle of this style of traffic cycling: stay out of the way of traffic, at least as much is reasonably possible. The principle is based on the premise that the cyclist is separate from traffic, and it is his job/duty/whatever to not impede it as much as possible (as opposed to the VC principle where the cyclist is traffic).

When such a cyclist approaches a light with cars stopped, as we've discussed, it's perfectly logical to pass the stopped traffic on the side, as an entity separate from it. After all, doing so has no effect on the traffic: mission accomplished. Now, stopping in front of them, in the crosswalk or whatever, is simply considered an acceptable and reasonable exception to the rule, and justified by the notion that the delay incurred by the traffic is minimal. There is no consideration for the first come first served rule. The light turns green, and the cyclist does what he feels he is supposed to do as quickly as is reasonable: get out of the way of the traffic.

The other technique you describe is consistent with this approach, and has its own problems, which you may recognize as I describe them.


Why not continue going around the corner and turning right? Oh, your destination is straight? Yet you're stopped so far to the right that you're able to put your foot on the curb? Consider how you look to motorists behind you. Are they even aware of your presence? Why would their subconscious minds even bother their conscious minds with noticing you? Are you a threat? Hardly. Are you a potential obstacle? No! After all, you're off to the right and out of the way. They have no reason to be concerned with you at all. It's reasonable and human for them to completely ignore you. So what's the problem? It's called a right hook, and if you're in the habit of stopping next to the curb at intersections where you are going straight, it's only a matter of time before you have a close call if not actual impact, if you haven't already. For what it's worth, you're not alone. It's a very common way to deal with these types of intersections, and right hooks are one of the most common types of car-bike collisions. There is another thread about right hooks that is active in this forum right now.

mac

Hmm, interesting. I would - and have - stopped in line at a a traffic light and continued on in the normal way. Most of the time it's been with left turn lanes. The reason I don't like doing so is the exhaust. I'm behind a car/truck, in front of another car/truck, and to the side of a car/truck. The crap that spews forth from their exhaust at every traffic light will get me sick. That's why I filter up to the front (or if I'm tired, rest my foot on the curb). I'm so used to riding my motorcycle that when the light turns greens I'm roaring off and none of the other drivers have even stepped on the gas yet. This allows me to filter to the front at every light. How does V.C. address the exhaust issue? I can't roll up any windows. And I'm not afraid of waiting in between a bunch of cars/trucks as I already do that with my motorcycle.

Then there's the issue of Bike Lanes. The Bike Lanes in my city end up with broken lines at the intersections. What am I supposed to do there? It's "my" Bike Lane so I can stay in it - but then I'm blocking the right-turn drivers. I can go in the gutter and rest my foot on the curb - but then I'm right-hook fodder. I can change lanes and go into the car lane - but then cars wonder why the hell I'm not in my Bike Lane. I usually do this last one when there's a lot of traffic. I'll get over in the car lane before the Bike Lane white line breaks and then get back over once I'm halfway across the intersection to make sure I've passed all of the right-turners.

04sctj

I just had to share a little story: back when I was living in VERY CYCLIST FRIENDLY Ft. Collins, CO, there was one 4-way stop in a quiet neighborhood that I use "roll" through every morning at like 6:45 in the morning on the way to work. I rarely, perhaps went weeks, met a car at this 4-way stop. Well, after taking this route for a good 8-10 months, and rolling through the 4-way, I rolled through one morning and there was a Public Safety officer/car hiding down one of the side streets; I saw the police car just as I was about mid-way through the intersection. Needless to say, I just went ahead and "pulled" over, and sure enough, the cop drove up behind me with her lights on. She proceeded to say that the neighborhood residents had been complaining about cars rolling through the 4-way, and that she had already pulled over like 4-5 cars early that morning, and that she COULDN'T let me go free and clear. Long story short, I graciously accepted the $25 ticket that she handed me; I was really cool headed about it, acknowledged what I did wrong, and the cop was pretty cool too. Anway, this little incident taught me a couple things:

1. That we as cyclist truly do have to follow 100% of the "rules of the road"...i.e., the Uniform Vehicle Code acknowledges us as having rights to the road, but it also means that we have to follow the rules just like "vehicles."

2. Since that morning of the ticket, to this day, I stop at all stop signs. That ticket I got that morning just may save my life one day b/c of the precaution I now take. That officer has no idea what impact she had on my safety by handing me that ticket

Cheers!