unterhausen

I generally don't pass (filter). Depends on the situation though. If all the cars are turning left and I'm going straight, I'll filter. We just had a discussion about the legality of this on the local bike advocacy list. Seems to me if cars can pass in the lane, I can pass in the lane on my bike. It's not illegal in PA to pass on the right, or anywhere other than New Jersey for that matter.

rydabent

I wait in line. I assume most of the cars in line have already passed me. If I fliter to the front, that means they will have to pass me again. That really pisses drivers off, and for good reason. There are many threads *****ing about drivers, but this is a prime reason that drivers get angry and take it out on almost any cyclist they encounter. Be a lawful vehicle on the road and obey the rules of the road!!!!

BHOFM

We are lucky, all sidewalks are designated bike trails. If there are no trails,, sidewalks, you
are a vehicle. you have the same rules, passing on the right shoulder is a NO NO! If there is
room, I move to the right and let the cars go, if it is close, I move off the road and let the
cars pass.

My life and limbs are worth more than a few minutes.

sudo bike

Two point here - first and foremost, it's legal to filter here, so I am obeying the rules of the road by filtering. Secondly, What's the problem with filtering forward if the lane is sharable? What, FRAP sharing only works one way? If I can filter by traffic and they can pass me within the lane or with minimal effort, I don't see why it would piss them off to filter forward. Now in a situation where you must claim the lane, I could see that pissing people off....

genec

Gotta agree... this is a very situation thing. If the line is not likely to clear in one green, and there is good room for me to filter... I take advantage of being on a bike. On the other hand, I don't want to go through the leap frog thing, so if the line of vehicles is likely to clear on one green, I wait with all the other people.

Bike lanes encourage forward filtering, and not having to worry about leap frogging. On my commute route, if I happen to hit it right at rush hour, it can take up to 45 minutes for motorists to go a lousy 2 miles... there is no way I would wait for that, especially since this arterial road has a bike lane. I proceed cautiously, but I go none the less, and frankly as I hump up the hill at 8MPH, and pass all those cars waiting for the light at the top of the hill, I partake in a certain "holier than thou" pleasure.

So the answer is indeed "it depends."

Digital_Cowboy

I (it appears the majority opinion) also wait. feel that it is more considerate to wait my turn in line.

Digital_Cowboy

Exactly, motorists already have enough reason to either hate or dislike us so why add to it?

mikeybikes

The only time this ever becomes a consideration for me is riding in downtown Denver. The lanes downtown are pretty narrow, without much room for filtering. You need to go pretty slow to ensure you don't bump into cars. I found the few times I tried to do it, it was just as quick to wait in queue for the light to turn green.

Now if there's a bike lane, you can sure bet your sorry motoring ass I'm going to be passing everyone at the red light.

rogwilco

There are practical reasons for filtering to the front, for me the #1 reason why I do it is because I don't like inhaling the cars' exhaust fumes directly and the air is noticably more friendly at the front imo, especially when I'm already a little out of breath.

dougmc

You aren't splitting lanes if you're riding in a shoulder, gutter, sidewalk or even on the right side of the rightmost lane to the right of the cars. I'm pretty sure this is legal in Texas. Almost certain.

(I think motorcycles splitting lanes is illegal in Texas, but am not certain of that. I think it's also illegal for bicycles, though it might be an Austin ordinance that makes it so rather than a state law. I think Austin has an ordinance that explicitly makes it illegal, whatever state law says.)

Though if your city has a 3' passing law, it can get awkward for the drivers -- if you're sharing the lane with them, you can pass them, but the 3' passing law says they can't pass you. So if traffic starts moving again, the polite thing to do is to either go fast enough that they don't need to pass you (which is hard, as you usually have very little space if you're sharing the lane with them) or get off the road so they can pass you. Or filter back into traffic once it starts moving but before it starts going fast -- that's probably the best solution.

Pete In Az

In my town, the only traffic lights are on the main road and the speed limit is 35 MPH. The lanes are wide enough for cars and trucks to pass me, most of them ignore the 3 foot rule, but it no longer bothers me. The lights are short enough that I rarely have to stop, but when I do, I pull up short of the intersection in case the car in front wants to turn right, I'm not in their way. When the light changes, I go on my merry way and the people drive right on past.
When I come upon a red light on a side street, I'm usually the only or first one there. Then, I go with traffic or I am the only traffic. This leads to an interesting situation at times: four lanes of traffic stopping so one lone bicyclist can quietly ride through the intersection.

contango 

The point of going past the line of cars isn't to pass them only for them to pass you again a moment later, it's to make sure you only wait one cycle of lights rather than several. If you're going to wait in line with everyone else you might as well drive.

AC1074

I try to take routes that avoid intersections but I have to, I wait like a car would. It's just safer.

hairnet

obviously

errrr, no

fuji86

Well, this means they are stopped at a red light if I interpret the situation described. I generally stay to the right, but for those crowding the curb & gutter, no choice but to use the sidewalk first and I respect any pedestrians on the sidewalk. As for the cars, they passed me and had no problems doing so, so they shouldn't have a problem when I pass them, unless like I said they crowd the curb & gutter. And depending upon how many of them there are, how long the traffic light has been red, I'll go around them on the left to the front of the line. I won't do that maneuver on a stale red because I don't want to be out there when it turns green. I respect that aspect of the situation and my own safety. I don't inconvenience others, hopefully they don't inconvenience me and we all play well together.

contango 

So why did you raise the issue of passing only to be passed again? If that bothers you then either keep over so people can get past easily, keep your speed up so they don't have to, or wait in line and spend however many cycles it takes to get through the lights.

For me one primary reason to take the bike is the speed advantage. Losing that speed advantage (especially in poor weather) would leave me wanting to take the car instead.

dwellman

I avoid those intersections.

Flying Merkel

Pass the fooking cars, get through the intersection and be done with it! Bikes have enough disadvantages without penalizing ourselves.

genec

Do you ever leave home?

wphamilton

As a relative newby, tell me am I taking excessive chances or too cautious?

Tight lane or there is movement I get in line (or, I'll admit it, take to the sidewalk for really long lines). If there's plenty of room and everyone's stopped, especially if there's any downhill grade I'll get to the front.

sggoodri

I stay in line with traffic unless the line is so long that I'll probably miss the light, in which case I'll dismount and walk the bike on the sidewalk to and through the intersection. It's illegal to pass on the right in NC unless using a separate marked travel lane.

ItsJustMe

There are places where it's not too hard to avoid traffic lights. Heck, I've lived in towns that didn't have any. I can easily take a route that has no lights. Even on my normal route I only hit three lights. However, I don't change my route to avoid the lights except at one time of day when it can take 3 or 4 cycles to get through.

davehbuffalo

It really depends on the lane layout, amount of traffic, and signals (length, timing, distance to next) whether they will pass you again or not.

As an example, imagine a line of 30 cars of which 29 are going to turn left, and often only 5 are able to get through each time the light changes. Do you really think an anxious driver would really rather have to wait for you too? I'd say no, especially when they're probably already on edge about how to deal with cyclists in the road to begin with.

I always just use my judgment and do (in this order of consideration) 1) What is safest for me. 2) What is least disruptive to my fellow citizens. 3) What keeps me moving down the road at a reasonable pace, and 4) What is lawful.

I don't know why people continue to think that if they obey the law, drivers are going to be less upset. If you inconvenience them or scare them they're going to be upset whether you obey the law or not. 90% of drivers break the law every day and they know it.

bhop

Same here.

degnaw

if:
1. There's room
2. There's a long line of cars (7~8 or more)
3. Past the light, there's one or more of the following:
-A shoulder, so cars can easily re-pass, OR
-More backed up traffic, OR
-A lower speed area where I can keep up with traffic, OR
-My destination or a road where I'm turning off.

Actually, one exception was where a bus was loading on a one-lane road with a median (so no cars could get by). There was a visibly massive crowd waiting to get on the bus, so I just passed a couple cars and the bus on the left.