riding past slow traffic safely

sem69

What's the safest way to ride past stationary or slow moving traffic on busy roads?
There often isn't enough room to ride on the left, between the curb and the traffic, and you also have the risk of cars suddenly turning left.
And riding on the outside of the traffic can mean riding right down the centre of the road or on the wrong side of the road.
This morning I found myself weaving from one side to the other to wherever there was space, very slow and annoying...
Is there a rule about which side you should ride? Or what do others find safest/quickest?

DavidTQ

I like to do it like this:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieiF6K5cSB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnu7HT43_5M

But if theres a junction on the right that drivers are likely to take or if the road narrows and I cant filter down the right without passing solid white lines then I retire to primary or if theres a cycle lane use that for as long as its safe to do so which can lead to this sort of thing:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMhKCvPgvAA

Id say pass on the right if possible cars check their driver side mirror far more than their passenger side. on the right is generally faster and safer theres generally tons more space out there, pass on the left only if you judge it safe to do so and judge passing on the right inappropriate at that time.

And try never to be on the left of a HGV \ bus. doubly so at a junction...

Theres no law against being on the "wrong side of the road" as long as the center line is dashed not solid, but you do obviously have to take appropriate care also try to make sure that you have safe space to pull into if somethings coming the other way thats taking a bit more space than most.

redvee

Saw a cyclist doing the left hand overtake in a 2' cyclelane last night and he nearly got taken out by a car making an illegal LH turn. No contact but I bet there was a release of adrenilin for both parties.

2wheelzgood

Whilst I do agree that right is argueably safer due to increase visibility in terms of being seen and seeing, it becomes a tough one when you're not that much faster than the traffic and at busy junctions.

Say traffic is stop starting and when going is faster than you, I have been stuck on on the right hoping a car would let me back into the left before now and it's less than ideal.
It has happened on a road which from going downhill a little, goes up a gradient so I know I'll be slow..100m up ahead but needing to get passed cars before then..

I reckon it depends very much on the cirsumstance and rider..

Thinking about it, I try to leave some "go" in reserve when overtaking so I can get round that last car or leave that extra bit of space.

I tend to find when I'm undertaking (with or without cycle lanes) I'm nearer my physical limit on uphills probably as I'm pushing hard at a slower speed. I feel it's safer to stcik there if I'm not noticeably fast at that moment.

Sometimes I undertake going down hills when the traffic is built up but not clever and I know it's dangerous.. I probably am closer to traffic and am more at risk then.

You have to evaluate each time I think.

dav1

I usually try to filter on the left but most of my route has cycle lane or a very wide road to play with.

I move to the right when there is a wide split before a right turn i need to make or at the centeral cycle lanes at roundaboutes.

Anne S.

DavidTQ
Are you travelling the Torquay to Newton Abbot Road in your Youtube clips?
Anne S.

DavidTQ

Yes I am thats my regular commute route JST on here goes the other way along the same route, and fuzz monkey I think does paignton to torquay, so theres few on here from the local area

patchy

tricky.... Euston Road is my usual place of choice where this becomes an issue. My preference is to use the right, but if it's multi-lane i'll stick to the left. I'd never, ever chop and change in moving traffic - that way broken legs lie.

Quite often, if it's looking too hairy, i'll just keep pace with the traffic and not bother overtaking. is the difference between riding at 15-17 mph and 23 mph really that important at those times?

Bassjunkieuk

I would say go wherever you feel most comfortable, as DTQ points out in the second post it's only illegal to ride on the wrong side of the road if you have to cross a solid white line. You'll probably find as you become more confident you'll feel more comfortable riding down the RHS of traffic.

There are sections on some of my commutes where it would be impossible to pass on the left as the cars leave no room and I can easily make it down the right, and as there is where most drivers expect things to come past I think I'm also in a slightly safer place as drivers are more aware of whats on this side.

I had a rather good one the other day as I was filtering down the right of a queue of cars with a car that was trying to turn right across a gap. He went to turn and spotted me so I carried on, judging by his reaction I don't think he liked that I carried on riding, but it was my right of way and I know for certain it would have been much more difficult for us to have seen each other had I been filtering down the LHS of this queue - but then that's why you should always take care coming across side roads in traffic queues! whilst I take pride in the narrow gaps I can get through without clonking mirrors I do like to try and make my commute as easy and safe as possible. I certainly wouldn't recommend zig zagging through unless your certain your going to stay on that side for a good few car lengths or the traffic has stopped completely, and even then it can be dangerous and you could potentially ride into another cyclists (motor or pedal) path. All of this though is something that comes with experience, I've only been using "all" the road for about 3 or 4 months now, pretty much since reading Cyclecraft and realizing how dangerous it can be to stay on the left for filtering!

Once last thing to remember, and I think I saw it written on these forums somewhere:

Undertaking leads to undertakers......

BentMikey

There's a bit of filtering on the right in this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sNihkLI6qlc

Interesting comments, with one driver giving me a hard time about overtaking!! I eventually blocked him, as I thought he was just trolling by the end.