Filtering - left or right

biondino

Yes, I think it is too. However, if you'd been travelling at 10mph you'd have been close enough to see the doors opening but far enough away to screech to a halt and launch a volley of four-letter words at some shocked children!

Dunston_checks_in

Eat My Dust wrote:

biondino wrote:

In this case I think you'd have been at least partly to blame as it's clearly not safe (ever, unless you have a whole specific filtering lane to yourself) to filter down the left side of traffic at 20mph. With very few exceptions, I filter on the left but at a speed where I'll either be able to stop in the event of an emergency or at the very least any accident I do have will be minimised for me and whoever I hit.

I agree that undertaking at 20 mph wouldn't be very clever. However 20 mph on the right hand side is a fairly safe speed. The point about the bus was 2 fold. Firstly even at 10 mph, you wouldn't actually see the people exiting the bus until the very last minute, so you'd probably still hit them. The 2nd part is (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) but I'm pretty sure it's illegal for bus drivers to let passengers exit anywhere apart from a bus stop.

Though of course the other issue here is getting yelled at by car drivers for filtering down the middle of a 2-lane carridge way when there's a cycle lane on the left. F*ck 'em I say on that point, but badly designed cycle lanes can be part of the problem here too.

There is a notorious (and almost brand new) cycle lane on my commute. It is down hill so pretty fast, but takes you right up the inside of a left turning set of traffic lights on a dual carridgeway. I see a 'nearly' left hook there almost every time I go past it (on the right and in the middle of the road myself).

_Brun_

I think filtering inside past the front of a stationary bus at even 10mph is too fast. Can't think of any situation where you're more likely to be confronted by a startled pedestrain. At least on the outside some of them have the sense to stick their neck out and have a look what coming, although chances if it's only a bike they'll walk straight out anyway.

the_hundredth_idiot

I go past some schools on my commute which are 4x4 hell on a morning. :roll: Cars going nowhere fast backed up all down the street.

I filter - rather than wait 30 mins for all the 'ickle kiddies to start lessons and the mummies to go off to their yoga classes (or whatever the heck it is they do during the day - I ask my wife but ... ). No real pattern to which side as it's basically wherever I can fit through.

BUT, I do it at barely walking pace and unclipped on at least one side ready to stop in a fraction of a second. I'm always staggered how many mummies let their kids jump out in a row of traffic and scamper across the road - I go at a sensible speed but not everyone (motorbikes and overtaking van drivers) does.

THI

PS. The schools are private ones which seem to start pretty early, in case anyone is questioning why I appear to work student hours. I go past at about 8am every morning - maybe I should get out of bed 30 mins earlier.

SmellTheGlove

Coriander wrote:

The obvious thing at junctions is to take primary, but if we've filtered up the inside or outside to reach the front then that isn't possible.

Winding the clock back here a bit, maybe someone has already made this point, but why go all the way to the front?

Much depends on the situation but at about 4 of 5 light-controlled junctions on my route, the best place to wait when going straight over is two to three lengths back, let them get ahead of you and minimise the number of drivers anxious to pile into your ever-narrowing space. You still get through the junction on the first cycle.

Anyone else try this?

jedster

I'm really surprised that so many experienced commuters tend to filter on the left. I would always try to filter on the right and only go left if right is not an option and left is particularly safe (stationary traffic or a big gap).

The first reason why is neatly covered by all that stuff about truck/cycist fatalities. I won't repeat it.

There are three other reasons:

1. the gap between the traffic is generally wider than the gap between the kerb and the traffic. Try it and see

2. drivers check their drivers side mirrors much more often than their near side mirrors - they are much more alert to vehicles approaching them from the right. Related to this is the risk of being taken out by a left or right turning vehicle. If a driver is going to cross the other lane, he is conscious that this is a hazardous manouvre and will generally have a good look first. A lot of drivers just assume that turning left is the same as going straight on - they have right of way, what's the problem?

3. risk of being hit by a smidsy pull-out. If you are close to the kerb you are in the peripheral vision of a driver pulling out - not where you want to be.

Personally, I have almost never had a problem getting back into the flow of traffic, you just need to be alert to what's going on and be comfortable shoulder checking.

J

biondino

jedster wrote:

1. the gap between the traffic is generally wider than the gap between the kerb and the traffic. Try it and see

But the big - and I mean massive - difference here is that the kerb is a) not moving at a relative speed of up to 60mph towards you and b) provides an emergency escape route if you absolutely need it.

Ultimately, my biggest fear when cycling is that I'll have an accident that will throw me into oncoming traffic. This isn't a risk if I filter to the left. It's like I'm a lot more scared of flying than driving because any accident is likely to be that much worse.

Greg T

Left or right you've got to be alive to the hazards.

A proper dangerous spot is down the Kings road in Fulham from Chutney Mary's to Parson's Green.

There's a bike lane that slopes downhill (when it's not got bastards parked in it) and it encourages left filtering at speed....

However there are three left turns, a ped crossing, a petrol station and big junction on it.

I've passed more bike accidents on that stretch than any other...

biondino

Maybe I'm just amazing at biking but it seems so obvious that that stretch is a danger area (and you're absolutely right) that I'll always be on top alert when going down there. Touch wood I'm yet to see an accident there, thankfully.

trisomy21

Sod filtering,take the loughshore path as far as possible.

AndyManc

* cough * :shock:

I started this topic on the CTC forum and I got in touch with CTC direct ... this is their reply.


"If the Highway Code does not use the words MUST then all advice given is advisory rather than mandatory but could and probably would be taken into account when deciding the outcome of claims in a court of law. Unfortunately, unless there has been a test case on a particular issue, the law often remains a grey area as regards what cyclists should and shouldn’t do (ref. the Daniel Cadden case concerning whether he should have been using a cycle path rather than riding on the road – CTC helped to win the case on his behalf).



It seems that the Highway Code allows filtering on the inside in certain circumstances and most forum correspondents are correct in thinking that occasionally inside lane filtering is the preferred option but with the obvious proviso of assessing each situation on its merits in terms of the danger presented by doing so. John Franklin is generally regarded as the authority on the subject."


Basically ... do the hell what you want .. no-one gives a ****

girv73

trisomy21 wrote:

Sod filtering,take the loughshore path as far as possible.

The one that ends on Dargan Road and leads to the 5 lanes at the bottom of the M2 / M5? Tried that, and I prefer the filtering

Gussio

Greg T wrote:

Left or right you've got to be alive to the hazards.

A proper dangerous spot is down the Kings road in Fulham from Chutney Mary's to Parson's Green.

There's a bike lane that slopes downhill (when it's not got bastards parked in it) and it encourages left filtering at speed....

However there are three left turns, a ped crossing, a petrol station and big junction on it.

I've passed more bike accidents on that stretch than any other...

A horrible stretch of road, and one that I am quite happy to freewheel down with the brakes covered. For some reason the traffic joining the road at the junction after the petrol station always feels the need to encroach by about 6ft. There must be crappy visibility I guess. And don't get me started about people turning left into the petrol station without indicating.

There is a pinch point coming off the top of the bridge where 50% of vehicles cut the slight corner and enter the cycle lane - I am always conscious of the lamp post strategically placed on the left.....

chaley

I always stay way over to the right, if I can't get though that side I wait. I never go in the cycle lane to pass cars. The only time I have been down the inside it was way too scary for me, a bus/lorry coming the other way and crap driver pushes over onto you with a look of I didn't see you, what are you on my inside? You have to make drives see you, once they have made eye contact they are loathed to squash you they may not love you for it, but they have to of seen you to hate you :twisted:
Chaley

chuckcork

Left or right depends. I got ticked off yesterday by a stupid woman, telling me that I should be on the left of the cars...and she was on a Bike!

Road was 3 lanes, two going left, and 1 going right. I was going left and first at the lights, and had a mere 50 metres or so around the corner to do a right turn as well, so naturally I preposition myself so I don't have to cut across 2 lanes of traffic, a tactic I'd only used at this set of lights around 300 times or so.

Fatbird however comes up behind me, in the middle lane but wanting to go right herself? Waits for signal to go right to change to green, and then wonders why I'm still on the right hand side of the middle lane in front of her, facing a left turning red....and then realises I'm not going anywhere, and so makes said snide comment as she goes past.

If I'm going right at an upcoming junction I pretty much have to position myself for it, which means filtering or positioning on the side where I need to be. Stupid adherence to being on the left is not only pointless but can be dangerous at times.

I mean, who seriously rides 100% of the time on the left? Do they just go around in anti-clockwise circles, never once breaking out of the loop and going right?

But then again maybe she was a motorist who didn't know any better? Ridiculous thing is that with herself being in the middle lane she was far to the left where she should have been to then go right in the first place!