Traffic light etiquette. Don't stop in front of me

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Comments

  • kurako
    kurako Posts: 1,098
    Il Principe wrote:
    I don't care about stopping in front on cars in central London. Why? Because even if they do overtake me I will simply cruise past them as they become mired in the inevitable traffic ahead. It's the cars that hold most cyclists up over the course of a journey, not the other way round.

    That's the big issue I have with filtering to the front at lights. Some goon is almost certain to go racing by you only to get stuck in the inevitable queue further along. I prefer to tuck in behind, let them charge off, and sail by once they get the required 6 ft from the back of the traffic jam 8)
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Il Principe wrote:
    I don't care about stopping in front on cars in central London. Why? Because even if they do overtake me I will simply cruise past them as they become mired in the inevitable traffic ahead. It's the cars that hold most cyclists up over the course of a journey, not the other way round.

    Agreed, I should add that my earlier point very much relates to roads where cars are clearly going to re-overtake as soon as the lights change. In zone 1 heavy traffic I have no such qualms, because, as you rightly say, cyclists are faster. Unless it's the middle of the night.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    Il Principe wrote:
    I don't care about stopping in front on cars in central London. Why? Because even if they do overtake me I will simply cruise past them as they become mired in the inevitable traffic ahead. It's the cars that hold most cyclists up over the course of a journey, not the other way round.
    Agreed, but the average myopic driver simply can't see past the 'obstruction' immediately in front of them. I had an argument with a taxi driver the other week who tried to tell me I was holding him up because I rolled (admittedly rather slowly) towards a red light which already had half a dozen cars waiting at it.

    After trying and failing to get the point into his thick head for thirty seconds, the lights changed. Instead of calling it quits, he then had the nerve to accuse me of delaying him further by causing him to argue with me! Probably a good thing the d-lock wasn't closer to hand.

    Immediately after we both turned right at the lights there was another queue of traffic. Didn't see him again after that.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Probably a good thing the d-lock wasn't closer to hand.

    fabric%20horse%20d%20lock%20holster.preview_500.JPG
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    Been meaning to get hold of one of those for a while.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    I don't care about stopping in front on cars in central London. Why? Because even if they do overtake me I will simply cruise past them as they become mired in the inevitable traffic ahead. It's the cars that hold most cyclists up over the course of a journey, not the other way round.
    Agreed, but the average myopic driver simply can't see past the 'obstruction' immediately in front of them. I had an argument with a taxi driver the other week who tried to tell me I was holding him up because I rolled (admittedly rather slowly) towards a red light which already had half a dozen cars waiting at it.

    After trying and failing to get the point into his thick head for thirty seconds, the lights changed. Instead of calling it quits, he then had the nerve to accuse me of delaying him further by causing him to argue with me! Probably a good thing the d-lock wasn't closer to hand.

    Immediately after we both turned right at the lights there was another queue of traffic. Didn't see him again after that.

    always bare in mind some people are born with out a clue.

    had a nice one yesturday about 5 cars stuck because no one wanted to reverse 10 feet back.....

    sat in the parked work car until they sorted them selfs out.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,418
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    I'll tell you what is very definitely bad traffic light etiquette: riding into the back of someone who is bothering to stop at a red light. Even more so when your riding a disc braked MTB that should be able to stop on a penny, and the guy in front is a roadie with rim brakes - if he (me) can stop in time, so can you! :evil:. For some reason I was remarkably Zen about this, and told the (admittedly very apologetic) to not worry about it (!?). Luckily only a bit of skin taken off (somehow without even snagging my arm warmer) - glad he wasn't driving a car.

    This.

    If I have someone drafting me, my hand goes out to get them back off as I will be slowing down.

    If they've just outright crashed into me... I dunno what my reaction would be...


    Definitely not drafting as we were both filtering through traffic. He was just riding way too close and/or not paying attention. If he'd given it some "what d'you stop in front of me for?" then he would have had his head chewed off, but as I say, he was very apologetic and did seem to realise that it was entirely his fault. We all do stupid stuff now and then (e.g. Mrs RJS put washing up liquid in the dishwasher last night - I'm putting it down to lack of sleep, and we can laugh about it in hindsight, but don't try it at home).
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Been meaning to get hold of one of those for a while.

    Yeah me too, otherwise I end up lugging the courier bag around with me the whole damn time.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Il Principe wrote:
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Been meaning to get hold of one of those for a while.

    Yeah me too, otherwise I end up lugging the courier bag around with me the whole damn time.
    CP's got one. There could be quick-draw competitions and everything...
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    JonGinge wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Been meaning to get hold of one of those for a while.

    Yeah me too, otherwise I end up lugging the courier bag around with me the whole damn time.
    CP's got one. There could be quick-draw competitions and everything...

    Duly ordered one.
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    thing with one of those d-lock carriers is it might just be too easy in the heat of the moment to take a swing at a cabbies wing-mirror/tail-light/etc. I'd always have calmed down by the time I fished in my panier...
  • Eau Rouge
    Eau Rouge Posts: 1,118
    jedster wrote:
    thing with one of those d-lock carriers is it might just be too easy in the heat of the moment to take a swing at a cabbies wing-mirror/tail-light/etc. I'd always have calmed down by the time I fished in my panier...

    I think thats meant to be the point :wink:
  • Ian.B
    Ian.B Posts: 732
    It doesn't look very comforable riding for long with that weight hanging off one hip - how is it in practice? Isn't it better (quick access aside!) just to carry the lock on the bike?
  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056
    I use one of these when i just want to carry a few things and it's great
    http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadge ... _pouch.jpg

    No quick draw on the lock though (probably for the best)
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)

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