Ride up inside of cars or wait in queue?

Kieran_Burns

The Ors wrote:

Mike Healey wrote:

pinkteapot wrote:

Fair enough. I will continue to rage quietly at the cyclists who make me overtake them repeatedly but I'll keep being a nice overtaker who gives a wide berth. Unlike the BMWs who overtake me when I'm cycling that are close enough that I could kick them.

I'm not sure what the problem is. If the "make" you overtake them repeatedly, does that mean that they over(under)take you repeatedly and are raging quietly at someone who "makes" them over(under)take frequently?

Does having to overtake repeatedly tire you out more than it would do if they didn't undertake you? Or is it that you don't believe that they should come up on the inside, altho' it's perfectly legal, and that is what annoys you?

If they weren't there, would you be able to go any slower or faster?

Exactly what I was thinking. I wonder if the cyclist is moaning about the person in the car taking up the whole lane and forcing them to undertake 4x in a row?

Share the road!

As to the original question, sometimes I undertake, sometimes I overtake, sometimes I wait. Depends on the situation.

If you drive a car you are going to be stuck in traffic irregardless of cyclists; it's the other cars that are actually slowing you down, not the bikes!

Grammar Nazis!!! Burn him! Burn him with fire!!!

will3

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Grammar Nazis!!! Burn him! Burn him with fire!!!

rhext

pinkteapot wrote:

I'm sorry, I'm a cyclist too, but I get annoyed on the days I drive to work when cyclists come up my inside on my approach to traffic lights/roundabouts (on roads without cycle paths at the left-hand edge). I overtake them (no mean feat on busy roads), then when I stop they come past and I have to get past them again. Had a record this morning - had to get round the same bike four times!

You could turn that round, of course and look at it from the position of the cyclist....every time I overtake a motorist, 15 seconds later they overtake me again, only to pull up in front of me at the next set of lights! Cars are faster on the open road so they overtake bikes. Bikes are faster when its congested so they overtake cars. Why should the cyclists wait when it's congested any more than the drivers are prepared to wait when it's not?

If you get frustrated, ask yourself whether they're really holding you up or whether they're merely putting off the moment when you join the back of the next queue of cars.

Alitogata

pinkteapot wrote:

[...]

MrTeapot seems to think that waiting in line is dangerous but I can't see why. The car in front is unlikely to reverse into me, and the one behind can clearly see me and overtake as normal.

It is dangerous.. if the car behind don't manage to stop or overtake you "normally" you will end up "sandwiched" between the frond and the back car.

muppetman74

I'll only filter up to front at lights if two conditions are met:

1. I've seen the lights change, so I know if I've got the time to make it to the front before the traffic starts moving again.
2. I can see a clear-ish path to the cycling box thingy at the front (ASL?) i.e. enough kerbside room. If there is a bus, truck or white van(!) in the queue ahead of me, I'll always wait in line. Just not worth the risk.

However, even if I do make it safely to the ASL, there is usually some nobber in a car over it anyway!

MichaelW

Bike and cars have different rates of acceleration. At 0-5mph, bikes seem to be quicker off the mark. 5-10mph, cars have it over most riders and beyond 10mph, its is cars every time.
This means that if you tag onto the back of the line of cars, esp in a long queue on an upwards gradient, your acceleration may be insufficient to reach the junction in time and all the cars behind you will have to wait.
If you filter to the front, you can get away quickly and more cars get across too. Obviously there will be exceptions, such as very narrow roads.
The dangers of filtering are legion:
Getting doored
Peds crossing from BOTH direction
People exiting taxis and open-rear buses.
Cars turning right across the queue (legal right of way for cyclist is moot )
Cars turning left without signalling.
Lights changing whilst filtering long vehicles.
Getting stuck to the left of left-turning long vehicles
I guess like most experienced riders, i judge each situation for safety vs convenience and favour safety every time. For less experienced riders, it can be a tricky decision to make.