Filtering - do you ever do it?
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Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby jasonblewis » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:07 pm
I'm new to commuting and riding on the road in general.
I'm just wondering what the feeling is among cycle commuters about filtering through stationary cars at traffic lights?
Is it bad to do it? Is it a grey area, sometimes its OK sometimes not?
Advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jason
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Bob_TAS » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:17 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby trailgumby » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:30 pm
There are maybe one or two intersections on my commute where I *might* on the rare occasion do it when traffic is moving, but only if traffic is moving *very slowly*.
Doing it in moving traffic between lanes is generally a Very Bad Idea... high risk of getting squished. I don't recommend it in moving traffic.
Edited for clarity
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby mick243 » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:35 pm
basically, if you have somewhere safer than a traffic lane to filter to, then filter, otherwise - own the lane.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby sogood » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:41 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Summernight » Thu Mar 28, 2013 3:45 pm
Most of the roads I commute on have a bicycle lane on the left after the light, so even if I filter I won't be holding up cars. Otherwise I act like a car.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby jasonblewis » Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:48 pm
I've probably been pissing off drivers and taking unnecessary risk with my filtering. I'll be more cautions now.
Thanks.
Jason
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby casual_cyclist » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:40 pm
I haven't had any issues but I am careful to 1) keep my wits about me and watch for other cyclists, turning cars and peds running the red. I also make sure other cars can see me and I'm ready to take evasive action if someone does something stupid. Also, if I am near the front of the cue, I just jump in and position myself like I would if I was driving. I only filter if I am so far back that I won't make it though the intersection on the next green.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Mulger bill » Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:56 pm
Short answer: Yes AND No.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby DavidS » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:59 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Baldy » Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:54 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby pacra » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:00 am
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby arkle » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:05 am
arkle
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby hiflange » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:51 am
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby jbanh » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:08 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Thoglette » Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:17 am
Cyclists in WA are in the luck position that, as well as passing on the right while moving they can also pass on the left when the traffic is stopped. (Far too lazy to look up which of the three acts it's in this morning)RobertFrith wrote:I'm with Arkle - as an ex motorcyclist I filter everywhere,
Motorcyclists are not meant to do that.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby il padrone » Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:54 pm
I have no guilt about filtering, although these days with a bit of experience I am getting a bit more conservative about doing it. I am increasingly reluctant to filter on the left, unless there is plenty of room, there are no left-turn indicators ahead and the right-side is blocked. Usually I will overtake on the right side, though only when traffic is stationary. There is usually a wider space between cars here then on the kerb-side. I will move right through to the lights and then merge in line or move to the left, behind the first vehicle at the lights. This is to avoid being caught in front of a car just as the lights go green. If I am still on the right between traffic as the lights go green, I will continue riding and as traffic build to my speed, signal and change into the left lane. Very rarely I get an aggro tool who blasts his horn at me. I just wave them by. Most drivers are pretty reasonable.
Often if the spaces are too restrictive, there are lots of trucks in the mix, or the traffic is only queued back 4-5 cars, I will just sit in the lane behind.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Alien27 » Mon Apr 01, 2013 3:20 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby matt_h1 » Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:28 pm
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby arkle » Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:38 pm
arkle
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby wurtulla wabbit » Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:02 pm
Never had a drama but see people closing up in Australia.
I think its a disgraceful practice by cars as the bike holds no draw back to the car and is gone in seconds.
On a pushbike, I don't generally do it unless I can get out the way quickly and not be a hindrance and only filter to inside, never between two cars unless on a motorbike.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby Postieboy » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:11 am
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby bychosis » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:40 am
This. I wont do it if it means holding up cars on the other side of the filter, I don't want any road rage directed at me becuase a motorist believes that I am holding them up after 'cheating' through the traffic.Alien27 wrote:The filtering is not the real issue to me. The issue is what you can do once you get to the front of the que. I don't think you should filter if you are going to hold traffic up once the light goes green. If the traffic is banked up past the intersection or if there is a bike lane starting just the other side then ill filter. If not then I think it is rude and inconsiderate.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby BastardSheep » Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:22 am
This only works on certain roads, and generally if I can't do this or go straight to a cycle path/lane/painted strip I don't filter.
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Re: Filtering - do you ever do it?
Postby FuzzyDropbear » Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:20 am
In that situation I would filter (nice job BTW), but wowzers, we never see anywhere near that traffic in Ballarat, so I usually just fit in with the flow of traffic so I don't hold people up, like the guys above have said.Postieboy wrote:I will always filter if I won't get through during one set of green lights. I.e if the queue is only short and will get through on one green ill line up behind them. If its a long queue ill filter - usually down the middle of two lanes as I find there is more room - until I'm at the front or at least to a position that will get me through the lights when they change. As others have mentioned if the traffic is moving ill move into the left lane.
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