city rider ?

[Fixed]

okay how about this you come to a red light there are 6 cars ahead of you do you ride by them on the right to the light or do you line up behind the cars ?

just wondering how you cats see this
cheers

[93legendti]

okay how about this you come to a red light there are 6 cars ahead of you do you ride by them on the right to the light or do you line up behind the cars ?

just wondering how you cats see this
cheers
I ride by them on the right to the light:

1. I am legally entitled to.
2. It makes it more likely I will make it thru the intersection before the light changes.
3. It beats breathing 6 or more cars' exhaust.
4. It seems safer than hanging around behind the cars where another car/driver might or might not be paying attention as he/she approaches the light.

How about you Fixed?

[Fixed]

I ride by them on the right to the light:

1. I am legally entitled to.
2. It makes it more likely I will make it thru the intersection before the light changes.
3. It beats breathing 6 or more cars' exhaust.
4. It seems safer than hanging around behind the cars where another car/driver might or might not be paying attention as he/she approaches the light.

How about you Fixed? me too
the most important ans. imho is #4

how about a left turn ? same deal in the left turn lane
cheers

[wablro]

Depends.; If the lane is wide enough to safely accomodate a car and a bike side by side, I pass by on the right; if not, and I need to ride in the middle of lane for safety, then I take my place in line behind (using your example) the sixth car.

[victoryfactory]

okay how about this you come to a red light there are 6 cars ahead of you do you ride by them on the right to the light or do you line up behind the cars ?


Fixed...

I ride in NYC. Even the cars do that here!

VF

[bzbvh5]

I stay behind the cars that were at the intersection before me. I get into the middle of the lane behind them so no car can get next to me. I ride in the middle of the lane till I am across the intersection. The other drivers appreciate that I wait my turn and also it keeps drivers from getting next to me making it hard to keep my place in the lane when I get to the other side of the intersection. I found it to be a lot more safe.

[93legendti]

me too
the most important ans. imho is #4

how about a left turn ? same deal in the left turn lane
cheers

Fixed, I rarely ride, if at all, in places where there's more than 1 car waiting to make a left. (I guess I am not really a city rider, more of a suburb rider.) If there is more than one car, I'd decide on a case by case depending upon time of day, light, traffic, etc.

[Bud_E]

okay how about this you come to a red light there are 6 cars ahead of you do you ride by them on the right to the light or do you line up behind the cars ?

just wondering how you cats see this
cheers

I live in the middle of the big city and I love passing stopped cars at an intersection - but sometimes I'm more comfortable splitting lanes and passing on the left. Passing stopped cars is one of the big perks of being on a bike and by golly I do it with pleasure. I'm also aware of cars behind me if I'm stopped at a red light and if they are trying to turn right, I move over to give them room.

[TAW]

I stay behind the cars that were at the intersection before me. I get into the middle of the lane behind them so no car can get next to me. I ride in the middle of the lane till I am across the intersection. The other drivers appreciate that I wait my turn and also it keeps drivers from getting next to me making it hard to keep my place in the lane when I get to the other side of the intersection. I found it to be a lot more safe.

This is also my policy. If I want to be treated like a car, I'll try to act like one.
I've seen guys almost get hit riding to the right of vehicles, and a car decides to turn right on red and move into the shoulder to do so and they haven't seen the cyclist ride up on that side. It might be much different in a bigger city, but I try to respect those who've been in line, and most of the time I can keep up with the flow of traffic at least to get through the intersection.

[Flat Out]

I get in line like ^^^these^^^ two dudes.

[johnmdesigner]

I tend to ride in upper Manhattan only as my only desire is to cross the Hudson.

The traffic lights aren't as hazardous as the people looking for parking spaces. You must be careful passing through intersections as they will turn right without warning and with no signal.

I take at least 3 feet of the lane when I ride to avoid car doors and u-turns out of parking spaces.

I go around the cars any way I can at traffic lights unless there is no room and then I sit in the middle of the lane. Let them honk if they want.

I tried behaving like a car and got honked and cursed at.
Now I behave like a cyclist. I still get honked and cursed at but feel a lot safer.

[Michael Maddox]

I get in line like ^^^these^^^ two dudes.

I do the same. I don't see much point in risking a turn-in or other incident, plus it REALLY pisses off the drivers I know when cyclists do this. If there's a bike lane, it doesn't seem too bad, but I still don't like it. I don't want to expect drivers to check their right mirrors for me...it's just NOT gonna happen.

Being legally entitled to do something doesn't make it safe. I prefer to just let the dolts in metal behemoths get out of my way with a minimum of intercourse.

I also flag cars behind me at stop signs to come on through. I'd rather them pass me while I'm watching them rather than later down the road.

[bagochips3]

going straight i always go up to the light.

turning left i almost always go up to the light as well. but sometimes there isn't a clear left turn area and the roads are sketchy and then i'll wait behind cars in that situation. whichever seems safer.

around here, some lights have little "bike" logos painted in the lanes for where to go. they have them in the left turn lanes, but on the left side of them. I don't do that; I stay a bit in front of the car while waiting so a car going straight doesn't clip me, then stay to the right as i turn so i don't slow down the cars behind me waiting to turn.

[konstantkarma]

Up to the light on the right....if it is clear. Also, I do not obstruct the lead car's ability to make a right turn. By doing this, all of the cars in line know that I am there, and I have an unobstructed view of the intersection and turning vehicles before progressing.

[rustychisel]

I tend to take my place in the queue, usually demanding the whole lane.

[victoryfactory]

I tried behaving like a car and got honked and cursed at.
Now I behave like a cyclist. I still get honked and cursed at but feel a lot safer.

Good point. I was riding on Long Island Sunday. I signaled, moved into the left lane to make
a left turn. As I maintained a semi track stand to wait for the oncoming traffic to
clear at least two cars honked and yelled at me. One guy yelled ***, I looked
at his car.. He had 2 bikes on the rear rack!

The basic message is that drivers just don't want to see bikes on the road, even
if they follow the rules. So I say be safe, stay out of their way if possible.

VF

[jvp]

I usually filter slowly forward to a good slot to hang out near but not at the front, and on the right if I'm going straight. I see no need to miss the light if I don't have to. As I approach the intersection I give a quick head check to see if I'm about to be right-hooked.

[flydhest]

I do whatever works at the moment if I am alone. With groups, it's always waiting in line.

I think it is quaint to believe that cars will somehow respect cyclists if cyclists obey the law. Or that the disrespect comes from cyclists breaking the law. Sure, that's what drivers say, but very, very often while riding completely legally, I've had cars honk, yell, swear, what have you.

There is little correlation, in my experience, between legality and cars' behavior.

Moreover, every single day, on many more occasions than I see bicycles breaking the law, I see cars breaking the law. By the logic of some, does this mean that when I am driving a car, I cannot expect to be respected because so many car drivers do not obey the law?

[dekindy]

In Indiana you are supposed to follow the same rules as automobiles except you can ride two abreast. Most of the riding guidelines that I have read say that the safest strategy is to act like a car.

It depends on the situation. In limited situations if I feel it is safe to go all the way up to the intersection, I do so but always being mindful of cars turning right and not riding in someone's blind spot.

Most of the time it seems appropriate to take my place in line. In areas where the speed limit is 30 mph or less and there is a short distance between stop times, it is extremely annoying to have to pass the same bicycle several times in city traffic because the cyclist is not following the rules. At busy intersections where I know the wait is long and I will not hinder traffic by taking my place in line, I do so. Nothing is more aggravating than a cyclist not following the rules and passing on the right and preventing a motorist from getting through the intersection. The motorist has the same rights as you.

[Fixed]

the main thing is to stay alive do whatever it takes to do that imho
cheers

[EDS]

I tend to ride in upper Manhattan only as my only desire is to cross the Hudson.

The traffic lights aren't as hazardous as the people looking for parking spaces. You must be careful passing through intersections as they will turn right without warning and with no signal.

I take at least 3 feet of the lane when I ride to avoid car doors and u-turns out of parking spaces.

I go around the cars any way I can at traffic lights unless there is no room and then I sit in the middle of the lane. Let them honk if they want.

I tried behaving like a car and got honked and cursed at.
Now I behave like a cyclist. I still get honked and cursed at but feel a lot safer.

Same. Although, living on the UWS, I admittedly blow through the lights on Riverside Drive so I have to always be cognizant of pedestrians.

[jvp]

If you are approaching an intersection, on the right, along side a line of cars that are moving at or near your speed due to traffic, it's okay to pass some of them as conditions dictate? But as soon as that line of cars stops you should stop? That's not how I ride, maybe I should stop but I don't get the feeling I'm angering car drivers by filtering forward slowly. And I doubt many drivers have missed catching the green light because of my actions, maybe a few right-turners that had to yield to me - but here in n.c. we have right-on-red.

[zap]

I'm with Fly. Whatever works at the moment. And the rest too.

I did get nailed long time ago while passing a loooong line of cars. It was getting dark and the single lane line was so long, I could not see the light. As I was passing cars on the left (no room on the other side), one car next to me decided to pull out to the left to make a u turn. I did my best but down I went and the car came within inches of running over my legs.

Legally I was required to stay in line but the insurance company did pay my claim.

[michael white]

I always ride in Amsterdam where cyclists have their own lanes and also their own set of traffic lights.

(jk)--here, it's a judgment call.

[Chad Engle]

Legal or not my personal belief is you are asking for trouble passing on the right. You're gonna get the dreaded right hook. I take my lane, all my lane, and don't seem to have any problems. Be safe.