Undertaking / filtering on left?

surely if you didn't undertake at all cycling would be just as infuriating as i hear driving is. and it would take me about an hour to commute rather than 30min.

Overtake.

It sometimes feels like I'm the only person in London who does this.

No, I do this, too, and it is recommended behaviour--Cyclecraft or cycle training both teach this.

undertaking is fine in stationary traffic if there is no junctions.

There is still the risk of car doors opening, pedestrians moving between vehicles, and cars can also pull over while stuck in a queue. Unfortunately it's not so simple.

surely if you didn't undertake at all cycling would be just as infuriating as i hear driving is. and it would take me about an hour to commute rather than 30min.

Josh, of course no-one's saying that you shouldn't filter at all. If the queue is very long and there is enough room to filter, then with a little skill filtering is usually possible and not a problem. The various caveats still apply, of course. But: It is often better to pass stationary queues on the offside. It is often better not to filter at all. It is possible to get stuck in queues in which buses or HGVs take up the full width of the carriageway. A lot of inexperienced cyclists then take to filtering dangerously or even cycling along the footway. Neither is a good idea. If you can see that the queue just isn't clearing, get off your bike and walk along the footway, then remount where you have room to continue riding. But more often than you might imagine, patience is the best strategy. People often try to save split seconds because of impatience and it can cause completely unnecessary situations.

But I go faster than all the other people in queue because I'm pulling an awesome trackstand and I'm ready to pounce as soon as the first amber photon graces the back of my eyeballs. So the rules are different for me right?

Of course, if that's how you troll. :)

It is often better to pass stationary queues on the offside. It is often better not to filter at all.

This is often dangerous as well. When traffic starts moving again, you're suddenly out in the road and moving more slowly than the vehicles, who are generally unaware of the need for you to get back in quickly. Undertaking has it's risks, but this is quite intimidating for any cyclist, especially newbies.

Of course, if that's how you troll. :)

Indeed! :-)

I will think twice about shooting to the front from now on. Just don't like being boxed in by vehicles on my right.

This is often dangerous as well. When traffic starts moving again, you're suddenly out in the road and moving more slowly than the vehicles, who are generally unaware of the need for you to get back in quickly. Undertaking has it's risks, but this is quite intimidating for any cyclist, especially newbies.

Yes, of course you need the skill to make the right judgement call each time. It's not that hard to anticipate what a queue will do, though. If you watch the traffic signals, which should be visible ahead, you can predict when you can slot yourself into the queue again. There really shouldn't be any 'suddenly' if you pay attention.

Yes, of course you need the skill to make the right judgement call each time. It's not that hard to anticipate what a queue will do, though. If you watch the traffic signals, which should be visible ahead, you can predict when you can slot yourself into the queue again. There really shouldn't be any 'suddenly' if you pay attention.

I generally agree with your sentiment, but I'm having a slightly hard time resolving that with my experience. I ride a fair amount and try hard to be aware of what's happening in order to not get caught out. Traffic is fairly predictable at lights, but coming up to T junctions, roundabouts (including my favourite binary mini-roundabout in Fulham/West Ken) things change more quickly than manoeuvres can be executed.

The right thing to do is to play it safe of course, but I think the safety margins are wide enough for a little ducking and diving.

There is still the risk of car doors opening, pedestrians moving between vehicles, and cars can also pull over while stuck in a queue. Unfortunately it's not so simple.

those risks are omnipresent in every situation involving other cars on any highway. i didn't mention it as it's standard road awareness to anticipate this.

undertake overtake use the pavement do whatever as long as you've got your eyes open and are in control of your bike you'll be fine - i don't believe this applies to newbie brakeless hipsters though.

I'm feeling a bit warm, is that the impending flaming?

Overtake.

Josh, of course no-one's saying that you shouldn't filter at all. If the queue is very long and there is enough room to filter, then with a little skill filtering is usually possible and not a problem. The various caveats still apply, of course. But: It is often better to pass stationary queues on the offside. It is often better not to filter at all. It is possible to get stuck in queues in which buses or HGVs take up the full width of the carriageway. A lot of inexperienced cyclists then take to filtering dangerously or even cycling along the footway. Neither is a good idea. If you can see that the queue just isn't clearing, get off your bike and walk along the footway, then remount where you have room to continue riding. But more often than you might imagine, patience is the best strategy. People often try to save split seconds because of impatience and it can cause completely unnecessary situations.

sorry i was reading this thread as "you shouldn't pass stationary vehicles on either side."

understand now.

(:

undertake overtake use the pavement do whatever as long as you've got your eyes open and are in control of your bike you'll be fine - i don't believe this applies to newbie brakeless hipsters though.

Riding on the pavement is for cunts and paedos. Fact.

Riding on the pavement is for cunts and paedos. Fact.

Car drifts over your way - you either slam on the brakes , risking causing a collision from behind, crash into the car (who's gonna win that one?), crash into the kerb and come off or think fast and hop up the kerb.

So you'd rather get knocked off?

Riding on the pavement is for cunts and paedos. Fact.

+1

There is also a special, special hell for cyclists who unexpectedly undertake other cyclists by riding in the gutter and squeezing through.

Car drifts over your way - you either slam on the brakes , risking causing a collision from behind, crash into the car (who's gonna win that one?), crash into the kerb and come off or think fast and hop up the kerb.

So you'd rather get knocked off?

I'd rather be keeping a sensible distance from the inside of a car and be aware of what is behind me so that if a car does swerve, none of the above happens.

Car drifts over your way - you either slam on the brakes , risking causing a collision from behind, crash into the car (who's gonna win that one?), crash into the kerb and come off or think fast and hop up the kerb.

So you'd rather get knocked off?

Escaping a dangerous situation by hopping onto the pavement and and riding on the pavement are two different things.

I'd rather be keeping a sensible distance from the inside of a car and be aware of what is behind me so that if a car does swerve, none of the above happens.

I don't know if things are any different in the big smoke but on my commute into leeds that is not often a possibility - what with cars parked in, pulling over into or driving in cycle lanes, or driving 2 up on a single carriage way. it's either over take, on the pavement, or wait and travel at the speed of the (5 mile long) traffic jam - what would be the point in cycling then?

On the way in this morning I was stopped behind a bendy bus just before the Camberwell/Denmark Hill junction.

I could have pulled out to the right and gone around the bus but was not in that much of a hurry so thought I'd wait for 30 seconds.

Chap hurtled down the inside of me on his MTB and into the gap between the bus and the pavement- about a foot wide.

Bus was moving, and as the chap got about half way down the inside of the bus he was forced into a bin as the bus drifted into the pavement due to rounding the slight bend.

He was fine- stayed on the bike, but hopefully he has learnt an important lesson.

And if you cycle on the pavement over the age of 11 you deserve to burn in hell.

I don't know if things are any different in the big smoke but on my commute into leeds that is not often a possibility - what with cars parked in, pulling over into or driving in cycle lanes, or driving 2 up on a single carriage way. it's either over take, on the pavement, or wait and travel at the speed of the (5 mile long) traffic jam - what would be the point in cycling then?

I would hazard a guess that London is busier than Leeds and with minor exceptions for traffic bottlenecks i travel much quicker than cars and most other cyclists (there is still a guy with dreads from west who is twice as quick as me!) but i never need to go on the pavement (mainly because i'm not a paedo). Perhaps try riding differently.

Paedo's a word that's thrown around alot these days... - it's ok if it's consensual right?

No - we don't need your permission to call you one.

Ha!

In all seriousness if you ride on the pavement you deserve to go bungy jumping using your intestines as the rope.

yeah, but if you consent to being a paedo it is ok. its being one against your will that's the problem.

There is also a special, special hell for cyclists who unexpectedly undertake other cyclists by riding in the gutter and squeezing through.

And that would be.. The Stench Jacket of Doom's Armpit of Not So Sudden Much More Long-Winded And Horrible Ghastly Face Melting Death Zone.

I could have pulled out to the right and gone around the bus but was not in that much of a hurry so thought I'd wait for 30 seconds.

Precisely, we're on a bike, we're constantly moving either way, so there's no rush.

I don't know if things are any different in the big smoke but on my commute into leeds that is not often a possibility - what with cars parked in, pulling over into or driving in cycle lanes, or driving 2 up on a single carriage way. it's either over take, on the pavement, or wait and travel at the speed of the (5 mile long) traffic jam - what would be the point in cycling then?

Yeah it's mostly donkeys & hot-air-balloons in London.

My number one rule of the road is "don't undertake".

And I expect everyone else to behave the same.