Comments on: So This Is Why They Are So Cranky…

By: m2mayer

m2mayer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:10:34 +0000

I also usually wait in line with traffic at stoplights, but usually when it is one of the rare “X1″ lights. I just don’t think motorists should be responsible for things that come up from behind them along their right side. Plus I am as fast or faster than traffic starting from a stop.

By: Boston Biker

Boston Biker — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:45:49 +0000

Mark: true, I will have to write a post about how to avoid getting killed/enraging everyone while filtering, it takes a smidgen of skill, or perhaps just good judgment to do right.

By: Mark Simpson

Mark Simpson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:40:57 +0000

yeah i know – i’m the dork sitting in the red lights I think of it as a nice rest between stretches of pedaling

Just as long as all the other bicyclists filtering ahead don’t screw up traffic we’ll all be happy.

By screwing up traffic i mean things like cutting in front of turning traffic. I know some drivers don’t use their directionals but i’ve seen plenty of bicyclists cutting past car which ARE using their directionals – it ends up screwing up the whole flow of traffic.

By: Boston Biker

Boston Biker — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:35:41 +0000

Mark: You make a good point, you don’t have to filter to the front, if you like sitting in the line with the cars then by all means do so

By: Mark Simpson

Mark Simpson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:22:05 +0000

Interesting point – but i personally am not a fan of the ‘filtering to the front’.

It seems that many times i do it i end up in a bad position packed between cars in the lane and parked cars. And then all those cars you just passed have to pass you – repeat this through several lights and you end up being passed by the same cars multiple times.

The one place on my commute i do it is when it is a one way street dumping into another one way street and the second street is big wide – i filter forward on the non-turn side and don’t have.

Maybe it is only me – but i have found that waiting in line with the cars is the least stressful / most safe for myself.