Re: Waiting in traffic lines.

[DougC]

Marz wrote:
> When driving to work the other day (sorry, yes driving, cycling is not
> really an option right now) I noticed the one cycling commuter ( a
> very rare sight in Houston) and was surprised to see him wait in line
> with traffic at the lights. For me, one of the reasons I did ride to
> work is to avoid getting stuck in traffic lines and my question is, do
> other folks wait in line or do you ride through stationary traffic?
>
> laters,
>
> Marz

If the cars are all waiting on a straight section of road, I pass them.
Gridlock is their problem, not mine.

If I am going to make a right turn, I will still ride past, but be VERY
cautious at the turn. In the US (that is, driving on the right side of
the road) most drivers don't bother to look to their right before
turning--they are only looking straight or left. Getting turned on is a
real possibility, and the few times I've come closest to being run over,
this was the scenario (a car turning right without looking right first,
or using their turn signal).

If I am gong to make a left turn, I will pull up in the right side of
the left-turn lane, right behind the first car, to wait. The second car
is paying attention to what's in front of them, and (I think) is more
likely to notice me.
-----
Splitting lanes makes the most sense when making a left-hand turn at a
multi-lane stoplight, yet 1) it's illegal in the state I live in, and 2)
most drivers seem to be pretty surprised at a bicycle riding through
several lanes of traffic (even if the traffic isn't actually /moving/ at
the moment).
~

[Marz]

On Apr 16, 12:27*pm, DougC > wrote:
> Marz wrote:
> > When driving to work the other day (sorry, yes driving, cycling is not
> > really an option right now) I noticed the one cycling commuter ( a
> > very rare sight in Houston) and was surprised to see him wait in line
> > with traffic at the lights. For me, one of the reasons I did ride to
> > work is to avoid getting stuck in traffic lines and my question is, do
> > other folks wait in line or do you ride through stationary traffic?
>
> > laters,
>
> > Marz
>
> If the cars are all waiting on a straight section of road, I pass them.
> Gridlock is their problem, not mine.
>
> If I am going to make a right turn, I will still ride past, but be VERY
> cautious at the turn. In the US (that is, driving on the right side of
> the road) most drivers don't bother to look to their right before
> turning--they are only looking straight or left. Getting turned on is a
> real possibility, and the few times I've come closest to being run over,
> this was the scenario (a car turning right without looking right first,
> or using their turn signal).
>
> If I am gong to make a left turn, I will pull up in the right side of
> the left-turn lane, right behind the first car, to wait. The second car
> is paying attention to what's in front of them, and (I think) is more
> likely to notice me.
> -----
> Splitting lanes makes the most sense when making a left-hand turn at a
> multi-lane stoplight, yet 1) it's illegal in the state I live in, and 2)
> most drivers seem to be pretty surprised at a bicycle riding through
> several lanes of traffic (even if the traffic isn't actually /moving/ at
> the moment).
> ~

When I do ride through stationary traffic, up the middle of two lanes,
I have to be 100 times more cautious here in Houston as I used to be
in London. I guess London drivers are used to seeing cyclists and
motorcyclists traveling through gridlock. Whereas folks here seem to
be constantly amazed just to see a cyclist on the road. I don't even
know if what I'm doing illegal here in Texas.

And as for right turning traffic, you're correct drivers never look
right before going right, and I usually make sure I leave enough room
for folks to continue to turn right. And when the lights change, make
sure that the next guy turning right is aware that I'm going straight
on.

I had thought the differences in cycling habits I see here in Houston
compared to the UK was a left-pond right-pond sort of thing, but
having visit other US cities it's more of a Houston thang. As there
are so few cycling commuters on the road, drivers have no idea what to
do and never expect to have to look out for a cyclist.

[naked_draughtsman[_3_]]

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:00:34 -0700, Marz wrote:
> I had thought the differences in cycling habits I see here in Houston
> compared to the UK was a left-pond right-pond sort of thing, but
> having visit other US cities it's more of a Houston thang. As there
> are so few cycling commuters on the road, drivers have no idea what to
> do and never expect to have to look out for a cyclist.

It is exactly the same in different parts of the UK. I think it depends
on many things, the number of cyclists on the road is one of them.

It also seems to vary with the seasons/weather - more people are out
cycling in the better weather and people are generally happier to be out
in the sun (cyclists and everyone else) so people are a bit more courteous
to each other.

peter

[Martin Dann]

naked_draughtsman wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:00:34 -0700, Marz wrote:
>> I had thought the differences in cycling habits I see here in Houston
>> compared to the UK was a left-pond right-pond sort of thing, but
>> having visit other US cities it's more of a Houston thang. As there
>> are so few cycling commuters on the road, drivers have no idea what to
>> do and never expect to have to look out for a cyclist.
>
> It is exactly the same in different parts of the UK. I think it depends
> on many things, the number of cyclists on the road is one of them.

One thing I have noticed in the last couple of months, is how my cycling
speed affects how other road users treat me. The faster I go, the more I
seem to be cut up, or receive abuse.
In mid-Feb it was taking me just over an hour to commute to work, and
now I am taking 40-45 minutes (still not fast enough). In Feb, I had
hardly any trouble from motorists.

However this could be due to road positioning, the faster I go, the
further from the kerb I ride.

Martin.

[Matt O'Toole]

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:04:15 +0000, Martin Dann wrote:

> One thing I have noticed in the last couple of months, is how my cycling
> speed affects how other road users treat me. The faster I go, the more I
> seem to be cut up, or receive abuse.
> In mid-Feb it was taking me just over an hour to commute to work, and now
> I am taking 40-45 minutes (still not fast enough). In Feb, I had hardly
> any trouble from motorists.
>
> However this could be due to road positioning, the faster I go, the
> further from the kerb I ride.

As you go faster, especially if you're making better time in traffic, it
frustrates other drivers so they'll try to compete with you -- as they
will when you're driving a car faster than they are. But it really gets
their goat to be "beaten" by a bicycle.

Also, if you're riding fast, they may assume you're trying to "beat" them,
and will return the gesture in-kind.

Their problem, not yours. Imagine going through life like that.

Just don't engage, or when you feel you've gotten their (negative)
attention, take active steps to disengage -- let them "beat" you, and
go on their miserable way.

Matt O.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Matt O'Toole > writes:

> Also, if you're riding fast, they may assume you're trying to "beat" them,
> and will return the gesture in-kind.
>
> Their problem, not yours. Imagine going through life like that.

I think that's pretty much how it is. In my observations,
people are competitive and covetous by nature. Maybe
there's some kind of connection between crime and sport
in that regard? Anyway, if someone is seen to have some
/thing/ -- even the point in space where he or she is
standing/walking/riding/driving at the moment -- other
people will want it. Nevertheless there's a certain
advantage in the predictable behaviours of us humanoids
and hominids.

We bicycle riders /do/ develop a sense of what's coming,
when we see the body English of cars ahead of us. Like
those times when y'just know that guy coming in off the
sidestreet is gonna so-oh-obediently stop at the stop line,
and then just go without looking, right when you'd be
in his path. I can often even predict those mind-changers
who signal a right turn, let me position myself behind
them accordingly, and then switch to their left turn
signal and simultaneously commence turning left when
they think I'd be alongside 'em . I think anybody
who rides among car traffic develops this sense. It's
nothing special or "gifted"; it's just too intangible
to properly articulate in language. In short, I guess
I'm just saying bike riders are /not/ stupid. We all
know that we can't afford to be stupid. We're not that
stupid. Neither, as you well know, do we suicidally barge
through red lights and into busy cross-traffic, as we're so
often accused of doing.

I know I'm not saying anything new to you or to any other
bicycle rider. I'm just trying to acknowledge that intangible
understanding by which we survive our fellow traffic.

> Just don't engage, or when you feel you've gotten their (negative)
> attention, take active steps to disengage -- let them "beat" you, and
> go on their miserable way.

That hearkens to my own personal Cycling Prime Directive:
keep the impatient drivers ahead of me, and the indecisive
drivers behind me. By their fruits shall ye know them.


cheers, & I'm rather partial to grapefruit, myself,
Tom

I bet Eric Sande knows exactly of what I speak.

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca