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Passing cars at red light - Is this okay?

17K views 44 replies 34 participants last post by  chocostove 
#1 ·
No. Is my uneducated, recently converted from mtb guess.

Why the #$&^ do cyclists think they can have it both ways, e.g. demanding respect on the road - the whole "We have a right to the lane" argument... then completely ignore all driving laws and etiquette. Hey, I'm no saint - I roll stop signs and red lights if A. I'm not behind any cars (and none are coming to trip the light) and B. No cross traffic.

But damn - I am constantly seeing roadies blow past the line of cars at the red light, only to force the cars to over take them - AGAIN. No wonder motorists hate cyclists.

Am I wrong in this? Is it accepted roadie behavior or should I be calling these guys out?
 
#2 ·
It depends.
If there are one or two cars at a light, I'll slide over to the right and go to the line. When the light changes, I'll start rolling easy, and stay way to the right. By the time I'm through the intersection, both cars will have passed. With three or more cars, I'll wait at the end, right in the middle of the lane, until I'm up to speed.
 
#3 ·
Did they wave to you at least?
 
#5 ·
They tend to give a "partial hand wave" when I'm in the middle of the lane until I get up to speed.
 
#6 ·
As a rule, it's bad form. A car or two (so that the re-pass is over within the intersections extra width) might be OK, but if there's a longer line behind that (regardless of how many you personally passed) it might make getting back into the lane messy.

There are a couple of other situations where it can be OK, like if there's a bike lane for you or a center lane for them to pass easily.

If you are gonna inconvenience someone a second time, that's a good indication that you shouldn't. Manners aside, it's just one less bumper to worry about.
 
#8 ·
Perfectly legal in Virginia, to wit:

§ 46.2-907. Overtaking and passing vehicles.
A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped may overtake and pass another vehicle on either the left or right side, staying in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, or changing to a different lane, or riding off the roadway as necessary to pass with safety.


But that doesn't mean it's the smart thing to do. I do exactly what Mr. Grumpy does in these situations (post #2).
 
#9 ·
Hank Stamper said:
How is passing a bike a problem? Assuming the biker is to the side of the road I don't understand why you'd see this as some sort of big effort.
SRSLY???
Imagine a busy road with oncoming traffic, cars parked on the right side of both directions. Guy riding on the right, at a safe distance from the parked cars to limit the possibilty of being doored. A vehicle must pass with at least 3 feet of clearance from the cyclist. That car is now a minimum of five feet away from the parked cars. I don't know how wide the roads are where you live, but round here that distance would put you into, or VERY close to, oncoming traffic.
So in short, no it's not cool to pass the cars that have already had to pass you. Unless you want to be a D!c$.
 
#10 ·
mtbbmet said:
SRSLY???
Imagine a busy road with oncoming traffic, cars parked on the right side of both directions. Guy riding on the right, at a safe distance from the parked cars to limit the possibilty of being doored. A vehicle must pass with at least 3 feet of clearance from the cyclist. That car is now a minimum of five feet away from the parked cars. I don't know how wide the roads are where you live, but round here that distance would put you into, or VERY close to, oncoming traffic.
So in short, no it's not cool to pass the cars that have already had to pass you. Unless you want to be a D!c$.
If three seconds out of your day is big deal fine. Personally I don't think it is and I'd consider myself lucky if that's all I had to get bent out of shape over. And I'm speaking for my perspective as a car driver.
 
#11 ·
As wim says, there's legal (at least in some states), and there's smart. Also, the motorist may not be aware it's legal, so you might be aggravating a pre-existing negative opinion of cyclists even though the law is on your side.

So, generally, No. Not smart, not cool.

There are exceptions. Say I'm approaching an intersection where I'll make a right turn. If there are only a couple-few cars waiting and it is clear by their position on the roadway that they're all going straight, I might ease by on the right and make my turn and be on my way. Or vice-versa, when I'm going straight and all the cars are going to turn.

Otherwise, I too do as Mr Grumpy does: sit in line in the middle of the lane and wait my turn, just like everyone else. I look around and make eye contact with the motorists and signal my intentions. They seem to better accept me and respect me as a result.
 
#12 ·
i am not going to wait 25 cars back in rush hour traffic for 3 cycles of the light - that makes me a giant target for some tool to hit me. i pass on the right and wait at the light off to the side a little. it's smart and it keeps me moving when traffic is grid-locked. why make yourself a target for a person not paying attention?
 
#14 ·
yes!

asciibaron said:
i am not going to wait 25 cars back in rush hour traffic for 3 cycles of the light - that makes me a giant target for some tool to hit me. i pass on the right and wait at the light off to the side a little. it's smart and it keeps me moving when traffic is grid-locked. why make yourself a target for a person not paying attention?

+1 :thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
They changed the law in Oregon a few years back allowing cyclists to pass cars when stopped at a stop light.

The reason, it was deemed to be safer because the bike could move to the front and be seen by all cars behind. It keeps cars from turning right in front of the cyclist and reduces the number of accidents that way.

They have even built up a number of "Bike Boxes" in the Portland area where only bikes can enter the box at intersections. Multiple bikes can fit in the box at one time so they are not lined up along traffic.

And to answer your question...yes, I pass cars at both stop lights and stop signs. At most I may delay them for 1-2 seconds, but they can see me which I'm more concerned about. As they say...I'd rather be wrong and alive than dead and right!
 
#17 ·
M Y O B

I make all my riding decisions based on what I perceive as being safest for me and those I am riding with. Laws and rules of the road are good reference points but I will adapt to a situation as I deem appropriate. Being able to adapt and think is important.

For example I may pull up alongside a car(s) that is going straight through the intersection and basically use them as a blocker so that some moreon coming from the other direction does not try to make a left turn as soon as the car I would have been following has cleared the intersection and cream me. Not legal but safer in the right situation.

OldZaskar said:
...should I be calling these guys out?
Mind your own business and ride how you choose to.
 
#19 ·
This.

Yep.

I think of the far right of the lane as "my lane" or a bike lane, whether or not there is a striped bike lane.

Laws are occasionally vague on this, but according to Mionske, "Bicycling and the Law," passing stopped cars on the right is legal in all 50 states.

I want to wait AT the light, breathing relatively clean air, with clean line of sight to the dangers ahead of me.

A tiny piece of flesh within a sea of steel is NOT what I'd like to be when the light goes green.

Plus, it makes traffic flow faster for EVERYONE, like Ascii says.


asciibaron said:
i am not going to wait 25 cars back in rush hour traffic for 3 cycles of the light - that makes me a giant target for some tool to hit me. i pass on the right and wait at the light off to the side a little. it's smart and it keeps me moving when traffic is grid-locked. why make yourself a target for a person not paying attention?
 
#21 ·
asciibaron said:
i am not going to wait 25 cars back in rush hour traffic for 3 cycles of the light - that makes me a giant target for some tool to hit me. i pass on the right and wait at the light off to the side a little. it's smart and it keeps me moving when traffic is grid-locked. why make yourself a target for a person not paying attention?
X a bunch.

and if the light is a short cycle light, I wil take my time thru the intersection (off to the right, so I don't block traffic) and let the 4-5 cars that can make it thru the light pass, then hook it and try to grab a draft off the last car thru the light. :thumbsup:

Jerry
 
#22 ·
I do this daily.... and I agree with some comments above, as it depends..

A) one light has a dedicated bike lane, I ride straight to the stop light and stay in my lane.. no isses

B) No bike lane if there are one or two cars I will pull up to the right, any more and I take my place in the middle of the lane and wait my turn, when I go through the intersection and feel safe enough to move right I do until then I control the lane..

C
 
#23 ·
In London at traffic lights they put green area for bikes IN FRONT of stop lines.

Nothing wrong with going first from every traffic lights - it keeps me safe at least from those who jerk between lanes and make unpredictable moves and those who turn right. I always kind of sprint at the green. Waiting behind is also a good way to breathe in more bad air from lorries, buses and old junk.
 
#24 ·
Good topic. I usually keep my place in traffic if there are no bike lanes. But I have the luxury of using mostly quieter back roads or rural roads on most of my rides. If I am at the front of a light, I usually slow-start to allow traffic to pass me. I'd rather let them be in front when I'm going my slowest. When I lived in ABQ my commute included a ride along Osuna Blvd. I had a bike lane and would pass a huge gridlock during evening rush hour. I could see the frustration on many people's faces, but since I had a bike lane I wasn't going to wait with them.

Overall I'd say to ride conditions and be safe. When in a downtown area I do my best to follow traffic laws and ride like a car. People seem to respond to that better as long as I'm riding close to the posted speed limit.

Bob
 
#26 ·
Around here, even motorcycles can legally lane-split - although they tend to ride the center line, which is a bit unnerving when driving a car. Scooters end splitting on the right. Nobody seems to care. Either traffic is so congested that bikes are actually faster than cars, or so sparse that there is plenty of room to pass.

The way I see it, cars rarely give me a full lane when they pass, so I just return the favor. It's all good.
 
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