Intersection navigation questions

[ny biker]

I seem to be the only cyclist I know who waits in line with the cars at stop lights. Everyone else rides up the right side to the front of the line. I used to do that too, until I realized how annoying it was from the perspective of the driver, in addition to being dangerous.

I know most people don't care about annoying drivers, but every little bit adds up and creates the overall hostility that so many of them show to cyclists. If we obey the laws and wait our turn like everyone else, it helps us all.

But like I said, I feel like I'm in the minority. At least in the DC area.

[Becky]

For me, it depends on the situation. If there's a shoulder on a very busy road that continues on the other side of the intersection, I may filter to the front but stay on the shoulder. If there's no shoulder, I absolutely take the lane and wait my turn in line.

[Eden]

I'd say it depends too. The situation described, definitely sounds like the best thing to do is to take your place in traffic and wait. Filtering between lanes is dangerous...

Now then, if traffic is a huge snarly mess and cars aren't going much of anywhere I do feel that if there is space, one of the advantages of being on a bike is that I don't have to sit in it...... I wouldn't filter up between two lanes in this case, but I'd feel free to use the shoulder

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I act just like a car in intersections. I don't want any car making a turn into me because I'm on the shoulder and in their blind spot.
I take the lane and wait in line just like a car. If the light is green and there is no stopping, I still try to take the lane as I pass through the intersection and then I get back to the right afterwards. I don't hold up traffic much at all, and I know car drivers appreciate knowing my intentions and seeing me clearly.

[Eden]

[QUOTE=BleeckerSt_Girl;401954..........and I know car drivers appreciate knowing my intentions and seeing me clearly.[/QUOTE]

Don't take this wrong - I'm a HUGE advocate of taking the lane, not only when passing through an intersection, but at any time the road is too narrow for cars to pass safely or there may be danger from turning cars, but believe me the drivers that understand why you are there much less appreciate anything about you are few and far between....

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

but believe me the drivers that understand why you are there much less appreciate anything about you are few and far between....

Well, that's just not my experience when I see them nodding and smiling, pointing and waving, after I signal and position myself. I tend to make very exaggerated signals though, so maybe they feel mysteriously compelled to respond to me when I look at them and broadly signal my traffic intentions.
I live in a rural town area but with lots of county highways with plenty of commuter traffic and trucks of all kinds.
Perhaps drivers are truly more clueless where you ride, or other factors are at work resulting in our different experiences.

[tesnusxenos]

When the traffic is really heavy and confusing I hop on the sidewalk and walk my bike across with the pedestrians! I ride a lot in China were most of the busy places have bikelanes with their own traffic signals; I like that.

[Biciclista]

Well, that's just not my experience when I see them nodding and smiling, pointing and waving, after I signal and position myself. I tend to make very exaggerated signals though, so maybe they feel mysteriously compelled to respond to me when I look at them and broadly signal my traffic intentions.
I live in a rural town area but with lots of county highways with plenty of commuter traffic and trucks of all kinds.
Perhaps drivers are truly more clueless where you ride, or other factors are at work resulting in our different experiences.

I wouldn't say they are more clueless, they are more oblivious perhaps, and Eden probably is doing a lot of riding in the dark! when you can not depend on a smile or a wave to be seen by a half asleep person on his/her way to work.