Undertaking in traffic

Builderfromhell

Every day I cycle the same route and coming towards lines of stopped traffic at traffic lights I have to decide to overtake and then cut in when traffic starts moving or undertake cars stopped in traffic.
The problem with undertaking is that there are often cars much too close to the kerb to pass. I have a side mirror on my handlebars so prefer lots of room. Also, sometimes I'm going downhill undertaking cars stopped at lights and the gap is tiny.
I'm not sure what's best from a legal, safe and efficiency of travel. Ideally, cyclists would have ample room to move past traffic, especially when going downhill. I say this as cyclists may have had to struggle to get up hills and braking wastes all that energy.

sullzz

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Every day I cycle the same route and coming towards lines of stopped traffic at traffic lights I have to decide to overtake and then cut in when traffic starts moving or undertake cars stopped in traffic.
The problem with undertaking is that there are often cars much too close to the kerb to pass. I have a side mirror on my handlebars so prefer lots of room. Also, sometimes I'm going downhill undertaking cars stopped at lights and the gap is tiny.
I'm not sure what's best from a legal, safe and efficiency of travel. Ideally, cyclists would have ample room to move past traffic, especially when going downhill. I say this as cyclists may have had to struggle to get up hills and braking wastes all that energy.

Undertake or wait, and be cautious of cars possibly turning left

What Username Guidelines

I’d very rarely overtake a line of cars to be honest, too tricky and unpredictable to get back left or centre lane when traffic does move, so undertake all the way. Granted for the most part there’s some paint lashed on the road that counts as cycle infrastructure so usually there is sufficient room, you just need to have your wits about you.

You’ll have plenty saying never go up the inside of a large vehicle, but I’ve no idea where those people cycle. If it’s stopped dead in traffic, there’s nowhere for it to go, and you’ve an “out”, then it shouldn’t be an issue.

There are some cases on my route, such as the bus lane from Harold’s cross to the canal, where it’s filled to the brim with cars and they’re up against the kerb, I’ll just wait in the line of cars. It might cost a minute or two overall but in the grand scheme of things it can be safer.

carltonleon

Undertake for me but as has been said above be careful of cars/trucks turning left

magicbastarder

there are two places where i both under and overtake - where there are no road markings suggesting two lanes for cars, but they do it anyway, and you invariably find the most space between the two lines of queuing cars.

Weepsie

I pass on the left, I woudn't say I undertake though, that to me implies that that you're changing your lane and cutting back in front of the cars.

At least that's how I would qualify undertaking. There is a very real difference between the two.

Wishbone Ash

I only know one cyclist who 'undertakes' but he's a funeral director.

Lads, you are overtaking on the left.

I fcuking hate that stupid term 'undertaking'.

Rant over.

OldMrBrennan83

Sometimes the road isn't wide enough to leave ye room.

magicbastarder

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I fcuking hate that stupid term 'undertaking'.

it's one of those i'm happy to let slide usually. because people know what you mean and it's less clunky than the technically correct term.

ted1

I pass on the left of there’s room and on the right if there’s no room or a bus or truck. Of if there’s no traffic coming.e.g heading out of town in the evening I’ll skip down Angeles’s road on the right.

CramCycle

I nearly always overtake on the right nowadays, decent lights, people think your a motorbike, less incidents for me. I understand why people avoid it though.

Macy0161

"It depends" is my answer. Generally pass stationary traffic on the left, if there's room. More and more motorists deliberately blocking though in my experience (pulling tight to the kerb for no other reason), in which case I pass on the right.

carltonleon

Undertake ? Overtake ? .. Cycling Free, The Cyclists of Ireland, common are we !!!

Ah that brings back memories from my childhood !!!!

punisher5112

I hope you all take care when any vehicle is indicating or not at junctions as if they are ahead of you and showing intention of turning left then you must allow them do so.

I see so many that pelt it down and keep going and then wonder how they are hurt or worse killed.

Keep clear of trucks and buses and best advice on them is if you can't see their mirrors then they can't see you and also remember the blind spots

You could be right beside the lathe vehicle and you wouldn't be seen at certain points.
(Cameras and sensors would help here).

When a bus is at a bus stop the nose tends to be into the path more so making it very difficult to see cyclists flying up and then shoot out to pass at the last second.

Try and be out sooner and be seen.

C3PO

CramCycle wrote: »

I nearly always overtake on the right nowadays, decent lights, people think your a motorbike, less incidents for me. I understand why people avoid it though.

I agree with Cramcycle on this one - I would rarely pass on the left of cars, particularly when they are moving slowly or stopped and even more so when there are cars parked on the left. Just too much chance of doors opening in front of me! Much prefer to take my chances on the right of the traffic where I have more control of the risks!

Macy0161

Well mine was a general comment. Obviously, i'd be wary going up the side of a truck or indicating vehicles. They have to be actually indicating to avoid it though! My only incident passing stationary traffic was when I was passing on the right actually, and someone in the line decided they'd had enough and decided to do a u turn and right hooked me (without indicating).

amcalester

Patww79 wrote: »

Sometimes the road isn't wide enough to leave ye room.

Happy enough to wait behind when that’s the case.

I wish all motorists would afford me the same curtesy.

buffalo

punisher5112 wrote: »

I see so many that pelt it down and keep going and then wonder how they are killed.

Who was the last person who wondered how they were killed? :pac:

"I got hit by a car and when I woke up, I was dead!"

average_runner

buffalo wrote: »

Who was the last person who wondered how they were killed? :pac:

"I got hit by a car and when I woke up, I was dead!"

Are you Jesus?

OldMrBrennan83

amcalester wrote: »

Happy enough to wait behind when that’s the case.

I wish all motorists would afford me the same curtesy.

There's always a good few on my way to work and there's only one real spot where you can't keep out enough without going onto the other lane.

07Lapierre

I pass on the left if i can't to do so on the right.

We're talking about driving on the M50 right?

Ray Bloody Purchase

07Lapierre wrote: »

I pass on the left if i can't to do so on the right.

We're talking about driving on the M50 right?

Anything goes on the M50, amigo. It's bandit country.

Macy0161

07Lapierre wrote: »

I pass on the left if i can't to do so on the right.

We're talking about driving on the M50 right?

Judging by the thread in commuting, the only passing on the left you'd be doing on the m50 is in the hard shoulder!

punisher5112

buffalo wrote: »

Who was the last person who wondered how they were killed? :pac:

"I got hit by a car and when I woke up, I was dead!"

Knew you would like that one ;-)

monkeybutter

only time I've ever been hit was when I've been overtaking stopped traffic

Know a few people in the same boat

People just don't look out for a cyclist to the right or bother to indicate when pulling out, either to change lane or to do a phantom u-turn

By the time it's happened, its hard to avoid just like when someone cuts across you or pulls out from a side entrance without looking at the last minute

jonnybravo

I got knocked down bypassing parked traffic on the left by someone opening their door and not looking. It wasn't too bad, just a few scratches but I was asking my brother in law (who is a solicitor) who would be responsible. He said it'd be split. You shouldn't technically go on the inside (wasn't any cycle lane) and your man who opened the door should have looked.

amcalester

jonnybravo wrote: »

I got knocked down bypassing parked traffic on the left by someone opening their door and not looking. It wasn't too bad, just a few scratches but I was asking my brother in law (who is a solicitor) who would be responsible. He said it'd be split. You shouldn't technically go on the inside (wasn't any cycle lane) and your man who opened the door should have looked.

Your brother in law is wrong, it’s perfectly legal to pass on the left even when there is no cycle lane.

magicbastarder

the actual law.

(b) A pedal cyclist may overtake on the left where vehicles to the pedal cyclist’s right are stationary or are moving more slowly than the overtaking pedal cycle, except where the vehicle to be overtaken—


(i) has signalled an intention to turn to the left and there is a reasonable expectation that the vehicle in which the driver has signalled an intention to turn to the left will execute a movement to the left before the cycle overtakes the vehicle,


(ii) is stationary for the purposes of permitting a passenger or passengers to alight or board the vehicle, or


(iii) is stationary for the purposes of loading or unloading.”,

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/si/332/made/en/print

the grey area here would be had the vehicle stopped to let someone out, or did someone get out because it was stopped.

Chips Lovell

Default overtake on the right. "If in doubt, stay out".

amcalester

magicbastarder wrote: »

the actual law.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/si/332/made/en/print

the grey area here would be had the vehicle stopped to let someone out, or did someone get out because it was stopped.

That's where indicators, or lack thereof, would come in to play. Possibly road position too, a car stopped to let passengers alight should be pulled into the left with indicators on.

magicbastarder

yep, i had an interesting lesson in such the other day. cycling up the inside of stopped traffic; there was a taxi indicating left, but stopped and several cars back from the red light (at which there's a left turn a lot of cars take), so i went up the inside. however, as i did so, he pulled in to the kerb, i assume because the fare decided they'd gotten close enough to their destination to get out.

that would have been an interesting one - the taxi driver would have legitimately been able to claim that he'd indicated in plenty of time. i assumed the left he was intending was not the one he actually took.