BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Try looking here: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/internet/bureaus/pdbikeped.nsf/infoChapterNine?OpenForm

See the section titled: GETTING THROUGH TRAFFIC JAMS

Also notable is the fact that the law makes explicit the illegality of filtering for motorcycles, but doesn't mention anything for bikes.

(b) Overtaking and passing.--The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken.

(c) Operation between lanes or vehicles.--No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.

This probably isn't all that helpful though.

These traffic-jam tactics are reasonably safe, but in some cities it may not be legal for a bicyclist to pass on the right or ride between lanes of traffic. On the other hand, it’s usually legal for you, or any driver, to cautiously disobey normal traffic rules when the road is “obstructed.”

I am creating a new verb based on that article, "3112", as in "I'm going to have to 3112 this light because it cannot tell that I'm here."

People will probably just think you are a dyscalculic Rush fan.

2113?

That would be a dyslexic Coheed and Cambria fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcik1ZMTDv8

There are people here that do not filter. I've read the stuff they've written and I've decided to be more cautious when I filter. I still filter, but my default is now NOT filtering.

I've just become more aware of risks that can happen when filtering.

That being said, there are circumstances where filtering is not only faster, but a whole lot safer.

I got stuck behind someone on Craig going to Fifth. The guy moved in the door zone, when there were cars moving. When the car traffic stopped, he stood next to a car stuck in traffic.

Plenty of space to go forward. The biker could have just ridden next to the stopped traffic (still in the door zone, of course, but not next to a moving car that was itself, in the far edge of the door zone.) Moving next to stopped cars would have gotten the guy and me to the intersection when there wasn't moving car traffic in that intersection.

If he was turning, or willing to walk on the walk cycle, he (and I) could have gotten through the intersection with no traffic at all.

But no, that would be filtering, and the guy wasn't going to do that. (rolls eyes).

We all got through the intersection OK, but it left me scratching my head.

IIRC, someone mentioned doing a similar thing at Forbes going west towards Braddack.

I like stopped cars. Stopped cars almost never hurt anyone.

There are people here that do not filter. I've read the stuff they've written and I've decided to be more cautious when I filter. I still filter, but my default is now NOT filtering.

I've just become more aware of risks that can happen when filtering.

That being said, there are circumstances where filtering is not only faster, but a whole lot safer.

This. Based on my experiences, and others, I have an ever-growing list of situations where I might filter, and where I might not filter. I am very happy the state law and guidelines are written as they are, because hard and fast rules would be wrong some of the time. Good judgement is a hard thing to legislate.

Yup. Sometimes I filter, sometimes not. Sometimes I wait behind cars at lights, sometimes I go right through them. Safety is key.

^+1

yup. pay attention and use your brain. if more people did that less cars would get parked in buildings.

I have cut way down my filtering after that unfortunate accident that involved over the summer. I still filter from time to time when I feel it's safer to filter than not. I don't feel that filtering or not filtering affects how long my commute is one way or another.