I'm a North American now living in London and commuting by bike. Unlike North America, cyclists here are expected to filter between vehicles when traffic is slow or stopped. The idea is to get to the next light and get in front of the cars so that they see you (it actually works well, and drivers here are very good.)
Roads in London are quite narrow, and there's a lot of traffic. I'm a terrible bike handler and often stop behind a vehicle instead of trying to squeeze through a narrow space. This would be OK if it weren't for the fact that I massively inconvenience other cyclists, most of whom are better than me and can get through that narrow space.
My question to the good bike handlers here is how do you "think" about biking through small spaces? Do you focus on a specific 'line' to get you through? Do you focus on what not to hit, or do you look past the vehicle you're trying to get by and ignore it? How do you keep the bike steady at a slower speed? By ignoring it and just focusing on balance, or by intervening and using the handlebars?
Roads in London are quite narrow, and there's a lot of traffic. I'm a terrible bike handler and often stop behind a vehicle instead of trying to squeeze through a narrow space. This would be OK if it weren't for the fact that I massively inconvenience other cyclists, most of whom are better than me and can get through that narrow space.
My question to the good bike handlers here is how do you "think" about biking through small spaces? Do you focus on a specific 'line' to get you through? Do you focus on what not to hit, or do you look past the vehicle you're trying to get by and ignore it? How do you keep the bike steady at a slower speed? By ignoring it and just focusing on balance, or by intervening and using the handlebars?