I also someimes just sit in teh queue. Allows me to shake my head at RLJs (:-)).

Did have a conversation with a guy who pulled up behind me then pushed passed while waiting at lights (him on pseudo mtb).

Me: I wouldn't sit there mate, he's going left and hasn't seen you.
Him: No indictors so he's gong straight on, you can't tell me what to do.
Me: OK fella crack on.
Him: What the **** he just turned left across me, what a ******, did you see that? **** i'm gonna report him etc, etc, etc.
Me: Have a nice day

Ta for the explanations – hilldodger and others.

just read the initial question, if I was heading straight on, I'd undertake the line of cars and ride through the red light same as a pedestrian would.
I undertake as long as there is a bailable option on the inside. overtaking is just as dangerous.

Drivers never look for bikes on the left OR the right so thats a spurious argument.

If you go right, you have to deal with oncoming traffic as well as your traffic if the lights change unexpectedly.

That is true, but they are about 50% more likely to glance in the mirror before they turn right, or even tap the indicator on 2 metres from their turn than if they are going to turn left, when they usually never look or signal. Because the driver is on the right, if I am also on the right, I can see them and I can usually tell what stupid stunt they're about to pull. If its clear for them to turn right and they do turn right on me and i don't spot it, I've usually got more space to fall/crash into, I'm not going to get crushed against other vehicles or railings etc.

There is usually plenty of space down the middle. You're correct that no-one going the same direction as me cares or looks for me, but I can see oncoming traffic, oncoming traffic can see me, and I can see everything that is going on, including lights changing, snags, stalls, people pulling into traffic, dozy ppl on mobiles, cyclists cutting up busses, traffic pulling away again, busses, trucks etc etc etc. It makes filtering a lot easier, the gaps are more reliable, the gaps never disappear instantaneously and if traffic starts moving faster than me, so what? If they won't let me over, they can undertake me, there is room enough if I've just come past them, I'm waiting for them to act the moron, I'll just move over when safe.

one thing i have found is that with peds crossing stationary traffic, they seem less aware of bikes when bikes are going up the edge of the pavement rather than on the right.

suppose from their point of view they have made it across..

as for which side it depends – sometime in dual lane up the middle is best.

what does the law or highway code actually say on this anyway?

it seems pretty vague as far as i can tell. Undertaking generally not allowed, but almost every single cycle lanes goes up the left.

Its not undertaking, its filtering and the onus is on the person filtering to do so appropriately and safely.

undertaking is an issue where you have moved to the left to undertaken and then back again i.e. the reverse of an overtake. but you can in a car on motorway for example go passed those on the right if you lane is moving quicker and you have not change to do it.

rootes – only if it is in a total stop / start jam. Not just because twerp have clogged up the overtaking lane.

reluctant to read the thread, but to answer your question…

i overtake the line of vehicles, then if the lights change i move across in the most appropriate gap.

i can see when the lights are going to change

>what does the law or highway code actually say on this anyway?

http://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news-archive/the-new-highway-code-what-does-it-mean-for

rule 151 say to be aware of cyclists filtering on either side, tho' it doesn't actually mention the legality or otherwise (tho' filtering as such is legal)

(having said that, rule 77 is a recipe for getting wiped into the curbside…).

FWIW – generally overtake on outside traffic stationary or otherwise, on inside in stationary traffic if there's little room on the outside and there is on the inside (and at a speed I stand a chance of stopping in case a door opens). Either way, with a view to how long the lights have got vs whether there's room to pull into the queue (not so easy to see or do on a fairly low recumbent, so have to be a bit more wary)

Can't be bothered to read folks theories on this (read them many many times before), but I ain't there TJ; reading a discription on the forum isn't going to let me know how I'd react to any traffic situation.

FWIW I do a 12 mile commute, there are 3 places I can think of where I will overtake on the right (one is a school bus stop and cars coming the other way get upset that I'm on, or near, the white lines) and 2 places where I always undertake (1 being a cycle lane) and 2 places where I'll over/undertake whichever side is sensible given the traffic.

Conclusive stuff huh?

I do what TJ does.
If the traffic is stationary I will filter on the side that looks safest. If the traffic starts moving I'll find a slot in the traffic.
If it's not easy to filter, say the traffic is tightly squeezed in, I'll not mess about trying to get down the side, I'll just wait.
If the traffic lights are about to change or there really is no benefit in filtering I'll wait.