"filtering"

[Biggsy]

You can see if the bus doors are open when you approach.  If you can't, don't approach.

ps.  I'm still not dead.

[hatler]

I'm sure CTUK have written in one of their bits of guidance (or was it John Franklin) that filtering is one of the most under considered skills necessary to ride a bike in traffic.

I find it is the one aspect of cycling that really shows how competent, aware and experienced a cyclist is.

[Toady]

In a similar way, pedestrians crossing in front of the bus would be blocked from your view and probably wouldn't think to look for a bike filtering. Not sure whose fault that would make a collision, but something to be aware of.

Indeed, it all gave me pause for thought.  A passenger - sick of waiting in the traffic jam - may open the door too (a bit less likely on the drivers side).  Sometimes I go down the outside there, but that can be scary even if it isn't all that dangerous (you can easily see lorries and vans coming and get out of their way).  I avoid that stretch in the car because of the huge jams.  I think I may do the same on the bike in future. 

[hatler]

I'm with sam. Filtering is fun, and displays better than anything the perfect utility of the bike and the futility of a vehicle in a city.

[Andrij]

The best bit of filtering is when drivers spot you and re-position themselves to block your progress.  I simply dismount, lift my bicycle onto the pavement and past the car/van, return to the road, look back at the driver while smiling and waving, then continue on my way.   

[Cudzoziemiec]

Sometimes they do the opposite - see you coming and snap their mirrors in quickly!

[Andrij]

On occasion I've seen drivers make room for filtering cyclists, but it's usually the other way around.  I assume their thinking is "If I'm not getting anywhere, neither is anyone else!"

[Toady]

When driving, if there's room to manoevre I'll make room for a bike (or motorbike).  But not out of politeness, rather because I assume s/he is a complete eejit and is going to ride into my car.

[Kim]

Sometimes they do the opposite - see you coming and snap their mirrors in quickly!

The weirdest one I've had was one roll down the window and scream at me, causing me to perform a wobbly emergency stop.  It transpired that they were upset that I'd broken their mirror.  Pointing out that:

a) I wasn't anywhere near their mirror when they shouted
b) I wouldn't have wobbled if they hadn't scared me by shouting
c) In spite of that, at no time did me or any part of my bike touch their vehicle
...and most impressively:
d) the mirror wasn't even broken

...didn't get me anywhere.  Eventually I gave up and rode off, before it got any nastier.   

That's put me off filtering, generally.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I think the mirror-folding is done more out of concern for car parts than body parts.

[Diver300]

I think the mirror-folding is done more out of concern for car parts than body parts. only

FTFY

Case in point, the plonkers who drive in Cornwall with the devices that audibly warn you when you are a tad close to the greenery mirrors permanently folded.