Mental block on queueing and filtering

[Guest]

Hi all,

Picture the scene if you will...

On my regular commute home from work there's a hill. It's fairly steep, single carriageway, 40mph limit, marked with a broken white line and cats' eyes.

As I go home, there's usually a queue uphill of a few hundred yards caused by people waiting to turn right across oncoming traffic. This is the way I need to go too.

In a car it's just a boring way to waste 5 mins of my life. On a bike, though, the fact that it's uphill and stop-start makes sitting in the queue of traffic a pain - so I'd rather not.

The road curves gently to the left so cars generally sit nearer the centre of the road then the kerb. Oncoming traffic is a free-flowing regular stream doing 30-40 mph and includes big vans and lorries. Normally I see bikes passing the queue of traffic on the opposite side of the road, but I have a bit of a mental block about doing this - what if a big lorry comes the other way? The road just isn't that wide, and whilst a clipped mirror isn't going to kill me, we're talking about a journey I make every single day, so it needs to be safe.

There aren't many bikes around, but every single one I've seen just rides straight up the hill past the queue. Problem solved in less than a minute, and they all seem to make it OK.

I'm just scared, though. Up until now I've chickened out - either staying at work late until the queue is likely to have gone, sitting in the queue practicing my slow riding techniques, taking a different route altogether, or using the car instead of the bike.

I've only been riding since September and filtering makes me a bit nervous at the best of times - not so much the riding between lines of traffic, but working out how to rejoin the queue without surprising the driver behind and getting knocked off. Shame it's one important area which DAS instructors never seem to cover

Any suggestions please? I have a week's intensive advanced training booked in May but I'd rather not have to wait until then!

[PhatDad]

Hi all,

Picture the scene if you will...

On my regular commute home from work there's a hill. It's fairly steep, single carriageway, 40mph limit, marked with a broken white line and cats' eyes.

As I go home, there's usually a queue uphill of a few hundred yards caused by people waiting to turn right across oncoming traffic. This is the way I need to go too.

In a car it's just a boring way to waste 5 mins of my life. On a bike, though, the fact that it's uphill and stop-start makes sitting in the queue of traffic a pain - so I'd rather not.

The road curves gently to the left so cars generally sit nearer the centre of the road then the kerb. Oncoming traffic is a free-flowing regular stream doing 30-40 mph and includes big vans and lorries. Normally I see bikes passing the queue of traffic on the opposite side of the road, but I have a bit of a mental block about doing this - what if a big lorry comes the other way? The road just isn't that wide, and whilst a clipped mirror isn't going to kill me, we're talking about a journey I make every single day, so it needs to be safe.

There aren't many bikes around, but every single one I've seen just rides straight up the hill past the queue. Problem solved in less than a minute, and they all seem to make it OK.

I'm just scared, though. Up until now I've chickened out - either staying at work late until the queue is likely to have gone, sitting in the queue practicing my slow riding techniques, taking a different route altogether, or using the car instead of the bike.

I've only been riding since September and filtering makes me a bit nervous at the best of times - not so much the riding between lines of traffic, but working out how to rejoin the queue without surprising the driver behind and getting knocked off. Shame it's one important area which DAS instructors never seem to cover

Any suggestions please? I have a week's intensive advanced training booked in May but I'd rather not have to wait until then!

 

To be honest mate I doubt the intensive training will cover filtering as it seems to be a bit of a grey area. You're likely going to be taught road positioning and ideal speed etc.

I have a few routes I take that have sections such as the one you are describing and I find that you get pretty good at judging the speed of oncoming vehicles and can therefore figure out where and when you duck into a gap between cars. It is very rare, I've only had it happen once, that you can't find a space to pull into. Also, you don't have to pull fully into the gap but enough to let the oncoming vehicle past.

I also leanrt a technique someone mentioned on here which is dipping your clutch and twisting the throttle making your bike growl quite loudly. At certain times and positions this can help the cars in front know you are there and a lot are nice and move over. I had an 18 wheeler lorry pull over the other week to let me past. Always try to thank them though when you go past if they've made an effort to give you space.

I'm not sure where in the country you are but maybe there is someone on here who could go out on a ride with you one day and give you some tips or show you how to do it.

[Guest]

Thanks. It seems odd that filtering should be treated as a 'grey area' given that it could undoubtedly be made safer if bikers were properly trained to recognise when it's safe to do and when it isn't

The road I'm talking about is the final section of the B3000, as it turns north to join the A31 between Guildford and Farnham.

Normally I'd take a different (more interesting!) route on the bike instead, but given the weather we've had lately, all the back roads are covered in mud and full of potholes - and the locals are mostly "invincible" nutters in 4x4's, one of whom chased me home along one of them last week

[Guest]

You are not on your own - this is a skill which takes some mastering and is considered dangerous abroad where it is banned in some countries I think. I am also currently taking a cautious approach being fairly new to biking (this time around) - and have tended to pick only safe opportunities to filter - where mind says don't - I am happy to dip out - my instructor said GOLDEN RULE - if you don't think its safe or don't feel confident - don't do it.

So - to try and overcome this - I do go out loking for filtering opportunties now and then. School run time is one which is challenging as the mothers are really the pits.

I am currently trying to complete the longer filtering stretches by planning short steps - looking for a possible pull in every 6 cars or so - allows me to have some focus on the drivers just ahead of me as well as the bigger picture ahead.

What I don't do is always look to filter right to the front at the first go - maybe do it in stages - slowing right down when the cars trickle forward a bit and re asess next bit. If no probs carry on etc etc until I get near to the front. Then I still feel better if I have been able to pull in behind the last few cars - I got right to the front once and made a real balls of the pull away - horns tooting galore. Getting there was easy - but I then realised that it was a bit scary when you had pissed off all the drivesr and then held them up.

I am not yet fully ready for the "blast" to the front which other riders seem to go for - some at pretty dangerous speeds which would allow no margin for error on the part of one of the drivers.

Rather get home in one peice ever time.

[techno]

You may be able to pull some info from this

http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... =filtering

[Pete]

I think the most important point to raise is this, if you are not sure about it don't do it. If other bikes are going past OK that doesn't mean it's safe, just means they could be cocky / pushy / careless. Of course it could also be totally safe and down to their experience and ability to read the road better than you as well. Either way if YOU aren't sure, it's a no.

I know someone who is all too keen to push his way through traffic no matter what the circumstances. He seems to think that because bikes are smaller they will fit through 100% of the time, this simply isn't true. I've sat back sometimes when he's got himself into some right pickles.

It all comes down to experience mate. When you're ready you'll know when to go for it. Until then keep doing what you're doing with practising slow moving in traffic. That's exactly what I did and in the past when others have said "I can't believe you didn't filter there and just sat in traffic" I can now ride at a slower speed than most other riders I know due to the constant practice, like yourself! Of course now I filter every day on my way to work, but like I said that's down to experience.

[wannars125]

The main rule for me as with all riding is ride within your limits. If it doesn't look safe to you, you're going to be riding anxiously and not relaxed possibly causing a lack of concentration.

I've seen some couriers riding in London traffic like a hot knife through butter but wouldn't attempt a lot of what they do.

I'd say for now, use the gaps when it is safe to do so and progress from there. Remember, 5 minutes isn't worth endagering yourself for.

[Guest]

Thanks guys. Once it gets back above freezing and stops snowing round here I'll get in some more practice

[Guest]

In the Bike Cops programme they said they didn't teach filtering until they were competent riders - it can be fraught with danger and you should only filter when necessary.

[techno]

In the Bike Cops programme they said they didn't teach filtering until they were competent riders - it can be fraught with danger and you should only filter when necessary.

 

So thats when there's a big queue, or its cold or its raining!

[Guest]

For you and I maybe but not for someone who isn't so confident!

[techno]

For you and I maybe but not for someone who isn't so confident!

 

I lmow that but was defining when necessary

[moviemanlo]

filter with care and attention , remember there are idiot car drivers who WILL open car doors in your path so make sure that you can stop . remember that if something does come the other way you will need to find somewhere to go . as long as you are fair to other road users everything should be ok . just keep your wits about you for the odd idiot !

[Guest]

For you and I maybe but not for someone who isn't so confident!

 

Fair comment - but I don't want to enter the vicious circle of being nervous about something, so avoiding doing it, so never gaining any experience, so remaining nervous. I sometimes hear about drivers who avoid particular types of road (or, even, avoid taking right turns!!) because they're scared of them, and it worries me that they're out there lacking vital skills.

[rennie]

It's just a confidence/experience thing!

I filter all the time but, it's hard work!

you have to concentrate 100%!

Don't push yourself before you're ready!

[PhatDad]

It's just a confidence/experience thing!

I filter all the time but, it's hard work!

you have to concentrate 100%!

Don't push yourself before you're ready!

 

I find it one of the most enjoyable things to do on the bike. It's a challenge certainly but start slow with the wider gaps and then move onto the smaller gaps. Get comfortable with how wide your bike is. I now filter through quite narrow gaps were on occasion I have to slow and lean the bike one way and the other to get safely past wing mirrors. BUT this is on routes where I know the traffic light sequencing well enough to know I have enough time to do this move before the lights change and the cars decide to move.

I've had a couple of cars beep their horns at me this week during basic filtering/overtaking which has pissed me off as it's not been because I've been close to their car or suddenly appeared alongside them etc they've just not liked me passing them on the oncoming traffic side of the road it would appear.

[spunky1976]

it took me a fair while to have the confidence to filter found myself sitting in the ques quite a lot, but now its almost second nature.

As everyone has said only do what YOU are comfortable with, if you don't feel safe don't do it.

[Hywel]

I've had my first big bike since a few weeks before christmas and only now am I starting to filter. On the 125 I gave it a couple of goes but my machine control wasn't quite good enough back then and I'd end up getting to the front of a queue thinking "jeeeez I am NOT good enough for that yet" after a few little scary / wobbly moments.

On the hornet I feel much more stable and take huge pleasure in getting through standstill traffic when I'm confident with the space I have. When the traffic starts to move at any pace though (anything above 10mph ish I find at the moment) I start getting uncomfortable and slot myself back into the next gap.

I'm new to filtering but these are some useful tips I've taken on board and used so far;

- Keep half an eye on peoples heads, if someone ahead of you is looking in their mirror or over their shoulder then slow down and get ready to stop

- Same goes for their wheels, if they're pointed in a way that looks like they might steer the car into your path, slow down and be ready to stop

- If you see a big gap open up on either side of you up ahead on a dual carriageway, a car may quickly try and pull across into it, so slow down and get ready to stop

- When slotting back into traffic be careful even if it looks like someone is leaving a nice big gap for you... the gap might have been created for a car pulling out of a side street

[Guest]

Like PhatDad says, i also find it one of the most enjoyable things to do on a bike xD

One thing i find, is when the car a few cars infront is turning right and it stops traffic, be careful on undertaking (on the left) as sometimes the cars in front will decide to do the same without checking mirrors!!!

[Aaron]

Here's a little bit of inside info for any young riders (as in age - only been riding a few weeks myself) who might not have already realised how the typical car driver views bikers:

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, who obviously knows I ride a bike, and she was telling me how she gets so angry when bikes filter because "they're cheating" o.O and "why should I have to check for bikes in my mirrors? If they want to cheat then it's bad luck if they crash".

BE VERY AFRAID!

[wannars125]

I noticed that when living in Suffolk that they don't seem to like bikers filtering. Now I know why.

I bet your other half will be well chuffed when she realises she's just knocked you off.....

[Rod York]

Here's a little bit of inside info for any young riders (as in age - only been riding a few weeks myself) who might not have already realised how the typical car driver views bikers:

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, who obviously knows I ride a bike, and she was telling me how she gets so angry when bikes filter because "they're cheating" o.O and "why should I have to check for bikes in my mirrors? If they want to cheat then it's bad luck if they crash".

BE VERY AFRAID!

 

...Sad but true...sodomising is too good for some people!

[Aaron]

She enjoys that. Gotta think of something else

[Rod York]

She enjoys that. Gotta think of something else

 

leave it with me for a while- does she enjoy candlewax(hot) or electricity either (12/24v)-

throw me a frikkin bone here man...i'm only trying to help here

[Guy Montag]

Here's a little bit of inside info for any young riders (as in age - only been riding a few weeks myself) who might not have already realised how the typical car driver views bikers:

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, who obviously knows I ride a bike, and she was telling me how she gets so angry when bikes filter because "they're cheating" o.O and "why should I have to check for bikes in my mirrors? If they want to cheat then it's bad luck if they crash".

BE VERY AFRAID!

 

Dump the fool.

Actually in that case, car drivers are cheating in a f**king crash and should be made to not wear a seat belt and have a large spike attached the their steering wheel pointing at them. Should even things out. Cheating my arse.