husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Actually, you are not supposed to filter through traffic... Are the engines on your comparison the same? Usually that's what dictates the size of the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James in Brum Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Who says you are not supposed to filter through traffic @husoi 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 You are allowed to filter and it is referenced in the Highway Code 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 Never said it's illegal. Just that you're not supposed to do it. "There are no filtering specific laws to define its legal status explicitly, however, because filtering is made allowance for within the highway code we can take that as it’s defined allowance on the public road within the UK." From: https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/lane-splitting-filtering-law/ Yes there is allowance in the highway code for it but nothing specifically saying it is legal. Argument can be made for "if is not forbidden then it is legal" but riders are also responsible to ensure that enough care is taken to prevent accidents. We all know that some idiot riders go way too fast while filtering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Westerly Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 (edited) I filter and if my handlebars fit so do the panniers. It is wide though, a smidge under 1 metre. Edited January 8, 2021 by S-Westerly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 (edited) I have a lorry bike and also filter. Just do it at slow speed. Scary stuff in France where riders are mental. Edited January 8, 2021 by husoi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I think one of my favourite biking memories was filtering down a traffic jammed bypass for probably 1 mile. I did it with a big grin on my face the whole way 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttled Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I think I filter less now because cars have got wider. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 2019 I had a "friday bike day" rule and several times the M90 was packed because of accidents. Was really nice to overtake some of my colleagues stuck in traffic The worst I got was queuing traffic from the junction before M73 all the way up to the M876, a good 7 mile car park. Or those days when Queensferry crossing was shut. You can't help to feel sorry for the drivers stuck in traffic like if it was the M25.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liveware Problem Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 1 hour ago, husoi said: Never said it's illegal. Just that you're not supposed to do it. "There are no filtering specific laws to define its legal status explicitly, however, because filtering is made allowance for within the highway code we can take that as it’s defined allowance on the public road within the UK." From: https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/lane-splitting-filtering-law/ Yes there is allowance in the highway code for it but nothing specifically saying it is legal. Argument can be made for "if is not forbidden then it is legal" but riders are also responsible to ensure that enough care is taken to prevent accidents. We all know that some idiot riders go way too fast while filtering. My understanding is that is how UK law works - generally speaking, if it is not forbidden, it is legal What do you mean by you're not supposed to do it? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 1 minute ago, Liveware Problem said: My understanding is that is how UK law works - generally speaking, if it is not forbidden, it is legal What do you mean by you're not supposed to do it? Meaning that if your unfortunate to have a crash with a car while filtering, your insurance company is likely to split the responsibility 50/50 or thereabout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liveware Problem Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 17 minutes ago, husoi said: Meaning that if your unfortunate to have a crash with a car while filtering, your insurance company is likely to split the responsibility 50/50 or thereabout. I think that would depend a great deal on the circumstances, and doesn't mean you are not supposed to filter. We all know insurance companies are not interested in protecting their clients! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 7 minutes ago, Liveware Problem said: I think that would depend a great deal on the circumstances, and doesn't mean you are not supposed to filter. We all know insurance companies are not interested in protecting their clients! At the end is all about risk management. If you're willing to take a bigger risk the law doesn't stop you, which is a concept I agree with and defend. Never liked the "mommy state" structure. People stupid enough to take pointless risks don't deserve any oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Split from the other topic to create its own! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Filtering is fun, especially during the summer when you see the look on the cagers faces as you casually ride past them 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Westerly Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Having happily filtered through stationary motorway traffic I'm not about to give it up anytime soon. I don't commute so I'm less comfortable doing it in heavy town traffic but will do it on occasions just not so dementedly as some loons on 125's and scoots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Highway code 211 It is often difficult to see motorcyclists and cyclists, especially when they are coming up from behind, coming out of junctions, at roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering if you couldn't do it that wouldn't be in it. if you do filter you have to do it safely, the faster you go the more blame is going to be put on you. if you get hit by a vehicle turning accross your path into another Road it's likely going to be 50/50 as you should have seen the potential for someone turning and they should have looked. do the same at 30mph over the moving traffic and it's likely going to be put firmly in your lap. filtering is one of the bonuses of having a motorbike but not everyone is happy doing it and that's fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I am an advocate of filtering A) it annoys most cagers as they are just jealous that you dont have to sit in stationary traffic and they do and B) it's a good tool to build confidence in your own skills whether it be observation or position skills. Though I do remember from being a dispatch rider taking off a fair few car mirrors where the car would move over to block the bike when said bike was filtering past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickly Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 My best filtering experience was 3 Miles of stationary traffic on the west bound A30 2 years ago. I carefully picked my way through watching out for opening doors etc, people we’re getting out & stretching their legs & dashing behind the bushes. A couple of heavily laden 2 up GS’s were stranded but I managed to wriggle through on the Mighty Speedtriple ( Only got tail pack & tack bag ), lots of people made space for me & no one tried to block me off. When I got to the front, the copper waved me past the car/ lorry accident but there was no room for cars!! I then had miles of lovely empty A30 all to myself !! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 40 minutes ago, Mickly said: My best filtering experience was 3 Miles of stationary traffic on the west bound A30 2 years ago. I carefully picked my way through watching out for opening doors etc, people we’re getting out & stretching their legs & dashing behind the bushes. A couple of heavily laden 2 up GS’s were stranded but I managed to wriggle through on the Mighty Speedtriple ( Only got tail pack & tack bag ), lots of people made space for me & no one tried to block me off. When I got to the front, the copper waved me past the car/ lorry accident but there was no room for cars!! I then had miles of lovely empty A30 all to myself !! Sounds like bliss, I'm surprised pc plank let you go though that's very unlike them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 55 minutes ago, Bender said: Highway code 211 It is often difficult to see motorcyclists and cyclists, especially when they are coming up from behind, coming out of junctions, at roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering if you couldn't do it that wouldn't be in it. if you do filter you have to do it safely, the faster you go the more blame is going to ne put on you. if you get hit by a vehicle turning accross your path into another Road it's likely going to be 50/50 as you should have seen the potential for someone turning and they should have looked. do the same at 30mph over the moving traffic and it's likely going to be put firmly in your lap. filtering is one of the bonuses of having a motorbike but not everyone is happy doing it and that's fine. What Bender said My filtering tip is to watch the driver's door mirror and the leading edge of the car's front wheel. I look for eye contact in the mirror, otherwise assume they don't know you're there. And even after eye contact check the car front wheel. Some motorists have an inbuilt dislike of being overtaken and it's amazing how often eye contact is followed by the leading edge of the front wheel turn outwards to instinctively block you off. When I rode through city traffic every day I noticed that when I was in leathers the front wheel often turned out and the car moved a few inches to close the gap. When I was in hi viz it turned out but then went back again and logic overrode instinct and they realised they'd look pretty dumb saying 'I didn't see you' when I was wearing hi viz. It can vary on the bike as well. On the Honda I'm invisible. On the Bobber it's not unusual to see the traffic moving over several cars in advance. Again, it's down the exhaust noise, the Honda is too quiet. The Bobber has a deep burble which classic rather than aggressive. The other thing to watch out for in city traffic is pedestrians running between lanes of traffic. They see stationary traffic and don't think of a moving bike. And sometimes they are so unobservant they will run into a stationary bike knocking the rider off. It happened to a mate of mine and did considerable damage to his bike as it broke the mirror which housed all sorts of gubbins. As ever, if someone makes space you say thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxie49 Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Been filtering ever since I could ride a bike, especially when I lived in Leicester, if I hadn't have filtered it would have taken me forever to get home. I'm a lot more careful when I do it now though, seen one or two people filtering in the past at some crazy speeds. Whilst filtering may be one of those things that some people frown upon, there was a driver here prosecuted a few years ago for driving with undue care and attention, he decided to change lanes and hit a scooter that was filtering, so, the law was on the side of the scooter rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesea Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 2 hours ago, Stu said: Split from the other topic to create its own! I did not mean to start a filtering thread, atleast is about bikers but fear it will end in tears. When I started on bikes I learned to filter by following scooters in Bournemouth. Initially I could not keep up, then I learned many are idiots. I still filter sensibly, then I like my bikes thin, to enable me to make the most of gaps available. Every time I filter I consider it my risk, however that does not give other road users the right to be idiots... If I where to have an incident filtering the blame would come to others to decide, I know the is are against me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesea Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Some questions on filtering: Can you filter on double white lines? Can you filter on ZigZags? Can you filter on the inside (near side) of traffic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 Just now, onesea said: Some questions on filtering: Can you filter on double white lines? Can you filter on ZigZags? Can you filter on the inside (near side) of traffic? They explain it here From: https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/lane-splitting-filtering-law/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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