To filter or not to filter?

[onesea]

8 minutes ago, husoi said:

They explain it here

From: https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/lane-splitting-filtering-law/

Spoil sport but i did not see advice re double white lines..

[TimR]

Remember .... Any vehicle can filter not just bikes 

[Guest Swagman]

1 minute ago, onesea said:

Spoil sport but i did not see advice re double white lines..

I would have thought you shouldn’t cross a solid white line as they mean no overtaking.

[husoi]

2 minutes ago, onesea said:

Spoil sport but i did not see advice re double white lines..

Sorry, wrong link

https://mocktheorytest.com/resources/lane-splitting-and-filtering-on-a-motorbike/

https://www.bikerandbike.co.uk/filtering-motorbike-whats-law/

[TimR]

 

[Throttled]

3 hours ago, Mickly said:

....

I then had miles of lovely empty A30 all to myself !!

 

I had that on the M6 Staffordshire and the A9 near Blairgowrie after accidents. Filter past lots of stuck vehicles and then open road for miles. On the A9 I rode from north of Blairgowrie to Inverness with most of the time to myself. What a joy.

[Throttled]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

 

 

That is an old post! I remember that debate. I stand by what I said. If "filtering" past a line of cars into the face of oncoming traffic, that should be treated more like overtaking. Filtering is between vehicles all going in the same direction. Each poses different hazards.

[Bender]

Double white lines are a no no unless it's a very slow moving vehicle.

[onesea]

27 minutes ago, Bender said:

Double white lines are a no no unless it's a very slow moving vehicle.

Stationary traffic...
129
Double white lines where the line nearest you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less.
 

[Bender]

Yup, I was just being lazy, it's not to be crossed because you fancy it   

[Six30]

dont like motorway filtering .

[Ian Frog]

On motorways if the traffic is moving I try to go under the car on the outside only when he/she has no space to move into when not looking.

I have spent quite a while toodling into and out of the mesmogalis on the M1 and A1 and it is a tactic that has stood me in good sted.

It sounds simple but to keep moving smoothly and quickly and above all not inconvienience bikes behind you it takes a bit of practice.

Cheers

Ian

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

3 hours ago, Swagman said:

I would have thought you shouldn’t cross a solid white line as they mean no overtaking.

Splitting hairs here but they don't mean no overtaking, they mean you mustn't cross the solid line. So it is legal to overtake if you can pass without crossing the solid white line, eg a bike can often pass a car and stay within the lane without crossing the solid white line.

 

I remember that one from my bike test many many moons ago.

[Bender]

4 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Splitting hairs here but they don't mean no overtaking, they mean you mustn't cross the solid line. So it is legal to overtake if you can pass without crossing the solid white line, eg a bike can often pass a car and stay within the lane without crossing the solid white line.

 

I remember that one from my bike test many many moons ago.

I do believe it also includes handlebars not crossing the white line not just the wheel, I nearly wiped out a dick who was technically on the right side of the double white, however at the angle he was at just past apex most of the bike and his head were way over, had I kept to my lane and not done some impromptu hedge trimming it would have been a mess

 

One of his mates following was shaking his head.

 

[Trooper74]

Love filtering ... it's just fun ... even when they overtake you 5 miles later ... it's still fun ...

Good test of spatial awareness ..... just don't fail the test ...

[rennie]

Filtering on the cruiser was not easy!

On the VFR I filter at every opportunity to make up for it 

[Bender]

1 hour ago, Trooper74 said:

Love filtering ... it's just fun ... even when they overtake you 5 miles later ... it's still fun ...

Good test of spatial awareness ..... just don't fail the test ...

I like that because usually you get to pass them again  

[Mickly]

2 hours ago, Trooper74 said:

Love filtering ... it's just fun ... even when they overtake you 5 miles later ... it's still fun ...

Good test of spatial awareness ..... just don't fail the test ...

“Overtake you 5 miles later?”

Nope, can’t comprehend this?

[Guest Swagman]

31 minutes ago, Mickly said:

“Overtake you 5 miles later?”

Nope, can’t comprehend this?

No definitely don’t over take me 5 miles on.

[fastbob]

The furthest I filtered for was around 18 miles on the M5 near Bristol . The nearer I got to the front , the more people had got out of their cars and started walking around , and even walking their dogs . The accident at the front of the queue was quite bizarre . Somehow or other , a small car had hit the guard rail around a road sign , launched into the air and landed on the back of a flatbed truck loaded with plasterboard . The plasterboard had exploded like a bomb  all over the place and caused a few other minor collisions . Well that was my interpretation as I went past . 

[onesea]

5 hours ago, Six30 said:

dont like motorway filtering .

Filtering on motorway or dual carriage ways, is an interesting point I spent a couple of months commuting up the M3 & up A34 unavoidably in rush hour.
Things I learned:
1) Don't ride in command position - people see big gap in traffic don't see motorbike in it...  You find yourself with car pul out or in to your "gap" you have no where to go, your going to loose.  Frankly most of the time the car behind realises and you have to decide brake or accelerate...
2) In defence on dual carriage way, hover near centre white line in whichever lane your in even hop over if there's safe space... Even momentarily.  (same applies on motorway lane 1-2 or 2-3).  Just make sure you can see as many drivers faces in the wing mirrors.

My reasoning:
1) Most cars pay some attention to there mirrors.  They see a bike "being a dick", "pushy" whatever, will think before they change lanes where the Fook is that bike? and look for you.
2) Most sensible cars think he's just behind me I will let him go before he dicks with me...

The actual advantage in time in filtering safely on motorway or dual carriage, until traffic gets very slow is marginal IMHO.



 

[Bender]

A1 by us pre covid is usually 5mph nose to tail, bike can save 20min easy going to Durham for me.

 

[onesea]

19 minutes ago, Bender said:

A1 by us pre covid is usually 5mph nose to tail, bike can save 20min easy going to Durham for me.

 

I would say 5mph is VERY SLOW.

20+ mph ish it's more difficult to make significant progress.

 

IMHO Stop Start, Standing traffic or tourist traffic is worse any idiot can open a door, change lanes, or on A road try a U turn, on you...

 

[Bender]

10 minutes ago, onesea said:

I would say 5mph is VERY SLOW.

20+ mph ish it's more difficult to make significant progress.

 

IMHO Stop Start, Standing traffic or tourist traffic is worse any idiot can open a door, change lanes, or on A road try a U turn, on you...

 

Once traffic is moving I'm happy to go with the flow

 

[James in Brum]

I remember when I was commuting to rugby from Brum the M42 and the a46 being nose to nose the whole way. I saved an hour and a half on a colleague  just filtered.

I do not filter on traffic over 30 miles an hour. Not as a rule but I notice it stops feeling safe around then.