Filtering (UK)

[Fiddlesticks]

Hi,

 

I'm interested in your views on filtering,  with particular regards to motorways. A few primers, but feel free to add your own:

 

• Up to what speeds do you filter?
• What are the deciding factors in whether to filter or not?
• Ever had a sketchy moment you didn't see coming?
• How do you find other drivers react?
• Are you over / under ambitious when it comes to filtering?

 

I'll come back in a bit and add my own..

 

 

 

 

[Joe85]

• I'll generally filter through any traffic, both motorway and non-motorway (although at far lower speeds than previous owing to the absolute f**king bus that i'm now riding around on).
• I generally don't put a speed on it, and more of a feel. If it's standstill traffic i'll go at a speed where i feel i could stop if I see a gap opening up that and adjacent car can pull into, or someone threatening to pull out (You know, the glance in the mirror, twitch of the wheels etc). If the traffic is slow moving, then my speed will increase proportionally to it.
• Plenty of sketchy moments and one wirte off from a lady who basically just drove into me emrging from a minor turning through traffic. 
• 95% are considerate and make space for a bike to manouvre through. A small number are belligerent w**kers who take great satisfaction in holding you up.
• Not really sure wht the last qustion means.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Joe85

[Fiddlesticks]

1 minute ago, Joe85 said:

Not really sure wht the last qustion means

As in, did you get to your destination and think,  "why didn't I nip through the  traffic a bit more",  or "that was a bit silly".

[Joe85]

1 minute ago, Fiddlesticks said:

As in, did you get to your destination and think,  "why didn't I nip through the  traffic a bit more",  or "that was a bit silly".

Ah, right - in that case never the former, occasionally the latter.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Joe85

[S-Westerly]

Whenever traffic is slow moving or stationary I'll filter and I'll do it on any road where I can safely do it. If traffic is moving much more than 20 mph I'll probably not unless the road is sufficiently wide. 

I take it on as my risk and rarely had a problem. Most drivers move a bit,  some don't and there's always the risk of a  SMIDSY. One week agoavan turned into me and we had a clash of mirrors. Mine lost.

[Ian Frog]

I am going to be honest here and I anticipate a flaming from those who haven`t got the guts to admit it.

As an ex despatch rider I have probably ridden my luck a little but basically if the car in lane 3 has nowhere to go i.e there is a car in lane 2 then through I go so in that situation speed is irrellevent as I have done my little risk asessment and judge it to be safe (ish)and I ain`t going to admit in a public place at what speed I do this but it works for me and used to be used on the M1 into London daily.

In normal traffic if I don`t know where roads join mine from the left then I am cautious but if I believe there is little chance of someone joining or the car I am passing has little or no opportunity to turn right then through I go.

It has worked well for the last 43 years and I know I should know better !

Cheers

Ian

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I filter quite regularly and adapt my speed to the traffic and situations. I am much more cautious in the dark / wet and when riding my Honda which is very quiet. On the Triumph filtering is easier because motorists can hear me coming and the engine note seems not to cause so much silliness from those who don't like motorbikes. 

 

I often pass other bikes through traffic so I suppose I'm not overly cautious. But I've seen a few nutters who filter too fast or through sections where there are multiple hazards, so I guess I'm on the right side of being over optimistic.

 

The only times I've had near misses has been in filtering situations so I regard it as more hazardous than most situations and treat the risk assessment accordingly.

 

I am off this evening at rush hour up the M57 which I know will be gridlock for certain sections. It will be dark so I will be taking it easy.

[husoi]

I will filter on any stationary traffic and then up to 40mph depending on size of the vehicles ahead.

I will stay clear from being stuck on the side of a HGV or bus/coach.

Always make clear to the drivers both side that I'm going to pass in between and if one moves away I will be "nice" and wave a thank you.  

It's nice to be nice and I always keep in mind that I have caught up with them and I will be long gone when they get out of the queuing traffic.

 

IAM advises that it is acceptable and safe to filter up to 30mph.

[Davidtav]

I used to filter every day when commuting from Essex to West London some 30 years ago. … however since returning to biking after a break of 20 years I have made a conscious decision not to filter. I still do filter occasionally but mostly not. I’m never in that much of a rush these days. And in honesty I am aware that my reactions are slower aged 60 plus than 30 plus. 

[Stu]

I do very little filtering purely because my riding doesn't require it 

 

All my riding is for pleasure and if and when I meet traffic it's either pointless filtering as I'm in no rush and I'm out for the day and mostly it's just a bit of light traffic. 

 

If I have to filter my priority is will the bike fit due to the sheer size of it

 

Most people move out the way here 

[MikeHorton]

I'm always v cautious when filtering I never like being the meat in the sandwich. Always have an escape route and when filtering thats limited. As already said iam recommendations on filtering are worth looking at I only filter at low speed. Some people will panic if they don't see you and can actually pull into your path when they do. I tend to look for a reaction or eye contact to make sure I'm seen. 

Check road markings see loads of people filtering on solid whites and hatched markings, remember loads of people have dash cams. In the event of an accident you need to make sure you won't fall foul of the law. Don't filter or overtake on junctions etc

[Pie man]

My two penneth 

 

• Up to what speeds do you filter?  = 20mph 
• What are the deciding factors in whether to filter or not? = If I can take advantage of making progress when vehicles are either stopped or moving slowly. Plus the heat from the KTM is unbearable stuck in traffic 
• Ever had a sketchy moment you didn't see coming? = Nothing worth recalling.  
• How do you find other drivers react? = when filtering slowly, I find they usually move over, I give a friendly wave for doing so. Make sure the Big Lorries see me. 
• Are you over / under ambitious when it comes to filtering? = Started getting over ambitious on my commute - went on a Bike Safe course a couple of months ago, just to wind my neck in.
• Bonus Ball = I am not usually that much in a rush to get to anywhere these days; I'm getting old, and my body doesn't mend as quick

[Fiddlesticks]

Great replies.

 

I think I'll do the bike safe course.

 

My motorway filtering is usually up to around 60mph, depending on density of traffic,  lane width,  presence of junctions,  bends, lorries etc. Also I'm less inclined to filter in the dark or in the wet.  (On normal roads I don't break the solid white line or overtake on zigzags.) I adjust my speed depending on the traffic around me, maybe only 10mph faster. 

 

Never had a sketchy moment due to speed,  but touched the curtain side of a lorry with the handlebar at about 15mph. (No biggie).

 

Most drivers are pretty good about it,  particularly in slower moving traffic.  I think I'll probably need to calm down the faster stuff.  Not because I feel unsafe (I don't) but it can seem a bit anti-social and might not be looked upon too kindly by the powers that be.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Fiddlesticks

[Essem]

These days I only filter on mways in stationary, or near stationary traffic. I only end up on mways when I’m going on a trip - heading to south coast for ferry or north to Scotland. Am cautious, speed differential low, maybe 10-20mph, and once traffic is moving much over 20 I stop filtering.

 

encountered the occasional car that tried to squeeze the gap to prevent me passing, always treat them with utmost caution. Had a stationary truck open drivers door at head height, accidental not deliberate, but was a new one on me at the time so added to the list of what to watch for.

 

i try to allow time for journeys to avoid ending up in risky situations, and modern satnavs make this a lot easier. Wake hooked up to helmet earphones gives warnings of snarl ups, allowing for reroute.

[onesea]

All filtering for me is done on a risk Vers benefit.  Which can be variable depending on reason for journey. 

Maximum speed all traffic dependent.

Sketchy moments one or 2 but I do avoid motorways whenever I can on the bike..

I filter at the speed that suits me sometimes I catch up on other bikes sometimes they catch me.  I have no ambitions to be fastest or slowest.  It's what feels right at the time.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by onesea

[Tinkicker]

These days all my riding is done purely for pleasure and I am very aware that my reactions are probably not what they used to be.  I know my hooning around with my hair on fire type skills certainly are not.  In those days, if I was not riding 100 road miles per evening for the pleasure, between tea time and bedtime; I could be found at some off road venue with one of my collection of trials bikes or motocross bikes.

 

So I am very cautious about filtering.  If the traffic is in a queue and slow moving maybe 15 to 20 mph, I will go down the outside, sometimes at quite a speed if there is no oncoming traffic, I own the carriageway,  but am ready to slow and pull in as soon as oncoming traffic is spotted.  I never stay out on the other carriageway if I can see oncoming vehicles.

I will never stay out before something like a hump back bridge or a right hand bend where my visibility is limited.

 

As for filtering in the pure sense, between two rows of stationary cars, then I will filter cautiously at maybe 15mph, but only if I can see they are not going to start moving suddenly.  A moving car has the ability to suddenly change direction, but a stationary one does not.  So in these circumstances, as an  example.  If I see a traffic light go to red ahead, I will filter to the front.  If it is already at red, I will hold my ground until I either go through the light, or see it turn red again.

[Throttled]

My filtering tip is to treat filtering where all vehicles are moving in the same direction, such as on a motorway, as different from filtering with lanes in each direction, which should be treated more as a slow overtake.