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Filtering, we all do it but not too many of us actually know the rules involved to filtering.
* You MAY filter up either the right or left hand side of vehicles; this is not illegal which most people seem to think is. However filtering up the left hand side is very dangerous. Especially of busses, and goods vehicles.
* The only speed limit to filtering is the speed limit of the road (but be sensible about it)
* You cannot pass the car that is at the front of the cue. You MUST wait behind the car in front and filter in behind or over take safely when traffic begins to move again. If you’re filtering in moving traffic you don’t have this problem.
As far as I know these are the only rules involved with filtering.
Stay safe folks.
The rule about passing the car at the front of the queue is interesting, because one thing that’s almost universal is bikers moving into the cycle area at the lights, doing that very thing.
More than that, you can see reasons why this would be done, as sitting beside the car could create safety and traffic flow issues, such as when you find that a lorry or van is coming the other way, and looks likely to need the bit of your lane that you’re currently in. Additionally, it’s far easier for a bike to pull away in front of the car than to potentially end up, say, trying to take a turning side-by-side with it, fighting it for lane space. Obviously the faster bikes would just pull in front anyway, but a moped or the like may not have that option, and they could easily find breaking that rule safer than not.Ahh.. but when your filtering at the lights, you dont pass the car at the front till the lights change.. so technically your both moving and you’ve overtaken him/her!
IIRC its at pedestrian crossing and lights that are pedestrian controlled that the rule applies to, and is for pedestrian safety.
Thanks for the welcome… I’ve kind of had to learn filtering quickly. I did my CBT at the end of June, got my bike sorted at the start of this month, and only had the opportunity to do a couple of miles on it before going straight into a 14-mile London commute. The first couple of journeys I avoided filtering entirely (since it’s not something that the CBT covered), but when stuck in a length of traffic moving 1 car-length at a time for 10-15 minutes, I decided that it would probably be easier to filter. As such while I looked up some rules, I’ve mainly taken the lead from other bikers filtering. Most of the ones in London come straight into the cycle area in front of the car, so they’re clearly overtaking the front car, although they’re not going into the crossing area itself. Shouldn’t be doing it, but are almost universally in London, seemingly.
Hi ya mate. Didn’t realize that you were new here. Welcome to the forum.
I know whar you mean about filtering. When I was on the cbr125 going across Birmingham, I waited in queues at first. Felt pointless, so I cautiously started filtering over very short distances and finally built up to longer ones. After a while, it got to be quite a lot of fun. I think it improves your riding sklills as well, i.e. slow bike control, clutch control and observation.
You get loads of slow-speed practice if you don’t filter… at least in the London rush-hour – plenty of sections where you’re moving up to 3 car-lengths with speeds always under 10mph… which is then slower speeds than you’d be doing when filtering through that area. It does improve your spatial awareness, though, and making sure you’re stable enough to fit through a small gap at a fairly slow speed.
I can easily understand why it wouldn’t be taught in a CBT, which is short enough to demand a focus on the more basic skills, but if like me you do your CBT and then start commuting with just your provisional licence, then you WILL start filtering very soon, without having had any formal training in it, which is possibly a recipe for trouble – at least having an information leaflet discussing the rules for things like filtering that gets given out when you complete your CBT would help, as I suspect many don’t know the rules or advice, and some of the ones which I’ve seen being most bold in their filtering have been other riders with L-plates.quote:
Originally posted by LeviathanRan* The only speed limit to filtering is the speed limit of the road (but be sensible about it)
Cant agree with that quote….isnt it a written rule that when filtering it should be at speeds not exceeding 10/20 mph faster than the other traffic…and the onus is still on you to make sure its safe to filter…it may not be ilegal to filter, but it is ilegal to do it in a reckless manner, my rules for filtering…always cover your back brake, take extra care at junctions, if you cant see it to be clear then dont do it. read the road well in advance..be prepaired to stop…. dont cross double whites…be safe and ride safe
Coming back from france in 04,we filtered from m25 to m1 and upto jcn 18 on the m6….over 200 miles took 7 hours,you have to have nerves of steel filtering on the m25 and m1,the car drivers down that end are a bit mongy.
Hi. As a motorcycle instructor I thought I would throw in my thoughts!
There are actually no laws strictly governing filtering through traffic on motorbikes.
The Highway code only advises drivers to look for motorcycles and cycles filtering, before they commit to a turn. Which is unfortunatley not backed up by any law.
The Police riders handbook, advises not to exceed 20mph when filtering.
The rule about waiting behind the first car in the que applies to pedestrian crossings, not traffic lights in general. However motorcyclists may not stop beyond the stop line or in the cycle lane or box, this is for cyclists, not that they use them!
Undertaking on the left (between car and pavement) is certainly not advisable, certainly dangerous and in most cases illegal, if the traffic is moving.
If a police officer decides your actions are ‘reckless’ or ‘dangerous’, it would be hard to argue.
If you are involved in an accident whilst filtering, the case of Powell vs Moody is often refered to. In this case the blame was attributed 75% Biker 25% Car.
Although filtering is legal, and vehicles turning accross your path, or emerging from a junction ‘MUST’ give way to you, this law does not seem to apply to this situation! (Typical)
Be very carefull!!
VERY INTERESTING POINTS THERE ITS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I RID IN U.K. I DIDNT KNOW ANY OF THAT, WE HAVE THE SAME SORT OF RULING HERE, BUT YOU SHOULD SEE SOME OF THE KNOBS FILTERING HERE THEY FLY PAST EVERTHING AT HELL OF A SPEED AND PARK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LEAD VEHICLE, CAR OR BIKES IVE HAD QUTE A FEW DOOS WHEN SOME S·*T ON A SCOOTER WITH NO HAT OR SAFETY GEAR WEARING BLOODY FLIP FLOPS, HAS PUT HIS SELF IN FRONT OF ME WHY THE HELL SHOULD I WAIT FOR HIS TWIST AND GO WHEN IM ON THE S4R, , THEY SET OFF EVERY ONE PASSES THEM AND DO IT ALL AGAIN AT THE NEXT SET OF LIGHTS, EE BY GUM ITS FUN ERE.[
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Originally posted by DiggerComing back from france in 04,we filtered from m25 to m1 and upto jcn 18 on the m6….over 200 miles took 7 hours,you have to have nerves of steel filtering on the m25 and m1,the car drivers down that end are a bit mongy.
I hate the m6 [
!] sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much lol
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!] sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much lol- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.