Filtering in slow moving traffic

[tony Hall]

Filtering thro' slow moving traffic on dual carriageway this morning (A1 Western Bypass). Traffic doing about 10mph max. Passed a police car. How do they feel about filtering, this one changed lanes after I passed him, but didn't "give chase" with blue lights etc. Do they accept filtering at slow speeds is ok?

[Beano500]

Filtering is fine - indeed the Highway Code (used to) implicitly condones it. I don't have a current copy to hand but the wording used to be to motorists to look out for mototrcyclists filtering.

Why would you buy a PTW and not use it to its best advantage, anyway? However, you know how dangerous it can be - it takes skill.

Also I think the BiB will be "interested" in you if decide to do so in a reckless manner, for your own sake and everyone elses - all very well when mothers do the baby test (push the pram out into the road and if it's still there they follow it across!) but no one wants you to be the one to ruin their day!!!

But, last point - when you go abroad, note that it is not legal in countries such as Germany.

[stig]

As long as you don't drive like a twat you'll be fine. I've followed cops on bikes in traffic round London and they're just as happy to do it as we are AND they get just as pissed off when people lane drift!!

[Mon Ami Mate]

Just be careful. I've lost count of the number of cars apparently deliberately putting the squeeze on when I've been filtering at sensible speeds. Particularly bad On the M40/A40 into Central London. Had a nasty moment a while back when my bar end weight removed the drivers mirror of a Volvo 340 and left a gouge in the wing. Really don't know how I stayed shiny side up.

My advice is to keep an eye on the angle of the front wheel of cars you are filtering past. This can serve as a great early warning system!

[dimmadan]

If you take a look in the 'Motorcycle ROADCRAFT, the police riders handbook to better motorcycling', p139 Filtering
'when traffic is stationery or moving slowly in queues, motorcyclists can use their manoeuvrability and limited space requirements to make progress. The advantages of filtering along or between stopped or slow moving traffic have to be weighed against the disadvantages of increased vulnerability while filtering.
If you decide to filter'.............etc....it goes on about what to look out for/to do etc

Personally I have in the past followed police motorcycle riders in central london and followed them filtering.

[Tony Hall]

Thanks guys, mind at ease a bit now. A workmate tells me he usually filters up the extreme right hand side on duals as there are less opening doors/driver looks in door mirror/less lane changers etc. Looked at that posibility last night but outside is littered with crap/cars tend to be very close to central reserve barrier. Noticed this morning (back in car today) I tend to stay a little over to the right in the outside lane to allow cycles through the middle as a matter of course...Any comments anyone about filtering on the extreme right hand side?

[dern]

Any comments anyone about filtering on the extreme right hand side?

Where shall we send the flowers? Looks *extremely* dangerous to me (I'm quite happy filtering between 2 & 3 on a m'way or 1 & 2 on a dual-c)... there's all the cr*p on the verge to look out for, there's no where to go if you get squeezed and no one is going to be looking for bikes to be there.

Mark

[Niggle]

dern said:there's no where to go if you get squeezed

Same as my thoughts, don't do it, use the more conventional bike lanes. You just need to start looking further ahead.

You can always spot the noobs at filtering as they're always looking one or two cars in front, rather than half a dozen or more. As someone else said, you need to start looking at the wheels of the cars in front for someone trying to jump into a gap in the other lane.

Re passing police cars, I nearly had a coming together with a traffic car one morning on the way into work. Plod decided that he wanted to see how big the queue was so he pulled right into the bike lane without checking his mirrors

Following a major application of the brakes, and horn I managed to miss him, also seemed to get away with gesturing he drank nescafe

[Tony Hall]

Thanks Dern & Niggle confirmed my thoughts there too. This guy who right hand sides is in his 50's and has been riding for some time. (A lot longer than me, so he must have just been lucky so far). I'll keep to going between the rows thank you very much as you're right, you get a feel for when someone is going to "manouvre".