Filtering, why don't learners do it?!?!
Discussion
The was no hint of filtering during my CBT. I guess the instructor considered that basic confidence and control by a couple of novices among traffic was taxing enough without adding that dimension. Insurance nightmare for the school too no doubt.
Don't recall it being mentioned during DAS, and I didn't ask. There was occassional moving to the front of the lights but nothing I'd call proper filtering.
It's only a skill I started to develop properly after passing the test.
Don't recall it being mentioned during DAS, and I didn't ask. There was occassional moving to the front of the lights but nothing I'd call proper filtering.
It's only a skill I started to develop properly after passing the test.
Some interesting points. I would like to add that the kids on scooters where I live have no trouble with confidence. Like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td_9impkCdw
Where I see them most is a single carriageway with stood/crawling traffic. No one does over 5mph at any point in rush hour so even a really slow moped would be fine. I guess it's easier to piss about in the town centre at night with your mates than it is to ride solo in rush hour in the morning...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td_9impkCdw
Where I see them most is a single carriageway with stood/crawling traffic. No one does over 5mph at any point in rush hour so even a really slow moped would be fine. I guess it's easier to piss about in the town centre at night with your mates than it is to ride solo in rush hour in the morning...
Exactly. There's no point sitting in traffic jams on a bike when you could be doing the same in a heated car, sitting in an armchair, listening to the radio and drinking coffee (when not on the queen's highway).
I prefer the bike option -with filtering.
My CBT wasn't great. Extremely basic with a sub-prime instructor. I went elsewhere for DAS.
Filtering was positively encouraged at IAM
I prefer the bike option -with filtering.
My CBT wasn't great. Extremely basic with a sub-prime instructor. I went elsewhere for DAS.
Filtering was positively encouraged at IAM
Filtering didn't feature as part of my CBT/full test. However, I had to do some filtering on the way back from the test centre after passing my test. When we got back to the bike shop my instructor said he was pleased I'd done it as it had saved time (we didn't have radio on the way back from the test centre).
Andrew_M said:
Some interesting points. I would like to add that the kids on scooters where I live have no trouble with confidence. Like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td_9impkCdw
Even though if i'd of came across them during that i'd of thought "whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td_9impkCdw
kers!", but it makes for excellent viewing and i'd love to give it ago myself (with a restart button for when it cocks up) 
jonpe69 said:
If you are using a bike to commute and don't filter through traffic then you might as well get a car. There aren't too many advantages to riding a bike for commuting especially in this weather so you might as well use every advantage available.
The fact they are on L plates may sugust they are 16 or teens with no £££. My 19 year old brother is looking for his first car. He literally cannot find 1 car available that is less than £2000 a year one off payment to insure [DE15]. No wonder they stick to 2 wheels 
I've just started riding a bike into work last week.
In some ways I guess it is a confidence thing - I've gone up the outside of really slow traffic a few times, and between cars at red lights to get to the front, but I still feel like I'm getting used to the bike so there are situations where I feel safer just waiting my turn in the traffic. I'm sure that as I get more experienced I'll probably filter more often.
And in spite of the traffic, the journey time and enjoyment still beat the tube any day of the week!
In some ways I guess it is a confidence thing - I've gone up the outside of really slow traffic a few times, and between cars at red lights to get to the front, but I still feel like I'm getting used to the bike so there are situations where I feel safer just waiting my turn in the traffic. I'm sure that as I get more experienced I'll probably filter more often.
And in spite of the traffic, the journey time and enjoyment still beat the tube any day of the week!
There was no filtering on my CBT, but then there was no traffic to do it in. I did filter several times on my DAS & it was encouraged IF we felt confident enough. I know that it took a good year or so of regular riding before I felt able to filter in most situations I saw other bikes filtering.
I don't understand those sat in stationary traffic either.
I don't understand those sat in stationary traffic either.
California is one of the only states that allow "Lane Sharing". However the law is pretty ambiguous and leaves alot of interpretation to the Police Officer, so basically the cop can pull you over and cite you if he feels you're filtering in an unsafe manner, even if you are not.
The only time I filter is in slow moving/stopped traffic. Don't trust other drivers on the road to filter at freeway speeds.
The only time I filter is in slow moving/stopped traffic. Don't trust other drivers on the road to filter at freeway speeds.
I can understand a learners reluctance to filter through slow moving traffic until they have got a bit more experience.
Where I live there is a level crossing that stops the traffic every half hour and I cannot understand the kids on bikes that sit in line behind the stopped traffic instead of riding down the middle of the road to the crossing gates.
A couple of summers ago the crossing had just gone down and there was a kid sat behind me (I was in the car) and I got out and said 'I ride bikes and I never sit in a queue of traffic' and I asked why he was sat there instead of riding to the front of the queue.
The look on his face as it dawned upon him was a picture and he thanked me and rode down to the gates.
I have seen quite a few other kids on scooters sat in the queue since, ah feck em!
Where I live there is a level crossing that stops the traffic every half hour and I cannot understand the kids on bikes that sit in line behind the stopped traffic instead of riding down the middle of the road to the crossing gates.
A couple of summers ago the crossing had just gone down and there was a kid sat behind me (I was in the car) and I got out and said 'I ride bikes and I never sit in a queue of traffic' and I asked why he was sat there instead of riding to the front of the queue.
The look on his face as it dawned upon him was a picture and he thanked me and rode down to the gates.
I have seen quite a few other kids on scooters sat in the queue since, ah feck em!
I'm learning at the moment and filtering through traffic isn't something that has come up in any of my lessons. My biggest fear with filtering is merging back in to the queue if I can filter no further and what to do if/when I get to the head of the queue. On a faster bike, and when I'm more confident of making a speedy getaway, I'll probably have no qualms about filtering up to traffic lights and leaving the rest of the traffic behind but I'm not sure about filtering up to a junction or roundabout; is it acceptable to do this?
i was encouraged to filter while doing my DAS (much to my surprise as i didnt know it was legal at the time)
i filter all the time now and you just need to be 100% sure that you can make it through the space
also look at the drivers in the cars (i.e are they turning their heads etc) flashing + revving loudly helps too :P
i filter all the time now and you just need to be 100% sure that you can make it through the space
also look at the drivers in the cars (i.e are they turning their heads etc) flashing + revving loudly helps too :P
I was told to filter during lessons and encouraged to do so.
No claim is automatically assessed as liability falling one way or the other and none are 50/50 unless there are no independent witnesses.
Lane splitting is going between cars on a DC or m/way, that's a lot trickier to defend, but far from impossible.
Vidal Baboon said:
Insurance? I could imagine insurance for a Learner Rider company would be pretty pricey, so it may be underwritten into the policy from the start.
Isn't it automatically deemed 50/50 in an accident?
Can't be written into a policy, no way to confirm or deny it and no way to opt out of any damage caused anyway. It'd be like writing into a car policy that you can't speed.Isn't it automatically deemed 50/50 in an accident?
No claim is automatically assessed as liability falling one way or the other and none are 50/50 unless there are no independent witnesses.
blueg33 said:
Filtering is overtaking and undertaking so surely its at the filterers own risk? especially as cars changing lanes without looking properly is a common event in a traffic queue. IMO some people filter way too fast
That's lane-splitting, not filtering. Filtering is overtaking a stationary line of traffic to their right.Lane splitting is going between cars on a DC or m/way, that's a lot trickier to defend, but far from impossible.
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