Chris's filtering rant. Guidelines for riders

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Again I think this may be the 3rd time I've made a thread like this.

It usually comes after a week or so working day shifts and I have been commuting into London at the shitty times 8-9/5-6

There are a few things that fuck me of with other riders in London. The main being people who filter slowly and do not let others past. We all filter at different speeds and usually that speed has nothing to do with the bike, the otherday I moved over to let a Vespa past me (how many man points do I lose?)

So lets get this clear, if there is somebody behind you, that generally means they have caught you up, if they are still behind you a little while later (30secs or so) that means they are probably faster than you. If this happens move over and let them through.

Simples.

Do not sit there oblivious to it, do not keep checking your mirrors to see if they are still there and DO NOT (Capitals because this is worst for me) look in your mirrors see other bike pin it for a few seconds and then check again to see if you are still there, some people (usually on sports bikes) will do this 5/10 times in a row.

That mainly applies to filtering on motorways/A roads with multiple lanes. My usual responce is a couple of blips of the throttle or a few (friendly) toots of the horn. If you give me the finger I will get past you by any means with little regards for your safety, if I'm stuck behind you for as length of time you lose any courtesy I would normally show a fellow biker, and I will have little worries about undertaking you and maybe cutting it fine when I get back to lanes 2/3.

The weird thing is the people who mostly do what I have said and move over are people on L plates, the problems come with sports bikes who sem to have an inferiority complex and big tourers (Usaully BMW/Honda) who seem so stubborn that there speed is the most appropriate.

Right step 2,

Do not block gaps, the number of times I'm stuck behind somebody who will block a gap, especially if they aren't very confident. It is incredibily infuriating sitting behind somebody who has a gap infront of them that they will not go through, if you are slightly concerned about the gap move over and let other people through, obviously if it is stop start traffic this can be understandable but in flowing traffic there is no excuse.

Step C Razz

When coming into the filtering lane make sure you trebble check there is nothing coming especially if you are coming on at 90degrees and it is hard to see. I get enough cars pulling out on me I don;t need bikes doing it to.

I would say now I'm faster than 75% of people at filtering, used to be faster than about 90% but realised filtering between lanes 2/3 that those sort of speeds 50+mph on the A13 would get me killed, I now average 30/35 along the chocker sections of the A13.

Anyway if you don't go along with what I've said and happen to be on the A13/commerial road/street you may get a big angry bloke on a TDM cutting you up and your shouting at you.

Much love
Mr. Green

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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
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Darth · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Mar 2008 Karma :

Occasionally i am glad i live in Aberdeen. Sounds like a war zone down there with you leading the charge! Shocked

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Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

Villers · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Karma :

The main one I get stuck with (since my commute traffic is slow but theres lots of room) is the 'Oh I didnt know I wanted to race to work until I saw you behind me' brigade.

I'll travel to work at my comfortable pace, come up behind a bike going slower, give him chance to move, he sees me and suddenly decides he's valentio rossi and theres no way Im getting past.

These are only second place however, first place goes to the utter wankers who see you a mile ahead of them and take every gap and chance they can until they are a foot from your back wheel, so you let them past (as is the natural order of things). Problem is the limp wristed bastard can only chase people and has no idea how to make progress otherwise so ends up holding YOU up Rolling Eyes

Some people need to leave their pride in the garage and remember we are all just trying to get to work Laughing

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chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

If you're that bothered, go round the person slowing you down Wink

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I do but filtering between lane 1/2 is far more difficult due to there being more trucks and what not taking up the space.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

iooi · Super Spammer Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Karma :

To be honest, When filtering my eyes are glued to the road/traffic in front and i don't give a toss whats behind me.
I only ever notice other bikes behind when i stop.

So i have no idea if they are going faster then me. It could simply be that they have only caught me because i have had to stop at the lights.

Sorry but you are comming across jut the same as any BMW driver.

I rule the road and stuff the rest of you.

Remember we all have to live on the roads together. Two worngs do not make a right..... They tend to make a tangled mess in the road.

Take a deep breath and relax. If you are having to rush then set of earlier and give yourself more time. Karma

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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Swim41 · Trackday Trickster Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Karma :

I'm still at war with the cars rather than the other filterers.

A frequent hate is the number of drivers that, presumably antagonised by me having filtered up to edge ahead of them at the lights, see fit to jump the change - leaving me with a risky take off. Perhaps buying a louder or more intimidating bike would keep them in line, though I doubt it.
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Yamaha XJ600N

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

You musta been behind me on the way home tonight Laughing

Some little wanker upstart was, that's for sure.

Anyway, fuck off.
Here's what annoys me:

* Riders who think if they rev at you, that you will move over immediately.

* Riders who think if you do not move over, that you are not considering moving over, when in fact what you are doing is WAITING FOR A SAFE PLACE to pull into a gap and let them past.

* Riders who insist on sitting behind you and revving you instead of moving to one of the other lanes.

* Riders who do all of the above, and then you catch up to them at the next set of traffic lights anyway.

I spend most of my time :
* (on the A13) ... between the slow lane and the middle lane
* (along the embankment) ... filtering between the actual traffic rather than following such so-called boy racers into the bicycle lane. Oh, thats very macho of you, with your zippy bikes, going down the bicycle lane - NOT. The bicycle lane is for bicycles and poofters. PROPER riders filter between traffic. And its probably illegal, if not dangerous.

I only use the bicycle lane when the other parts are REALLY jam packed. Otherwise I take my chances filtering between the lanes where I am supposed to be.

There are reasons for this, and they relate to the following:

* twats in cars having pulled out on me without indicating (three tonight, about average)
* twats changing lanes at the last minute and THEN indicating (oh thanks for that)
* twats in cars having knocked me off and broken my bike
* twats walking out in front of you between traffic without looking
* twats opening car doors
* twats in cars having pulled out on my friends and killed them

So if someone's going slow in front of you (and no, I don't have L plates, and I don't check my mirrors all the time, cos one is wonky, and its pointless, and no, I HAVEN'T got a fucking Ipod in and I can fucking hear you behind me) ... then find another way, if you're so fucking smart and fast and can get thru it a quicker way. I'll be happy for you when you get to the graveyard faster than me.

Otherwise, for gods sake, get a grip.

It's rush hour and its London, one of the biggest cities in the world.

Everybody hates it, and hates everybody else Rolling Eyes

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Thom · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Karma :

Living up in Durham i never have need to filter on busy roads, just in the town. Since moving down to Staffordshire i have realised i need to filter alot more, particularly on the M18/M1 (Or it may be the M62, i have no idea...). I filtered home a few weeks ago and it didnt feel smooth or particularly safe, furthermore i found myself concnetrating ahead so hard mirrors wernt getting checked.

A few miles later i found another ER-5 behind me, i was seriously concerned i'd cut him up in my haphazard filtering and felt very guilty.

So, yes i agree we should filter with thoughts for other riders, however remember there are noobs like me too who are still very much learning the ropes.

(P.s on the divvy i had no problem filtering however the ER5 is alot different)
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

nasty · Traffic Copper Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Karma :

If someone wants to make progress faster than me then I let them by - as long as they're not aggressive with it.

If they are aggressive and put ME at risk then they won't make ANY progress without the help of a paramedic - SIMPLES! Laughing

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ZX6R F3

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I am pleased for you, dear Razz

I bet you didn't use the bicycle lane either Laughing

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chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I rarely leave lane 1/2, because I know I am likely irritating other riders. I'm only likely to be in one of the other lanes if I have been forced over there, and I pretty much soon get back "where I belong" Laughing

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Looking at my oringinal post I honestly can't see anything thats that bad about it Maybe the last couple of lines could provoke some reaction but the rest IMO is pure common sense.

I've said check your mirrors and try not to hold people up, don't block gaps and check when coming into the possible path of other bikes.

I've said I don't mind cutting people up who give me the finger when I try to get past (I was stuck behind that guy for about 4 miles which is along time going at 15/20 mph) or saying that people that are generally being inconsiderate I will not be considerate to them.

If me saying I get angry stuck behind other people and I'm faster than 75% of other filters if that annoys you then Middle Finger

basically.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Part of what you say, I agree with.
Its very infuriating.
Even I get stuck behind people that I think "come on LUV, get a move on" ... and in the same way that you have suggested ways of improving riding pleasure for the entire riding population of London, I agree with many of them, when they are safe and practical.

Fortunately, my blood pressure appears to be perfectly normal.

It only ever gets raised when people on foot and in cars/trucks/vans do dangerous things to jeopardise my or other riders' journeys.

Other riders acting like twats just generate my scorn.
I told someone (in a Merc with diplomatic plates) whilst sitting at traffic lights this evening that if they cut me up once more, I would get off the bike and kick them in the balls so hard that they would end up HAVING a cunt instead of just acting like one.

I was slightly cross Laughing

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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Rather than being defensive, I was explaining why I ride slower, essentially too many years of falling off, as well as a couple of years where I actually lost my nerve to ride in London AT ALL, due to idiot drivers pulling out on me.

Point I'm making (dunno about others) is that I usually DO move over, cos I know I'm slow, and I'm holding up other riders who want to go fast.

But Chris's post seems so VEHEMENT, as if in his own mind, he believes that we really are doing it on purpose, when in fact we're not. There are perfectly valid reasons.

It's no major effort, if you are a faster more confident rider, to overtake without jeopardising the other (slower) rider when it is safe to do so. To jeopardise the other rider and "punish" them for being slower than you is the ignorant action, whereas the other rider is more likely to be simply being careful (or indeed nervous), rather than ignorant or obstructive.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.