Legality of filtering?

[St0rmer66]

Is filtering actually illegal? I just tried some serious filtering today for the first time and a police car went past the other way, no troubles. But then when I mentioned it at sixth form to my mate (hes a cager though, so I don't know how reliable he is!) he said it was illegal. If it is illegal, so many people do it so I'm guessing you will be unlikely to get stopped for it? Then again, a guy on a Cagiva Planet in my sixth form got pulled over for it and got a cuation I think, though I thought that was because he was kinda wreckless.. not because of the filtering itself.

Thanks .
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[sickpup]

legal.

[St0rmer66]

[Whosthedaddy]

What about filtering in moving tarffic? Is this no the same as undertaking.........illegal
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Raffles_Gentleman Thug]

filtering is legal as long as you're not involved in an accident, then it can get tricky.
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"Is sir addressing me or is he masticating on a house brick? Because either way sir loses his teeth."

[The Old Geeza]

[Whosthedaddy]

[Walloper]

If the filtering is not considered careless/dangerous ie going too fast causing pedestrians to jump out the way etc. you'll be fine but it is a grey area.
Be carefull at all times.
Some police don't like it and may give you a pull just to prove that they're all c*nts.
I'm the worlds greatest filterer and not had any probs. Just takes a load of observation and slow control. I'm better in traffic than open roads. I haven't fell off when filtering yet.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[The Old Geeza]

[St0rmer66]

It's mainly A-Roads I'm filtering on, I assume thats still fine?

As for being safe, yes of course I am safe! I only just built up the nerve to do it at all yesterday so I'm hardly going to be speeding down the middle of traffic without a care in the world! . I only do it when i feel comfortable doing it, sometimes I cringe as other bikes go past doing dangerous filtering I wouldn't even think of doing! .
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[Whosthedaddy]

[Walloper]

It is not considered undertaking if the traffic is queing.
I do it all the time.
That's why I drive a motor cycle.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[.....]

When does filtering become undertaking?

The letter of the law: Filtering is moving between two or more lanes of stationary or slow-moving traffic. Undertaking is passing a vehicle on their nearside (left), when the lane you're using is otherwise clear, Undertaking is illegal.

The reality: The ability to get through sticky traffic is one of the biggest practical advantages of motorcycling. Everyone acknowledges that, the police included. Since the difference between filtering and undertaking can be slight, the most important factor is how the undertaking/ filtering was conducted. It is a subjective issue, hence the confusion.

The speed differential between you and the traffic you're passing is important. If you re caught flying through gridlock at 50, there'll be little mercy, and rightly so. Moving cautiously through 40 mph traffic at 60 mph on a dual carriageway is unlikely to raise an eyebrow. As Thames Valley accident investigator Gary Baldwin puts it, "Once the speed differential becomes extreme, the sympathy vote quickly evaporates."

And you may need that sympathy vote. If there is an accident and you find yourself in court, you could face charges of careless or even dangerous riding. The verdict will be largely down to the jury who, going on pure statistics alone, are unlikely to have a motorcyclist among them. If you can convince them that your actions were both considered and reasonable, and that the me dent was the result of poor observation or sheer carelessness on the part of the third party, you should be all right. The more sensible you were, the more sympathetic they'll be. It's that simple.

Can you filter over zig zags on the approach to a pedestrian crossing?

The letter of the law: You can move up a line of stationary or slow moving traffic in a zigzag area, but not to the front. You must not pass the vehicle at the head of the queue.
The reality: One to stick to. Most riders treat passing through Zigzags with caution - by definition they're found in tricky areas.

The above article was written by Ben Miller
and published in the December 2001 edition of Bike

[Whosthedaddy]

[St0rmer66]

[The Old Geeza]

[Whosthedaddy]

Did the car move to the left to allow you to pass?
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Whosthedaddy]

[Simple]

I beleive filtering up the inside of traffic is known as 'the suicide lane' and is illegal.

I was also told by my CBT and test instructors that filtering past stationary traffic towards a pedestrian crossing (where the white lines become jagged) is illegal.

The legality of filtering is a weak point if you were to be involved in an accident and I'm sure the thirdparty would use it against you.

key things to remeber are

you can't go above the speed limit.
even if it means getting past a traffic que sharpish, if you need to go past sharpish then it isnt safe to filter.

always be looking for somewhere you can slot into next to cars if you are unable to progress any further, you dont want to be sat on the white line with a huge skip lorry bombing towards you.

remeber if you stop in a car's blind spot, chances are a driver sat in a que is not checking their mirrors and won't know you are there.

and most of all
make sure in the future you are not posting, doh, got knocked off filtering
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Insta - FemFeral

[Rob]

There's no difference between filtering and overtaking. All the same rules apply.

You can pass on the nearside of traffic if it is queueing or a one way street. You can't filter before a zebra crossing, you can't cross a solid white line, but generally you can still overtake without crossing the line so that is legal (unless you get a git of a car driver that runs down the line!!).

If traffic on a dual carriageway/motorway is stationary or slow moving you can pass it anywhere (except the hard shoulder!!).

I've had accidents whilst filtering and all the usual laws apply. If a car pulls out on you they are still in the wrong as it's up to them to make sure the lane is clear and that includes any vehicle overtaking.

Of course, that can be the problem, a lot of accidents happen whilst bikes are filtering as car drivers just don't look and it appears to them like you come out of nowhere!

I've never had a problem with insurance on those claims.
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Love is 1050cc

[The Old Geeza]

Try thinking about Cyclists...

Are they Really going to stick behind a line of traffic simply because it's come to a halt ?

Doubt it

We've only got two wheels too



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Horse Power was safer when the Horses had it!

[Walloper]

Well it's all a lot clearer now thanks you guys
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Walloper]

[Rob]

[Whosthedaddy]