can you filter if you are on "L" Plates?

DottyDuck · Nearly there... Joined: 12 Nov 2012 Karma :

I hope this isn't a stupid question as i know it is legal to filter in the UK but wasn't sure if that was only for people with a full license. And since i have only done my CBT i don't want to filter to find out i am not allowed! I have googled it but nothing seems to come up about it.. all i get is information about not being able to carry pillions (which i know about!)

-LG- · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jul 2010 Karma :

Yes you are.
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Dave-the-rave · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Oct 2012 Karma :

Yes but you can't do more than 60
if the traffic is stationary.

Laughing

Clutchy · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Nov 2011 Karma :

Yes you are. Laughing

Enjoy it!
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TheSmiler · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Karma :

Yes you can legally filter, however make sure that you know how to control the bike fully and have good reactions watch for the tyres moving if you are filtering on duals and be careful around junctions. Also good clutch control. You don't want to stall in the middle of traffic trust me I've done it (followed by a swift kick and back into action).
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Themightyimp · Crazy Courier Joined: 24 May 2011 Karma :

Fucking hell smiler you've binned it. Laughing

Can't find the link to give the OP a laugh.
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TheSmiler · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Karma :

Clive L · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 26 Dec 2012 Karma :

thepuma · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Jul 2012 Karma :

Yes definitely.

I filtered all the way to the test centre for mod 2 as it was rush hour and would have been late had I not.
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Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

'Filtering' until recently was not a term recognized in either the Highway code or road traffic act. I believe it now gets mention, and is essentially described as 'passing slower vehicles in dense slow or strationary traffic - an over-taking manouver'

Read advice on over-taking, and despite some suggesting that it's 'legal' to exceed speed limit 'briefly' during an over-take, that's not strictly true, as I understand it, it's an interpretation of guidance notes, that suggest that its 'tolerable', but anyway.

Overtaking; BIG words I believe in the Highway Code says Overtaking is a HAZARDOUS MANEUVER, which you undertake at YOUR OWN RISK.

Yeah... we do a lot of stuff at out own risk, like pulling out of junctions, passing parked cars, getting on the bike in the first place... getting up in the morning.... though as most people, statistically die in a bed, that may be one thing that's actually 'safer'.....

Anyhow; point is, that wobbling out of the queue, you are in to the margins, and if you cant rely on any-one looking out for you even if you ARE in the queue.... when you step outside of it into those murky margins you HAVE to presume that you are on your own, and expect the worse!

Good precaution when you see the chance to filter is to ask yourself WHY you have the chance to filter?

Why is the traffic going so slow or stopped in the first place?

IF traffic is going so slow you actually have the opportunity to filter, chances are there is some fuck-off big hazard up ahead that is good reason NOT to!

Traffic queue is stopped.... why? Chances are up ahead is a side turn to the right, and the traffic has backed up behind the car waiting to turn right... sods law says, they will not be indicating and they will NOT look behind when they see the chance to 'go' and that will be JUST as you are going past them! BANG.

Or some-one will have stopped to let some-one out of a side turn... and again, you will arive just as the car flashes them to pull out, and they will NOT be looking at you and will pull accross your bows.. BANG.

Or they will all be waiting for leading traffic to clear a junction; round-about or traffic lights. And sure as eggs, SOME-ONE will decide that they have had enough of waiting and are going to pull out and force second lane to the head of the queue, or pull down a side road and go round, or do a U turn and backtrack onto another route...... BANG.... just as you happen to be 'filtering' past them.

Scenarios are endless; but it is one of THE most dangerous things we can do on a motorbike....

And the unfortunate thing about it is that 99 times out of a hundred, you DO get away with it, and you will think you can do it with 'ease' and do underestimate the risks.

If you do it.... you do it SLOW.... and you watch for EVERY tiny little fucking clue of a hazard; you expect EVERY car to try and jump out on you, you presume that up ahead you are going to find some-one turning right or letting some-one out from the left, and you make sure that you are watching every where, for pedestrians walking accross the road between 'stopped' cars, not looking for you, and anything else, and that you can STOP instantly.
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Dave-the-rave · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Oct 2012 Karma :

crackfinder · Crazy Courier Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Karma :

Tuffers · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Karma :

WindyMiller · Scooby Slapper Joined: 02 Nov 2011 Karma :

yes you can. Take it steady and be careful the first few times.

I find it's easiest going between 2 lanes of stationary traffic both going in the same direction on a nice wide road. Filtering on narrower roads, or going past a single lane of cars when there are lots of traffic islands gets more tricky.

I also find it's easier to head directly for the gap as you approach a queue. If you're sitting in a queue of traffic and then decide to manoeuvre into the gap, the obs needed to make sure you don't pull into the path of another filtering bike get a bit tricky.

So pick your opportunity and don't go for it if you're not 100% confident. Before long you'll be flashing lorry drivers as you filter past on one wheel.
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mic · Brolly Dolly Joined: 09 Sep 2010 Karma :

on my 125 i darent filter half the time Laughing

if theres a que on a duelcarraigeway and im not turning right at the end (big roundabout at the usual spot) then i'll filter. at traffic lights etc if im only a couple of cars behind, i wont filter. maybe im too paranoid about the bike pulling away (more on me for confidence) and if i do stall it id feel a pillock Laughing

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numpty2 · Trackday Trickster Joined: 08 Dec 2011 Karma :

Teflon-Mike's advice is spot on.

Filtering takes an enormous amount of concentration. If it goes wrong you can be in a very grey area with regard to insurance. If in doubt don't. If you aren't sure the drivers have seen you, assume they haven't. Assume everyone is just about to change lane or open their doors or close up the gap just to annoy you.

I've been riding for decades now, and I still filter regularly, but less often than I did when I was younger. I don't bother if it is only going to gain a little. I only do it if it will save a lot of time, or I'm desperate to get home for a pee.

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

Derivative · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Karma :

Dave-the-rave · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Oct 2012 Karma :

Honda NXR or sale...

Corners well but challenging on a straight.

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

Filtering is legal regardless of what mike teflon says.

Sitting in traffic on a motorcycle is stupid.

blito · Scooby Slapper Joined: 18 Apr 2011 Karma :

I do filter a little but I do it very slowly and very carefully. I only filter past stationary traffic and only when there is no risk of having some numpty knock me off my mount.
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..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

ADSrox0r · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Oct 2012 Karma :

Pretty much reiterate what's already been said without a lengthy essay; yes you can no problem, you just have to dial your spidey senses up to 11 and be very aware of the developing situation around you.

Alpha-9 · Super Spammer Joined: 19 Jan 2012 Karma :

You do ask some silly questions duck Rolling Eyes

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Dave70 · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Jan 2012 Karma :

I used to worry about filtering to when I first started out, until one day when I saw another biker just up ahead of me, who started filtering. So I took the opportunity to follow him, albeit with a bit of caution and all worked out well and I felt a lot easier to try it on my own after that.

It could of turned out worse though I guess, if the guy I decided to take my lead from was a nutter with a deathwish Laughing

Always use your own judgement and if you personally think it's too risky, don't do it.

Good luck Thumbs Up