Filtering?

[atom]

I'm started to become more confident on the roads, and was wondering about filtering, when are you allowed to do it? Can I run up the outside of traffic waiting at lights and sit at the front. Which side should you do it on. Any advice would be much appreciated?

I'm asking because yesterday I overtook a line of stationary traffic (about a mile of the stuff) which was sitting at lights and popped in at the front. Can I do that? I've seen other bikers do it but that doesn't mean its legal.
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The Internet: Ceefax for the 21st Century

[carvell]

Yes it's legal, it's just overtaking.

I don't think I've ever had to filter through single file traffic, but if I did I would say go up the outside, and watch out for cars coming the other way!

I filter whenever there is even a tiny queue at the end of a dual carriageway or motorway, no point waiting when I can go to the front!

Cars don't seem to mind, just make sure you get away before them.
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Yamaha TDM 850

[atom]

So if there is space on my side of the lane divider its ok to run up the side of the cars? I dont have to cross over to the other side of the traffic. What stops cars doing it if there is no oncoming traffic? Hum suppose it would be more difficult to shimmy back into the lane.
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[carvell]

Yeah, you could do that.

Other cars coming the other way stop cars doing it, there would be no room for 3 cars across the road, but there is room for 2 cars and a bike.
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Yamaha TDM 850

[atom]

I felt a bit embaressed doing it yesterday, it was like I was barging into the front of a queue or something. But my patience cracked.
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The Internet: Ceefax for the 21st Century

[shorty]

I don't think filtering on 2/3/4 lane roads is strictly legal, but the old bill generally don't mind as long as you are being sensible. They WILL pull you if you are filtering at 70 on a motorway when the traffic is doing 40. Making good progress when traffic is (almost) stationary is normally fine. Be aware that car drivers are not expecting you to do it so won't be looking for you. Look out for sudden lane changes without warning - use all the clues you can, such as

Gaps in traffic - if a car has space to get out of a lane then it may try to.
Watch for changes in front wheel angle.
Watch drivers heads - they will be looking at the lane they want to be in.
Watch for indicators.
Remember that being in the right doesn't stop you being injured.

When I filter at traffic lights I generally try to stop at an angle blocking the first car in the queue, even if this means slightly crossing the stop line. This means that the car driver has definitley seen you and won't hit you when he pulls away. This really does mean you have to clear that position very quickly and safely when the lights change, worth considering if you have a smaller bike.

HTH

Shorty

[ProXimaCore]

Just to add to this. I do believe it is illegal to filter on the zig zag lines at a pedestrian crossing.
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Honda NSR125R -> Suzuki GSXR400R GK76a -> Kawasaki ZX636 B1H -> Honda CBR400RR NC29 -> Nothing

[tgabber]

You couldn't get anywhere in Central London if you didn't filter.

To be honest London is a bit of a free-for-all. Round the inside, down up middle, up the outside - wherever there is a gap big enough for two wheels, and sometimes where there isn't...
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[JonB]

I started filtering 2 months after getting my bike, I felt confident enough, but I do seem to take some risks, I can be riding along the outside, next minute I will dive into the middle, just because I hate traffic lights and having to wait!

Sometimes though, there just isn't the option of filtering because it is way too dangerous.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Reevo8]

only filter if the lines are seperated--->like this - - - - -

It is just like normal overtaking, so never attempt it on double whites, single whites on your side, zig zags, or cross hatched roads
like this ----> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
|||||||||||||||||||
- - - - - - - - - - -

Or kind of like that anyway!!

Just realised that didnt quite work as planned, but u get the picture!

[synaptyx]

On my way home, there's a crossroads which is single lane for straight on, left and right. As you can imagine, with no turning lanes it gets busy at rush hour. The council have a cycle lane on this road too which makes it even narrower. 90% of cars don't sit in the cycle lane, but some do, usually pig headed minicab drivers. I have used the cycle lane to filter for quite some time, but I don't know if that's legal or not. There is no room up the right hand side to filter as there is always heavy traffic coming the other way (remember narrow lanes, etc). For the record, I have never met a cyclist in the cycle lane in the two years I've used this route.

[shorty]

Errmm no, using cycle lanes is a big no no, if for nothing else than you're overtaking on the right - what are you riding?

I think a lot of people are confusing filtering and overtaking, you can't filter where there are double solid white lines or whatever as they only appear (generally) where it seperates the opposite facing carriageways - this would be an illegal overtake. Equally you can't filter on single carriageways, it's just an overtake. You filter in between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction.

[ProXimaCore]

[Ian (GPX)]

[synaptyx]

[Sadie]

[shorty]

Oops yes I meant left

Personally I wouldn't do it, I find car drivers find it difficult enough to spot slow cyclists - let alone faster bikers (I'm not saying you ride like a loon, but you will be travelling much quicker than someone on a push bike).

It is frustrating when you see cycle lanes not being used. Is the road to dangerous to go down the centre? Least ways you wouldn't have to worry about passengers deciding they wanted to jump out!!

[Ian (GPX)]

[Sadie]

I didn't say he could use the cycle lanes - I said that he is technically riding a bicycle.
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With experience comes age.

[Danny]

Ian, don't you ever go into the cycle bit at the front traffic lights?

[synaptyx]

[Ian (GPX)]

No Danny, not as a rules, but sometimes I do stop in them, but it's very rare, not only that, I have to lead by example..... see below.... !

[Danny]

[Kickstart]

Hi

It is perfectly legal to overtake where there is a solid white line as long as none of your vehicle is over the white line (eg mirrors).

It is perfectly legal to overtake on the zig zag lines on the approach to a pedestrian crossing, as long as you do not overtake the leading vehicle.

It is pefectly legal to enter a cross hatched area to overtake as long as the cross hatched area has a broken line surrounding it. If it has a solid line then it is not legal to use that area.

While you can filter to the front of the queue, if you then squeeze in front of the leading car and cross the line for the lights then you are jumping the lights which is illegal.

All the best

Keith
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[WildGoose]

lots of interesting points there keith
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976