Motorway Filtering.

[TheSmiler]

Depends on circumstances I've even ridden on the central reservation for the M5 when a truck broke down over 2 lanes on the 14 mile roadworks. Best was filtering past about 30 police bikes and 10 police cars going to Weston Bike Night; that was done at 60mph and not a care was given.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Falco]

What is the fastest people filter at?

I don't think I've ever done it faster than 40, but I've been overtaken at 70, what's a reasonable compromise?
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I tell you what, mathematically, I'm having it

[bamt]

Depends on the traffic flow, how "twitchy" drivers are (some days it seems everyone drives in solid lines, some days they are all over the place), weather, how I feel, how the lines of traffic look ahead (lots of brake lights, or big gaps and opening up). Someone who looks a lot like me has been known to blip past the odd car at higher speeds, especially to get into a wide open space rather than sit in the middle of a group as the road frees up.

But as a very rough rule of thumb I'll start motorway filtering when the normal traffic speed drops to 30-ish, and drop back into line when it rises above 50. I probably do about 10-15 miles of motorway/major A road (motorway in all but name) filtering each way every day, more if the traffic is bad.

[Holdawayt]

[recman]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[kramdra]

Depends on situation. If conditions are bad, like heavy rain and a lot of spray from other cars, visibility will be massively improved by filtering past into open road. Cars can also be very hesitant and unpredictable when they perceive conditions are bad. Exessive cars braking can be blinding.

Its a trade off between momentary and controlled higher risk Vs persistent high risk. It also means your awareness can be directed infront without needing to watch traffic behind you as much.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[asta1]

On a related topic, does anyone find that certain motorways are generally easier to filter on than others?

Case in point, my commute consists of M5 - M6 - M42 and there is a huge difference between them. The M5 is easiest. Car seem more aware of bike filtering, there is generally a bit more care given and, true or not, the lanes seem that bit wider. Therefore I will happily filter up to around 50mph, less if there are many lorries.

Compare this to the M6 and it's a different story. Drivers wadering all over their lanes, not seeing you, constantly switching lane... I'm honest, I don't much like to filter on there at all, and if I do, it's certainly not much more than 30.

M42 is usually pretty free flowing, so I don't tend to bother...

As another interesting observation, my motroway preference purely in terms of averae traffic sped and with no consideration given to speeding, which I obviously never do (honest), goes:
2 lane 70mph limit with no cameras> 3 land 70mph limit with occassional cameras> 3 lane variable speed limit 'smart' motorway.

Makes you wonder why they bother...
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CBT Acquired: 09/07/2015
A2 Licence Passed: 12/02/16
Current Bike: Yamaha MT-07 bought 02/07/16

[bamt]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[stevo as b4]

I don't really find it acceptable or safe for a bike to be between the outside lane and the central reservation or crash barrier. I think it's pretty much total twats that would think otherwise.

As a car driver I guess you'd be pretty pissed if in a two lane carriageway with a solid central barrier, if your in lane two moved right over to the right to give a nice big gap between the lanes, to find a bike wants to try passing on the outside instead? Especially if the gap between lanes 1&2 was empty and generally wide enough all the way through.

[Falco]

[mkjackary]

I'm pretty much with everyone here, up to 50ish I'm fine to filter, above that in extreme situations (have to get to maccy D's before 10:30 for breakfast)

If it is going between a standstill and 60 and everywhere in between then I will filter most of the way because cars know you are there and they are more aware than usual. However if I am going 75 then it slows down to 50 I probably wouldn't filter, I'd only really consider it once it gets to about 40ish, but it all depends on the situation.

What are everyone's thoughts on the bikes that weave in and out of traffic when everyone is going 70 anyway?

[arry]

All of the above but just a side note, when traffic snarls up I tend to wait a few moments before starting to filter, as that gives the drivers time to pick their lane - invariably someone in 3 decides 2 is going to move faster so will make the lunge, usually last minute with not great observation.

[Val]

As many have said I also filter between lanes 2/3.

That is if we are talking about regular lanes motorway.

The problem I have here M3 is in a construction state for the last 5 years

The pyramids have been build in a less time.

That means the lanes are not standard there are 3 very narrow temporary lanes and no hard shoulder.

Very often there are 18 wheeler trucks in both lanes 1 and lane 2. That makes filtering even in 2/3 very unpleasant. So I do not filter there.
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Adrian Monk: Unless I'm wrong, which, you know, I'm not...
Yamaha Fazer FZS 600, MT09, XSR 900

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[kramdra]

[Falco]

[AshWebster]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[thx1138]

I often end up in between lane 1 and 2, cos I get stuck behind Long Way Round GS BMW dreamers with super wide metal boxes, who hold me up, despite the fact that the gap ahead is big enough to get through and I'm trying to get ahead of them.

In standstill traffic, ickle bikes are a boon, but if the traffic is just very slow, I normally just ride in it.