Filtering nerves (pt2)

[Knisis]

Sorry for those who noticed my previous post on theory test + filtering


Anyway, I had to take my bike to be serviced today, to cut a long story short, tried to filter on the A2 (3 lanes) but got stuck in lane 1, and due to slow speed, kept loosing balance trying to keep moving, lost all confidence and sat on the hard shoulder till the traffic all but cleared.

And another issue (oh god not more!), when coming up behind 5 or six cars at a junction, what should you do? walk bike forward as each car moves or wait till the card in front as moved a lengh or just go pass them all, and hope the lead car doesn't knock you over?

Sorry for the long post

Any advice (please!!)

[Laura]

Just filter through the lot of them and sit at the front.
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[M1ke]

Its all about been confident and cheeky. Just filter to the front then the car at the front will either let you go or try beat you off the line... If you have a remotely nippy bike you should be able to shoot off even if they do try race you.

If your on anything slower than a 125cc 2 stroke then I suggest you try squeeze in behind the front car, that way the car behind has no choice but to let you get away first

[mchaggis]

Make sure that if you're turning right/ left that you filter to the right place though. In theory you're not allowed to filter past the front car, though that might just be at the lights?
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Barker-CBR 600]

At most traffic lights (the pedestrian crossing ones that is) the zig zag line down the centre of the road means it is illegal to overtake in this area, obviously due to the fact people might be crossing you cant see.

However it all depends on your confidence and your bike, if you ride a 2 stroke 125 or anything bigger you can most likely out accelerate any car on the road. So you can pull up the right hand side next to the front car and provided your paying attention to the lights you will be off before he has the handbrake down.

(Tip, dont put it in neutral when doing this like i seen some people do, its fine for sitting at lights but if your trying to be away first you dont want to be messing around finding first)

As for filtering in traffic, its all about space and confidence. Almost any road can fit a bike and two cars if the situation arose, but its down to what you feel comfortable doing. If you want to wait till the road widens then theres nothing wrong with that at all, or if you only filter when theres nothing coming the other way then thats down to you. No one can moan at you for not filtering as its probably safer, and as long as you dont sit bang in the middle and stop other bikers doing it when they want to... no one will bat an eyelid.

So do what your comfortable with, you might find its not for you and you might gain some confidence going past at stationary points that you will want to start when moving.

I tend to filter most of the way along roads i know, can fit with plenty of room long as i am not passing anything too wide and when visability is good can do so when traffics still at around 30.

Some car drivers will move to the left of the lane (often bikers stuck in a car) and this again creates more room, but if you arent comfortable with it (i.e big tractor coming the other way with various protruding spikes into your lane) then theres no obligation to accept.

So the key words are what you feel comfortable with.
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[map]

[Bendy]

- Get comfortable with the low-speed handling of your bike. If this means spending an evening practicing in a carpark, then do it.

- Only filter when you want to. Doesn't matter if someone else has just razzed past you on a wider bike, just do what you're happy with.

- Be aware. Filtering is dangerous, you need to be scrutinising the road ahead for people who're going to pull out on you. This goes back to point one... if you're thinking about your actual riding, you're not using all your brain capacity to look for hazards so get the comfortable thing nailed first.

- When there's a chance to, look behind you. Don't hold up bikes that are happy to filter faster than you are. And if you let them by you can always follow them for a bit and learn.

- Give it time. Filtering's something it takes practice to do well, don't expect to be great at it straight away.

[instigator]

[Knisis]

Good news Collected bike and went for a 11 hour bike ride , Down in Hastings did my first filtering on a single lane road, just went down the middle, (watching everyone like a hawk )

Can't believe how good it felt

Only prob is I can't sit down any more

[instigator]

Superb isn't it.

Makes biking even better. Did some great filtering myself today. Road was completely chocked up, I past about 200metres worth of cars and arrived at the lights just as they were going green.

Its all good.

[ts50x0]

[ts50x0]

*If your on anything slower than a 125cc 2 stroke then I suggest you try squeeze in behind the front car, that way the car behind has no choice but to let you get away first*



hey my cg beats all but sports cars off the lights. i outran a rude boy in a nova today,(0-30mph anyway). even scootoers can beat cars off the lights.

and if theres a push bike space thing, at the front of the lights(you must know what im talking about!!!) then i tend to sit in that right in front of the cars behine while i wait for the lights to change. also if theres two of you and you position yourself right this can make room for your mate too, and you can make a smooth getaway!

[cruisin chris]

I was a bit wary of filtering at first but have done it a few times and i think its mainly a confidence thing. I usually do as m1ke suggests and skip in behind lead car due to the fact i only ride a 50.

[Gazdaman]

Your filtering style changes as you get more confident,
I used to filter past a few cars, tuck in, do a few more. Then you'll always find someone on a sports bike doing the whole queue, ducking and diving, gets to the front, blasts off.

Take it one step at a time, do what you're confident with, soon you'll be laughing at all the people waiting in the queue.

Gaz

[8316]

quite right Gazdaman . i tried filtering like i do on my bicycle-really fast. but i almost crashed a couple of times . so i waited until i got used to riding then i built it up. patience is a virtue!
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Now own a Fireblade!! Speed Limits? Bah!

[Knisis]

update.

After a week off to practice, I've been commuting from Gravesend to NE London. (Up A2 and through blackwall Tunnel) then through the city), for the past two days.

It feels great , I normally keep an eye out behind, to let through faster filterers on the A2.

While the weather holds off, I will commute in as much as possible and take either DAS or restricted test in January.

I've got a Honda City Fly with trial tyres. Seat height is about 800mm which just gives me that extra view.

I'm thinking of going for a CBF500 as a weekend bike and keeping the 125 for commuting.

[Knisis]

Update to previous post.

I've now been commuting for a week, 60 miles a day.

Last night I had to adjust my back break sensor, so the light now comes on as soon as I apply any pressure.

Just need some decent water proofs