Hi All, Just saw this, Filtering law revised in the UK I have never really liked filtering myself at anything more than a walk.
There is one law and one law only with filtering - it's called the law of Sod This. The second you decide to start filtering, you must accept that your risk of being skittled is magnified greatly. Regardless of insurance claims and their legality, you as a rider must be aware of the risk you are about to undertake. And if you don't understand those risks you're going to get hurt. That's the bottom line. Me..? I filter like Marquez; smashing your way through London is at least as enjoyable as carving up your favourite rural corner in my book. We call it Power Filtering
I filter when the traffic is slowly moving or has stopped. Although to get anyway these days one must filter. its the advantage on having a motorbike. Having you headlight on and having a race can helps warn car drivers your coming through. High speed filter (motorways) is dangerous, but everbody does it.
I'm normally happy filtering at any speed up to the legal limit because after that point you're moving into dangerous territory as far as fines and points are concerned. If I'm on a motorway and the speed drops to below about 65mph then I'm going to start using lane 2a wherever I can but I do get a bit more wary filtering in towns or cities where the car drivers have got a lot more options regarding turning off or suddenly performing a U turn.
That's really good news. I'm a bit of a knob with filtering, only ride a cheapish bike daily and don't stop for traffic at all. If it means a little rub here or bump on a mirror there when cars try to squeeze me then so be it. The amount of times i have been or nearly been knocked off over the years i dont see them as having people in them anymore, just an obstacle. It wont change my style as i dont like accidents but it's nice to know that when you do get that fool just swapping lanes or pulling out to nip past cars and dash down a side i road then i'd have a good case. Lets just hope none of us ever EVER need it, and all road users can actually start caring for each others lives for a change.
I'm probably like most people. I filter, but on the assumption that every car is likely to tool into me. So I don't wazz about them at high speed. But I don't believe in sitting in tailbacks either. When it rains, I get wet. That's the downside of biking. When cars are at a standstill, I still make progress. That's one of the upsides. I don't intend to ride my bike like a 2 wheeled car.
The article linked in the OP is very muddled, inaccurate and non-specific. For one vehicle to overtake another vehicle is not and never has been illegal as such. For a motorbike to overtake cars by filtering is not illegal as such. But the rider doing the filtering may have committed some offence(s) in the course of it, such as exceeding a speed limit, crossing a double white line, driving carelessly, etc. If an accident occurs, in terms of liability for damages the fault may lie wholly with the rider, or wholly with the car driver, or some mixture of the two - that depends on the facts of the case, on what each side argues, and on what evidence may be available. It is complete nonsense to say that there is a legal precedent about blame being 80/20 or 50/50. That is not what precedents are about.
Highway Code rule 268 advises against undertaking: "Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake." On other roads you can "only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right" (rule 163). On all roads, undertaking is permitted if the vehicles in the lane to the right are queueing and slow moving. Undertaking in an aggressive or reckless manner could be considered Careless Driving or more seriously Dangerous Driving, both of which are legally enforceable offences. AL
None of which means bunk, overtake or undertake, what the hell difference does it make? Simply showing an awareness of your surrounding will get you off a nicking, and if you get flattened while undertaking...well, you take the tablets and chalk it up to experience. Just get on and ride, and do what feels safe to you, trust your inner self to look after your outer self. Unless you're a bit schizo, in which case take the bus.
I'm another that gets a bit of filtering madness. I start off all polite and sensible,intending to behave myself But I find myself going quicker and quicker Even when traffic is up to normal motorway speed I can't stop myself Bound to end in tears one day I blame it on my London despatching days Back then anyone trying to squeeze on me lost his door mirror toot-sweet Even an occasional bout of fisticuffs,(with f/face and sodden waterproofs not easy!) didn't put me off I like to think I'm normally quite a calm,sensible person too :biggrin:
Highway Code - Rules for Motorcyclists - Rule 88: "... When in traffic queues look out for pedestrians crossing between vehicles and vehicles emerging from junctions or changing lanes. ... Additionally, when filtering in slow-moving traffic, take care and keep your speed low." This makes it pretty clear that filtering as such is not against the Highway Code.
