Filtering

tom_e · 5 Oct 2015 at 16:52

I had to pull into a gap coming down the M25 yesterday as there was a guy filtering behind me right up my backside even though I was already doing about 30mph, that's more than fast enough for me considering I'd be sat still otherwise. So I left him to shoot off into the distance.

ttaskmaster · 5 Oct 2015 at 17:19

Fireskull said:
Filtering and 'lane split' wherever possible

I keep hearing more UK riders talk about 'Lane Splitting' these days...
That's basically what the US calls filtering (ie riding down between two lanes of traffic on a dual/triple carriageway) in the parts of the US where it's illegal.
If you're riding to the right of traffic, ie whitelining between the vehicles going your way on the left and traffic oncoming to your right, that is just standard overtaking, no?

ConTRo13R · 5 Oct 2015 at 19:14

Fireskull said:
Filtering and 'lane split' wherever possible, as above whats the point of sitting around, thats the whole advantage of a bike.
My cut off rule is 50mph on the motorway, I see people still filtering when the traffic is going faster than that and also people might think 50mph is too fast, each to their own

Speed of the filter is incredibly situational, as long as your heard and seen.

TallPaul_S said:
That's the thing, there'll always be someone filtering faster than you, and normally someone filtering slower! I often pass people sitting in a queue of easy filterable traffic, but on the other hand I don't like filtering past traffic when there's traffic coming the other way, I'll let them pass unless there's a decent gap - I see loads of people basically riding into head on traffic.

That sounds like me, if the other lane is wide enough I will drive into oncoming, i will always have a marker on where to pull in should someone oncoming want to be more 'prominent' in their lane as if it were.

ttaskmaster said:
I keep hearing more UK riders talk about 'Lane Splitting' these days...
That's basically what the US calls filtering (ie riding down between two lanes of traffic on a dual/triple carriageway) in the parts of the US where it's illegal.
If you're riding to the right of traffic, ie whitelining between the vehicles going your way on the left and traffic oncoming to your right, that is just standard overtaking, no?

A good point to raise, one I've always wondered is, especially on the subject of RJ and BvG is 'filtering' on the nearside of a vehicle, surely this is classed as an undertake, which is somewhat frowned upon..

Sagalout · 5 Oct 2015 at 19:43

I filter all the time. I'd take the car to work otherwise, especially in the rain, but the 20 mins each way that the bike saves me is worth it!

wazza300 · 5 Oct 2015 at 20:43

Some folks tend to break their neck to filter though,like all the time constantly,I always tend to catch them up at lights

Griffo · 5 Oct 2015 at 21:25

I never used to filter into oncoming traffic, but familiarity and watching one of m13's earlier videos of how oncoming traffic sees you, filtered traffic going your way doesn't... got me thinking more. Wow that was a great sentence!

Sin_Chase · 5 Oct 2015 at 23:42

You shouldn't be filtering if it's making oncoming traffic alter course or speed. If they make way for you in total gridlock, fair enough.

Fireskull · 6 Oct 2015 at 09:18

ttaskmaster said:
I keep hearing more UK riders talk about 'Lane Splitting' these days...
That's basically what the US calls filtering (ie riding down between two lanes of traffic on a dual/triple carriageway) in the parts of the US where it's illegal.
If you're riding to the right of traffic, ie whitelining between the vehicles going your way on the left and traffic oncoming to your right, that is just standard overtaking, no?

Yeah I always call it filtering or overtaking just I see more and more people online using the term lane splitting now which yeah is the same thing.
If you are filtering on the right and the oncoming traffic is stationary is that now filtering though...?

ConTRo13R said:
Speed of the filter is incredibly situational, as long as your heard and seen.

Exactly there is no right answer for every situation, just keep looking ahead and be ready for someone to try and block you

Same thinking as Sagalout, the time saved is worth it, if I take the car to work the journey time is doubled at a minimum, thats time I would rather have to myself.

NooBish AbbZ · 6 Oct 2015 at 10:58

I filter at pretty much any opportunity, providing there's room. I did start to get a bit dangerous with it a few months back but sort of reigned that back in a bit

TallPaul_S · 6 Oct 2015 at 12:07

Griffo said:
I never used to filter into oncoming traffic, but familiarity and watching one of m13's earlier videos of how oncoming traffic sees you, filtered traffic going your way doesn't... got me thinking more. Wow that was a great sentence!

That is a good point - someone else mentioned (I think it was the crazy courier filtering in london video) that on a single lane road if there's traffic coming the other way, the cars going your way aren't going to turn right...

So actually, the safest time to filter is when there's traffic coming the opposite direction.

Felix · 6 Oct 2015 at 12:29

Anyone else enjoy the symphony of stop/start engines when you are at the front of the queue at traffic lights and they turn green. Makes for a quicker/easier get away!

wazza300 · 6 Oct 2015 at 12:31

Haha yeah,same can be said for bikers that stay in neutral at the lights,I tend to be away quicker leaving it in first

IC3 · 6 Oct 2015 at 12:41

wazza300 said:
Haha yeah,same can be said for bikers that stay in neutral at the lights,I tend to be away quicker leaving it in first

Same, I only put it in neutral on the lights which I know that take ages...

TallPaul_S · 6 Oct 2015 at 12:49

Yup, same - If I know the light sequence I always knock it into 1st before it goes green.

TripleT · 6 Oct 2015 at 13:09

To me...

Filtering = going past traffic going the same way as you.

Lane Splitting = When you go down the middle with on-coming cars still moving.

So if my lane stops I'll ride the centre line or just right of it if there's room and as someone has mentioned so long as there's no numpty driving close tot he middle coming the opposite way you're fine. Agin I'm always have markers where to dive in if needed.

ttaskmaster · 6 Oct 2015 at 14:11

ConTRo13R said:
Speed of the filter is incredibly situational, as long as your heard and seen.

Aye. Speed of the filter is also the difference between 'making due progress' and 'riding dangerously', but equally subjective. Depends on the police officer.
There is an oft-cited rule/guideline known as the 20-20 Rule.
Never filter faster than 20mph above the speed of surrounding traffic and never filter if the traffic is faster than 20mph. That way you're going at a max of 40mph.
Just a guideline, though - Often it will be more appropriate to go considerably slower.

ConTRo13R said:
A good point to raise, one I've always wondered is, especially on the subject of RJ and BvG is 'filtering' on the nearside of a vehicle, surely this is classed as an undertake, which is somewhat frowned upon..

Undertaking is basically executing an overtake but on a vehicle's left side. In other words, pulling over into teh left lane and then swinging back to the right once you're done. It's considered dangerous, so is an offence.
However, if you just happen to be in that lane and going faster than the traffic in the right, that is just classed as making due progress not undertaking.
If you're a motorcycle going between two lanes for more than just a couple of cars , that is filtering and again separate. If you're going to the left side of the leftmost lane, that is definitely dangerous, definitely undertaking and also why it can be a test fail if a vehicle is stopped in your lane to turn right and you pass down the left.

Fireskull said:
If you are filtering on the right and the oncoming traffic is stationary is that now filtering though...?

Nope. No different to if there were no oncoming traffic at all. You're still just overtaking the traffic in the lane going your direction.

TripleT said:
Filtering = going past traffic going the same way as you.
Lane Splitting = When you go down the middle with on-coming cars still moving.

Wiki, I know, but it was first on the list:
"Lane splitting is riding a bicycle or motorcycle between roadway lanes of vehicles driving in the same direction. More narrowly, it refers to overtaking slow or stopped vehicles by traveling between lanes. It is also sometimes called lane sharing, whitelining, filtering, or stripe-riding".

I believe the reason overtaking is a separate thing is twofold:
1/. On a multi-lane carriageway, overtaking means moving to the next lane outside to pass the slower vehicle.
2/. On a single carriageway, the dividing line ridden/crossed is variable and overtaking is not always permitted and so subject to rules not normally encountered with filtering.

TripleT said:
Agin I'm always have markers where to dive in if needed.

Ja - Corners!!!
Soooo many people understeer on corners these days!

tom_e · 6 Oct 2015 at 15:51

arfoll said:
It's not (at least in UK)! However doesn't make it any better of an idea! Something to avoid imho unless it's stationary traffic or person in front is a granny hogging the right lane (happened to me the other day...)

It's not an offence in it's own right but you can be done for dangerous driving/driving without due care if you come across a copper having a bad day.

ttaskmaster · 6 Oct 2015 at 17:05

arfoll said:
It's not (at least in UK)! However doesn't make it any better of an idea!

Highway Code Rule 268: "Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake".
While that in itself uses 'advisory wording', it usually ends up as the evidence in dangerous driving prosecutions. Seems to be a road-cop trigger...

Middle lane hoggers going under the speed limit are somewhat different and involuntary undertaking is not a problem, ie when your inner lane just happens to be moving faster as a whole.