View Full Version : Have you ever clipped mirrors when filtering?
I came close to it today filtering through a road in hornchurch after a long and windy trip along the A127.
To be honest i was cutting it a bit fine, and there wasn't much room either side of me, and as i passed one of the cars on my left as the traffic was slowly moving away it beeped its horn at me. (stupid 17/18 year old chav on her way from studying 'beauty' at college in a car her parents bought her because she most probably has never worked an hour in her life).
Oh well, its a learning experience and i know that section of road is a bit tricky to slip between but sometimes its hard to tell.
Have any of you ever clipped mirrors with a car?
Yup, hate doing it, only done it a could of times but always feel a complete git when I do.
Knocked one off once too, but the old fart deliberately nearly took me off my bike whilst filtering so he deserved it.
No. If the traffic starts moving then I try and pull in, it gets a bit dangerous else.
An Arriva bus did it to me last Friday when I was in the car, going the other way, and a foot my side of the white line. And he claimed it was my fault. Tosser.
Yup just on occasion when motorway filtering. And once with my hand when a dozy van driver almost squished me.
I was stuck in a major snarl-up near Liverpool street on my old XL500 a few years ago, hit a cabbie's wing mirror as I (very slowly) went past, so I helped get his mirror back into position, with cabby giving me the old "up a bit, down a bit, left/right" motions to get his mirror into the right view. At least he smiled about it!
Dave20046
17-03-09, 05:17 PM
I was stuck in a major snarl-up near Liverpool street on my old XL500 a few years ago, hit a cabbie's wing mirror as I (very slowly) went past, so I helped get his mirror back into position, with cabby giving me the old "up a bit, down a bit, left/right" motions to get his mirror into the right view. At least he smiled about it!
:D nice one!
stuballs
17-03-09, 05:35 PM
My daily commute includes the A2 and the approach to the Blackwall tunnel. Nightmare. Narrow lanes and a mile of stationary traffic. You have to filter otherwise you'd be there for hours! All the drivers know that bikes filter on that bit as theres a constant flow. so anyone who sits right on the white line is asking to get their mirror clipped. I tend to fold my mirros in so the widest point is my levers and I have no intention of hitting a solid object with my brake lever! That said my mirrors have occasionally clipped car mirrors and I regret it when it happens purely because it makes the driver think less of bikers. My boss commutes in his 5 series every day and hates bikers for this very reason.
Did it once and felt incredibly guilty. I fold my wing mirrors in when it gets narrow now. Makes it much easier, just need to turn my head more to check for gaps etc
I make sure I always thank cars and vans for making room for me when filtering by giving a very brief hand-up off the clutch lever, just so that they feel appreciated and their efforts are noticed. I hope this helps car drivers feel a bit better about me nipping to the front of the lights when they're all queued up :D
Gene genie
17-03-09, 05:51 PM
No, never, ever, ever.
:---)
Warthog
17-03-09, 05:51 PM
Yup, done it once, and felt very bad. If it gets tight, don't filter, its not worth it.
Never. I don't try to go through gaps I can't fit through.
I should point out that I usually only filter when I'm on my way into work in Central London, I don't filter on my "leisure rides" at all
pencil shavings
17-03-09, 05:58 PM
did it once, complelty by acident, I was 17 got caught out when it got dark with a very tinted visor and couldnt see to well...
pity it was a bently
EDIT: just to make sure, I only clipped it, didnt take it off!
instigator
17-03-09, 08:18 PM
Yes, both with mirrors and I regret to say it, top box's (not hitting other mirrors, just hitting the vehicle) :o
No, never, ever, ever.
:---)
Good job you put that nose there big fat liar!!!!!
Remember that van you clipped wouldn't mind as much but the
gap was bloody MASSIVE! liar.:---):---):---)
Alpinestarhero
17-03-09, 08:35 PM
I have clipped many mirrors.
Not one of them was on purpose.
Honest.
Alpinestarhero
17-03-09, 08:36 PM
Yup, done it once, and felt very bad. If it gets tight, don't filter, its not worth it.
yea thats true. I've only clipped mirrors when cars have moved over (idiots) or some major defect in the road has sent me towards the car
Not yet, but I get pretty close sometimes.
Usually when two cars are almost level in each lane, meaning there mirrors are pointing into the same gap I want to go through, making you slalom through with some quick flicks on the bars!
Yep, cliped a few and took one clean off once
NickWilde123
17-03-09, 10:43 PM
similar thing happened to me on friday but it was my pillion footrest that got caught on a trailers wheel hub and started dragging me :(
the owner wasnt pleased, things were said,
he tried to kill me .....
Jester666
17-03-09, 11:17 PM
Maybe once or twice during my 7 years as a courier! :lol:
larigos
17-03-09, 11:52 PM
only once have I taken a mirror off a car - they shot me in the face (with a water pistol)whist cycling to work at the next set of lights - pop alittle wheelie on the mountain bike and crunch the mirror with the bar ends. before they could do much I was up into the uni grounds with a mirror attached to my bike.
As for the motorbike - not yet felt the need to do so.
I have when filtering...by accident. The gap was a little smaller than first anticipated.
Felt like a **** for doing it.
Maybe once or twice during my 7 years as a courier! :lol:
just mirrors? ;)
Dappa D
18-03-09, 09:28 AM
I have once, stopped straight away and apologised to the driver, he was fine about it and was only a clip so no damage done....
As for the motorbike - not yet felt the need to do so.
I didnt mean have you done it deliberately, i meant have you done it by accident if a gap has turned out to be a lot tighter than you thought it was. I wouldnt do anything to aggravate drivers on my 125 since i wouldnt be able to get away quick enough.
I pulled up besides a car once at a set of lights. The driver was wearing a seatbelt but his 3 children in the back didnt have and belts on and were running around in the back seats. I was so close to telling him to put seatbelts on them, but i knew that if he got a bit annoyed he could pull in front of me, or give me a nudge on the backwheel and thats all it would take for my first off, so i didnt risk it. However when i get my SV, i wont hesitate to let such selfish drivers know what danger they are putting their children in. It sickens me.
Dave20046
18-03-09, 10:34 AM
Just cause you've got a fast bike doesn't mean you're invincible. You need an escape plan if you want to **** off cagers.
MCN_LiamM
18-03-09, 10:59 AM
I unintentionally knocked one off once.
Thought I had more room than I did and took it clean off with my elbow - it was hanging on by a wire.
Because I didn't mean to do it I stopped straight away and put my hand up to say sorry.
DanAbnormal
18-03-09, 11:01 AM
Yep a few times and always stop and apologise. If damaged I offer my details to replace/repair. It's only fair.
MCN_LiamM
18-03-09, 11:07 AM
If damaged I offer my details to replace/repair. It's only fair.
I didn't he said it was OK do I just went on my way! :riding:
Jester666
18-03-09, 11:16 AM
I aven clipped one with Annas knee when she was pillion! :lol:
I aven clipped one with Annas knee when she was pillion! :lol:
It sounds like youve p!ssed off a lot of cage drivers! :eye:
joshmac
18-03-09, 11:28 AM
I have done once or twice. Always appologise when it happens though (not that that makes it any better :lol:)
Maybe once or twice during my 7 years as a courier! :lol:
Once or twice...
...you've had a day where you hadn't ;):p
Make that one set of lights :lol:
Alpinestarhero
18-03-09, 03:29 PM
I didnt mean have you done it deliberately, i meant have you done it by accident if a gap has turned out to be a lot tighter than you thought it was. I wouldnt do anything to aggravate drivers on my 125 since i wouldnt be able to get away quick enough.
Well, if your in traffic, you have plenty of time to get away...
...i've told off people before in traffic, then sped off. they cant catch me, ner ner na ner ner
BanditPat
18-03-09, 04:49 PM
clipped a coppers wing mirror going to college before Christmas, no damage so sall good. took one off a while ago because I was in a bad mood and there was a bad piece of parking, reinforced knuckles stuck out ;-)
...(stupid 17/18 year old chav on her way from studying 'beauty' at college in a car her parents bought her because she most probably has never worked an hour in her life).
Dude, I know you're only on a CG and therefore can have long meaningful chats while filtering past traffic, but at least give us the useful information: name, phone number, preferred pizza topping...
As for clipping mirrors, one or two...
Tend not to so much now as I know the width of the bike better, but still occasionally.
My daily commute includes the A2 and the approach to the Blackwall tunnel. Nightmare. Narrow lanes and a mile of stationary traffic. You have to filter otherwise you'd be there for hours! All the drivers know that bikes filter on that bit as theres a constant flow. so anyone who sits right on the white line is asking to get their mirror clipped. I tend to fold my mirros in so the widest point is my levers and I have no intention of hitting a solid object with my brake lever! That said my mirrors have occasionally clipped car mirrors and I regret it when it happens purely because it makes the driver think less of bikers. My boss commutes in his 5 series every day and hates bikers for this very reason.
as a user on the a2 myself i find a lot of the car drivers dont like you filtering and will always make your life hard so the ones that do move over i allways thank.
as for cliping mirrors not on the sv YET, but have done on my cbr when a car moved over and closed the gap up on me both mirrors from both cars. but i didnt hang about due to my location at the time .....
wyrdness
19-03-09, 03:27 PM
Yup, hate doing it, only done it a could of times but always feel a complete git when I do.
Pretty much what G says. I very rarely hit a mirror when filtering, even when going through gaps where there's only a few mm of clearance. It's a matter of pride and I feel really bad if I screw up and do knock one.
MattCollins
19-03-09, 03:42 PM
Nope, never... I don't filter... ever! Wouldn't want the please explain from plod and insurer for doing something that is illegal locally... However, I have clipped mirrors, other bike bits and body parts whilst being side swiped in traffic. Had a motorist shove the nose of his car under my left bum cheek once and push me around sideways. Beats me how I stayed upright.
Cheers
speedplay
19-03-09, 04:07 PM
Ive clipped one when some tosser pulled out in front of me on a roundabout and gave me the finger.
It honestly fell off when I leant on it going past him when he hit the traffic:roll:
Nope, never... I don't filter... ever! Wouldn't want the please explain from plod and insurer for doing something that is illegal locally... However, I have clipped mirrors, other bike bits and body parts whilst being side swiped in traffic. Had a motorist shove the nose of his car under my left bum cheek once and push me around sideways. Beats me how I stayed upright.
Cheers
It's not illegal over here though. I'm sure of it since ive filtered past a police car.
joshmac
19-03-09, 04:23 PM
It's not illegal over here though. I'm sure of it since ive filtered past a police car.
Yeah it's legal if the line you're crossing isn't solid
Yeah it's legal if the line you're crossing isn't solid
What about diagonal lines?
joshmac
19-03-09, 04:25 PM
What about diagonal lines?
Hatched markings are there to be used "if it's safe to do so", as long as the bordering line on your side is broken
I can't be ar5ed to look up the exact wording in the highway code, but it's been posted before if you need convincing
HTH
It's not illegal over here though. I'm sure of it since ive filtered past a police car.
That's how I always find out if something is illegal, much better than looking it up.
joshmac
19-03-09, 04:27 PM
:lol: Much cheaper to look it up though ;)
MattCollins
19-03-09, 06:10 PM
It's not illegal over here though.
Yup... Aware of that.
It is interesting how different the UK and Europe are from my part of the world. Road rules are tailored for bikes that allow them to be utilised for what they are best at when in traffic and they are protected by the law while doing it. Not here.
Cheers
What about filtering on the solid line which breaks up bus lanes and normal traffic lanes?
What about filtering on the solid line which breaks up bus lanes and normal traffic lanes?
Check mirrors, clear = legal*
* maybe not correct.
Mhm the cameras dont work anyhow.
Thanks though.
joshmac
19-03-09, 07:08 PM
What about filtering on the solid line which breaks up bus lanes and normal traffic lanes?
I'm pretty sure that if you're on the solid white line it means you're technically in the bus lane, so if it's not a bus lane which bikes can use, you could get done for it. If any traffic coppers on here know different, then please correct me if I'm wrong
muffles
19-03-09, 07:15 PM
Clipped a few accidentally but to be honest if it's that close I'll be going much slower so it'll clear it (and know that I was going to, rather than charging through and hoping for the best lol)...unless it's VERY close or smaller than the distance between my mirrors, in which case I'll need to stop and swing the bike to one side to get my mirror past theirs.
I'm pretty sure that if you're on the solid white line it means you're technically in the bus lane, so if it's not a bus lane which bikes can use, you could get done for it. If any traffic coppers on here know different, then please correct me if I'm wrong
Correct!
Tend not to so much now as I know the width of the bike better, but still occasionally.
Isn't it narrower than your width?
:-dd
joshmac
19-03-09, 09:17 PM
Isn't it narrower than your width?
:-dd
Oh you better run buddy! :lol:
I filtered 2 junctions of the motorway right behind a police bike thursday morning..... whats good 4 him is good for me! Plus i didnt have to worry about the gap as he was obvious to the cagers with his high vis and shiny police marked bike!
I do notice that while filtering, drivers will give me more room to pass if I have a High vis on, which is nice :D
joshmac
19-03-09, 10:21 PM
Is it one of those ex-police types? Or just normal waistcoat thing?
Is it one of those ex-police types? Or just normal waistcoat thing?
just a waistcoat type, but I guess from a distance drivers assume it could be a police :plod:
I did look into getting a high vis with 'Polite' on it :D
joshmac
19-03-09, 10:27 PM
just a waistcoat type, but I guess from a distance drivers assume it could be a police :plod:
I did look into getting a high vis with 'Polite' on it :D
Haha! Nice one :D
Yes, quick way for me to spend 150 quid :(
joshmac
19-03-09, 10:33 PM
£150?!
What did you hit? :shock:
muffles
20-03-09, 08:44 AM
just a waistcoat type, but I guess from a distance drivers assume it could be a police :plod:
I did look into getting a high vis with 'Polite' on it :D
That's what I want/need! That and a white flip-up helmet (that I must insist upon wearing flipped-up, all the time) and a white Pan Euro.... woo!
(Actually it's quite bad but I like the idea of a Pan Euro...for long touring purposes with pillions, you understand...)
That's what I want/need! That and a white flip-up helmet (that I must insist upon wearing flipped-up, all the time) and a white Pan Euro.... woo!
(Actually it's quite bad but I like the idea of a Pan Euro...for long touring purposes with pillions, you understand...)
something like this?
I see how they can get through those small gaps now!
http://www.freewheelers.org.uk/images/guardia_civil.jpg
£150?!
What did you hit? :shock:
Took a blokes l/h mirror off and it was leccy one vauxhall wanted £300 to fix it i got it done for half would of been cheaper if the people who fitted it didnt break the colour coded cover on it which i then had to buy and get painted :(
muffles
20-03-09, 10:40 AM
something like this?
I see how they can get through those small gaps now!
http://www.freewheelers.org.uk/images/guardia_civil.jpg
Yeah....except that first one, cos that's clearly a dark rider from LOTR...
joshmac
20-03-09, 12:42 PM
Yeah....except that first one, cos that's clearly a dark rider from LOTR...
:smt043
Took a blokes l/h mirror off and it was leccy one vauxhall wanted £300 to fix it i got it done for half would of been cheaper if the people who fitted it didnt break the colour coded cover on it which i then had to buy and get painted :(
Ouch! Was it intentional though? Did he deserve it?
Ceri JC
23-03-09, 11:30 AM
Only since fitting Chewy's mirror extenders and even then only about three times. I seem to have learnt the width of the bike now. :)
Yup... Aware of that.
It is interesting how different the UK and Europe are from my part of the world. Road rules are tailored for bikes that allow them to be utilised for what they are best at when in traffic and they are protected by the law while doing it. Not here.
Cheers
Not exactly, filtering became legal through case law where a judge ruled it so, rather than being written into law.
The details are lurking somewhere in the www.motorcyclenews.co.uk archive.
Owenski
23-03-09, 01:17 PM
Twice in the last year!
First was filtering round the Armley junction in heavy traffic as traffic started moving again on Green a car moved up making my tight gap very tight I blamed him though an he just told me to be more careful... Fair enough. :)
Second wasn't that long ago and I saw it happening, which always makes things worse. 2 vans side by side on the M62 as I came through filtering the steady moving traffic they began to converge the left hand van's passenger I swear was talking to the driver of the right hand van. By the time I'd got to the mirrors there must have been 9inch between either mirror! My mirrors pretty much touchin either van I Had to duck so the van mirrors didnt take my head off, although I did brush one with my shoulder. Punched the sky once I was clear! :smt026
calypso67
23-03-09, 02:43 PM
I did a BikeSafe course on Saturday and they took us all round Orpington and Bromley to help me filter.
I have not felt comfortable filtering since last Sept when filtering at road works with Hubby (Nick) in front. He found a space at the front and I slipped into a space in front of a Green Rover just then the traffic started to move. Now don't want to make judgements but it wasn't that hot a day but he had no shirt on and car was a bit of a wreck. As we pulled away he shouted a couple of expleetives but I ignored it and carried on. For the next 4 miles he tried many times to run me off the road, other road users could see what he was doing and tooted at him. Eventually at traffic lights I pulled in front of my hubby, told him what was happening. As we pulled away he tried to cut in front of both of us but Nick's Tiger is quite imposing when used as a block they came to a stop Nick got off, put his bike on the stand and the guy reversed and turned around quickly. The whole time he was after me his son was screaming for him to stop, in the front seat.
I didn't touch his car or even cut him up so I am glade I didn't hit his wing mirror can you imagine what he would have done.
Anyway the BikeSafe was superb and helped me get over my anxiety about filtering.
Ouch! Was it intentional though? Did he deserve it?
No to both just me being a silly little boy on a ped goin to fast now i make sure i use my feet more and only do about 10mph
joshmac
23-03-09, 07:29 PM
No to both just me being a silly little boy on a ped goin to fast now i make sure i use my feet more and only do about 10mph
Ah OK
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