Filtering to be made illegal in the UK?

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

Whoa! Now I have your attention... this isn't about them planning to do it anytime soon, but with other countries making/having filtering on a bike illegal, how long do people think it will be (if ever) before they try/succeed in doing it in the UK?

How would it affect poeple here? For the weekend riders like me, currently, I doubt it would make a huge difference. For commuters it would be a killer - maybe even make a bike useless for many people.

Discuss?

[Flamin_Squirrel]

London would grind to a halt :shock:

[Kate]

Can't see it happening tbh

[thor]

I'd sell my scooter straight away.

[Jase22]

Better not happen! It'd double my journey time, and IMO that's one of the many pleasures of riding a bike.

I know I don't ride my bike so I can sit in a queue of cars!

[Demonz]

I think it will only ever happen if they find a better mode of transportation to ease the congestion which I doubt will happen in the next 10 years. If anything there will be a push for more people on bikes - maybe even more bike/bus lanes.

[creamerybutter]

I'd be suprised if they did, it would have a huge impact on congestion and would they stop push bikes doing it also?

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

I feel that there will be an attempt within the next 10 years or so, probably on safety grounds. Not that we won't be able to fight it and win, but I think they'll look at it and test the water.

The way things are going with society/the general lack of people willing to be responsible (I'm talking car drivers opening doors, swerving, etc. rather than the bikers, but also bikers who filter at high speeds) it will happen eventually, though it might be decades away before it happens.
All this new automated car stuff to control the acceleration, braking, position, speed, lane changes, etc. - none of it allows for a filtering biker, at least none of it that I've seen.

Bicycles will probably carry on doing as they like, as many of them do with most traffic rules and laws at the moment

[Cloggsy]

Can't see it myself :!:

[MavUK]

I know I don't ride my bike so I can sit in a queue of cars!

I use this exact phrase when people ask me why I filter, and some of the grumpier people in the office complain at me filtering (I'm queueing so why shouldn't you - but when I tell them to ride a bike they compain it's too difficult / dangerous / uncomfortable - wimps)

Stu

[Grinch]

I just say I freeze my **** off and get wet... do you?

[JakeRS]

if its made illegal how're they going to police it?

only ways are to have cameras absolutely everywhere, or you could get caught by a police car in a queue....

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

if its made illegal how're they going to police it?

only ways are to have cameras absolutely everywhere, or you could get caught by a police car in a queue....

They've been discussing this as part of their future transport policing strategy - cameras all over the place, plate recognition on virtually every street corner, monitoring of every vehicle and where it's been, tax, insurance, MOT... just ideas for now, but it's the way they'll go if they can - cameras all the way :roll:

[Biker Biggles]

I dare say the safety fascists will try this on from time to time,and it may well come from Europe,but it will be up to us to fight them off.Enforcement would be no problem,just like bus lanes are being camered up now.Could be a nice little earner for "safety partnerships"but all for our own good of course. :evil:

[Kylie]

So some people filter dangerously. The police can get them for dangerous driving. The rest of us filter as safely as we can, can't see what government would get by banning us from doing that, cept for lots more cars on the road, and they don't want that.

[hall13uk]

if it happens (which i doubt) i shall sell my bike.

[leejbarker]

Hope Not.....

[Mogs]

Can't imagine it happening. It's difficult to define filtering from overtaking.

[raymond smith]

as for stopping cyclists they would have to change many things. a cyclist is deemed as being in their own lane and are expected to undertake statonary traffic and is one reason they have advanced stop lines at traffic lights. if they stopped us cyclists filtering we would then be entitled to cycle in the middle of the lane. as for the comment on cyclists breaking the traffic rules etc. i say people who live in glass houses shouldn,t pass uninformed opinions.

[Saint Matt]

They can't do it, it's too much of a grey area. Besides, I'd still do it anyway.

[Biker Biggles]

Don't believe they can't do it because it could'nt be enforced.They do ban filtering(or lane splitting) in many American states,and they do enforce it.
With our camara culture here it would be no problem to the authorities and as I suggested,could be a nice little earner for them.Don't discount it.

[Stig]

I would hardly say that my filtering technics are what one would call legal in any case. So it makes little difference to me either way. I would still do it.