Filtering - police view
 

I always filter through traffic on the way home from work and i know this is the same for most bikers but how do the police feel about this?

I only ask because i filtered past two police cars next to each other on the way home from work today, They didn't flash or beep at me to say what i was doing was wrong so i assume its all good? :scratch:

Also i was only doing a max speed of about 15mph, Just a bit paranoid as they had full view of my numberplate and i don't want any suprises in the post :(

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I was told that is has the same rating as overtaking.

Fine to do it, but if you cause an accident, its your fault....

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Its NOT illegal to filter, you won't be getting anything through the post.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

what about on a motorway, zig zagging lanes 2-3

Ie overtake - undertake - overtake - undertake.

Followed a CBR yeaterday doing just that, i assumed it was common practice, but some BMW rider was shaking his head. left me confused

Re: Filtering - police view
 

They all tend to do that as they are far too old and shouldn't really be on the road, but in doors with a pipe and slippers :)

I tend not to filter once past 80 mph though!

Re: Filtering - police view
 

traffic was 55-65 i wanted to make progress 70-75

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Oooooh er misus! I know a few org riders won't like that.

Tee hee:D

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I think that is frowned upon by most to be honest.

I've done it a few times, but only for a short while and mainly for safety reasons like getting away from an aggressive driver. It's asking for trouble from the plod if they see you lane jumping at speed.;)

Re: Filtering - police view
 

That will get their attention very fast. Don't do it unless you are willing to accept a due care if you cause other road users to brake, swerve to avoid you etc. Apparently, if traffic is moving at less than about 20mph in all lanes, then filtering is accepted.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

This might help. It is a lot to read, but it sheds a lot of light on the subject.

http://www.motorcycle-training.f2s.com/filtering.html

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by lucky strike http://forums.sv650.org/images/buttons/viewpost.gif
They all tend to do that as they are far too old and shouldn't really be on the road, but in doors with a pipe and slippers :smile:

I tend not to filter once past 80 mph though!


What's this! some young whipper snapper saying I'm too old.

I did smoke a pipe but have given up all forms of the weed, still got the slippers though.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Had a police car move over to allow me to filter once. You just need to be sensible and real. Being dressed correctly and all that sort of helps too. I believe a precedent has been set on filtering in a particular court case (twas on this forum last year) - the judge said wtteo "Well, that why you have a motorbike, isn't it? So you can filter to the front". Something like that anyway.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I wasn't Interfering with other drivers, just making best use of the gaps in traffic, i know in a car it would be highly unacceptable.

felt a bit like playing chequers lol

Re: Filtering - police view
 

By far the most valuable piece of advice you'll read on the t'internet! Each case is different and must be judged accordingly so. Never underestimate the stupidity of car drivers (not that us rufty tufty bikers are always switched on all the time :rolleyes: ;) )

p.s - OldBoy, I'm only joking of course chap............












....they should all be 'filed' away down the local ol' folks home :-)

Re: Filtering - police view
 

These days, BMW riders are just as likely to have loud pipes and slipper clutches! :D

Re: Filtering - police view
 

No such thing as a black and white answer... Folk say "Filtering's not illegal", well, not in itself but it is if it crosses the line into dangerous driving. But where's that line? Just about every time someone passes me when I'm "making progress" on my commute is, IMO, riding dangerously. But then, just about everyone I pass probably thinks I'm riding dangerously :scratch:

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Good guide!
I've filtered past dozens of police cars and filtered behind p. bikes, no problem...
The only time I've had near misses in traffic is when I've not been filtering, just following the car in front.
Cars have swapped lanes into bit of road I'm on!

RR

Re: Filtering - police view
 

When I'm riding agressively, I filter hard. I know damned well that I've cross that line countless times that Northy was talking about.

Luckily, I've always been on the right side of it when police have been around. To me, that's the part that matters.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

its one thing hiding from the police - buts it the grim reaper u really want to be scared of.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I believe the guidelines are something like, up to ten mph faster than other traffic, up to a maximum of 40mph (your speed). A colleague filters at about 10-15mph faster than other traffic on motorways, up to about 90mph (his speed, not that of other traffic). He does this all the time and has done this for over 100K (primarily motorway) miles, over the past 5 years. The only "trouble" he has gotten into was he once got a tug when doing it at close to the ton. He was civil and the traffic policeman sent him on his way. Mind you, he is an old beemer rider with a beard. I doubt a younger lad on a sportier bike would get the same treatment. ;)

I've filtered (admittedly at lower speeds) in clear view of marked police cars, not to mention however many more unmarked ones and have never been pulled/flashed for it. I've followed police riders who were filtering and they've only ever given me only a friendly wave as I turned off. As others have said, if filtering was illegal (and the prosecution of it was actually enforced) there would be little point in having a bike for me. I have just come back from America (where, in many states, filtering is illegal) and I didn't see any "working bikes" and comparatively few commuters. Bikes were basically evening/weekend toys. I was surprised to read about a bike courier in an American magazine as I didn't see any, even in big cities. I can only assume there are comparatively very few of them and that they run the constant risk of prosecution.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

lots of conflicting views here! its interesting that we can all be prosecuted for something we're not sure where its legal. Certainly my motorbike school said filtering was legal in stationary traffic only, but that link is well worth a read and seems credible.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

hope you wear lots of body armour ...............

thats just being daft, at that speed youd rightly atract plods attention...........if you last that long,
theres not much chance of you being able to react fast enough at that speed to an emerging hazzard, it doent matter how good a rider you are, cars just arent expecting stuff to move between lanes at that speed.

i recently did bike safe in north yorks, and was told that filtering is deffinately not illegal, whilst undertaking deffinately is, and that 10-15 mph above the speed of traffic your filtering through would be an acceptable speed, much faster, and things happen to fast in a hazzard, and also that regardless of fault if you have an accident whilst filtering its generally accepted (rightly or wrongly) that your behaviour will have been a contributing factor.

i commute daily through a city centre and theres deffinately an art to safe filtering, youve got to be smooth and steady and so awkae your eyes sting!!!
everything on the road either wants to wear you or block you, so many people drive half asleep.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I'm with injury_ian on this one.

I quite regularly filter at "NSL" speeds. However, the only real danger to me most of the time would be getting squashed between 2 vehicles. Other times, I'm in a completely empty lane. All of this happens on dual carriage way, although I have been known to filter faster on motorways.

I fully accept that should I cause another driver to alter their behaviour in any way shape or form, that I'm commiting an act of driving without due care. Should police be around at the time, I also accept that I deserve what I get. Perticularly on the A55, if traffic drops below 70mph, I filter.

I know the chance of a car moving into the path of another car, and it's minimal at best. I also know the chance of a car deciding they want to drive into the armco (and yes, I've been between a car & an armco before now). Again, minimal. I also accept that they could have a blow out & that would make them swerve unintentionally. Again, minimal risk. I only place my bike where there's minimal risk, and I always have a get out clause. When I'm filtering, I'm there too long if I'm at the side of a car for half a second!

However, undertaking is definately illegal? Please refer that BikeSafe group to the Highway code! It quite clearly states that you're permitted to pass traffic moving in the same direction as you are, and that traffic is to your right (ie, you're undertaking) when traffic is "stationary or moving slower than your vehicle."

I'll get down off the soap box now, the above is how I ride. Feel free to throw stones, just be careful of the construction of your walls first.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Captain Nemo, as Baph says, the highway code is quite clear on the matter. Undertaking is not automatically illegal. It's only if a police officer deems you to be driving dangerously they'd do you for it (IE you're undertaking a line of middle lane morons at over a ton) and that is what you'd be charged with (dangerous driving).

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I believe that an over-taking /under-taking manoeuvre is changing speed and direction to pass another car. SO... if you were in the left hand lane of a dual carriageway/motorway at 70 and there was a lane hogger in the right hand lane doing 65, as long as you dont speed up or change lane to pass them it is acceptable. This is because you have not done anything other than what you had been doing for the last X miles. If you understand this drivel.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I am with you on this one. That's how I understand it. I am lso having inferiority complex here. I filter slowly and even so I always feel I am in a danger of being hit by some morons. I understand the risks of filtering and I try to balance the reward/risk issue. But reading about you guys filtering at 70 at A road I cannot help thinking
1) You are fantastic riders
2) You are just plane stupid

But perhaps it is a bit of both? But I admire people who have been riding for years and ride fast and smooth yet safe!

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I would never claim #1. #2 I'm pretty happy with though.:clown:

Re: Filtering - police view
 

"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

- George Carlin -

Re: Filtering - police view
 

:smt045 Unsurprisingly he put it better than me! But I wouldn't quite agree, most of the people I pass are riding perfectly sensibly and appropriately. Progressing in traffic is really the only thing I do better than most people on a bike, I'm slow and cowardly in the twisties or on a track...

Re: Filtering - police view
 

:shaking: Still unsure if im being dangerous here. seems to make sense, if there is a gap, then i can fill it. I am moving same speed / few mph faster than traffic.

I dont concider myself as experianced at all, been riding since january, i have racked up 2000 miles.

I do wear full leather 2 piece in any weather. BTW

Im doing me Bikesafe on tuesday so i may ask mr plod what the score is. (i darent ask me dad as he'd have kittens - ex traffic cop)

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Injury Ian & Baph, Captain Nemo sums it up for me, if you continue to filter at those speeds day after day, year after year, I estimate your chances of avoiding serious injury to be precisely zero, you are intelligent enough to understand statistical probability :shock:. Not IMHO, fact!

Baph the bravado with which you boast about your ability to assess minimal risk at those speeds will wilt when you find yourself in a hospital bed, I thought I knew you better than that. Of course, its your choice :reaper:.

I didn't intend to sound so melodramatic!

Re: Filtering - police view
 

It's ok to filter if the traffic has stopped or if it's moving slowly.

Re: Filtering - police view
 

Undertaking is allowed on four occasions:

1.When the vehicle in front is turning right

2.In a one way street

3.When you are turning left and there is space to pass the car/s in front

4.When you are in slow moving queues of traffic and the queue on your right is moving slower than yours, this would cover filtering in some of these cases I think!

Re: Filtering - police view
 

I understand completely, and I choose to ride the way I ride. However, I refuse to knowingly (and try to avoid unintentionally) giving someone else the same statistical chance as me.

I've posted on the forum before that if you ride hard you have to expect to fall hard. A principal I fully appreciate.