Filter this!!!!

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Scoobs was behind me on the M1 on Friday, we were all filtering at one point and the traffic was heavy and we had a few people move over on us. I noticed at one point Scoobs had his main beam on. IMHO it made it much easier to spot him. The mirrors are'nt the best on the GSXR but I could see him really easily. If I could spot him then I reckon theres more chance that a cage driver will.

I always use main beam when filtering through heavy traffic on the motorway. It DOES work, so I will continue to do so.

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by wyrdness

I'd disagree with that. I've been filtering in London traffic for 13 years now and I've found cars will often switch lanes in slow moving traffic without looking or indicating. They're frustrated because the traffic is moving slowly, think that the lane next to them is going quicker (generally it isn't), spot a gap and just go for it. They can't usually do this when the traffic is stationary. You do have to watch for pedestrians crossing inbetween stationary traffic, but you have to do this all of the time in London anyway.

I think London is one of the exceptions. London breeds a certain style of driving, which although it may be found in other inner cities, pretty much tipifies London. Drivers do just do generally what they want to - and other drivers expect them to, and accept that if they give an inch, someone will take a mile.

Originally Posted by wyrdness

<rant>And why do London pedestrians seem to think that a red man at a crossing doesn't apply to them. I see that every day. Even had a mother with a pushchair cross in front of me yesterday - red man, green light and me approaching at 30mph. Why risk your child in that way?</rant>

Yup... many near misses for me at the end of Great Marlborough Street, and on Shaftesbury Avenue. But, that's what your horn (and exhaust) are for: pre-emptive warning.

The "bubble" rule always seems to make sense to me. Leave a clear 1-2 metres around yourself at all times and even if the unexpected happens you have that safety margin to take action. It's really saved my life a few times I reckon particularly when I have been guilty of riding like a pr*ck myself!

Also if there's nothing in the oncoming lane I'll happily ride in the middle of it - Never can understand people who insist in hugging the traffic in their lane when they've got all that space to work with.

PS To the Londoners: If you ever find yourself on Tower Bridge take it easy - cars frequently have to pull out to let cyclists through on the inside. From some of the filtering I've seen done on it an accident is waiting to happen...

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by Grainger

The "bubble" rule always seems to make sense to me. Leave a clear 1-2 metres around yourself at all times and even if the unexpected happens you have that safety margin to take action. It's really saved my life a few times I reckon particularly when I have been guilty of riding like a pr*ck myself!

Now that you mention it, I've had this mentality while riding in traffic for some time now, and it works well. The bubble shouldn't just be affected by traffic, but road furniture, man hole covers and the like also get taken into account.

Originally Posted by Grainger

Also if there's nothing in the oncoming lane I'll happily ride in the middle of it - Never can understand people who insist in hugging the traffic in their lane when they've got all that space to work with.

This is fine to a point, but it distinctly puts you in the blind spot of any driver who could swerve to the right and catch you out in a nasty way. Yes it's one tool for progressing through traffic... but should be used very cautiously.

Originally Posted by Grainger

PS To the Londoners: If you ever find yourself on Tower Bridge take it easy - cars frequently have to pull out to let cyclists through on the inside. From some of the filtering I've seen done on it an accident is waiting to happen...

I ignore this. My recommendation is simply not to filter on Tower Bridge. It is a 20mph SPECS zone, and a narrow road at that, with little room for error. It's only a couple of hundred yards long, and there's plenty of opportunity for progression on the roads either end. Save it.

[quote="BillyC"]

Originally Posted by wyrdness

Yup... many near misses for me at the end of Great Marlborough Street, and on Shaftesbury Avenue. But, that's what your horn (and exhaust) are for: pre-emptive warning.

Ha! Using the horn doesn't always work. This morning, riding into work, I was stopped at a pedestrian crossing. The green man turned to red and the lights were about to change when I saw a middle-aged Sikh guy about to cross. I hit the horn. He looked at me and I shook my head (meaning NO!). So he runs across in front of me just as the lights turn green. I rev the Speed Triple hard and go, just missing him and shout something at him that can't be repeated here without fear of moderator reprisal. I'm all in black, with a dark visor, on a black Speed Triple. I'm supposed to look intimidating, right? Not please feel free to walk in front of my bike.

Sometimes you get herd mentality, where one person crosses in front of you and then others assume it's safe and follow. Hitting the horn can result in screams from young ladies

Before filtering I always way up "how much progress vs how much risk"
This pretty much means I only ever filter through stationary traffic where I can see its a long queue or there are realy big gaps.

On my way into work this morning, 60 mph limit, traffic is doing about 40mph.
In this situation I'm quite happy to go along with flow of traffic. Guy on a crosser filtering down the middle of the road at about 70mph. I really don't see the point of this, is anyone in that much of a hurry to get to work?

Maybe I'm over cautious, but I've lost count of the threads on here that start "I was filtering when a car pulled out on me and knocked me off" etc

Each to there own and all that, but I know from talking to quite a few friend & collegues (none motorcyclists) who really get wound up by aggressive filtering.
It only takes a moment of madness/road rage on the part of a frustrated driver and you're on your **** in the road (lost count of the times I've been (IMHO) deliberatly "blocked").

Ride however you want peeps, just be careful.

i'll get me coat now.

Loud exhaust !
It's amazing how many more people move over now compared to when I had the standard cans on.

That and weaving, it means that your light will get flicked from side to side and more likely to grab their attention.

Most important thing I go by... drive like you're invisible!
If someone sees you, you're lucky !
If you see a car coming close to another that if you weren't there would normally overtake, assume he/she is going to do so unless you see signs telling you otherwise !

If you get cage rage, kick off their mirror and speed off. Look out for red trafic lights 10 foot ahead though!

Tower Bridge = Black Hack U-turn territory either end.

I have instigated this on a few occassions.

I do appologise for any inconvenience caused

As for the tourists who island hop at the ends, is there a point scoring system for

them

Hi - I filter every day up and down the A4 and quite enjoy it. I think it's one of those "blessed" A roads where motorists seem to be aware of bikers - no I'm not being complacent but compared to, say, A2, it's a dream. Only scary moments have been down to me being an idiot trying to keep up with other bikers filtering at higher speed.

My one big fear is to hit a pedestrian wandering through traffic when I hit town -esp around Green Park area - even if I'm filtering at 20 mph, it would hurt. I wonder what the legal stance on that would be