filtering

whats people take on filtering on the motorway when traffics moving. when people sit in the outside lane i see no harm in using all 3 to move on, but i haven't seen anyone else do this! is this a stupid idea? its so annoying people just sit in the outside lane! i like the germans law which states that lane is always clear- and for overtaking only.

i do it all the time i did it with a copper in the 2nd lane this morning and nothing altho that was in a slight que so

but meh jsut wach out for undercover cars

[squirrel_hunter]

I have been known from time to time to do this

It is slightly illegal especially if your doing some speed, but it can be done safely. If cars insist on sitting in the outside lane then I have no problem using the others. The inside lane is often empty as most think the outside is fastest.

If you do this type of filtering you must be very aware of what your doing as most car drivers will not be expecting you. Having said that most car drivers probably wouldn't notice you anyway. Just keep a lookout for any 5-0 marked or otherwise and don't get cocky with it either.

As for filtering when everyone decides to park up or slows to a crawl because of the volume of traffic/ an accident/ roadworks etc which is the best lane for filtering? I usually choose between lanes 2 and 3, but would like to hear other views.

I try not to do it, however the standard of driving his slipped so much that most either sit in the middle or outside lane. I find that the m6 is the worst of this, i was happiliy making progress in lane 1 whilst everybody else was doing 40 in lane 3

i'm gonna cry if i get caught doing it - isn't not moving to the left a worse offense than "undertaking" anyway, plus having a whole lane in between you and the people sat queuing in lane 3 makes a convincing argument i reckon

well the highway code states its allowed to undertake someone when they are moving slower than you. How you do it any other way i do wonder but i'm glad i'm not the only one who uses all the lanes to drive, obviously any ghost rider style driving would cause trouble (although he always looks scarily aware of whats going on). but yeah i use the outside/middle lane too for filtering- i just try avoiding the inside lane as the lorries tend to drop so much crap in it. i love it how its always a porsche 4x4 or bmw that pulls out to stop you filtering. Masculinity problems maybe?

i do it,

frequently, 2nd and 3rd lane are doing 30-40, leaving the left hand lane empty, i see no harm in using it.

I got pulled for it and given a "stern talking to" the was sols so couldnt have done me anyway, said i was performing undertaking and moving from lane to lane. I pointed out that at no time had i exceeded the 70mph speed limit, dry clear conditions and suggested he should perhaps be talking to those cars sitting in the "overtaking" lane when the inside lane was clear as this was poor lane dicipline and did not adhere to the guidelines laid out in the highway code.

His reply" everyone does it, what do you want me to do, pull everyone?" I realised at this point i was on a hiding to nothing and he was getting staedily more agravated by my questions so I shut up.

The conclusion is that if you are in a lane that is moving faster than the one to your right than it is ok to "undertake", however continually switching lanes to over then undertake is constituted as reckless driving and if plod is about then its at his discretion to pull you.

Hope this helps

Happens all the time on the M25, if you didn't do it then you wouldn't get anywhere.

Originally Posted by Kilted Ginger

The conclusion is that if you are in a lane that is moving faster than the one to your right than it is ok to "undertake", however continually switching lanes to over then undertake is constituted as reckless driving and if plod is about then its at his discretion to pull you.

Yep, I agree totally. At the NEC the Bikesafe stand did a talk on filtering and there is no such offence as undertaking, you can only be done for careless/reckless/dangerous/etc riding. He said that as long as you do it at a safe pace and don't start weaving between traffic its fine, though IMO I think it has a lot to do with the copper who is pulling you, their discretion and all that.

I will quite happily filter through traffic at motorway speeds. Undertaking in itself is not illegal, but you have to drive/ride with due care, otherwise that's the office you commit.

I have before undertaken an unmarked police car, and well, he wasn't happy. I was lucky that I just got a stern talking to, but this was because, in his opinion, what I did wasn't safe. In mine, it was.