Motorway filtering "etiquette"

Hi all, Newb here with a Newb question (passed full test last May, bought SV650 in July, and no regrets!!!).

Decided to ride the bike to work today as the weather was nice - it's mostly on the M25, and on the way back home traffic was practically gridlocked as usual, so I was filtering, as you would, between lanes 2 and 3, prob around 30mph or so.

After a while I came up behind another bike who was filtering much slower (more like 10/15mph) and I just sat behind them for a fair while til they finally checked their mirrors and moved over to let me pass.

Is it generally considered acceptable to give a little toot on the horn in such a situation to alert the bike in front to your presence (and hope they subsequently move out of the way), or would that mark me out as some of ar$e in your opinion?!

Just curious to know what you all think, as I always keep an eye on my mirrors when filtering as I wouldn't like to slow down anyone else that's going quicker than myself.

If you tooted me chances are i would get fairly annoyed but i don't know about other people. But then again I dont get many people filtering quicker than I do but then again I'm thick as pig sh!t.

I wouldn't blow my horn - they might be new to filtering and very preoccupied with checking the cars ahead to make sure that no-one's going to change lanes without looking. If you blast your horn it's going to scare the **** out of them.

Why not just swap the lanes you are filtering between until you have passed them? Do it all the time when coming up behind lesser mortals and those with the panniers or armchair riders.

Originally Posted by Rocket

Why not just swap the lanes you are filtering between

Oh, didn't really think about that - I thought there might be some unwritten rule about only ever filtering between those two lanes, and if you switch to between lanes 1/2 then perhaps the plod might take greater offence if they saw that (not sure where I got that from though, I suspect I just made it up!).

[Spiderman]

I'm quite good at filtering if i say so myself but there are times when a faster one catches up to me, so i'll move over no worries cos i know to check my mirrors and i know i wouldn't like it if i got beedped at. Maybe rev your engine loudly enough for him to hear you instead?

The ones that really gt me are the ones on BIG bikes likes Harleys or Pans that are no way gonna get thru a gap, yet they happily sit in my way for no good reason.

Also dont forget that the guy in front sometime has the job of craeting The MOses Effect for you and he's the one who's parting the traffic for you to have an easy path thru...so dont always assume he's no good at filtering as he may be doing all the hard work for you to enjoy


Edit: Just to add....if you do change lane to pass this guy be very aware that cvars may have noticed him before they notice you and in order to make way for him they will be looking in the mirror on his side and not at you so wont see you and may well hit you cos they are trying to be too kind to him and leave a big gap for him.

try a flash of your lights. it might work!!!!!
then a little toot on the horn...
if their slow, and your happy to go a little faster then them, hopefully he should not get angry for you to ask to get out of the way.

I'm a biking newbie too but yeh, flashing your lights or waving your hands might provide a distraction in his/her mirrors. I'd understand, but i wouldn't like it, if someone beeped at me.

Fellow captain!
I'm very new to this too, but if somebody comes up behind me I don't get offended if they try to attract my attention, I will be holding them up cos I'm a rubbish filtererer.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

I'm quite good at filtering if i say so myself but there are times when a faster one catches up to me, so i'll move over no worries cos i know to check my mirrors and i know i wouldn't like it if i got beedped at. Maybe rev your engine loudly enough for him to hear you instead?

The ones that really gt me are the ones on BIG bikes likes Harleys or Pans that are no way gonna get thru a gap, yet they happily sit in my way for no good reason.

Also dont forget that the guy in front sometime has the job of craeting The MOses Effect for you and he's the one who's parting the traffic for you to have an easy path thru...so dont always assume he's no good at filtering as he may be doing all the hard work for you to enjoy


Edit: Just to add....if you do change lane to pass this guy be very aware that cvars may have noticed him before they notice you and in order to make way for him they will be looking in the mirror on his side and not at you so wont see you and may well hit you cos they are trying to be too kind to him and leave a big gap for him.

good point spidy, thats why you're a mod.........