Motorway Filtering?
 

Seeing a couple of threads recently about offs when filtering made me consider something. At what speed should the traffic around you slow down to before you consider filtering? I've seen people not filter (as in sit there like a car) and see others filter through traffic that is going 80. Personally if the traffic gets to about 50 I tend to go through.

Dan

I live in the sticks, so don't get half as much chance to filter as other folks.

Personally, in a 70 limit I wont filter unless either 1) the traffic is standing still or 2) it drops to around 30mph & there's 2 lanes.

A 60 limit is about the same, but lower limits I generally don't filter unless traffic is almost stopped.

Since I'm out in the sticks, that's probably a confidence thing though.

Funny that because I was riding home last Friday and had the exact same thought. I was on a short stretch of dual carridge way and the traffic was yo-yoing between 0 - 50 mph, I carried on filtering until the outside lane started to move quicker than the inside lane at which point I just stayed in the outside lane until my exit. I guess what I'm saying is when filtering turns into under-taking I stop doing it.

Like you Dan, I've seen some bikes just sit there regardless of the speed of surrounding traffic and others ducking and diving at breakneck speeds.

I'll be interested to read other peeps posts, though.

I think I would filter if traffic was doing up to 70mph.
I don't have a problem with under taking at up to 100.

Normally, on a dry day with good visibility, if traffic drops below 80 or so i start filtering. If traffic's faster than that, i might lane-hop a bit to pass people, but i'll not likely be filtering.

Depends on the speed of the traffic and how heavy it is.

The traffic is light with good gaps between the cars I'll filter at 90ish. If its heavy and all queued up then anything up to about 50mph but I tend to try and not exceed by more than 20mph ish the speed of the traffic I'm filtering past.

Depends on the weather as well. If its p*ssing with rain then that reduces the speed at which I'll filter at as well.

I only filter when traffic is moving slower than I am.......

Some interesting replies.

I have to commute around the M25 so the traffic is always heavy but sometimes get's up to about 80-90 (rarely). At this point I sit in a lane and maybe do some lane hopping (not filtering). Filtering at 100!!? Well you'll come a croper sooner or later. I've seen about 10 bike accidents on the M25 since I've worked here and all were caused when filtering at excessive speeds (as in way above 70). Not only do you risk your life but you have no comeback with the insurance companies.

Dan

Personally I wouldn't call it filtering unless the traffic was at standstill, or about to come to a stop (i.e. traffic lights changing to red ahead).

Surely, even in crawling traffic, anything else is undertaking?

Unless obviously you pass them & they're on your left...