How is lane filtering on a motorbike allowed and/or safe?

[Agent_zed]

I often find myself wondering how on earth 'filtering' on a motorbike is allowed or safe.

I get that if traffic is stationary or crawling (<10mph or so) then slowly moving to the front is relatively safe but there there appears to be no limits on what is deemed a safe speed.

On here for example https://www.thebikeinsurer.co.uk/riding-advice-and-guides/lane-splitting/ it says

'4 - Be cautious on motorways; if you are filtering and the speeds start to increase to 40-50mph, evaluate if it would be best to return to the lane and follow the traffic, or continue to filter at your own risk.'

If you are 'filtering' in 50mph traffic then you aren't filtering you are just overtaking between lanes imo! There appears to be no limit. If the traffic is moving 'slower' at 69mph can you 'filter' at 70mph?

Also very annoying to see those bikes with massive aluminium side boxes (like the ones you'd see if you were crossing africa) half as wide as a car, pushing through traffic wobbling back and forth as they dodge wingmirrors.

In France I've noticed the bikes turn on their hazards as they move down the line, which seems more sensible, at least slightly more chance of being noticed.

Seems a very odd rule overall though, to me.

 

[Cozzer]

Your comments re wobbling back and forth dodging wing mirrors...seen that many times! I thought riding balanced at walking pace was an essential skill for getting through the biker's test, but chatting to a learner rider a few months ago it seems as though it's not regarded as (too) important any longer.
If right, it's yet another backward step...

 

[akirk]

filtering is legal in the UK - and there is no precise definition.
The Highway Code: Rule 88: ...Additionally, when filtering in slow-moving traffic, take care and keep your speed low.
So the only reference to speed of filtering is in slow-moving traffic...
The main consideration is probably speed differential - so not much more than the traffic, more than absolute speed

If you are in two lines of traffic moving slowly then the left line going faster is not undertaking - it is simply the difference in how the line move... if though you pass on the left at speed then it is probably undertaking... - and it is a similar judgement with filtering - in slow or static traffic it is filtering - the same in fast traffic may be undertaking / overtaking...

ultimately it will come down to the judgement by a police officer / court

As a driver (and not a motorcyclist) I will always give space for motorcyclists - however I have seen some very silly moves on the road ultimately they are the ones who will suffer from a crash

 

[StevieB2]

Depends - as with many things, it is a grey area. You can do it, but in the event of an accident it will be 50:50 in terms of fault at best. Anything under 30mph differential is generally easy enough to cope with if you are alert as a biker, but you learn to watch car tyres for starting to turn and switch lanes. Over that and it gets such that most peoples reaction times are not fast enough to cope with the unexpected. Of course there are always idiots who think they have superhuman reaction times and will push well past this differential, but bikes are called 'donor machines' by medics for a reason. Once car traffic is moving at or above 50mph on a 70mph motorway then is is much more likely that the biker will be at fault if there is an accident, but filtering is still relatively easy - it is the differential between bike and car that is important, not the absolute speed of the bike. The reason for this is that cars leave larger gaps as speed increases, so filtering is still easy but obviously consequences are larger in the event of any mishap.

The main reason for filtering, apart from making progress, is actually the pain it causes in your clutch hand when crawling in traffic at 10mph, plus the fact that bikes are not designed for that speed!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

This was 8'5" long, 4'1" wide, which made filtering quite hazardous at times.

 

[AJB Temple]

Agree with the above re speed differentials etc. If you are not a motorcyclist, you will consider it unsafe usually. If you are an experienced motorcyclist, maybe with some advance training too, then as mentioned above you learn to anticipate. I commuted by motorcycle 35 miles in and out of central London for many years and never had an issue. If you are trying to get through the Dartford tunnel at 8am then you will learn to filter pronto . Most drivers at that time are also vans and commuters and they are totally used to bikes filtering, so you mainly need to watch for the oddities. Gaps are dangerous for example. You will also invariably go right to the front at traffic lights, because that is the safest place for you to be (visible / get away quicker than cars always / no hazards in front). Bikes are highly manoeuvrable and much faster and more agile than most motorists think. Also depends somewhat on the bike (rider position / bar width / mirror interaction etc).

 

[imageel]

I commuted daily from High Wycombe to central London/Docklands for many years and filtered pretty much anywhere it was safe to do so, In the mornings the tailback along the A40 would often commence at Northolt airdrome so from then into central London past Paddington, Euston Rd, City Rd then Old St roundabout.
As others have mentioned filtering safely is all about adjusting your speed relative to the surrounding traffic and road conditions and also always having an escape route should you need it, or be prepared to pretty much stop at a moments notice.
On occasions I did clip mirrors but would always stop and exchange details if necessary but that was rare and in 15y never had any real trouble.
Unlike previous reply I would never be 1st away from the lights - seen too many red light jumpers in my time and after a short delay and a quick squirt you've sailed past all but the most determined boy-racers, so what's the point?
My last two bikes were Ducati 996's so fixed mirrors that you couldn't fold flat whilst going through narrow gaps, however the bike was really tiny and my mirrors went under most so happy days...
Only time I really got snarled up was the evening of the Kings Cross fire, it was almost grid-lock getting past the station, and being on a bike whose twin exhaust rise up under the seat made for a hot time for me too...
Certainly in London the major problem in my day was scooters with L-plates, often ridden by inexperienced folk and usually best avoided as they were an accident waiting to happen.
I guess these days push-cyclist are in a similar league, outright crazy road positioning and super dangerous filtering between traffic and the near-side kerb - just asking for trouble imho. - I used to cycle myself back in the day when trains had guards vans so had plenty of road-sense prior to taking up motorcycling.

 

[AJB Temple]

I agree that there are a lot of red light jumpers - usually cyclists and L plate scooterists. I never jumped lights but always position offside to vehicles so that if they go they don't hit me. The reason I don't like to lag behind the lead vehicle or two at lights, is I've seen lots of drivers turn right without indicating, just as a bike squirts past. The key thing as a motorcyclist though is we just have to accept total responsibility for our own safety and not expect drivers to have seen us. The ducati hot bum thing made me smile - had a 1098S and then an 1198S for a while and they had that hot seat issue in traffic. Eventually went to upright for commuting, GS, Mutley etc. Easier on the body than sports bikes

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A few miles in very slow moving traffic can get an air cooled 1900cc V twin quite hot between your legs.

 

[flying haggis]

It makes me laugh! when cyclists zoom between lines of slow traffic with about 6ins of clearance either side but now we are told we must give them 5ft if we pass them!! surely if we have to give 5ft then they should have to give us 5ft clearance as well

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Don't be silly, if there's less than five feet it's your fault you shouldn't be there.
We see them not filtering but weaving in and out of two lanes - they go from the kerbside, through the inner lane, through the outer lane and back between the lanes then through to the inside again, giving a quick V sign if you have the audacity to nearly run them over. This isn't once in a while it's every trip, and it isn't one cyclist it's scores of them. We've a front and rear dashcam fitted specifically because of them - if one gets squashed you can guarantee they'll try to blame the motorist.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

As a motorist I have no problem with evidently experienced motorcyclists filtering - the critical safety element is speed differential - the bike rider needs to react in good time if a car changes lane etc.

However driving through London recently in the rush hour period I was somewhat shocked by the number of scooters and mopeds weaving in and out of slow moving and stationary traffic with, apparently, little or no regard for either their own safety or damage to cars they may scrape.

For getting rapidly and at low cost, around a congested city a moped seems the ideal tool. But as is the case with electric bikes:

• few moped riders are ever stopped by the police to check current licence, insurance or compliance with performance regulations.
• little prospect of stopping them should they do minor damage as they weave around
• it is likely that performance upgrade kits are readily available

I'm not sure what the solution is. If police are inadequately resourced or have other priorities (hate crime laws??) then little will change. The injustice is more that motorists may often be held responsible for the irresponsible behaviour of bike riders.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I doubt very much if many of the delivery rider's insurance is adequate.

 

[Bingy man]

I’d not like to be a motorcyclist or on any kind of 2wheel vehicle in todays climate of I need to get there in 12 seconds and I don’t care who gets in my way . One of the biggest issues is A lane discipline and B vehicle position in said lane . I was taught to drive as far left as possible and you should only be near or over the white line if you’re overtaking parked vehicles or other vehicles. Granted nowadays the potholes can make this difficult but why do you get these d…heads that not only drive a few inches off your bumper but also halfway onto the opposite side of the road . I’ll always let motorcycles filter past and will give them the room to do so , you don’t seem to get the dipped helmet or the raised left hand as much as you used to but I always prefer the motorcycle to be in front of me where I can see him/ her ..if I’m honest though a little slowing down and a lot more tolerance on both sides would reduce accidents .

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was taught to drive as far left as possible and you should only be near or over the white line if you’re overtaking parked vehicles or other vehicles ...

I was taught to drive close to the middle of the road - it's far easier and safer to move in for oncoming traffic that it is to have to move out quickly if a child or animal leaves the pavement or jumps a hedge. I was also taught always to leave the vehicle in gear - the opposite was taught when my wife learned to drive in 1991.

 

[Bingy man]

I was taught to drive close to the middle of the road - it's far easier and safer to move in for oncoming traffic that it is to have to move out quickly if a child or animal leaves the pavement or jumps a hedge. I was also taught always to leave the vehicle in gear - the opposite was taught when my wife learned to drive in 1991.

Agree with leaving the car in gear -that’s how I was taught too but as most cyclists are on the pavement it’s less of an issue , I hear you as far as young kids but god forbid I’m ever in that situation I would move heaven and earth to avoid hitting a child or any pedestrian . But it does highlight the point that most of us were taught to drive by someone who was teaching us their preferred way..

 

[stuckinthemud]

Conversations like this I find massively triggering after asking, on a cycling forum I belonged to,(I have been a long distance cyclist and motorcycle rider) and following a situation where a large group of club riders created a particularly difficult situation for a large number of other road users, I asked why cycling clubs choose routes that actively endanger their members when alternatives in the form of safe/dedicated cycle routes are available- a very heated diatribe was launched from a militant section of the membership who told me “they had really got to me”, “I had lost my mojo” and “that EVERYaccident involving a non-cyclist was the fault of the non-cyclist” (para.). When I pointed out fatalities caused by cyclist on cyclist, cyclist on pedestrian and cyclist on physical obstacles (walls/fences) they insisted cyclists had the right to act in any way they saw fit - hazards just spiced the riding experience .