Lane Filtering Comes To Arizona. I Have Mixed Feelings. How About You?

Up to the Gyle, definitely.

 

It's a common use in France, and I do that everyday I ride (not really legal)
I've learned to look in cars rearview mirror to make sure drivers see me arriving, and make sure not to have too much speed difference with the cars.

 

You are ready to ride the "peripherique" in Paris then

 

If you're going to ride around the 'periphique' you also have to press the horn fequently while making rude gestures. It's a coordination nightmare.

 

Was my daily life during a couple of years. Still alive .. phew

 

Been there done that, a few years ago. What fun it was too.

 

Actually I go further and think everyone is out to kill me including motorcyclists.... I commuted around a very busy part of the M25/M4/M40/northern circular (dependent on the day) for nearly 20 years and I've had car passengers open doors, people swap lanes without indication etc but the closest call was a prat on a motorcycle that pulled out from the front of a truck right into my path. In all that time I never had a collision but that was the closest.
The one thing people who are not familiar with filtering may not be aware of is just how mentally tiring it can be. Sometimes I used to just take a break and rejoin the queue to give my brain a rest on the really long delays that I frequently had.

 

I have to pay tribute to the steel workers of Port Talbot. After I retired I had a part time job on the spanners at an Aprilia and Guzzi dealer in P.T. every evening leaving work with about 1000 cars getting up on to the elevated section of the 2 lane M4 heading west for home, the traffic would be practically stationary for 2-3 miles or more, the drivers would automatically leave a gap down the middle and bikers including myself would be filtering down at 60mph sometime more.

 

Try riding over the Kingston bridge at rush hour, it's like the wacky races ,, filtering will become 2nd nature, & at times quite enjoyable.

 

Yeah, I do it when the opportunity presents itself which isnt often here in NI. Only slowly though. Much more often I'll do it at traffic lights, I love doing that, its one of the great advantages of a motorcycle. Funny when you sometimes get a car driver giving you dirty looks thinking your doing something illegal, or maybe its just jealousy.

 

I only filter when the traffic is at 30 mph or slower and then only 10 to 15 mph faster than the traffic

 

I've been there. Heading to Scotland on a tour with mates, a junction to the M4 was shut due to an accident and there was a multi-mile long tail back, just filtering between lanes watching every car both sides for signs of a lane swap, it completely frazzled my brain. We got passed by a cruiser with ape hangers and highway pegs zig-zagging around cars and between lanes and I marvelled at the agility he had with such a bike!

Filtering was worth the mental effort thought because I bet we easily saved an hour.

 

And remember you don't have to do it just because it's been made legal.

 

Part of my routine was keeping an eye on my mirrors for the fast riders, often they were the couriers. Last thing I wanted to do was hold them up or compete with them.... I wasn't getting paid for the time on my bike unlike them, plus there is no way I could maintain their speed safely.

 

I remember during the early 80s, I had taken my sick morini to London on the train for weevee to service it, I was left with hardly any time to make it back to Euston, then a helpful bike courier said I will get you there in time,,,,, the most frightening ride of my life,,, we made it with minutes to spare,, took me till Carlisle before I calmed down,,,,,

 

No in a nutshell

 

Pretty much proven that HI-VIZ is becoming "invisible" as so many people wear it for work, builders, telecoms, council, lorry drivers, bin men etcetera, it's no longer "eye catching" as it was it's now so commonplace. For me you can't beat loud pipes, lights on high beam at all time and don't be frightened to use the horn if you have the slightest doubts someone hasn't seen you.