filtering, right or wrong?

Brallaqueen

hello, just wondered if you could clear something up for me.

I was on my scooter filtering down a queue of stationary vehicles up to pedestrian crossing. I know that I have to stop behind the first vehicle.

A car pulled out through a gap in the queue from a nearby school - my obs were obvs crappy at that point - if we had hit how much trouble would I have been in?

fivetide

I take it you were on some form of a bike?

5t.

Brallaqueen

fivetide wrote: »

I take it you were on some form of a bike?

5t.

Thanks 5t, yes was on a scooter so filtering down the right hand side, on single carriage way 'normal' road. One line of traffic each way, clear of any on coming traffic due to pedestrain crossing.

fivetide

Well... this guy was a bit of a numpty but the story is similar, single line, car pulled out and 'smack'.

Court ruled 100% in favour of the biker

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2012/2197.html

5t.

pacific4130

Hard to say without the exact details....

Have a read of this: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/community/Forums/Categories/Topic/?topic-id=357452

Brallaqueen

Thanks for your input, everyone.

I admit to being a numpty on this occasion and not checking for vehicles coming out of the school entrance. Thankfully I still have the chance to not be a numpty in the future

I don't have the option of flashing headlights on my scooter, would indicating 'right ' as I filtered have helped or just confused the situation (as there are roads leading off the right).

if you need more details, just ask and I'll do my best to answer.

fivetide

Indicating would have confused it.

As you say, you need to keep the speed down and you have to be watching for traffic from all sides. But at the same time the other driver can't just pull out and hope for the best.

Worth noting if one of the cars in your line is hanging back though. You have to assume they might have waved the other vehicle out and in situations liek that, people often forget to check for themselves that the way is clear, assuming the other driver has done it for them or more usually, simply not thinkign about a bike.

Sounds like you are at least doing it slowly which is sensible!

5t.

pacific4130

Filtering is a grey area, and one which can get you into a dangerous situation if you're not careful.

Be aware that just because you can fit a bike into a space doesn't make it legal to filter.

Be wary of pedestrian crossings (notice the zig zag lines?) and solid white lines etc.

As you discovered... Watch out for cars emerging from the queue of traffic turning into the oncoming lane.

Watch out for idiots doing a quick u-turn to escape the queue.

Always assume that you haven't been seen by car drivers...

Oh, and be very cautious around large vehicles - HGV's have big blind spots and you'll be completely hidden in them. Never ever ever get yourself between a HGV and a hard place - many people have died that way.

NBLondon

Brallaqueen wrote: »

Thanks 5t, yes was on a scooter so filtering down the right hand side, on single carriage way 'normal' road. One line of traffic each way, clear of any on coming traffic due to pedestrain crossing.

Isn't that just overtaking?

I took filtering to mean you were coming through the gap between 2 lines of traffic.

So if you were overtaking safely, then the car coming out is mostly or totally at fault for pulling out when it wasn't safe. But in practical terms, you might come off worse... so the advice about being wary as you come past a larger vehicle is good!

However, I do see bikes of all forms overtaking a long queue of traffic on the wrong side of the road - which I would guess might be different.

arcon5

Obviously the scooter has right of way.

But the car coming out of the junction has to come out at some point. Trying to wait for a gap rather than going between traffic would be a long wait during rush hour.

I read an article recently involving a collision under similar circumstances whereby the police deemed both parties as 'non-fault'. Although a court may not agree.

Strider590

Queue jumper!!!!!!!!!!! :rotfl: