Are motorcycles allowed to drive between lanes?

Strider590

RichardD1970 wrote: »

To be fair I've never had anyone deliberately block me (at least I don't think so) and a few will move to give me more room, but the majority seem oblivious.

Friend of mine had someone open a car door into his path when filtering, he stopped in time, but the middle aged woman started shouting at him for "queue jumping" and felt that tying to kill him was a justifiable punishment.

prowla

I don't mind a bit when motorbikes go through the gap between lanes when there is a queue, and I will make space for them.

Some, though, treat it as a right and do it at speed (on the motorway), and then I just drive normally and it's up to them if they want to risk their lives.

A while back I had one who got rather irate that I was indicating left to change lane into a space between cars approaching a junction when they wanted to get through the gap; their purposeful shaking of head as they went past was returned with a two-fingered salute from me.

AFAIK, it's not a rule of the road that they may go between lanes, but I'm OK with it if they're sensible and don't get in my way.

robbies_gal

they do it on the otorway all the time when im out and at 70mp plus aswell

i dont know what we're supposed to do its like their on a death wish

Car_54

Andrew_Ryan_89 wrote: »

Hey all, just wanted to know what the rules of the road say about motor cyclist driving between lanes?

The rules of the road are here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code

Not on an internet forum.

Andy_L

robbies_gal wrote: »

they do it on the otorway all the time when im out and at 70mp plus aswell

i dont know what we're supposed to do its like their on a death wish

Move out of the right hand lane so they can overtake normally

NBLondon

A few years back - I used to commute through the Blackwall Tunnel regularly. At rush hour, the approach is a 3 lane urban dual carriageway with stop-start traffic, so motorbikes filtering through are fairly common. I did occasionally see vans moving across to block them. I would try and make a bit of extra space if I saw one coming up behind and the decent ones nodded or waved thanks as they passed. Though you sometimes had a no-win scenario if you were in Lane 2 and bikers were using both sides to filter - if you help the guy in Lane 2.5, you block the guy in Lane 1.5 and vice versa.


No problem with careful filtering there. The ones who swing around you at 100+ when you're on the motorway at 75 overtaking a caravan doing 65... well in the NHS they are known as "next week's donors".

prowla

Andy_L wrote: »

Move out of the right hand lane so they can overtake normally

(But only if it is safe to do so...)

=rizla=

Richard53 wrote: »

On my advanced bike test, I was told (by a Class 1 police motorcyclist) that his rule of thumb for filtering was 1. traffic must be doing 20 mph or less, and 2. speed differential must be 20 mph or less. Even that is a bit much for me. I will filter in stationary traffic but if it's moving I tend to tuck in and be patient, unless there is a golden opportunity to move ahead, in which case it is rude not to.

I was told the same and have followed the 20/20 rule since.

robbies_gal

Andy_L wrote: »

Move out of the right hand lane so they can overtake normally

thats my point im already overtaking other cars and cant move

almillar

AFAIK, it's not a rule of the road that they may go between lanes,

It is, and has been pointed out, and pointed to, throughout this thread if you'd have a read!