Are motorcycles allowed to drive between lanes?

Strider590

prowla wrote: »

However, and as per some comments here, it may not even be clear what filtering is, in particular at what speed is it appropriate? It's not defined in the Highway Code, is it?

My opinion is that it's OK in queuing/stop-start traffic.

I don't think it matters, seeing as most people make up their own highway code.

prowla

Strider590 wrote: »

I don't think it matters, seeing as most people make up their own highway code.

It does seem that way sometimes.

Mercdriver

prowla wrote: »

I take your point on the first one there; that's a perspective for sure.

Regarding swerving, I was putting forward the scenario that the driver might be needing to avoid something, maybe a pothole or something in the road, and the biker may not have seen it and so put themself in a dangerous position.

I've never seen anything saying that motorists must give way to bikers who wish to filter, though (as already mentioned) I do tend to let them through when in a queue.

However, and as per some comments here, it may not even be clear what filtering is, in particular at what speed is it appropriate? It's not defined in the Highway Code, is it?

My opinion is that it's OK in queuing/stop-start traffic.

Said driver swerving to avoid a pothole should still be checking his mirrors before changing direction and should be asking themselves if they are looking carefully enough if they have to swerve in the first place.

brat

Mercdriver wrote: »

Said driver swerving to avoid a pothole should still be checking his mirrors before changing direction and should be asking themselves if they are looking carefully enough if they have to swerve in the first place.

Overtaking involves risk,and it is the job of the overtaker to manage that. The vehicle being overtaken shouldn't have their use of the road impeded by a person wishing to overtake. They should be able to drive as if they were not being overtaken.

If a person overtaking cannot assess that the road ahead is safe for them to conduct an overtake, then they should reconsider. That is especially true with filtering overtakes. They simply cannot impose their desires on the motorist/cyclist being overtaken hoping that they won't choose to avoid potholes or move within lane for view / smoothness etc.

prowla

Mercdriver wrote: »

Said driver swerving to avoid a pothole should still be checking his mirrors before changing direction and should be asking themselves if they are looking carefully enough if they have to swerve in the first place.

It is entirely possible that something unexpected appears, especially if in a queue, but also at speed; I often have to dodge potholes.

Now, if someone is going for a gap between me and an adjacent car, it is up to them to be 100% sure that the gap does exist (Only overtake if it is safe to do so, etc.).

If travelling at speed, the 2-second gap recommendation on a motorway is not enough time to stop if there is a pothole or something in the road; it gives to time to swerve, but I guess if I'm doing 70 then there shouldn't be a biker "filtering" anyway.

I will (and do) move over to allow bikes through if I consider it safe to do so.

If I haven't then it's up to them if they want to take the risk.

Strider590

brat wrote: »

Overtaking involves risk,and it is the job of the overtaker to manage that. The vehicle being overtaken shouldn't have their use of the road impeded by a person wishing to overtake. They should be able to drive as if they were not being overtaken.

Yet 80%+ of drivers will accelerate when being overtaken and 50% of the remainder will flash their lights or sound their horn, leaving only 10% that actually do what they should.

Silver-Surfer_2

Strider590 wrote: »

Yet 80%+ of drivers will accelerate when being overtaken and 50% of the remainder will flash their lights or sound their horn, leaving only 10% that actually do what they should.

If you say so it must be right.

bigadaj

Strider590 wrote: »

Yet 80%+ of drivers will accelerate when being overtaken and 50% of the remainder will flash their lights or sound their horn, leaving only 10% that actually do what they should.

Don't believe those percentages are anywhere near correct, as commented upon previously it may well be your experience given your style of driving.

One thing that is common and poor practice is where people don't leave sufficient gaps to allow vehicles to pull in, obviously mainly a problem on single carriageways.

It's an individual perspective of what being reasonable constitutes, but when you are faced with cars not overtaking a tractor or slow moving lorry, and then refusing to allow others to pull in when overtaking in stages, it can become genuinely dangerous.

Norman_Castle

Strider590 wrote: »

Yet 80%+ of drivers will accelerate when being overtaken and 50% of the remainder will flash their lights or sound their horn

On the very rare occasions I see drivers react in this way to an overtaking car its when the overtake was poorly judged, pushy or just wrong.

Mercdriver

brat wrote: »

Overtaking involves risk,and it is the job of the overtaker to manage that. The vehicle being overtaken shouldn't have their use of the road impeded by a person wishing to overtake. They should be able to drive as if they were not being overtaken.

If a person overtaking cannot assess that the road ahead is safe for them to conduct an overtake, then they should reconsider. That is especially true with filtering overtakes. They simply cannot impose their desires on the motorist/cyclist being overtaken hoping that they won't choose to avoid potholes or move within lane for view / smoothness etc.

So as a driver you don't think that you should do all you possibly can to avoid an accident, wherever the fault lies? Sure it is up to the overtaker to make sure that he makes correct judgement, but mistakes do happen and you have to drive taking into consderation other people's stupidity or misjudgements. Sometimes it's someone else and sometimes it's you. When you make a misjudgement (there's no such thing as a perfect driver) I'm sure you would prefer that other road users would be observant enough to do their best to avoid a meeting of metal against metal, and if unavoidable take steps to minimise damage or injury.

Sometimes the daft one is someone else, sometimes it's you (first person singular, not aimed at you personally).