Filtering

[Nokesy]

Someone please confirm to me that I was not in the wrong as am feeling like hunting down the lorry driver and chopping his bollocks off! >:(

Basically, yesterday I was filtering down the outside of stationary traffic towards a mini-roundabout. I was within the white lines, therefore on my side of the road. A lorry coming the other way wanted to pass by a parked car on his side of the road and very patronisingly shook his head at me ::) because he had to wait. Surely, he would have been within his right if I had crossed the white lines and had been on his side of the road, but as I wasn't do I now have the right to hunt him down and chop his bollocks off? [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[b_m1957]

Someone please confirm to me that I was not in the wrong as am feeling like hunting down the lorry driver and chopping his bollocks off! >:(

Basically, yesterday I was filtering down the outside of stationary traffic towards a mini-roundabout. I was within the white lines, therefore on my side of the road. A lorry coming the other way wanted to pass by a parked car on his side of the road and very patronisingly shook his head at me ::) because he had to wait. Surely, he would have been within his right if I had crossed the white lines and had been on his side of the road, but as I wasn't do I now have the right to hunt him down and chop his bollocks off? [smiley=thumbsup.gif]




Certainly not in the wrong.

Got to say though that if I was filtering and a lorry was coming the other way with an obvious obstacle on his side of the road, I'd probably assume he was going to pull out anyway and would have tucked in for my own safety!

I wouldn't bother worrying about a shake of his head... why has it wound you up so much? Chuckle to yourself that he's a bit of an idiot and carry on riding :)

[Nokesy]

I guess it wound me up because it is about prinicples! He has left thinking I'm some stupid biker in the wrong whereas I feel like re-running the scene and getting off my bike and pointing out the legalities - i.e I'm in the right, he's in the wrong!! ;D

Normally, I too would assume the worst in lorry drivers and tuck in for my own safety but there was no time for this as he came round the corner right into the situation. Maybe I'll let his bollocks live another day........... or two................. ;D

[b_m1957]

Get him next time ;)

[Ducatista]

You are perfectly within you rights if you are within the line and he has an obstacle on HIS side of the road and he has no right to complain at you. He has to share the road like the rest of us.

However a bike and a lorry is clearly an uneven contest.
Therefore I am definitely with bob that you should be looking ahead and anticipating what other drivers might do (rightly or wrongly) and avoid it.
It's unfair that this burden falls on us and we have to avoid the mistakes of others, but we are vulnerable and there are nutters out there so we have to DEAL with it.
Most accidents can be avoided by ANY party according to the police, so you can avoid it even if someone else is at fault.

Anticipating hazards and making a plan is exactly the kind of thing that IAM/ROSPA would teach you until it becomes second nature and you then start to enjoy your riding a lot more as you can do it better/faster and more safely.


I'm in the right, he's in the wrong!!

Yes, but he's a lot bigger than you.
When you hit each other, which do you think is more important, your principles or your life.


but there was no time for this as he came round the corner

You can anticipate and avoid that - by not filtering in places where you can't see far enough ahead.
It's not safe to filter everywhere.
When I started practising filtering/overtaking I felt the pressure to do it ALL the time and it sounds stupid but it took me a while to work out that sometimes you have to hold back until there is an opportunity.
Sometimes when your practising something you do become a bit too focussed on it. Luckily on a bike there are normally opportunities so I find I it easier to be patient on the bike as I know an opportunity will come along soon, where in the car you're just stuck.
These people are impactient because they are not in control and are just stuck. That's just human nature - you see it at airports, shops and on the road. It's not the time element, it the lack of control that people hate.
You took away the lorry drivers control and that's why he didn't like you even though he was wrong and you were right.

[Geordie Stu]

Nothing wrong in filtering we do cause we can.

I agree with b_m1957
"Got to say though that if I was filtering and a lorry was coming the other way with an obvious obstacle on his side of the road, I'd probably assume he was going to pull out anyway and would have tucked in for my own safety!"

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/news/Articles/filtering_law.htm

[Mark_Able]

I guess it wound me up because it is about prinicples! He has left thinking I'm some stupid biker in the wrong whereas I feel like re-running the scene and getting off my bike and pointing out the legalities - i.e I'm in the right, he's in the wrong!! ;D

Normally, I too would assume the worst in lorry drivers and tuck in for my own safety but there was no time for this as he came round the corner right into the situation. Maybe I'll let his bollocks live another day........... or two................. ;D

When the truck runs over your head, it's a bit late to argue who's right or wrong... :)

I'm with Ducatista... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Jon_W]

;D

Difficult to argue with that logic.....

[R2D2]

Having been unfortunate enough to have an accident while filtering, I can say that discretion is definitely the better part of valour when it comes to "being in the right". It's not just coming off worse than the other guy injury-wise, there's also the hassle of insurance claims, replacing leathers and lids, getting the bike fixed, etc.

I still miss that old Sprint, looking back it was a waste of a gorgeous bike just to try to get to work a bit sooner...

[Morticia]

I, on the other hand, totally agree to the chopping off the bollocks :D

[Nokesy]

I guess it wound me up because it is about prinicples! He has left thinking I'm some stupid biker in the wrong whereas I feel like re-running the scene and getting off my bike and pointing out the legalities - i.e I'm in the right, he's in the wrong!! ;D

Normally, I too would assume the worst in lorry drivers and tuck in for my own safety but there was no time for this as he came round the corner right into the situation. Maybe I'll let his bollocks live another day........... or two................. ;D

When the truck runs over your head, it's a bit late to argue who's right or wrong... :)

I'm with Ducatista... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Wise advice folks! I'll leave the bollock chopping for a suitable off the road occasion that doesn't involve lorries when I'm on my bike!! ;D

[wiltshire builders]

If you are as angry as you seem then you need to change your attitude before it gets you into trouble.

The lorry driver:

A) Could be a prick
B) May have been having a bad day and taken it out on you
C) Might not give a **** about the law and other road users safety

Whatever the answer is don't dwell on it.
We all have moments we need to get off our chests. Only last week i posted about road users' disregard for the safety of others, but you need to get thoughts of retribution out of your head. As you're thinking about what you want to do to the lorry driver you're not thinking about the other selfish b@stards who don't give two hoots about your life, or the sharp bend coming up, or the phesant in the road............also i expect i'm not the only one squirming at the mention of bollox being chopped off!

[Nokesy]

If you are as angry as you seem then you need to change your attitude before it gets you into trouble.

The lorry driver:

A) Could be a prick
B) May have been having a bad day and taken it out on you
C) Might not give a **** about the law and other road users safety

Whatever the answer is don't dwell on it.
We all have moments we need to get off our chests. Only last week i posted about road users' disregard for the safety of others, but you need to get thoughts of retribution out of your head. As you're thinking about what you want to do to the lorry driver you're not thinking about the other selfish b@stards who don't give two hoots about your life, or the sharp bend coming up, or the phesant in the road............


Lorry driver was probably A, B and C!! ;D ;D However, I'm really not as angry as my post might of suggested! I guess it was just a moment! But everyone's right, regardless of principles, my life is more important and therefore I shall smile at all lorry drivers from now on - regardless of their behaviour on the roads!! ;D [smiley=thumbsup.gif] ;D Bollock chopping won't even enter my head............ ;D

[wiltshire builders]

If you are as angry as you seem then you need to change your attitude before it gets you into trouble.

The lorry driver:

A) Could be a prick
B) May have been having a bad day and taken it out on you
C) Might not give a **** about the law and other road users safety

Whatever the answer is don't dwell on it.
We all have moments we need to get off our chests. Only last week i posted about road users' disregard for the safety of others, but you need to get thoughts of retribution out of your head. As you're thinking about what you want to do to the lorry driver you're not thinking about the other selfish b@stards who don't give two hoots about your life, or the sharp bend coming up, or the phesant in the road............


Lorry driver was probably A, B and C!! ;D ;D However, I'm really not as angry as my post might of suggested! I guess it was just a moment! But everyone's right, regardless of principles, my life is more important and therefore I shall smile at all lorry drivers from now on - regardless of their behaviour on the roads!! ;D [smiley=thumbsup.gif] ;D Bollock chopping won't even enter my head............ ;D

Trouble is i now can't get it out of mine :-[

[zachl]

its actually a really weird law but if there is an 'obstacle' blocking the carriageway, being a car or whatever, nobody has right way, people just think that because the other car has to cross onto the other side of the road that it is their right of way, it would make sense for that, but there is no law for it, just courtesy i guess.

i can see why the head shaking would have annoyed you though, but in fairness when can a lorry driver start commenting on peoples driving!

[Ducatista]

but there is no law for it, just courtesy i guess

If there were to be a crash and one vehicle was on the wrong side of he road, then I believe you would find them liable in civil terms.
It might not be criminal, but an insurer seeking civil damages for property and/or personl injury would find the car on the wrong side of the road to the liable for the accident.

But I don't think like that when I'm riding.
I don't want to be in the right and maimed.

That doesn't mean I give way easily - oh no.
Even if there was no car on my side I would try to prevent the lorry coming through if it would leave me little safety by asserting my position, but I'd always may sure I had somewhere to go if they don't accept my suggestion.

[b_m1957]

That doesn't mean I give way easily - oh no.
Even if there was no car on my side I would try to prevent the lorry coming through if it would leave me little safety by asserting my position, but I'd always may sure I had somewhere to go if they don't accept my suggestion.
+1

[zachl]

I agree, when there are cars waiting to come through and I am the last person behind a que of cars people always try and squeeze through early instead of waiting

[CBRowner]

I think another point should be, don't filter if it's too tight because a nice biker on a pan european caught my wing mirror on the M5 yesterday with his paniers. It's, unfortunately, people like him/her who give us bikers a bad name and it also makes other road users nervous when we do it and therefore don't move over to one side to let us through >:(

[Jon_W]

You do need to remember one thing about lorries, especially Articulated lorries. They have up to 16 gears and if they stop they have to start from 1st or even a crawler gear... so the driver was probably miffed at having to loose momentum...

[b_m1957]

You do need to remember one thing about lorries, especially Articulated lorries. They have up to 16 gears and if they stop they have to start from 1st or even a crawler gear... so the driver was probably miffed at having to loose momentum...

I can understand why that may have miffed him but not entirely sure why that's anything we should have to take into account???

I get miffed when I'm cracking on (at the speed limit) and have to slow down because someone wants to go more slowly in front of me. That's just life.

[Nokesy]

You do need to remember one thing about lorries, especially Articulated lorries. They have up to 16 gears and if they stop they have to start from 1st or even a crawler gear... so the driver was probably miffed at having to loose momentum...

I can understand why that may have miffed him but not entirely sure why that's anything we should have to take into account???

I get miffed when I'm cracking on (at the speed limit) and have to slow down because someone wants to go more slowly in front of me. That's just life.


I agree - that's what happens when you choose to drive an articulated lorry - goes with the territory - not my problem!! ;D It's why I don't drive one!! ;D