To feel really frustrated that so many drivers don't know this?

[SharkiraSharkira]

I am a biker (as in motorcycle).

I'm a member of a few biking related pages on fb and recently my feed is inundated with videos and articles about bikers being assaulted by car drivers or run over/knocked off their bikes due to car drivers not looking or seeing them or even intentionally. Some of them have been really shocking!

One thing that seems to be coming up time and time again is drivers bemoaning bikers 'illegally overtaking' or 'pushing in' or 'riding between the lanes'. All of these things are perfectly legal for bikers and it is called filtering - it is used to make progress through traffic and some believe it is actually safer for bikers, being vulnerable road users. And yet 90% of the drivers comments on these videos are basically saying it is the bikers fault they got run over/maimed/attacked because they 'shouldn't have been between the lanes'. We are allowed to be!

Aibu to find it very frustrating that SO many drivers don't seem to know that this is legal?

Obviously there are always idiots that ride unsafely and I'm not referring to these people, rather those who follow the rules and filter legally and safely and still get abuse for it.

I knew that filtering is legal. The problem round here are the bikers who claim that what they're doing is legal filtering, when they're actually undertaking at speed.

Couldn't agree more insomnibrat.

@HermionesRightHook

Yes, it is helpful. When i'm in my car and not on my bike I always do the same, edge over to the left to allow the bike to pass. Maintain your speed, the biker will decide whether he/she feels it is safe to then zip past you depending on road layout and conditions. If they stay behind you then they're just happily bumbling along or have noticed something to prevent their manoeuvre.
They SHOULD lift their hand to thank you as they pass, I always do. Some are just ignorant bastards, but your consideration is appreciated.

@sharkirasharkira

Its nice to find other bikey MN'ers! We should have our own corner.

Thanks @Insomnibrat. I'm never ever ever getting on a motorbike, they look terrifying to me, so I've no idea what it's like on their end - as I think I said I dimly recall being taught this by a driving instructor years and years ago so glad to know it's still useful.

I actually have generally not had issues with motorcyclists but I don't drive in e.g. commuter conditions very much so maybe its different in heavy traffic when everyone's concentrating on getting home.

I reserve all my stereotyped hatred for drivers of white 4x4s and Audi drivers

I didn't say speeding as in away from lights. I understand that bikes accelerate faster than cars. I mean speeding whilst driving, I.e. not when pulling away. Frequently, if I am driving at 30 in a 30 zone, bikes will speed past. I commented to DH that bikes must have a different speed limit as it happens loads.

I must admit motorcycles bring out the worst in people. OK filtering is legal but what isn't is what most bikers call filtering! So often bikes aggressively overtake, often forcing car drivers to take action if not to avoid a collision then to ensure there is enough to room should something go wrong. There are good and bad riders, there are good and bad drivers but 9 times out of ten what is driven more aggressively? Yep the powerful bike with the middle aged twat on it!

I think it's just courtesy and consideration, Hermionie. Most of us bikey sorts are terribly grateful when we're given that bit of acknowledgement on the road because we're taught to expect the opposite.
Maybe if ALL road users didn't act in such an entitled manner all the bloody time there wouldn't be such resentment between species.

Not all of us riders are middle aged twats aggressively riding powerful bikes.
Some of us are mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters enjoying our passion and wanting to make it home as much as everyone else.

(I do accept the demographic though, you're not entirely wrong)

We should totally have our own corner!

Have to say that I also am extremely grateful to anyone who shows even the slightest modicum of consideration to bikers because I am so used to people acting like twats towards me. Sometimes I can't lift a hand in thanks as I need to control the handlebars or concentrate but I try to at least give a nod of acknowledgement. It is always appreciated!

Weaving causes havoc - recently I clocked and over took cyclist on the left, approached roundabout going right.
What I had not noticed was the temporary citizen of life had switched to my right.

I start to pull onto roundabout, cyclist now on my right zips out crosses inches in front of me to go straight ahead.
Slam on breaks which squeal.
He turns to berate me kicks my car
Gets on bike cycles half way across the round about, stops gets off, throws his bike on my bonnet, swearing what the fuck is your probem.

Al he had to do was stay on the left and go straight ahead, not right, then left, then cut across and go ahead.

Filtering is fucking dangerous.

Cyclists are a different breed yet again though.

Some drivers get angry about people overtaking them whether it’s a bike or a car. I think they know that bikers are allowed to filter but have some kind of complex about people overtaking.

Attacking any fellow driver on the road or anywhere is utter shit, and I hope they all end up in prison.

The government should spend more money educating us car drivers and drilling home to keep all road users safe. Just because I drive a car my dh and dd use bikes (bicycles) and I want all road users to be safe.

I'd suggest you take your suggestions to the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP.

Has anybody mentioned that thing where you must block a biker coming up behind you to save the bloody twat's life and that of the driver of the oncoming car (and possibly your own), which said twat hasn't seen because you are all approaching a hill/a bend/both, and he is lower than you so cannot see a thing, and hasn't thought ahead?

Although it is legal I do think it is foolish - you are 'undertaking' the car to your right and may not be seen as easily for this very reason. There are plenty of things you can do that aren't safe and this is one of them...

No, New, if you are filtering it is always on the right and is therefore no different to overtaking except it is done in slow moving or stationary traffic. Nothing like undertaking, which is done on the left. There may not even be a car to your right if it is a single lane road. It is perfectly safe if done properly.

Do what you will as a biker,

I personally would not be for moving in between lanes and weaving about as I find it frightening just to observe never mind do.

What really gets my back up though is bikers who will sit in your blind spot waiting to or about to pass. You spot a cyclist or some other obstruction on the left, check wing mirror to overtake, looks clear....but it's NOT!!

My boss many years ago lost her husband to a motorcycle accident, no other driver involved he just lost control but unfortunately hit a wall at high speed and lost his life. He left behind young children and it was so sad. My DH had a sports bike when we first met and I used to be terrified of leaving losing him. Luckily for me he decided he preferred 4 wheels and sold it not long after as I'd always have been a bag of nerves every time he rode it.

if you say so op

I always hang to the left if there is a bike behind me and it's appropriate and I like it when they thank me.

I'm happy to let them go by and if it speeds up their journey that's cool by me too, however, I think the main reason I like to make it easy for them to go ahead is that i feel it's safer to have them in front of me where I can see them. I rather they overtake when I know they know I know they are going to 😁 iyswim.

What really gets my back up though is bikers who will sit in your blind spot waiting to or about to pass

I've had that happen, it's irritating and dangerous. I doubt experienced riders would do it.

Runners I’ve just watched that video, and half of the clips were of unlicensed Deliveroo drivers and kids pulling wheelies. Not really representative of the majority of responsible bikers, are they?

I should also warn people that there are at least two deaths, including one particularly distressing one where the bike goes under a lorry with an audible crunch, and the driver says to his mate “did we go over him?”.

I don’t like bikes overtaking me in slow moving traffic causing me to slow down to leave a full cars distance in the new gap they’ve made me create - they ARE pushing in and it’s no different than a car doing it.

How much later will you arrive at your destination because a biker temporarily pulled in front - exactly the same time! I bet you hate people merging in on a zipper merge too?

I know filtering is legal

Im not sure whether the motorcyclist with L plates who filters every morning on the left knows that this probably isnt (as in undertaking). There is no need for them, from what i can see, to do it on the left, so im not sure why they do.

Could someone enlighten me?!

Another who always moves over slightly to give a biker behind a better view for overtaking or filtering and if I see one coming along will always leave enough of a gap to allow them to come in if there is oncoming traffic .
I do think people have become more aggressive drivers , I am regularly tailgated for driving just below the speed limit , so 29 in a 30 zone , in the morning rush hour . Yesterday one of the tailgaters blared his horn at me because I had the audacity to pull over to allow the approaching ambulance to pass , he had gone to overtake me and then blocked the way of the ambulance who was coming with siren and blue lights flashing . I swear that some drivers only concentrate on the car directly in front of them and take no notice of the other traffic around them