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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This motorcyclist was being careless

31 replies

Seldon · 02/09/2021 17:33

I am driving a car on the motorway in a traffic jam due to an accident up ahead. There are three lanes of traffic and I’m in the middle lane. All of a sudden a police motorbike comes up between me and the inside lane, light flashing, struggling to get through. I begin to move over to my left when a motorbike comes through in between the middle and outside lane and I could have hit him.

While I should have looked more carefully, AIBU to think a motorcyclist is crazy to be whizzing down in such a situation, especially with a police bike coming?

OP posts:
Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 17:34

Correction, I moved to my right

OP posts:
gobbynorthernbird · 02/09/2021 17:36

Motorcycles are allowed to do this. One of the many reasons your vehicle has handy mirrors.

Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 18:06

Allowed to, but would it be wise in the situation with the police?

OP posts:
Oogachuckachopsy · 02/09/2021 18:09

Are you joking?

EmeraldRaine · 02/09/2021 18:10

You should be looking at what's around you when manoeuvring. Motorcyclists are allowed to filter. You were in the wrong.

LST · 02/09/2021 18:10

Were they obstructing the police? If no then it's you that is unreasonable for not checking your mirrors.

PotteringAlong · 02/09/2021 18:10

I know they are allowed to, but I absolutely hate it when then do!

AdobeWanKenobi · 02/09/2021 18:25

If he was trying to filter through on one side whilst everyone else was simultaneously moving over for the police on the other then yes, allowed to or not he was a bit stupid and he wasn’t reading the road especially well himself.

Good job you checked your mirrors and saw him. Easy not too, especially if you are concentrating on making room for a police bike.

Cillmantain · 02/09/2021 18:28

Motorcycles are allowed do this.
You need to pay attention to your mirrors.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 02/09/2021 18:30

YABU he's allowed to do it and you should be looking more carefully

olderthanyouthink · 02/09/2021 18:41

Sounds like the motorcyclist was being stupid not reading the road as PP said. I say this as someone who had ridden bike and loved filtering through traffic and has had a collision where the driver didn't look before trying to dive the the exit they were about to miss.

Also you're not supposed filter more than about 20mph above the traffic around you so you have time to react to stuff happening.

Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 19:11

Were they obstructing the police? If no then it's you that is unreasonable for not checking your mirror

They were making it more difficult to allow people to make space for the police

OP posts:
HunterHearstHelmsley · 02/09/2021 19:16

YANBU. He was foolish to do that when people were pulling across for a police motorbike.

There are plenty of things you are allowed to do (maybe not moving for emergency vehicles). Being allowed to do it doesn't mean its sensible!

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/09/2021 19:16

I wish people in the UK would do what they do in some other European countries... in traffic jams they move to the edge of the lane leaving a clear path up the middle for emergency vehicles. (No emergency motorbikes aren't up allowed the emergency lane!)

LST · 02/09/2021 19:18

@Seldon

Were they obstructing the police? If no then it's you that is unreasonable for not checking your mirror

They were making it more difficult to allow people to make space for the police

In what way? By driving past? They might have also been moving out of the way
Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 19:23

My beef is not that the motorcyclist was passing cars in a traffic jam, but they were doing it at the same moment a police vehicle was trying to do the same, but on the opposite side of cars in one lane.

OP posts:
Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 19:25

I fully admit I made a mistake

OP posts:
Toiletrollbuyer · 02/09/2021 19:28

I ride a motorbike, and I agree with you. As a motorcyclist i need to be super aware of what’s going on around me and trying to filter between traffic when a police motorcycle is trying to filter in a different lane is just careless. It would literally take a couple of minutes to just stop and let the police through, or to let cars move over to let them through, and then carry on as normal.

gogohm · 02/09/2021 19:28

Yabu, it's the huge advantage of riding a motorcycle, they also take up far less room than cars and use less fuel;downside you get wet and the gear ... well it's a bit addictive l, I have way too muchGrin

I think the max speed is 20mph when filtering though

Constellationstation · 02/09/2021 19:29

YANBU the motorcyclist should have preempted people trying to move over for the police, they shouldn’t have been trying to filter in this situation.

Toiletrollbuyer · 02/09/2021 19:29

Regardless of the laws on filtering, common sense should always rule.

gogohm · 02/09/2021 19:29

Bye it's possible that the motorcyclist didn't know it was a police bike if there was standing traffic and no siren

drpet49 · 02/09/2021 19:30

* YANBU. He was foolish to do that when people were pulling across for a police motorbike.*

^I agree. Motorcyclists are annoying when they filter recklessly.

Original poster
Seldon · 02/09/2021 19:31

Bye it's possible that the motorcyclist didn't know it was a police bike if there was standing traffic and no siren

The lights were definitely flashing, not sure about the siren

OP posts:
Toiletrollbuyer · 02/09/2021 19:31

Law on filtering is 40mph. If the surrounding traffic is doing less then you can filter between as long as you don’t exceed this. However you must always be aware of your surroundings, and I think noticing a police motorcycle trying to get through traffic with blue lights on, and stopping to let them through is just being sensible 🤷‍♀️