Legality of lane spliting/traffic filtering

Peck3277

Hey guys, I'd a quick google to find out if you can pass out stopped or slow moving traffic, I've always assumed this to be legal. Am I right? Or should we be stopping behind cars?

Jawgap

Regardless of what the law might say, I can't imagine any Guard is going to ping you for filtering through stalled or slow moving traffic as long as you are doing so with a reasonable degree of safety and consideration for other road users.

Zillah

I know the law specifically states that you can pass slow traffic on the left, but I've no idea what it says about other maneuvers that would be impossible for cars. I've often wondered that myself. But as above, I can't imagine the cops would care unless you're being reckless.

Peck3277

Zillah wrote: »

I know the law specifically states that you can pass slow traffic on the left, but I've no idea what it says about other maneuvers that would be impossible for cars. I've often wondered that myself. But as above, I can't imagine the cops would care unless you're being reckless.

The one I'm most interested in is going between 2 lanes of cars at red lights. I usually try to go on the left of both but sometimes cars are pulled in too tight so I'll pass between the 2 lanes or sometimes go on the right side (only at red lights and I'm sure the cars can't start moving).

Chips Lovell

Legislation on overtaking on the right makes no mention of the speed of traffic, so whether it's stationary or slow moving doesn't come into it. The caveat about stationary or slow moving traffic only applies to cyclists overtaking on the left.

Whether you should overtake or not is a different question. I'd only do so if I was likely to make progress, i.e. stay ahead of the traffic I'm overtaking. So, for example, if I'm going to make it through on the next green light I'd just join the back of the queue.

lennymc

i regularly filter on motorbike and bicycle and have never had any problems. once you are not acting the maggot you should be fine.

Unknown Soldier

Someone once posted here that being on a bike means you are "traffic" or part of it. Think it was Mr. Ash.

Since then I tend to sit in the middle of the lane behind the car(s) in front of me, unless it is a stupidly long traffic jam/phantom jam situation and I can easily (or some times difficulty) get by on the left.

I'll happily sit behind one car at a set of lights.

I like to think it makes the driver in front/behind me take note that I am part of the traffic (like on a motor bike), possibly wondering why I am not like a lot of the other cyclist who feel the need to get to the front of the traffic at various junctions. Probably confuses them to be honest.

I'm never in a rush anywhere though.

Going down the right of a traffic Q can be a pain given some frustrated driver might decide that they have had enough of the bollix and decide to do a U turn.

I like the easy life

JBokeh

I do it on the bike and motorbike too, but you've to have your wits about you an be sensible, no point in flying down between cars if you know it is a common place for people crossing the road or jumping out of cars at the traffic lights. Also it is dumb to do it on the left coming up to a junction or where a lane is going to appears you'll get flattened. As Jap said above I don't bother in light traffic where all i'd end up doing is leap frogging the same bunch of cars over and over again. If you don't think you will fit into a gap, don't go into it, if you tumble you could land under a car that doesn't even know you're there. On the cycle I do it slowly, keeping an eye into cars and on footpaths, but if I can't see I won't proceed, on the bike I go in 1st with my feet down, again if I can't see I won't proceed, because my insurance is expensive enough without having to foot someone else's grossly exaggerated injury claim

It is a bit dodgy to do, people aren't used to see you wafting up the sides of their cars, even on my bike which is louder than the bowels of hell!

Not sure on how legal it is, but I didn't do it on my motorbike test, do it safely and with a bit of cop on and you should be alright

RainyDay

Rules of the Road explicitly allows for traffic (bikes and cars) to pass other slow-moving traffic on the left side. It isn't explicit about what constitutes 'slow'.

Watch out for drivers on their phones or just generally oblivious who may well drift towards the kerb at any time.