Filtering tips?

[u/Obeisance8]

So I'm an intermediate rider and I've been riding about a year, 6-7 months with shadows and on my own like 3-5. In WA we can't ride on our own or filter until we have our RE.

I filter all the time, I've read the WA handbook, but I wonder if what I'm doing is correct and safe- so I thought maybe I'd post here and have a talk to people? The handbook doesn't seem to go into small details.

I understand when/where I can filter: no school zones, no heavy trucks (that video recently omfg) and 30ks or less. I ride in pretty heavy traffic, etc.

Stopping position: I typically will go to the front and sit partially in front of a car so they can't do anything stupid. If I stay in the broken line, I get people trying to race me. But if I do what I'm doing, I could potentially cause an accident if I stall or something.

Indicating: I typically indicate that I'm moving to or off the broken line. Does moving to middle in completely stopped traffic require indicating?

On lights going green: If lights go green while I'm filtering, I need to pick a lane. This morning the lights went green a couple car lengths from the intersection and I accelerated to get in front of the cars and create distance.

Thinking about it, I think that might have been a stupid thing to do. I don't have full vision - racing ahead like that could get me killed. I think I should have either let the cars escort me though the intersection then take off- or indicate and join traffic.

Slow flowing traffic: This morning again, I was riding in heavy traffic. I filtered for about a block with everyone crawling forward at maybe 20ks at best. For a while I realized I was sitting in a 4WDs blind spot. How long can you reasonably filter for at once? I think I should have moved forward to the 4WDs front left instead of back left.

So yeah. Talk to me about how you safely filter all tell me what I'm doing wrong. Feel free to point me to any resources you want, I'll read it/watch it.

Every day I'm surprised by how much I enjoy riding, I want to improve and hold myself to a higher standard.

Thanks

[u/obsolescent_times]

I've had a couple of bad experiences stopping in the middle with cars trying to race past so I always stop in front of a car, so I'm clearly in a lane. If traffic is too tight to comfortably filter all the way to the front, or I get sus the lights are going to change before I can get to the front I will find a gap to pull in behind a car.

Trying to gun it when the lights go green and you're still a couple cars back can be a little risky, because the front cars are taking off by the time you get to them and because you don't have time to scan for red light runners before going. Maybe it's a case by case thing, but you don't usually gain too much doing it.

In Vic you're not supposed to indicate moving to/from a lane to the filtering position. I assume it's like that because indicating is communicating to others that you're changing from one lane to another, when that's not what you're doing. Not sure about WA rules in that regard though.

The biggest risks I find for filtering are almost always caused by gaps in traffic. In slow moving traffic it can mean someone can change lanes suddenly, in stopped/almost stopped traffic it can mean someone will pull across/in front of stopped cars, eg like a keep clear section on the road where people dart out from a side street type thing, but it also happens without a dedicated keep clear area, so the gap is the thing that signals caution in my mind.

I always cover the brakes when filtering, often drag the rear brake a tiny bit too.

[u/Veqlargh101]

I've been riding in wa for about 10 years or so. I ride the bike most days in summer and will usually filter traffic. I only do dual carriage going straight. Either stopped at a traffic light or slow moving such as a traffic jam. 

 I would say most importantly ride to your comfort. Sometimes I don't filter because I cbf the extra concentration and I'm tired ,or if it's wet and raining. It will also depend a bit on your bike. I ride a rocket which is relatively fat. 

Take it slow and make sure you have your head on a swivel.  You get a feel for which cars will change lanes abruptly. Be wary of big towing mirrors ,trucks and buses. For some reason buses park close to the line. 

Most dangerous is when people leave a gap at intersections. You suddenly get cross traffic. Also watch for other bikers behind you. Some come through quicker. 

If a light turns green I usually just tuck in shred ever I am. If it's only 1 car and I can see past it I will gun through. You discover that not everyone takes off straight.  

[u/Klutzy-Pie6557]

For me filtering is very straightforward.

1 - I fold in my mirrors typically this allows me to fit through tighter spots. ( yes I'll pop them back out when I reach the front so all Karen's calm down) 2 - Rear brake provides stability, so I'll typically be dragging a bit of rear brake with a bit of good ol clutch control. 3 - As I approach the rear of the cars - checking for indicators, and I reach the rear my eyes move to the front wheels. 4 - Any gap in a que of traffic is a very red flag - either a bonnet is about to appear or car will swoop lane change quickly to full the gap - 100% biggest danger never forget - gaps are traps.

Thats about it really once at the front I make sure I'm positioned so tge front cars can easily see me - I'm not concerned about beating them off the line my bike is an S1000rr pretty much will beat anything - unless its an electric car so now I quickly check that had a tesla Y performance take off bloody quick on me so I watch for them now!

[u/Electrical_Age_7483 → u/Klutzy-Pie6557]

If you have no mirrors until the front how do you know there is no cop behind you filtering as well?  

I find it's best to use mirrors you don't have to fold, that way you can see police behind you 

[u/Klutzy-Pie6557 → u/Electrical_Age_7483]

No cop can fit through the gaps my bike can fit with the mirrors folded up!

[u/Electrical_Age_7483 → u/Klutzy-Pie6557]

They have undercover bikes here. 

Also police drz which I bet would go through spaces the s1000rr wouldn't 

[u/Klutzy-Pie6557 → u/Electrical_Age_7483]

Maybe - time will tell!

[u/Sunlit_Man]

Following his post, as I'm almost identical to you, and am interested to see what other advice people have.

From what I've picked up on, here's a couple of other ones:

• If you're sticking to filtering at 30-40, before you begin always keep an eye out for people splitting at high speeds. Obviously if you're already filtering they can slow down behind you, but that awareness is important before you move out.

• If the light goes green as you approach, I find it best to find a gap at your current speed and ride in it in front of the car until they give you space to go in rather than gun it and try and shoot through all of them.

• Tesla's aren't trying to race you off the start line (probably), but unless you have a non-LAMs bike they'll probably beat you, so just make sure you aren't expecting to move over before they give you the space.

I'm never entirely sure about indicators. If I'm clearly filtering in one lane I'll indicate from that lane as I move past, but if it's down the middle in stopped traffic I'll usually flash hazards.

[u/NomDePlumeOrBloom → u/Sunlit_Man]

If I'm clearly filtering in one lane I'll indicate from that lane as I move past, but if it's down the middle in stopped traffic I'll usually flash hazards.

Can you expand on this a bit further? How can you, and is it legal, to filter 1 lane? Do you just move to the middle of the road?

[u/Sunlit_Man → u/NomDePlumeOrBloom]

By that I mean if I'm more clearly in one lane than the other. It's still down the middle realistically, but I'll put myself on the side where there's the most space in between two lanes rather than always on the white line.

[u/primalbluewolf]

Thinking about it, I think that might have been a stupid thing to do. I don't have full vision - racing ahead like that could get me killed. I think I should have either let the cars escort me though the intersection then take off- or indicate and join traffic. 

Judgement call, this depends a lot. 

I will suggest not to let cars "escort you" - riding alongside a car is a death sentence waiting to happen. Either jump in behind an accelerating car, or accelerate harder and get in a gap in front of the cars beside you. Matching speeds with cars is always risky. 

How long can you reasonably filter for at once?

Until you encounter a heavy vehicle (any truck, not just heavy ones), a speed zone of 40 or below, or traffic accelerates above 30. 

[u/eepeqez]

Recognising that filtering and lane splitting are distinct activities; two things make me twitchy when lane splitting

• Too much speed differential, so that there are too many cars too far ahead of me that might move in a way which leaves me nowhere to go
• Openings between cars in either lane that someone might abruptly choose to dart into with a sudden lane change.

When filtering through ostensibly stationary traffic, both still matter.

• An extra hazard when everything is stationary or close to it is gaps big enough for someone to try to turn through to get out of or into a driveway or side street.

If you're filtering, you're already making really good progress through the traffic; there is no need to go fast and it just surprises and angers car drivers and makes any mistakes much worse.

[u/NomDePlumeOrBloom]

I've had plenty of arseholes creeping up on me and over the line because they don't like that I've filtered up.

One time I had a dog wearing sunglasses jump out of a window on my right to have a go at me and, while I'm leant way over my left trying to avoid the little fucker and almost dropping the bike, the guy in the left lane decides to just go for it like he has room.

Hand on heart, I shit you not. The driver with the dog laughed for half a minute before he realised he needed to jump out and grab the fucker.

When it's a stale light and I get caught filtering before hitting the front I pick the largest gap available, make it obvious I'm taking that lane, and give a big wave of thanks to the driver behind me when I can.

In your second situation, you're filtering and obviously matching pace with the 4WD. You're both already travelling slow. Pass him if safe, otherwise just drop back a little - the cars following already see you - and cover your brakes. You've got plenty of time to stop and plenty of time to pass.

Also, not lawful advice, it's sometimes safer to break the law and be faster in the filter than to sit on the limit and in a blind spot.

Ultimately, it's up to you. Don't assume right of way and use your rapid acceleration judiciously.

[u/nekino]

I indicate and leave my indicator on while I filter. I'd use hazards if my bike had them just for extra visibility. I try to indicate the direction of the lane/gap I want.

I am an asshole and unsafe rider sometimes though so feel free to ignore me 🤷‍♂️ I filter between stationary trucks. Though yeah that video puts me off filtering between moving heavy vehicles.

When it comes to filtering for a long time, ie slow moving traffic, take it easy and try and find a safe gap/vehicle to get behind when you can. Be mindful of the blindspots and try and get out of it when you realise. I look ahead and watch the traffic for a gap, while also being extra careful if that gap up ahead is going to be taken by another vehicle, if someone is being let in, or vehicles are doing the right thing and keeping an intersection clear. Sometimes you end up at the front of whatever was causing the traffic jam and you're good, or you've made it to the intersection/lights.

Also don't do what I did one time which was filter up to a red light with heavy vehicles. Couldn't pass, was sitting next to a car, near their rear wheel arch. That car tried to do the right thing and move over for me but I was too close to them and they almost ran my foot over! Completely my fault. Scared me right though, learned my lesson.

[u/Electrical_Age_7483]

You should indicate always, if you start filtering another bike you didn't see that was filtering behind you might see your indicator and avoid a crash if you indicate, if you just start filtering they get no warning 

[u/D68D]

Watch (no staring) the lights when you can to get a sense where they are in the rotation. It varies so learn your route, but if the right only is green then you are next for example.

[u/i_dreddit]

Pretty much do what the top comment is. Don't indicate to move forward, fold mirrors up. Extra careful around trucks. Try not to go above 30, keep foot on the rear brake for stability, stay vigilant look for indicators and gaps. Don't be a dickhead..I give a nod or wave to cars that move out of the way, when they don't have to 

I watch for ubers because, anecdotally, they move inward to stop me going past. Purely anecdotal though..them and busses. 

[u/the_ism_sizism → u/i_dreddit]

Repeat, don’t be a dickhead!

Waving at cars is good. Because filtering should be done both hands (clutch and throttle I just give them a big nod so they can see my helmet move. If I’m just in front when I take off from the lights I’ll chuck a hand up then to say thanks then. Could always pop your hazards to say thanks.