Lane Filtering Comes To Arizona. I Have Mixed Feelings. How About You?

Discussion in 'Triumph General Discussion' started by Sandi T, Apr 7, 2022.

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  1. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2021
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    Pretty much proven that HI-VIZ is becoming "invisible" as so many people wear it for work, builders, telecoms, council, lorry drivers, bin men etcetera, it's no longer "eye catching" as it was it's now so commonplace. For me you can't beat loud pipes, lights on high beam at all time and don't be frightened to use the horn if you have the slightest doubts someone hasn't seen you.
     
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  2. Sandi T

    Sandi T It's ride o'clock somewhere!
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    That sounds fairly similar to the law just passed in AZ, @roadrider, although the new law states the posted speed limit must be 45mph or less. So higher than the 30 mph you mentioned.

    From the RideApart article I originally referenced:
    "According to the bill as written, amended, passed through both chambers of the State house, and signed into law, here’s the exact language used:

    “The operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle may overtake and pass another vehicle that is stopped in the same direction of travel and in the same lane as the operator and may operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic if the operator does all of the following:
    1. Operates the motorcycle on a street that both:
    a) Is divided into at least two adjacent traffic lanes in the same direction of travel.
    b) Has a speed limit that does not exceed forty-five miles per hour
    2. Travels at a speed that does not exceed fifteen miles per hour.
    3. First ascertains that the movement can be made safely.”
     
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  3. Oldskool

    Oldskool Elite Member

    Jan 29, 2019
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    There are so many varied reactions to filtering. On some roads it seems drivers have become accustomed to bikes filtering and many drivers do make additional room within their lanes to let you through. I always try to give a wave or put a foot out to thank those that have been aware and moved over. Some don’t…
    I’ve educated my wife to be bike aware and she gets a real buzz when she has shuffled over to allow a bike to pass and then got a thumbs up or a wave.
    What does tick me off is when I’m coming back from a bike meeting and bikes filter at speed between lanes 1&2 whilst all the other riders are filtering between lanes 2&3…
     
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  4. tcbandituk

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    I used to commute into London from Slough on the M4 in the 80's.
    There were a lot more bikes and despatch riders then, so the car drivers were more used to bikes coming past, I would be doing anywhere between 30-50mph between the more or less stationary traffic and still get passed by the despatch riders.
    Scariest journey was doing the same route in the evening rush hour on one occasion, when we were late to an Iron Maiden concert at the Hammy Odeon.
    Sat at 70+ most of the way through the traffic, only incident was my mate's pillion scraping the arm of her jacket on a HGV trailer on the elevated section where it was a bit tighter on space :scream:
    Managed to get there in time to see the support act as well.o_O
    The ride home was a lot more sedate...

    It's definitely a bit more dodgy filtering these days, with the lack of awareness of a lot of car drivers, thankfully I rarely have to do it now.
     
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  5. learningtofly

    learningtofly He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
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    Sep 25, 2018
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    It has to be a good thing to my mind, Sandi, and of course you can choose whether you want to do it or not. There are lots of tips and tricks and I'm sure you'll do your research, but one thing I've learnt is to keep at least half an eye out for the front wheels of cars beginning to turn (whether or not they're indicating). That's the best indication (see what I did there?) that they're about to do something that will put you at risk.

    Give it a go, take it slowly, and see how you get on. I'm sure it'll soon be second nature to you.
     
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  6. Octoberon

    Octoberon Crème de la Crème

    Jul 2, 2020
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    For getting the attention of car drivers I think loud pipes are probably overrated. They would have to be very loud for me to hear them in my car and they're not at their loudest when the pipes are facing away, such as when you're approaching a T-junction where a car may pull out unexpectedly. I can't agree about dazzling people, either. I'm not the only person on the road and I don't want to distract a driver from seeing other hazards, like cyclists. As you say, hi-viz vests, at least in the daytime, aren't the panacea some people assume. What's been shown is that lateral movement is the key to being noticed. Humans are better at seeing objects moving laterally across their line of sight than things coming towards them. If I have a concern about a car I move across my lane as that's more likely to be noticed.
     
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  7. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2021
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    Of the few bikes I've owned that I've never been pulled out on, VMax with super trapps, harley with straight through drag pipes, my Tuono with arrow titanium race pipes and my current T100 with open pea shooters. My laverda had jota pipes which were only loud at high revs and was constantly not seen/heard riding that.
     
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  8. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2021
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    As for high beam, most new cars seem to have these bright almost blue blinding lights so honestly, I really don't care if I blind them too.
     
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  9. andyc1

    andyc1 Lunarville 7, Airlock 3

    Feb 4, 2017
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    Im sure most or you remember, the button to flash the lights on a bike used to be labled "pass"
     
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  10. Sandi T

    Sandi T It's ride o'clock somewhere!
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    Thanks, @learningtofly. I'll definitely read up on tips & tricks. That tip about the front wheels of cars is one that Mr. Sandi taught me when I first began riding. But it was related to watching cars at intersections or on side streets that looked like they might pull out in front of me. It's a great strategy and totally makes sense to look at front wheels as an indicator for lane splitting/filtering, too.
     
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  11. Sandi T

    Sandi T It's ride o'clock somewhere!
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    I've read several articles regarding motorists seeing lateral movement, @Octoberon. Another tip that Mr. Sandi taught me early on in my riding career was to sort of "dip" my motorcycle just a bit towards a car that looks like it might turn or pull out in front of me in to move my headlight back and forth laterally and (hopefully) catch the drivers attention. Now it's a habit when I'm faced with that sort of scenario. It does seem to make a difference! When a driver is inching forward, they typically stop when I dip my headlight in their direction.
     
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  12. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

    Jul 13, 2020
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    The secret to filtering is to do it SLOWLY!, you’ve already got a huge advantage in that you can pass stationary cars, this morning I filtered past at least 30 cars in one go on a jammed up dual carriageway, but at no point did I exceed 15mph, if someone pulled across or opened a door I would probably be able to stop but even if I couldn’t the chances of a serious injury would be greatly lowered due to my low speed, I cringe when I see bikers filtering at 30mph (or more).
    Last year I was filtering and a car driver in the RH lane saw me coming and pulled across to block my way, I simply rode behind him, along his RH side then back into the middle of the lanes and continued on my way, no shaking of fist’s or having a hissy fit about his stupid behaviour, just carried on my way without drama :) , anyway filtering is great but do it SLOW, real SLOOOOW!!!!
     
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  13. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2021
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    So you wouldn't filter in moving traffic?
     
  14. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

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    That’s hard to answer, a lot of the time it would be more of an overtaking manoeuvre I think, passing the car in the left lane then dropping back into the left lane and repeating on the next car in front, if you mean there are 2 streams of traffic on a dual carriageway doing say 50mph, and the motorcyclist rides straight down the middle at say 60mph , then no I wouldn’t do that, as I say hard to answer without seeing the road in question but in the above example I would consider the risk of cars swapping lanes just as I got alongside too great.
     
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  15. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2021
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    I have found stopped traffic to be the worst, when cars stop moving the drivers stop driving (ie stop checking their mirrors, their awareness of other road users) the sweets come out, the fags come out the windows go down and fag ends fly out, and occasionally some twat opens their door for a leg stretch. I'd rather filter in moving traffic.
     
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  16. Mark9

    Mark9 Noble Member

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    Well we all have our own styles of riding Pat, my point being that if you’re filtering in stationary traffic do it slowly, I would certainly never assume that a car driver is using his mirrors or concentrating on what he’s doing in any driving situation though:)
     
  17. PatW

    PatW Senior Member

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    Never assume anything!
     
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  18. capt

    capt Elite Member

    May 8, 2016
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    Hi @Sandi T , filtering has always taken place in Australia , as there's a loop hole in traffic rules/law's here ! It's been legalised here in the last few years ! But the Law's now restrict how / when you Can or Cannot filter !
    The loophole was .. you may pass traffic on the left or right hand side ! Unlike England / UK , where on major road's or highways, the left lane must not overtake (undertake) .
    The bit that made filtering possibly legal , You could be in either lane to pass left lane traffic , and should be in left lane to 'undertake' right lane ! So as most of the time Police Officers couldn't 'see' directly which lane you were in you got away with it ! Stationery traffic was always fair game ! Strangely using the left shoulder , beyond the line's marked was 'Illegal' go figure ???
     
  19. Fork Lock

    Fork Lock Elite Member

    Feb 5, 2021
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    Here in the Nanny State of New Jersey, it's not permitted. I used to be a member of the motorcycle rights advocacy group, ABATE. I was on the committee that lobbied for lane splitting. Also, low speed utilization the right shoulder in stopped traffic (traffic jams), allowing two bikes to occupy metered parking spaces and repeal of the helmet law. We got the metered parking space law passed, but the state legislature would not budge on the other three issues. So, I'm in favor of lane splitting, if done safely at slow speed. Also, although I'll always wear a helmet, I believe it should be the rider's choice. The state should not be in the business of regulating risk-taking. Their reasoning is that motorcycle injuries cost everyone money because there is no personal injury insurance protection for motorcyclists like there is for autos. If that were the case, they should ban sky diving and bungee jumping. Two dangerous activities the serve no purpose other than an adrenaline rush (unless your plane is in a nosedive).
     
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  20. Sandi T

    Sandi T It's ride o'clock somewhere!
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    Dec 3, 2018
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    I've seen three instances of lane splitting / lane filtering in the past three days. All three were sport bikes. The first was as I was riding to the Harley dealership in the early afternoon on a relatively major street and the rider was following the new laws in terms of conditions and speed. The second was on my morning commute on a comparable type roadway and the rider was definitely doing more splitting than filtering. Both auto speeds and motorcycle speeds were higher than the law indicates. The third was yesterday on a major street that's three lanes in both directions and is a major north--south thoroughfare in Tucson. This guys riding behavior was egregious and nothing like what the laws allow. He was riding well over the speed limit and riding between cars and changing lanes at will and traffic speeds were much higher than what's in the law. He was the kind of rider than gives us all a bad name. And I know it was a "he" because I was on my motorcycle and when I first saw him he was just off my right shoulder one lane over at a stoplight. When I learned about the law passing, I predicted that some riders would take it as their right to ride like him. Hopefully he will be in the (tiny) minority.
     
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