Filtering - am I morally right with my aux lights?

[LeNoir UK]

I filter a lot, I like it and feel smug as a bug when I get the front of the queue at the lights.
On Sunday I was coming back through Reading and caught in heavy traffic on the 40mph dual carriageway that seems to have traffic lights every 300 meters and was happy filtering and splitting the lanes where the cars would allow. I got to a point where two cars were close to each other and not enough room for me to pass in between them; thinking they hadn't noticed me, I switched on the hazard lights. I have some Denali DL6 Aux lights (in yellow) wired up to my Hexcan that flash on the opposite pattern to my indicators when the hazard lights are on.
From this point the traffic parted like Moses was passing through the red sea. I think my Denali lights are set to 20% ish on the hazard flash so traffic much further up the queue was parting and I had a clear run through all the lights, it was great!!!
My dilemma came to me when I was clear of the traffic, did those car drivers think I was some form of emergency vehicle and if so, when I passed and I was clearly not, would it have made them hate filtering bikers even more?

 

[TaskMule]

snip
My dilemma came to me when I was clear of the traffic, did those car drivers think I was some form of emergency vehicle and if so, when I passed and I was clearly not, would it have made them hate filtering bikers even more?

Surprised you even have to ask. Answer: of course

 

[Burridge01]

Have you got a "Polite" high viz on aswell.

 

[Guru Gora]

Very common in mainland Europe.

The cars there generally get it, unlike the clowns in the UK.

Europe embraces and gets bikes

UK tolerates them


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[fatbaldbob]

Europe embraces and gets bikes

Filtering is illegal in Germany.

 

[er-minio]

Very common in mainland Europe.

The cars there generally get it, unlike the clowns in the UK.

Being from Europe I would say the opposite, apart from France.
To be clear: I mean cars giving way/facilitating when bikes are going through. Filtering, yes, it's a given almost everywhere. Bikers in the UK have the habit of sitting behind traffic that I always found curious.

But it is also true that, when I moved to the UK 20 years ago, cars used to be more courteous towards bikes, and would move in standing traffic to let you get through, while this is becoming increasingly less common nowadays, at least down here.


Going back to OP's question... let me guess: WHITE HELMET TOO?

 

[Arsey]

Jesus fucking Christ . I reckon it’s a wind up . Probably that Steve from A Bike Thing trying to drum up trade for his In Denial lights and WankerWizards

 

[glenn2926]

I have used my hazard lights when filtering in France and a couple of other countries. I just sort of copied the local riders. Car drivers do seem to be much more accommodating of motorcycles over the water. Apart from in Germany, the Germans don’t seem to like filtering.

 

[Guru Gora]

Filtering is illegal in Germany.

2 comments which are entirely un related


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[Arsey]

I think most people with half a brain might think you were plod .Still think it’s a wind up

 

[Pukmeister]

Filtering is illegal in Germany.

Didn't stop us in heavy traffic just outside Haslach on a Wappings Wander to the Black Forest.

Lead GS rider was on German plates (but was an expat Brit who rode down from Northern Germany to join the group.)

Some of the locals were quite irate.......what a shame.

 

[Arsey]

I have used my hazard lights when filtering in France and a couple of other countries. I just sort of copied the local riders. Car drivers do seem to be much more accommodating of motorcycles over the water. Apart from in Germany, the Germans don’t seem to like filtering.

That’ll be because it’s illegal in Germany

 

[LeNoir UK]

Being from Europe I would say the opposite, apart from France.
To be clear: I mean cars giving way/facilitating when bikes are going through. Filtering, yes, it's a given almost everywhere. Bikers in the UK have the habit of sitting behind traffic that I always found curious.

But it is also true that, when I moved to the UK 20 years ago, cars used to be more courteous towards bikes, and would move in standing traffic to let you get through, while this is becoming increasingly less common nowadays, at least down here.


Going back to OP's question... let me guess: WHITE HELMET TOO?

White helmet yes but no high viz!

 

[Arsey]

White helmet yes but no high viz!

Case closed m’lud .
Go try the same ruse in Germany and report back !

 

[GSian]

Using hazards whilst moving (unless emergency braking) is illegal in the UK, But filtering isn't. The Denalis would be classed as hazards if flashing.

 

[G&T]

Jesus fucking Christ . I reckon it’s a wind up . Probably that Steve from A Bike Thing trying to drum up trade for his In Denial lights and WankerWizards

You do make me laugh. Now go and take a blood pressure pill, you’ve been out all day.

 

[Arsey]

White helmet yes but no high viz!

More like this ?

 

[gateway77]

When I passed my test I was taught that as a motorcyclist I had an obligation to ease traffic flow wherever possible - which included filtering if safe to do so.
No idea if this is still taught or valid but has always made sense to me.

It's a shame that so many car drivers find this irritating as it doesn't do them any good if a bike takes up the same space as a car - just makes the queue longer.

Riding in Europe is generally blissful of course compared to the UK but it always seems crazy to be stuck in a traffic jam on an autobahn and not being allowed to filter.
German riders seldom seem to break this law in my experience - guess the penalties are harsh.

 

[theoneandonly]

come to London ,
i'll take you on a lap of the M25 in the rush hour.

 

[LeNoir UK]

View attachment 502850

I think most people with half a brain might think you were plod .Still think it’s a wind up

More like this ?

View attachment 502851

Yes, that was me!