A quick question for those in the know: is filtering/lane splitting legal in France?
I thank you
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I thank you
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France and filtering/Lane splitting
- Thread starter buellzebub
- Start date
The rules are near enough the same as they are here.
By-and-large the French are courteous to motorcyclists, pulling over to create a space if they can. This will apply as much on the open highway as it does in towns and cities. Be courteous in return and you will have few if any problems.
By-and-large the French are courteous to motorcyclists, pulling over to create a space if they can. This will apply as much on the open highway as it does in towns and cities. Be courteous in return and you will have few if any problems.
Many thanks Wapping, much appreciated 
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Not only legal, but practically obligatory. As W says car drivers will go to great lengths to make room for you to filter.
Spend an hour on the Paris peripherique and you'll see feats of high speed filtering that will make your blood run cold.
Spend an hour on the Paris peripherique and you'll see feats of high speed filtering that will make your blood run cold.
Not only legal, but practically obligatory. As W says car drivers will go to great lengths to make room for you to filter.
Spend an hour on the Paris peripherique and you'll see feats of high speed filtering that will make your blood run cold.
Had my first experience of the peripherique this and I have to agree, they have it downtown a fine art. And yet, even the fast filtering riders were very courteous, saying thanks every time I got out of the way ( i'm simply not that good at filtering a 2 up loaded GSA!)
I love riding in France
I have to say that I thought it was illegal so did a few searches
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2011/03/18/traffic-filtering-in-france-police-dirty-tricks-lead-to-racket/
I understand that the police will generally turn a blind eye but be careful.
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2011/03/18/traffic-filtering-in-france-police-dirty-tricks-lead-to-racket/
I understand that the police will generally turn a blind eye but be careful.
There are others more experienced than I... But in the 10k I've done through and around France, i have never been subject to or witnessed anything like that.
As has been said - it's a very bike friendly place to ride and overtaking and filtering are positively encouraged by the drivers
There are others more experienced than I... But in the 10k I've done through and around France, i have never been subject to or witnessed anything like that.
As has been said - it's a very bike friendly place to ride and overtaking and filtering are positively encouraged by the drivers
Yes, I've been to France every year on the bike for over 20 years now and never had any issues but I've also read elsewhere it is illegal.
Mike Werner's take on it is "Legally, filtering is tolerated!! That means you can do it at your own risk. If you have an accident, you're at fault !! But you will not be fined for doing it." - http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/RidingInFrance.htm
You pays yer money.....
I notice that is an English publication ... Filtering is and always has been tolerated in urban areas in France and, as Wapping and Stolzy have said, it is practically obligatory and car drivers generally treat motorcyclists courteously. However, in Paris, the Police Nationale operate a plain-clothes team of motorcycle cops to crack down on the most reckless. I've mentioned them before, the Gardiens de la Paix. They generally ride 2-up in black leather on unmarked bikes and the only giveaway is the stripe on their helmets and a police armband. Since UK bikers are, on the whole, far more cautious abroad than the average French motard, I very much doubt that any of us need worry too much.
AlanI
Registered user
Here's an interesting snippet. A bit OT I know but somehow related. I've just read in my online ADAC newsletter that Belgium now allow filtering/lane splitting. A couple of things to note though - your bikes speed must not exceed 50kmh and the difference between any traffic you may be lane splitting by must not be in excess of 20kmh or in other words, if a slow moving car in traffic is doing 20kmh your maximum speed is restricted to 40kmh. Who knows, maybe France will jump aboard. 
It's still illegal in France, but as I said before, it's tolerated.... BUT..... in the Paris area, especially the suburbs and the Peripherique, cops in plain cars (and even bikes) photograph lane-splitters and send you a nice and expensive photo to your home.
If you've got an English reg, you're fine. It's extremely rare that they'll pull you over.
In the mean time, the politicians are talking about letting us do it legally. It helps having a president who is a biker (well, scooterist).
If you've got an English reg, you're fine. It's extremely rare that they'll pull you over.
In the mean time, the politicians are talking about letting us do it legally. It helps having a president who is a biker (well, scooterist).
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