had an accident today

[Mentalmac]

Oh my word - everyone getting in a right old pickle.

You are allowed to pass on the left of slow moving or stationary traffic.

 

It's not advisable however.

 

Everyone is getting their proverbial knickers in a twist about wether they think bikers should or shouldn't.

You often find people who get stuck in traffic in cars are the ones who moan about it. Rather than moan, buy a motorbike and experience the traffic free life.

 

I ride a motorbike and cycle and drive a car... I traffic filter on motorbike, cycle, and get stuck in traffic in the car. I have on occasion where safe to do so gone up the left hand side when not able to pass on the right in stationary traffic in central London. (This wasn't before a turning however).

[Paul223]

Paul - you need to do a little research. It is a relatively grey area, but the consensus is you don't undertake in the circumstances in the OP.

 

You and others seem determined to prove the OP was not doing anything wrong. Forgive me, but I beg to differ. I regard the manoeuvre as stupid and potentially dangerous. The fact that an accident happened makes my point.

 

Given you and others backing the OP, why don't you all have a whip round and fund a brief to take up your water-tight case. We both know it won't happen.

No research required

After I passed my bike test in the early nineties a clay shooting friend who made his living instructing regular joes through to police in advanced motorcycling took me out a few times to see how my riding was, now I'm not that fond of filtering especially in busy city centres but he would filter anywhere, may be just a tad quicker than walking pace, inside outside did not matter as long as your not on the kerb or I expect nowadays in a bus cycle lane, he would push forward and taught bikers to do so.

 

Would I filter now? No, well only sometimes, still don't like it.

 

Iirc the Highway Code suggests undertaking is a bad practice, but does not say it is forbidden but rather to proceed with caution, if the car door had opened in front and the bike collided with it then not enough caution had been anticipated, however the OP says the door opened into the side of him, this I believe is the fault of the passenger, opening the door to danger, it will indeed be interesting to see what the insurance make of it.

 

Whether you, I, KW or anyone else would do the same is irrelevant, the insurers will look up chapter and verse road traffic acts to see who can be blamed for what!

[Gordon R]

I passed my motorcycle test many decades ago and have a mate who teaches advance motorcycling. I have also been on a fair number of advanced driving courses. I wouldn't filter. It is too dangerous and relies on others not being as dumb as the people filtering.

 

"Bad practice" adds up to an insurer declining to pay out.

[nobbyathome]

yep, every thing from exhausts to lorry's discussed and still in denial beats me why you would ride a bike "aggressively" whilst on third party? used to see losers at every isle of man TT sat on Douglas sea front with a bucket and a begging placard asking for donations to help to repair their third party insured bike , which they had just wrecked thanks to their brain dead riding skills/ maneuvers.

 

KW

well the reason i have third party insurance is that i work in an office as a courier controller if we get stuck with any parcels i can deliver them after work so to legally do that i needed courier insurance they only do that third party fire and theft not fully com i still dont believe i was riding aggressivly as you say i suppose you had to be there and seen it to apreciate that i was filtering very slowly and looking for danger/idiots etc if she would have opened the door in front of me i could have stopped her husband opened the door without looking to run accross the pedestrian crossing as it had just changed to red he hit my pannier behind me and shoved me into a lamppost the fact that i was there is questionable but what if i was a pushbike he didnt look just opened the door if she would have indicated and gone over to the left it would have still been illegal for her you should not park on a zig zag but if she had it would have not left any room for me to be up the inside filtering is not illegal i have spoken to my insurance co and it will be interesting they have said they will not give me a hire bike as it could be a 25/75 claim me being the 25 but could have one if i paid up front and claimed it back so i said no thanks and the solicitor called and said they are sure i will get 100% back so i will keep you all amused/intreaged/angry/arguing for a while and as soon as i get told to go away and hang your head in shame or i get a cheque to sort it out i will let you all know thanks for the good thoughts about my health whatever your personal views of my post just out of interest for a couple of you my bike was a honda ntv700a deauville on a 60 plate anyone that knows bikes know that these are the slugs of the biking world and even on motorways i have never had it above 80 although it will do about 110 all covered with plastic and an old mans tourer

[chady]

Good look with it and all the best

[woodcock11]

Well, I bet that you never thought that your bicycle run in with a car door would have run to seven pages of posts and so much differing information - the trick is to pick out the true and the useful from the guesses and not so useful.

 

At least with this one, we have not had Mr Farage "riding to the rescue" - for that we can all be very thankful - together with the fact that you were not hurt or injured - good luck!

Edited April 25, 2014 by woodcock11

[Paul223]

Best of luck with it

[shoot and be safe]

I always thought it was give way to the vehicle on the right

 

Therefore the op is at fault.

 

Also the driver of the vehicle he collided with has nothing to do with the incident. It was a passenger who opened the door and they/ you/&me would not be expecting any vehicle of any description manoeuvering between yourself and the kerb.

 

If a motobike is filtering between two lines of traffic (on a duel carriageway or traffic lights.....)

As a driver in the right hand lanes you would be aware of traffic on your left and the possibility of them moving off/manoeuvering before you.

 

 

We all have our own opinions of the op situation. The main point is the op is ok.

[Elby]

You aint a real biker if you don't filter.
I mean what kind of biker would sit in bank holiday traffic for hours on end on a motorway or any road ***

[Gordon R]

I think the last post is accurate. Bikers can do - so they do. Whether it is legal, safe or sensible - never merits a second thought.

 

Nowadays, I see many as dangerous idiots with no sense of their own frailty.

[Elby]

It merits plenty of thought Gordon

Bikers develop a much better sense of danger and tend to be much more aware of what's going on around them.

Fact is you don't buy a bike to sit in traffic.

In this case the op filtered to gain 2 places which doesn't make any sense and we all know he would have filtered right to the front and tore off at the lights to beat the cars across the junction.

The idiot opened a car door, without looking which was crazy.

I would have thought the insurance company will call it knock for knock and job done.

[Paul223]

I always thought it was give way to the vehicle on the right

 

Therefore the op is at fault.

 

Also the driver of the vehicle he collided with has nothing to do with the incident. It was a passenger who opened the door and they/ you/&me would not be expecting any vehicle of any description manoeuvering between yourself and the kerb.

 

If a motobike is filtering between two lines of traffic (on a duel carriageway or traffic lights.....)

As a driver in the right hand lanes you would be aware of traffic on your left and the possibility of them moving off/manoeuvering before you.

 

 

We all have our own opinions of the op situation. The main point is the op is ok.

IIRC the only time you are forbidden to undertake or filter up the left between kerb and a vehicle is when that vehicle is a stationary bus / tram

[Dirty Harry]

I don't ride anymore but my top tip for filtering particulary on a motorway or dual carriageway is never do it if you can see a gap for the car to move into. If vehicles are level with each other there will be nowhere for them to go but if you see a gap develop then so will they and stay well clear.

 

My opinion on this is the biker is at fault and its a due care and yes the passenger should have paid more attention.

 

Harry

[The Essex Hunter]

This guy is the king of London traffic....Any top tip should be taken from him....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fqnaP2pXsA

 

 

TEH

[kdubya]

It merits plenty of thought Gordon

Bikers develop a much better sense of danger and tend to be much more aware of what's going on around them.

Fact is you don't buy a bike to sit in traffic.

In this case the op filtered to gain 2 places which doesn't make any sense and we all know he would have filtered right to the front and tore off at the lights to beat the cars across the junction.

The idiot opened a car door, without looking which was crazy.

I would have thought the insurance company will call it knock for knock and job done.

so knock for knock, what does that mean? simple they wont pay out, the op here was third party to start with, so perhaps discretion really should have been used before undertaking,as its cost him thankfully financially rather than physically, and for those who wish to advocate their right not to join ques, remember next time some one else may be doing the undertaking, for them.

 

 

KW

[Elby]

so knock for knock, what does that mean? simple they wont pay out, the op here was third party to start with, so perhaps discretion really should have been used before undertaking,as its cost him thankfully financially rather than physically, and for those who wish to advocate their right not to join ques, remember next time some one else may be doing the undertaking, for them.

 

 

KW

Bikers are called "organ donors" by the emergency services for a reason.

Not every accident is down to the biker though.

I've lost a few mates over the years and the only way to ensure survival is to not ride a bike.

Anyway I'm in Thailand at the minute and you've never seen dangerous riding done proper till you ride a scooter round here

[chady]

If it happened to a cyclist and not a motorbike, same scenario!!!

 

Who's fault would it be???

[Elby]

The Highway Code applies to anyone using the highway so no difference

[shoot and be safe]

If it happened to a cyclist and not a motorbike, same scenario!!!

 

Who's fault would it be???

The cyclist, he/should be on a cycle path :whistling:

[kdubya]

The cyclist, he/should be on a cycle path :whistling:

what cycle path? you cant use what few there are for pillock drivers parking inconsiderately, or should I say you cant use a cycle path for the psychopaths.

 

KW

[overandunder2012]

there should be more cycle paths because sometimes it just goes wrong

 

[fella]

That doesn't look like a particularly good place to wipe out a dozen cyclists, in front of a police cruiser.

 

 

As for the OP, well, you live and learn (on this occasion). Never undertake in a bike, do not overtake at pedestrian crossings, and rear passengers don't have mirrors, you can't expect them to be psychic.

[chady]

No but they can turn there head and look out of the window......

 

 

That doesn't look like a particularly good place to wipe out a dozen cyclists, in front of a police cruiser.

 

 

As for the OP, well, you live and learn (on this occasion). Never undertake in a bike, do not overtake at pedestrian crossings, and rear passengers don't have mirrors, you can't expect them to be psychic.

[jason kaye]

You don't ride do you.

 

One of the big points about riding is the joys of being able to trickle past stationary traffic, often as not with a half asleep commuter in it. The OP got it wrong patently, but no, he shouldn't have to wait in a queue, sheep like, it's one of the privileges biking brings....along with riding in the rain, and having half asleep commuters trying to kill you, not to mention the a-holes who don't like the fact that you can filter so deliberately pull across to try and block your progress.

 

If you don't want to queue, you don't have to. Just get out of the tin box and onto two wheels.

+1

[chady]

Come on let's get this to 9 pages lol haha