What is Motorcycle Filtering?
Motorcycle filtering is a maneuver where a motorcycle or scooter rider moves past slow moving or stopped vehicles in the same lane of travel. This can occur while stopped at a traffic signal or proceeding slowly in congested traffic on a roadway or highway. The rider makes use of the available space between the lane markings to avoid being caught in stopped traffic.
As practiced, motorcycle filtering helps a rider avoid being stuck in an endless line of cars while everyone else moves on down the road. It is a great timesaver and deterrent to road rage. There are many practical advantages to having the ability to filter while riding. There is little doubt that riders are a lot more relaxed after passing through congested traffic rather than being stuck in it.
Another very practical reason for motorcycle filtering is safety. Stopped or slow moving traffic creates an opportunity for rear end crashes which are entirely avoidable when riders can move past stopped cars. Filtering also helps a rider avoid exposure to vehicles on their right side which are moving at full speed. A motorcycle collision with a passenger vehicle in a congested situation is immensely more dangerous because the rider is traveling at the same speed as the car. Filtering gives the rider the ability to avoid this potential for disaster.
Filtering is often confused with "lane splitting" which is where a rider moves into an adjacent lane of travel in order to pass slower moving vehicles. While not illegal in all jurisdictions and perhaps advantageous to the rider for similar reasons to those discussed above , "lane splitting" is decidedly more risky when compared to filtering. The cycle is moving at the speed of the other vehicles. The rider is also subject to being "doored" by an inattentive driver of a parked car and if there is a collision, the danger of serious injury is greatly increased.
Filtering as currently implemented in California is a compromise between rider safety and driver safety. At a stop light, the rider may split the lane to the front of the stopped cars and remain in that position until the light turns green. When the light turns green, the rider must be cognizant of the cars materializing from a dead stop which presents a real danger of collision. When filtering in traffic, the rider should always be paying close attention to traffic on their right side. It is also important to realize that in order for filtering to be lawful the rider may not exceed 15 miles per hour and must navigate only between the two lanes next to them.
Is Filtering Legal in Your Region?
The legality of motorcycle filtering varies by country, and in the United States, by state as well. For example, filtering on two-lane roads is illegal in some states while it is perfectly legal while traveling between rows of stationary traffic in others. Filtering is commonly accepted as a safe and effective way to navigate through traffic in other countries.
In the United Kingdom, for example, filtering is widely accepted as common sense, so much so that the Department of Transport has published a short six-minute video on Youtube in support of filtering. In South Africa, motorcyclists are taught in their driver education courses how to filter safely and lawfully. Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia are a few other examples of countries where filtering is legal.
Filtering is also permitted in Germany, where it is referred to as "lanesplitting," but regulations on speed limits and the distance of motorcyclists traveling between rows of cars does apply. In Switzerland, filtering does not require special regulations, although police officers do reserve the right to assess fines against riders that reap serious consequences due to speeding.
Other countries and regions have yet to adopt laws in favor of filtering. Some countries currently outlaw filtering but are proposing new legislation that will support the practice. In France and Denmark, for example, filtering among slow-moving traffic is currently illegal, although there have been proposals to introduce new laws permitting the practice.
Most U.S. states do not permit lane splitting, although filtering laws vary from state to state. The majority of states have no laws addressing any aspect of filtering, but there are five states with laws regulating the practice.
California is the only state in the U.S. that has authorized filtering, allowing motorcyclists to share lanes with other vehicles despite the law generally prohibiting the practice. Motorcyclists in California can filter at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour in speeds of no more than 30 miles per hour. Californians filter in many different situations, including regularly when preparing to turn on to intersecting streets or when merging into a single lane road.
To a lesser degree, but still in the category of authorized filtering, Arkansas allows motorcycles and mopeds to drive between rows of stopped or slow moving traffic if the rider is moving at a reasonable speed and if it is safe to do so. Rhode Island has similar laws, allowing motorcyclists to share lanes with other vehicles if traffic is moving at less than 20 mph. Oregon and Florida are other states with similar filtering laws.
There are a handful of states with laws that could be construed as regulating filtering, but effectively ban the practice. New York, for example, prohibits motorcycles riding in between rows of traffic when both lanes are stopped or are moving at less than ten miles per hour. Even in the states where lane splitting is not specifically legal, motorcyclists are still able to filter at slow speeds when traffic is moving forward slowly.
How Do the Rules and Laws Work?
Motorcycle filtering laws vary significantly, so it’s crucial for riders to understand the regulations in their particular region. In many jurisdictions where motorcycle filtering isn’t permitted, undertaking traffic abreast of other vehicles is strictly prohibited.
If you’ve conducted even a cursory Google search for motorcycle filtering laws, you’ve probably come across various articles and forum posts arguing that there’s no such thing as motorcycle filtering, or that it’s a poorly named legal loophole you legally can’t drive down. While the author may have recently lost their license for filtering lane to lane through traffic on the highway, the law is at its heart both simple and sensible. If you break down the activity into simple components, the core of the frustration is that you are changing lanes within a lane, i.e. lane splitting with a narrower vehicle, with the intention of effectively passing the other vehicles. Lawmakers, police officers, courts, and even other motorcycle riders get frustrated by this phenomenon because it’s a situation in which more traffic could be generated or brought to a standstill. Essentially, even if the traffic is lessened by the effective passing, the potential problem of getting caught between lanes is created if the lane to your right begins moving again, stops allowing you to pass, then speeds up as another car is about to pass.
To make filtering possible without generate traffic, only certain situations where filtering is permitted. For instance, in the UK, "Lane splitting, or breaking the normal two second gap, is illegal. Filtering is prohibited at junctions, bus lanes and other areas where stationary traffic is permitted to filter as a group."
In other places like California, motorcycle lane splitting is legal as long as it is done in a safe, responsible manner. There are no specific speed limits or lane restrictions, though the motorcyclists should always use common sense and try to avoid potential accidents. For example, trying to pass through a small space between vehicles is not encouraged, but filtering between rows of stopped cars in bumper-to-bumper traffic is perfectly legal, and may be the safest way to avoid a rear-end collision.
Overtaking in these situations has been shown to be safe for the rider, the car drivers, and the bicyclists they leave behind. Almost all of the motorists polled supported the right for motorcyclists to use this lane splitting law.
Naturally, there are exceptions to these filtering rules. Only when the rider can determine with safety that the car or bus driver could eventually become aware of the situation should they attempt to undertake filtering. If the motorist is distracted, for example, the danger of the motorcycle would increase dramatically.
Additionally, if the motorcycle being driven is larger, such as a touring motorcycle or sport tour bike, filtering becomes increasingly dangerous. It’s important to follow all the necessary traffic laws, including the circumstances for right turns at intersections.
Motorcycle Filtering Safety Tips
While riding a motorcycle to filter may be legal, there are certain situations where it can still be dangerous to do so. When filtering you should always take care not to ride too close to other vehicles. Even though riders filtering in Australia – including in Victoria – are not required to wear head protection in circumstances such as a temporary state of motionlessness or a situation where the rider has a reasonable belief that the stop will be longer than 2 minutes, you should always wear your helmet while filtering. According to VicRoads’ guide to filtering, you should always wait until the driver leaves their car before filtering past slow-moving traffic in order to avoid making contact with the vehicle’s mirror. When doing so, the driver can also accelerate quickly and knock you off your motorcycle.
For safety, when filtering, give yourself plenty of room and never filter closer than 1.5 meters from the side of another vehicle. If the vehicles around you come to a stop you should also bring your motorcycle to a stop. You may need to brake quickly but doing so will also prevent the motorcycle from rolling off the end of the queue. If you find yourself travelling with several motorcyclists when filtering, you should attempt to filter in a staggered formation with 1.2 metres space between motorcycles.
Pros and Cons of Motorcycle Filtering
Proponents and opponents of filtering have found their feet at both ends of the motorcycle and rider community. Some argue that filtering is a good thing, clearing up bottlenecks and allowing riders to reach their destinations quicker when confronted with a build up. Others find filtering to be antisocial, annoying both stationary motorists, including other riders, and pedestrians. There is little doubt that filtering eliminates crawling traffic and allows a more efficient use of road space. It can also allow motorcyclists to save time in traffic jams. However, there is the cost of speed and safety. Motorcycles weigh substantially less than cars and, unlike cars, have no metal cage to protect the driver . Filtering increases the chances of a motorcycle skidding or falling over on a soft verge or pothole, thus increasing the chance of injury. Many lane-splitters say they are prepared to take the risk of a low-speed fall for the benefits of filtering. However, would any motorcyclist drop their bike for the sake of saving a few minutes of time? Probably not. While it is closed to motorcycles for safety reasons, the bicycle lane on the outside of many roads is favoured by cyclists who wish to avoid slow moving traffic. Car drivers are far from impressed however and often get frustrated with speed biker riders. The social forces in many countries push for more bikers, given the fact that they reduce congestion on the roads but is this the same in the case of motorcyclists, given the absence of a bike lane?
Motorcycle Filtering Tips for Riders
Advice for Riders Practising Filtering
Your focus when filtering should be exclusively on your course ahead. Be aware of other road users and their movements, and keep track of your exact speed. Be ready to stop suddenly and place both feet on the ground.
Stay close to the nearside kerb, as this will allow you to move across the road if you have to stop suddenly – which is less easy to do as revealed by this video.
If for some reason you are unsure or something does not feel right about your planned movement, let it pass. You can always catch up with your intended progress later. Trying to push in would be potentially dangerous and selfish. Do not use the manoeuvre as an opportunity to gain a position on the road – it is not a race, or the race is only between like the raceline.
Be prepared for unexpected movements by other road users, particularly to your left. If a vehicle can’t see you, it is a very good chance that it will move over into your path or cross over you to pull into a side road or a driveway. Be careful not to use signals that are misleading.
Don’t be distracted by the possibility of other vehicles coming the opposite way in the opposite lane, particularly if you are a Scottish rider heading south. Keep to your left and don’t swing out to the right or you could be committing an offence. Remember to ride like you are invisible.
How Will Changing Laws and the Future Impact Filtering?
Looking ahead, it appears likely that motorcycle filtering laws will continue to evolve. With increasing urbanization, and the simultaneous push for more efficient traffic patterns, the trend towards legalizing filtering in various jurisdictions seems likely to continue. In jurisdictions where filtering is currently illegal, increased traffic congestion may also fuel a push towards legalizing filtering as a solution to relieve pressure from overburdened traffic systems.
Legislators may also need to pay more attention to regulating any potentially dangerous driving habits that might accompany the practice of filtering. For example, some jurisdictions may choose to introduce mandatory motorcycle safety courses for riders wishing to filter, or stricter penalties for drivers who don’t give the right-of-way to motorcyclists filter. Although there are still a number of jurisdictions where filtering is illegal, pro-filtering activists are likely to continue to push for changes to the law . As the population of motorcycle riders continues to grow, the number of lobbying groups pushing for filtering relief and other changes to the law will likely continue to increase as well.
Technological advancements can also shape the practice of filtering law in the future. For example, hands free, mobile filtering applications may become increasingly popular, allowing for riding and filtering with your attention focused on the road. To this end, the development of smart helmets capable of reading the road ahead, and provide riders with warnings of potential hazards can help reduce the risk of accidents while filtering. For example, in Ontario, a local startup developed a motorcycle helmet that included a variety of safety features, including a smart phone receiver and Bluetooth that allow riders to call for help in an emergency.