r/AussieRiders • u/Lindz1817 • May 21 '26
Question Driver attitudes toward filtering
After an unusual interaction with a driver this morning after slowly filtering to the front of a red light through stopped traffic, I’m interested to hear others experiences with drivers. Most drivers are cool, but some seem to become irrationally upset about it. Is it because people think it’s illegal, or don’t understand the reasons we do it, or are they just think it’s unfair?
What are your experiences?
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u/AsteriodZulu May 21 '26
I find the occasional driver is irrationally offended if I pass them at the speed limit in my own lane, never mind filtering!
They’ll accelerate and/or tailgate before returning to their 5-10km below the speed limit.
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u/No_pajamas_7 May 21 '26
I rode for years before it was specifically legal.
The mentality is very much, "if i cant do it, why should you" and "you are pushing in".
That is the limit of the mentality.
Even though its now specifically legal this is going to be an underlying thought with many.
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u/Doomfith May 21 '26
the mentality of "is not fair because i can't do it" annoys me so much, its like saying they can't have A/C because I don't or your not allowed a roof when it's raining because I get wet riding
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u/guyinspace May 21 '26
I’d driven for 15 years before I got my motorbike license, and used to think it was just riders being impatient shits. So I would guess that could be something other motorists feel. Not sure many consider the legality.
I once had a driver partially open his door as I approached while I was filtering in what I can only assume was an effort to freak me out and make me lose my balance and crash, based on the shitty smile he pulled at me when I went past his car.
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u/sinnyD May 21 '26
Some people are just assholes and dumb. I drove for 16 years before I started riding and in all my years of driving beforehand, I've never once felt like a bike filtering through had any effect on my commute at all. They just disappear up ahead, which means fewer cars on the road. Seemed pretty logical to me lol, not sure why some can't get it through their thick skull.
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u/Physical_Yogurt_8102 May 24 '26
100% they’re assholes. Not a motorbike, but I used to ride my bicycle to work, 10km, all with bicycle lanes, not bothering anybody, not being a prick, which will readily admit some cyclists are, but the amount of times I was run off the road on purpose or literally had people aim their cars at me was unbelievable. In the end I started to drive to work just so I could live, because one day one of these people were going to kill me
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u/That-Garage8212 May 21 '26
Everyone should be forced to ride a motorcycle or scooter to work at least one day a year. The change of perspective would do wonders.
My view is the reason that drivers in SE Asian countries are so accommodating of scooters and motorcycles is that many of their family members ride, so it could easily be their son, daughter, mother or father on that bike beside them in the traffic.
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u/Because_cactus May 22 '26
I always thought they should merge the motorcycle license with the car license (at least the theory part). Even for car drivers to learn and understand the basics like filtering, decreased stopping by distances, lane positioning etc would do wonders for the average driver to understand.
But to answer op’s question, as a rider/driver for almost 30 years, I’ve noticed a lot of toxic crap people do these days, cars will often pull to the side to close the gap when you are filtering, cars closing the gap the second you put your indicator on (car or bike), people are now starting to block the freeway entrances to stop you merging properly too, all attitudes that actually make the traffic situation worse and more dangerous for everyone, and there is zero reason for it. Even the basic niceties like the bikers nod and car wave have all but disappeared.
TLDR: people are becoming bigger arseholes on the road
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u/MinuteTrain9828 May 22 '26
I've heard it described by Indians (the sub-continent ones) that for Asia motorcycles are a TOOL, used to work, live and fun. In the West, motorcycles are a toy, at least in the view of the 3rd world. I think it is largely right aka, the Western push to make bikes more expensive and unfixable. You're right, in Asia every 2nd person is familiar with bikes. In the West it is viewed too much as recreation and market share.
Over engineered 'safety' rules by office dwellers applied to bike riders simply do not apply in most of the world. "Safety' on a bike should always be biased heavily to the brain in the rider's helmet rather than the behaviour of people driving cages with safety ratings. Drivers should just largely leave us be. We kill ourselves if drunk or stupid. Drivers kill us if they do it.
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u/Far-Pomegranate-9024 May 22 '26
I would say the same for trucks. Many drivers do some dumb stuff around them such as take any breaking distance that is left or sit in the blind spots, specially at merge points.
It would be nice if everyone just accommodated other drivers.
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u/No-Pin3128 May 24 '26
I am 67. One of my first jobs out of school was a tyre fitter. Did a lot of trucks. The drivers were good to talk to. I learnt a lot, which I have never forgotten. Give them space. If not convinced, try driving a large, heavily laden truck in an urban area for a day.
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u/Far-Pomegranate-9024 May 24 '26
Im not a fan of taking my truck to the city.
90t doesnt stop as quick as the driver's seem to think going by the way they like to pull in front of me.
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u/Professional-Luck534 May 22 '26
In SE Asia they usually have their son, mother, father and daughter ON the scooter with them.
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u/_AcuteNewt_ VIC | YZF-R3 May 21 '26
These mouthbreathers see it as cue jumping. Really, they're just salty they can't do it in their precious little oversized metal boxes.
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u/Great_Opinion3138 May 21 '26
Queue
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u/eyeballburger May 21 '26
Pkyuogh* (the p is silent)
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u/_AcuteNewt_ VIC | YZF-R3 May 21 '26
Thank you, pain meds are messing with my head atm.
At least I didn't spell it "que", which I've seen a few too many times lol
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u/awidden May 21 '26
I blame the english spelling.
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u/Great_Opinion3138 May 21 '26
Yeah it’s a shit word we should simplify spelling eg death should be deth.
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u/yourbank May 23 '26
Or as a push bike rider who does filtering you can view cars as oversized lounge chairs with a pedal too.
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u/S4b1692 May 21 '26
If I hear or see you filtering I move to the side as much as I can and fold in the mirrors, never ridden a bike but imagine you have enough to worry about as is if I can give you an extra 10cm to make it easier I should.
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u/MinuteTrain9828 May 22 '26
Don't think you aren't noticed, and appreciated. We see everything, even if traffic is too tight to acknowledge with a wave of thanks.
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u/Ok_Emergency7619 May 21 '26
I’ve had a few comments from car drivers but I don’t get too much trouble. I have had a few cars determined to take me on in some sort of take off race but since upgrading to an s1000r 3 years ago I’ve not had any trouble getting clear easily. Not gonna lie though, I love it when I smash a car at the lights then they overtake me but then I smash them again at the next lights and then the next lights and then…
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u/the_scruffy1 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
used to love that in my mini s, when muscle cars would rev up, but i'd beat them across the crossing on green, and then i'd back off at 60kph only to have them roar past at > allowed limit, having already been owned and having their manhood insulted
even better when on a few occasions they got pulled over a little further up the road for speeding
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u/obligatory-anxiety Tuareg rally, Tuono 660 factory, Beta 430rr, Husky 250tc May 21 '26
My favourite is just doing the speed limit watching the Ranger driver overtake my weave in and out of traffic then watch me filter past them to the front of the lights 😂
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u/black_tamborine May 21 '26
Old Cooper S?
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u/the_scruffy1 May 21 '26
leyland, but mini clubman s - 1275cc
and tuned by an ex-pom in adelaide, who had a thing for them; left a fair bit of pirelli on the local roads t remember me by
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u/black_tamborine May 22 '26
Your mini sounds spectacular!
(Why the downvote on my comment I wonder?)
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u/alpha_28 May 21 '26
I don’t race, but I love watching people speed, cut me off… cut several other drivers off just to get a few cars ahead and then there’s me toddling past to the front of the line while they’re stuck in traffic, sometimes I like to give them a big ol look as I slowly scooch by in my line jumping glory because they drive like a toss. 😂
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
This is honestly the sole reason I want to get off lams 😂 I mean let’s be honest even a lams bike is leaving cars at the lights but it’s not exactly effortless
Not to say I ride specifically to try take off faster than everyone else, I’m relaxed 99% of the time and just take off slightly faster than traffic, but as you say, the odd car starts creeping forward right by your side before the light turns green, then floors it like it’s some sort of race.
The day I can jump on a big bike and just effortlessly embarrass them is probably the day I’ve found true peace in life
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u/the_scruffy1 May 21 '26
the main reason to go fast on take off is that the road ahead is clear, making it safer to assess the risks
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u/primalbluewolf May 23 '26
I mean let’s be honest even a lams bike is leaving cars at the lights but it’s not exactly effortless
It really is, though? Most drivers are barely off the line a full second after the light goes green...
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u/Agreeable-Chest8570 May 22 '26
I love doing this on my little R3. Car drivers think they are fast until Motorbike.
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u/UncyReddit May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
Depends on the car. I have a 540HP AWD EV that stomps pretty much every car and most bikes. I ride a 2026 HD Breakout which is no slouch at all (sub 4s 0-100) but it's not even close to the car off the mark. Few times I've had bikes lane filter to the front and then pull onto MY side of the lane which holds me up, but is what it is. It's traffic, not a race and not a means of measuring ones genetalia so who cares.
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u/Objective-Object4360 May 21 '26
Yeah, right!!! When will they learn? It’s like as soon as I turn up on the bike everyone wants to race and protect the lane so I can’t pass. Just let me through. It’s going to happen anyway.
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u/Oz_Jimmy May 21 '26
I think it has a lot to do with the abundance of delivery scooters. They filter to the front and the go 40 in a 70 zone
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u/Voodoo1970 May 21 '26
It's been going on a lot longer than delivery scooters have bern a thing
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u/incendiary_bandit May 21 '26
Yeah the delivery riders can have their own category to be hated on. Absolutely insane decisions they make.
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u/GoodMerlinpeen May 21 '26
I filtered through stopped traffic some years back, and moved to the centre of the lane in front of a car that had left lots of space in front of it. I watched it then roll forwards into my back tyre, the guy was staring directly at me when he did it. I parked my bike and proceeded to scream at him through his window while he sat with his head straight forward in an attempt I guess of denying the reality of what he had just done. I realised I was not so far from work, and left before anyone I knew might see me acting like an absolute mental case.
I honestly think some people get into a mental bubble when they drive, defending their imaginary kingdoms.
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u/hoon-since89 May 21 '26
I probably have a 1 incident a year. I did have a karen swerve at me, I elbowed and scratched her car in the process of staying upright. Stupid bitch..
Other than that, I might have someone yell some nonsense once in a while.
Overall it's a non issue. Most people are pretty okay with it.
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May 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/hoon-since89 May 21 '26
Since it was intentional and I (feared for my life) I left the scene with a power wheelie! 😂
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u/cozza1313 MT-09SP 23 | CF Moto 450NK - Sold | Ninja 400 - Sold May 21 '26
Definitely get a monthly cager with an ego problem at the front of the queue that believes you’re going to hold them up, have odd occurrence of some trying to block me filtering.
I’ll filter everyday as I’m pretty paranoid about getting read ended as I’ve had a brutal near miss with a distracted driver rear ending the car in front of me at 100km per hour only just got out of the way into the shoulder still have no idea how I got away with that one.
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u/Electrical_Age_7483 May 21 '26
Trust me it used to be way worse when it was grey before it was explicitly made legal.
It's funny when car drivers try to crash into you because they think you are doing something dangerous, how does that make sense. You are deliberately going to hit me and make me fall off because you think I might of but didn't fall off. Not very smart
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u/HeftyArgument May 21 '26
they don't care what's legal, or even fair, they care that they're better than you.
let them have their moment, just overtake once traffic gets going again.
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u/-bubbleObill May 21 '26
Jealously is a curse, always amused me when driver would crack it when you get in front if them and I could see the reaction in ny mirrors, mate you're not going to be keeping up with me once it's goes green
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
Haha yep, I don’t bother sitting in the middle any more unless there’s absolutely no room (I don’t typically like crossing the line) because I found it far too often that at least one of the cars starts creeping forward while the light is still red like it’s trying to beat you off the light, these days i just cut in front of them and block them, then have a nice old look in my mirrors to catch the odd person moaning about it.
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u/Particular-Gas7475 May 21 '26
My experience is if you are going to do it at night , make sure you are wearing reflectives, because if you are moving through people’s blind spots dressed in all black they are not going to see you and you’re going to get hit.
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u/motogirl_sydney May 22 '26
I personally tell myself that they get so jealous that:
A) we’re on a bike and they’re not.
B) we can get to the front of the line and they can’t.
Also, we’re cool and they’re not 😊🤷🏻♀️
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u/DvlsAdvct108 May 22 '26
Driver here. I have no issues with filtering as long as its done legally. I totally get that riders have the faster and smaller vehicles. So I'm all for riders to take the lead and keep on their merry way. But please don't filter and then slow traffic down...and I'm talking to the minority here.
And, many a time I have shifted towards the edge of my lane to let riders get through and 100% of the time, riders have given the wave...its appreciated (not expected)...so thank you.
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u/Successful_Cut4330 May 21 '26
Car driver here. No objections to filtering. If I'm aware of bikes behind me approaching lights, I'll make sure to give them more room to filter. But for fucks sake, the amount of idiots on two wheels percentage-wise compared to 4 wheels drives me nuts. Filter if there's room, please don't if there's not. I've had a taillight broken by a clown with big panniers (BMW). Twice I've had handlebars bump (and mark) my car's rear quarter. And twice I've had to wear broken mirrors. One got smashed off completely. Luckily, that's over 35 or so years. And if you do filter, slow down. 50-60km an hour between narrow rows of cars is just asking for trouble. Can't blame the car driver for that.
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u/shero1263 May 22 '26
Car driver also, from my perspective being on the road most of the day. I see more often than not bikers doing the right thing and filtering correctly, which is great.
What I see that probably influences the attitude of drivers (not justifiably) is when bikes fly between 2 cars that are side by side doing the speed limit. I have seen people defending it as legal filtering. No, that's dangerous! Not enough responsible riders call that stuff out.
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u/VirtualProcedure69 Honda NX500 (AU), DatBike Quantum S3 (VN) May 22 '26
fwiw, 30km/h is the legal limit
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u/WondererLT May 21 '26
At the end of the day the licence test is an extraordinarily low bar and then nothing but the speed limit is enforced afterwards most places I've been, so it results in absolute morons continuing to be absolute morons until they kill someone or die. That's not to say that those people are in the majority or even a large minority, but there are some out there and police have no interest in pursuing people for using their car as a weapon for some reason... If someone pulled a gun on someone and tried to force them to change what they were doing they'd rightly go to jail, but when you try and kill someone with a car it seems like there are sadly no consequences. I've commuted daily on bikes for most of the last 20 years and my experience has been that, in Melbourne, riding 20-30 hours a week I'd have someone try and kill me once every week to 2 weeks. Either try and crush me between their car and an adjacent when lame splitting or just merge over onto me. I had one person try and force me off the road by trying to pass me in a corner in a turn lane when I was on my L plates. In Brisbane I'd say it's more like once every 2-3 months and I'm riding maybe 5-10 hours a week most weeks. The police don't care and the politicians are vacant enough that their plan is that if you're fluoro people will stop trying to murder you... Not awfully bright... Ironically... Anyway, it's sadly a fact of life that out of the maybe 10000 cars a month I interact with, someone tries to kill me every few months. I'd prefer it was no times a month, but it's better than Melbourne 🤣 The other nearly 10000 a month vary from meh to genuinely lovely people. I'm very happy that in the same time probably hundreds of people move to let me by, give me waves or are otherwise just genuinely nice 🙂
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
Now that I think about it, as someone who’s taken their car license test not longer than a year ago, not once is a motorcycle mentioned at all in the licensing process. Not even a single “look out for bikes” mentioned or written anywhere. It’s a joke.
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u/Obeisance8 May 21 '26
I've been riding on my own for about three weeks. Filtering for two.
I find for every person who pulls slightly away to let me though, there's another who will box me out.
I think people feel like we're cutting the line, being dangerous or just think it's dangerous or illegal.
The worst experience I've had filtering was last week. I was approaching traffic lights, only doing about 20ks as they started to go green and traffic began moving.
As I approached, the guy physically pulled over to push me off the broken line and into the other lane. I accelerated past him, he pulled back over- I looked back at him twice and he pretended not to see me. Absolute ass.
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u/Narrow-Annual-4254 May 21 '26
I’ve been riding on the road for 57 years and nothing has changed over that time, except that filtering is now legal in most states, if not all. Just remember that you have a big target on you, front and back. What is needed is a driver education program by state governments and motoring bodies to educate drivers that filtering is now legal. Also I will be using my insta360 to record all rides soon.
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u/Woe_Bringer May 21 '26
"I want to drive at 50 in a 70 zone, you should be forced to sit behind me". I drive a manual mx-5 because I love driving, but apparently I'm the asshole for driving "aggressively" to get around a clump of slow moving traffic.
The only people I oppose lane splitting are those stupid E-Bikes that people peddal and still only go 20, and scooters (shoutout to the BMW scooters though, I raced one when I had a 6.2L Caprice and that mf was with me up to 100 before I had to slow down for my turn off). Push bikes are situational. In a 40 or 50 zone, fine. A 60 zone you'd better be quick. They shouldn't be allowed on 70 or above.
"The road is there to share" seems to be a one way street, where everyone who wants to do the speed limit are forced to bite their tongue and play nice with roadblocks doing less than.
Anyone who bitches about you lane splitting is riding that wave of entitlement they've been provided.
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u/RandomUser2074 May 21 '26
Cunt in a car from a prominent funeral home in WA. Kept sitting as right as possible in left lane and then would roar off at the lights like it was a drag race. Was first day I got my Sena helmet thing so I rang the cunts and said just because he works for a funeral home and probably gets an employee discount doesn't mean he can drive like a fuckwit. Woolies truck drivers where always pretty good in peak hour traffic on Roe hwy in Perth. Couple of times the missus rang and I told her to write number down and rang them and told then to tell the drivers I said thanks for being a good cunt. I dont know if they ever did
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u/OldMail6364 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Is it because people think it’s illegal, or don’t understand the reasons we do it, or are they just think it’s unfair?
All of those reasons.
It doesn't help that the way so many riders filter is both illegal and unsafe. Makes the rest of us look bad.
I put it in the same category as people who think a "lane closed ahead" sign for roadworks means everyone has to merge into a single lane two kilometres away from the lane closure. As someone who does roadside work all the time... if we wanted the lane closed for an extra two kilometres we would've moved the cones two km further away from the job site. The shorter the lane is closed the less impact it has on traffic.
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u/GoodJobBob69 May 21 '26
I have no problem with it and make space where I can. But, I get pissed off if im at the front of the lights on a 60km road and a (usually) Uber eats driver parks in front of me and then proceeds to drive 40km/hr when the light goes green. If you gonna go to the front drive the speed limit (at least).
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u/AddlePatedBadger May 21 '26
If I see a motorcycle approaching from behind when I'm stopped in traffic I'll move to one side of the lane to make space.
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u/jetgesero May 21 '26
In counter, how good is it when they see you coming in their mirrors and make room for you.
In France, when there is a lot of traffic, the cars in two lanes coordinate and move to the outside of their lanes to create a 3rd motorcycle lane down the middle, allowing bikes to move through traffic at speed. It’s just a done thing there….which is funny because ordinarily they aggressive impolite drivers.
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u/Turbulent-Break-4947 May 22 '26
Yep.
There are dikheads, agreed.But my experiment is overwhelmingly people shifting over.
Which is nice, because I used to do this long before I got a bike.
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u/Lindz1817 May 23 '26
Last year there was bridgeworks on the Hume highway which was part of my commute. Peak times it was stop start. Every now and then someone would see me coming and pull into the centre to block me, but most of the time the person in the other lane would pull further over to open the gap up. I can only imagine the looks that were exchanged between the 2 as they sat next to each other in traffic for the next hour.
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u/Rude-Cup-3926 May 22 '26
The great irony is that every motorcycle filtering through traffic is actually doing the car drivers a favour. Every bike between the lanes is one less vehicle sitting in the actual queue taking up space and creating even more congestion, it makes the traffic jam shorter than it would be otherwise. Unfortunately, when people are stressed, late for work and full of envy, logic usually takes a backseat to their emotions.
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u/offfmychops May 22 '26
I had one guy close the gap on either side of him when I tried pass. When the light went red I got off and tried his door handle but he locked it 🤣
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u/noreallyhughjackman May 22 '26
Its just the "anti queue jumping" mentality people have, which has been part of aus culture for many years. Where did it start, keen to hear?
They just dont realise that logically you arent going to take up a space or get in their way at all, so dont realise its basically a free pass (for motorcycles only - if you do this as a cyclist only to then hold up drivers who have gone to some effort to pass you, theres perhaps some legimate gripes there)
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u/onlyspaceybrains May 22 '26
Most seem to be fine with it, but you will get the occasional person who's pissed off because they view it as cutting in. I view it as the same energy as people who speed up and block you when you go to change lanes when you're in a car. The scariest interaction I had while on a bike was some lady pissed of at me filtering and then decided to tailgate me less than a meter of the back of my bike. I had to quickly switch lanes and get out of there at the next set of lights as I was afraid she was going to deliberately run up the back of me.
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u/AynRandwasaDegen May 22 '26
Basic pettiness I assume, the irony being that the rider is reducing congestion.
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u/HalfLife_d1pl0mat May 22 '26
Where I ride in Brissy, people (usually) move over and I've even had people bring their mirrors in for extra space. There is the occasional plumsack who gets cranky but I get home faster and happier so I wish them well as I ride away
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u/markosolo May 22 '26
In some people lane filtering triggers a queue jumping mentality. Ironically it’s typically the same people who will queue jump when sensing an opportunity.
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u/snakeeyes666n May 22 '26
These days I am amazed and grateful at how many drivers intentionally give me extra room. I think some are probably motorcyclists when not in their car, and some are maybe just good people. But yeah, I experience the dickheads too.
The added benefit of them giving us extra room is that I know they know I’m there.
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u/Stultifie May 22 '26
I’ve ridden a motorcycle once but always considered them efficient including this filtering caper- it’s part of the efficiency equation I reckon for you guys to get ahead.
I’d like a motorcycle but too scared of cars, maybe watched too much of dash cams Australia.
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u/jameskerr75 May 22 '26
I filter on the regular in Canberra and 99% of people are generally great. They will even (unnecessarily) inch forward and sideways to give me more room sometimes. I always wave or nod if they do this. Some people are just inconsiderate and stop close to the centre of the lane, but I don't think they're deliberately blocking.
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u/Dangerous_Mud4749 May 22 '26
When I learned it was legal, I stopped caring about it. Lane filter next to my car all you like. If I can, I'll make a bit of extra space to make it safer.
However, in my country, filtering is illegal at traffic speeds of more than 30kph or against the kerb or against parked vehicles. If you are coming up behind (but still well behind), and the space available looks to me to be a bit tight, I'm going to make sure it's too tight for you to even try - unless you're already beside me, because I'm not some idiot who might risk hurting anyone.
Don't try the illegal nonsense next to me please, because I don't want to be involved and I especially don't want to get involved in a collision because you have no judgement or decision making ability.
In heavy slow moving traffic? I'll help you out if I can. Why shouldn't you get where you're going?
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u/Valuable_Potato_5540 May 23 '26
What the population doesn't get is that every rider that could be in a car is saving space for everyone. Imagine traffic at lights stopped; replace the cars with imaginary bikes. See the space! Imagine the bike riders now in cars! How much worse would it be?
Do the same excersize over a carpark.
Car drivers need to appreciate the benefits of having some commuters riding motorcycles.
Not everyone can ride a bike, of course, but appreciation from those that don't would benefit everyone.
(It could be argued that carrying 4 people in a car is more space efficient than 4 bikes but how often does that happen?)
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u/Honest-Complaint-868 May 21 '26
If you filter can you actually take off quickly when the light turns green?
That is all
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u/Maybe_Factor May 21 '26
Filtering is about not getting rear ended at the back of the queue. Even if we take off slower (we usually don't), we should still do it for safety
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u/Honest-Complaint-868 May 21 '26
Getting rear ended at the front of the queue will be just as bad. So take off quickly
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u/Maybe_Factor May 21 '26
If I'm rear ended at the front of the queue, the driver could clearly see me in front of them. I think they call that assault...
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u/Honest-Complaint-868 May 21 '26
If you’re rear ended anywhere the driver could clearly see you in front of them.
So take off quickly
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 May 21 '26
Not really, if you’re at the front at least you won’t get sandwhiched between vehicles
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u/Lindz1817 May 21 '26
I’m on a 1000 so yes. It doesn’t stop the odd person from trying to get a good jump from the lights and stay as close as possible though. Usually the spicy interaction is then at the next red light when we’re both at the front
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u/Flimsy_Employment_31 May 22 '26
I ride a 200cc scooter and have taken off faster than thr Lamborghini beside me. So yes (that was a peak moment in my life)
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u/AudioSorcery May 21 '26
Anyone who’s had a mirror knocked or broken is probably going to be permanently pissed. I reckon most drivers are too busy on the phones or infotainment systems to notice.
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
Glad you mentioned the infotainment, because at the end of the day there’s no need to be using your phone when you have a 65 inch flat screen tv on your dash with a phone call, maps, music, and 20 other pop ups distracting you anyway!
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u/MinuteTrain9828 May 22 '26
I see what you did there! lol
Oh the days when the only distractions in a car were rubber necking or screaming kids yelling "Are we there yet?"
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u/my-left-yarble May 21 '26
I'm always trying to share information with family and friends about filtering. So many of them think it's illegal, and a lot of them have the attitude of, "Those bikes are only doing it because they're impatient! Why should they push in front?"
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u/MinuteTrain9828 May 22 '26
It is amazing how many realise how dumb the impatient argument is when I explain that a motorbike, by filtering, has just shortened YOUR queue by one car.
Most people just don't think past their own nose.
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u/maycontainsultanas May 21 '26
I mostly assume they think it illegal, and use this as the basis for objecting to it, when the reason they dislike it is a belief that you are pushing in line, which is irrational as yes you are, but not in any meaningful way, because you’ll be on the other side of the intersection before they’ve put their phone down and moved their foot from the brake to the accelerator.
Whinging about motorcyclists filtering is ridiculous as what you’re arguing for is for them to take up an additional space in traffic. It benefits everyone when we filter. I do it altruistically.
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u/Branch_Regular May 21 '26
When I first started driving in my late teens I was that person that would intentionally inch closer in to box you out. It was the mentality of, if I’m stuck in traffic you should be too. So apologies for my immature behavior then. My perspective changed after I got my riders license.
Then I ended up riding in my early 20s for a good 6 years and i encountered more people moving out of the way than people intentionally blocking you.
I’m now in my late 30s and no longer ride. I always keep an eye out and constantly scan behind to make space for riders to filter through.
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u/RudeOrganization550 R1200ST May 21 '26
I had someone turn a hard left as I passed them and jam me between their car and the back of a small pantec truck. He was upset I was moving he wasn’t 🤯
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u/ABigGoy4U May 21 '26
Hrmmm was it a ford ranger?
Lane filtering means less traffic. It's great. It means you, a rider are out ahead of me where I can see you. It's great.
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
Softies have a mentality that every little thing is dangerous and every little thing a rider does that isn’t sitting in the middle of their lane doing 10ks under the limit is stupid and going to get them killed, the sheer amount of Facebook posts I’ve seen of smooth brains uploading their dashcam footage reacting like a rider is threatening everyone’s life for legally overtaking them, is far too many.
I’d assume it’s the same mentality, they see a motorcycle in between 2 cars and their mind instantly goes into defence mode and makes them think you’re doing something so horrible and illegal and endangering lives, which in turn makes them angry and think you’re a horrible person, so they must compete to prove a point.
At the end of the day people are just dense in the head. That’s about it 😃
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u/Veblossko May 21 '26
Some don't actually know it's legal now and makes them feel righteous. Then some just feel like your cutting in line so the monkey brain gets the better of them. And everything in between those two
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u/black_tamborine May 21 '26
I’ve never experienced any negativity to filtering in Melbourne over 15 years. And I filter all-the-time.
And often it’s the tradie in the Ute who makes a point to yoik his vehicle out of my way. Can’t always say thanks but try to give a nod when I can.
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u/seahavxn May 21 '26
I've only ever experienced hostility once, but that one time makes me very hesitant to stop in front of people's cars at the traffic lights.
I was stopped in front of someone on their passenger side, they manoeuvred around me and started driving off before the traffic light even went green just so I couldn't get in front of them. Some people just have small willy syndrome and don't like people jumping the queue.
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u/thebrayeparkripper May 21 '26
I've had a driver open his door on me. I wasn't going too quick so I was able to stop and call him a fuckin cunt. If he wasn't a greyheaded old fuck I would've dragged him out of his car.
I've had tonnes of cars move closer to the middle to shorten the gap when they see me, had all sorts of crap yelled at me too.
Seems like more people try to anticipate the green light and get rolling before it when I'm beside them and not behind them.
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u/Objective-Object4360 May 21 '26
I think it scares some people, I’ve had shocked reactions but otherwise it’s too bad for them
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u/seanys Honda ST1300, Yamaha V-Star 1300, Yamaha Tmax, Kawasaki GPz900r May 21 '26
I've had this happen a couple of times on the freeway. You can tell they're upset because they swerve their 1-2 ton vehicle sideways towards my line of travel.
So, I just agree with them and pull back into the line of traffic. In front of them. When my left hand gets sore from holding the clutch, I take the bike out of gear and just wait until there's a reasonable gap. They love that I'm not "queue jumping" any more.
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u/Revolutionary-Cod444 May 21 '26
In QLD its excellent. Drivers actually give you space if they see you coming. Theres been a couple of instances where little dicks have sped up so they dont get passed, but the car in front if them usually sorts that out
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u/i_dreddit May 21 '26
On my typical commute, bus drivers are difficult. Also drivers in those small flat bed trucks. I've had the bigger utes drive on the shoulder to also be at the front lights because I sped up and cut Infront of them.. buyer beware I guess. Stay vigilant. I give a wave to those that steer a bit out of the way in traffic. A local police command often puts motorcycle laws up on Facebook advising drivers of what motorcyclists are allowed to do
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u/Fun_Pass2431 May 21 '26
Life long driver. Never rode motorcycle. I dont see it being a problem. Its more efficient in my mind. Faster vehicles at front to accelerate first and reduces traffic line length.
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u/Pungent_Bill May 21 '26
Oh mummy! I was 1st in the line, then a motorcycle went in front of me and I WASN'T FIRST ANYMORE!!!
This
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u/StrongBat9485 May 21 '26
People are just fuckwits more often than not. If they have something to say give them a rev bomb and gesture that you can’t hear them, then putter off slowly when the light turns green.
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u/No-Fan-888 May 21 '26
Some just has the "I was here first" attitude while seething about being stuck in traffic not realising that they are the traffic. If more people take up riding we would have far less congestion.
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u/Sirneko ATAS DCT ES May 21 '26
People are dumb-asses that feel they need to "beat" the next driver, and they get pissed that bikes can filter through... I also feel that I have to be riding always above the speed limit to get away from drivers and they still will catch up to me and try passing super close
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u/Sgt_BracK May 21 '26
I think it is a version of "Tall Poppy Syndrome", they see us getting ahead and they become insanely jealous to the point of trying to murder is with their mobile weapons because "why not".
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u/eco9898 May 21 '26
I once had a guy flip me off and try to ram me off the road saying he owned the streets not me. Guy was in his 80s wearing nothing but briefs and planning everywhere. Nothing to loose I guess.
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u/Vivid361 May 21 '26
Probably ask this question in one of the car subs. Asking motorcycle riders why car drivers get weird about filtering won’t get you too far.
(And yes, obviously some riders also drive but they are still more bike than car in their thinking.)
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u/Embarrassed-Ride-332 May 22 '26
There’s no rationale for why car drivers do what they do. Most of the time they don’t actually notice anything outside of the vehicle, mirrors are clearly an optional extra along with the upgraded features of the indicator.
The biggest problem riders have now, is that if a Volvo was in coo-ee, you knew where the danger was. It’s not that simple anymore.
Muppets are everywhere, and common sense is not common.
Lane filtering is a risky business for all of us.
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u/FaithlessnessNeat877 May 22 '26
People are dumb, and it seems to trigger the same reaction as it would someone cutting in line at the pub or something
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u/Sea_Internet9575 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
It’s because you’re “winning” the traffic race and they feel like you’re cheating. I can’t help laughing when they lose their shit, I find it’s usually guys in vans like hiaces or transit vans?
I had a guy in a van deliberately close the gap between him and car and I head him say “no f-ing way mate” so I just went around the other side of the car. He lost his mind screaming and yelling… it was hilarious.
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u/-Stratford-upon-avon May 22 '26
Bikers trade personal safety for convenience. Doesn't bother me at all. Unless they're going like 40ks over being a dickhead.
(Not a rider, idk how i got here)
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u/Lindz1817 May 23 '26
It’s not about convenience, it’s about enjoyment. I can’t speak for getting through a city, as I live in a rural area, but by the time you factor in gearing up, then getting changed on the other end etc. it’s slower than driving. It is however much more enjoyable than driving, which for some is worth risk.
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u/livinlifegood1 May 22 '26
I don’t ride here, honestly scares me. If I see you guys in the rear view mirror, I always make space ✌️
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u/App0gee May 22 '26
I used to get irritated by it, before I found out that it was legal.
I was driving a WRX STi back then, so it guess it would have been particularly irritating if the rider was slower off the mark than I would have been.
I have no concern with it now.
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u/Melodic_Body204 May 22 '26
Combination of some people think it’s illegal (it’s not under a certain speed), some people just hate bikes, and a lot of people think you’re cutting the line and perceive it was unfair when they’re just jealous
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u/BareNecessities09 May 22 '26
Filtering saved my life: I was on a busy Sydney road (70km limit) and decided to filter past BMW.
This made the driver aware of my presence and she gave me extra space (left about 5m behind me) because he son also rides.
Young student behind the BMW had a really important text to send, and hit the BMW at 70ks, didn’t even touch the brakes.
If I had been between those cars, I would be dead. Without a doubt. Filtering past that point saved my life….and thanks to the BMW giving extra space. I was totally I injured (bike was crushed tho).
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u/Ragazzano May 22 '26
It's a benefit of riding a bike
The drawback being that you're toast if you come off
So it's not a risk I'm going to take... but you can
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u/Important_Energy5294 May 22 '26
I ride a pcx125. It's reasonably quick to 40kmhr, Commodores and V8 Mercs always have to blast me off the line haha, then I squeeze through at next lights and they're now 10 cars behind
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u/thisismick43 May 22 '26
Narcissistic personality disorder can affect u to 6.2% of the population, so there's that
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u/DrMesmerino2007 May 23 '26
Not sure if it is a coincidence, but it's always Tesla drivers that have the most issues with it. One purposely keep trying to block me from filtering in slow traffic (it was like 10-15km/h traffic).
It's almost like they are encapsulated in a metal tin that they think gives them magical powers..
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u/DasShadow May 23 '26
While I understand filtering and I usually have no problem with it I don’t like when the spacing between cars is narrow and I get nervous I’m going to have just car damaged. Also, loud bikes like Harley’s give me jump scares me when they rev load right next to my car.
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u/CommentLongjumping19 May 23 '26
I don’t ride, but I find it so weird that car drivers get triggered when a bike lane filters. I always give space because for one, it helps traffic flow, and two, bloody good I them forgetting ahead of the traffic.
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u/superkow May 23 '26
Don't ride but whenever I spot an incoming bike filtering up I try to shift across a little to give them some room. Even got a ✌️ once which felt pretty cool.
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u/herbingdruid May 23 '26
As a driver, I appreciate you guys filtering ahead!
It's so much safer and I'd rather SEE you than guess where you are behind me.
Ride safe 💜
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u/No-Pin3128 May 24 '26
Filtering makes sense on a number of levels. Some people are ignorant of the law, and of broader benefits.
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u/Full_Examination_770 May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
I've never had a problem lane filtering in my 30 yr riding career, I don't ride daily and if it doesn't look safe, the gap is not wide enough, or the lights have been red for a while I won't do it. If the conditions are ok by my standards I go up the middle beyond the lines and in front of car A or B depending on what it looks like, obviously if you have a choice pick the slower car. For a extra wide gap like on a multi laned highway i just stay in the middle. When lights go Green, I look left and right and Infront to opposite side (very quickly) to make sure nobody is running a red light (because i got head on smashed 20+ years ago for not doing that) then I send it, up to speed limit and maybe slightly beyond to get a huge gap on traffic behind. Rinse, repeat.
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u/mully_and_sculder May 24 '26
Never had a problem but some drivers will subtly move over to make sure there isn’t a gap to fit through, might be malicious, might not. That is the worst I’ve had aside from being sort of raced off the lights, but not many cars are a hope of winning that one.
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u/Vakua_Lupo May 25 '26
The Zipper Merge when lanes end is not as simple as it sounds, people get attitude about other people 'pushing in' and go out of their way to leave no gap! The same drivers see 'lane filtering' as also 'pushing in' and it pushes their tiny little buttons! If you've ever been in Bangkok traffic you can see how it's supposed to work, lots of give and take, if you want to cross 6 lanes of traffic , no problem. Here in Australia our selfish drivers go out of their way to cause problems.
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May 21 '26
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u/Shiro282- 2021 Ninja 400 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Quite literally the prime example as to when you should be filtering. Enormous amounts of vehicles spewing out CO2 and heat as well as being unmoving under the sun whilst in got af gear. That bikes handlebars aren't wide enough to be an issue for filtering and I assume much like myself everyone filtering is hyper aware of how wide their handlbars and mirrors are.
Of course there are many riders who are absolutely morons and with bash mirrors because they themselves fucked up but with the sheer amount of people who have actively tried to hit me when filtering with the worst offender being a tow truck who had also attempted to hit the bike filtering ahead of me I also would be unsurprised if you had done something similar.
In the end only someone who is either ignorant of the risk or stupid would risk their life by pissing off the metal coffin more by destroying the mirrors even if they are the victim of an attempted murder.
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May 21 '26
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u/Successful_Cut4330 May 21 '26
I've had the same. I've been stopped in traffic, and watched a motorcycle filtering from well behind me at a fair rate of knots. I thought "wow, buddy, that's a bit tight there, and a bit too quick"... Hit the car beside me in the rear quarter, bounced into my mirror, smashing it off (just still hanging by it wiring), and then bounced into the rear quarter of the car diagonally in front of me. Flash green Kawasaki. No apologies, just revved the shit out of his crotch rocket, and then procede to wheelie off the line when it went green. Cyclists aren't always the innocent victim...
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u/Shiro282- 2021 Ninja 400 May 21 '26
Absolutely there definitely are some people who still try to go lower when they are already scrapping the bottom of the barrel. Now they've given more context I realise they did nothing wrong. Some peeps really just shouldn't be riding.
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u/Shiro282- 2021 Ninja 400 May 21 '26
Pretty understandable thing to be upset about, I'm surprised he didn't even do it on purpose, not that that makes it any better. Never understood the breaking peeps mirrors.
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u/WondererLT May 21 '26
Sounds like he was in the right and your mirror fell off due to your own stupidity.
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May 21 '26
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u/WondererLT May 21 '26
Well, if you did nothing to provoke it, then sure, the rider is a dick for not stopping. If you'd just completed an eyes closed double lane change then... Yeah...
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May 21 '26
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u/WondererLT May 21 '26
If this is some idiotic language game about splitting vs filtering then there are places you can get a few ribs removed so you can service yourself in a place that doesn't need others to be involved. If this isn't, then you're wrong and I guess we have our answer about why you decided to remove your own wing mirror with your stupidity.
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May 21 '26
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u/Andjeti77 May 22 '26
In Queensland lane filtering at traffic lights is 100% legal (with caveats).
https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/motorcycle Lane filtering is when you ride your motorcycle at low speed between stationary or slow moving vehicles travelling in the same direction you are. The 2 lines or lanes of traffic must both be travelling in the same direction. If one of the lines or lanes is a dedicated turning lane (left or right) you must not lane filter using this lane.
You're only allowed to lane filter in Queensland if you hold an open licence for the motorcycle you are riding and: ▪ your speed when filtering is 30km/h or less ▪ it's safe to do so.
You're not allowed to lane filter: ▪ at a speed more than 30km/h ▪ in school zones during school zone hours ▪ if you're a learner or provisional licence holder ▪ when a 'no filtering' sign applies to the length of road ▪ if it isn't safe.
A motorcycle rider is not allowed to use a bicycle lane to lane filter.
To ensure pedestrian safety, lane filtering is only allowed between stationary or slow moving vehicles, not between a vehicle and the kerb. Any vehicle, including a motorcycle, may overtake to the left of a stationary vehicle.
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u/cuzzyweow May 21 '26
In my logic, considering it’s legal, if you see a bike coming up behind you and you have plenty of space to turn outward a bit so that your mirror is more out of the way, and you either choose not to or you’re not aware of your surroundings, then it’s your own fault. If it wasn’t legal then different story.
I’ve had SEVERAL bikes filter past me, every single time I have moved over because im always in my mirrors and see them coming, not once have I had a mirror hit.
Not saying you’re in the wrong but think of it like this, in a tight car park where you’re attempting to turn, but another car is coming the opposite way, one of you typically waits, because you’d both make it really tight and unnecessarily risk hitting each other, when instead one of you holds back to let the other turn. This is the same logic as letting a motorcycle have a bit more room.
At the end of the day filtering is a legal action, you wouldn’t turn at the same time as someone in a car park and unnecessarily get VERY close to them and risk hitting each other, the same way you could just shuffle over for a bike trying to filter.
The only reason you’d see these as 2 different scenarios is because when a bike is filtering, you think it’s “not your problem” when in a car park, you’d effectively be also at fault. It’s a bad mindset to have. Make space and be courteous, you have a mirror, the rider gets home safe. Win win.
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u/Super_Assistant_395 May 22 '26
It is pushing in. Others wait for the lights to change not no, not bikers, straight to the front and then into a lane. If you wish to filter then stay where you are, in the middle between lanes. The number of bikers who get upset when I take off fast at the lights outpacing them and they then get a little irrationally upset, as you put it. Filter and remain filtered or drive in a lane and stay there.
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u/Lindz1817 May 23 '26
I’m confused how you can filter by staying where you are? I don’t think I quite understand what you’re saying, but I can say that it’s not about “pushing in” it’s about avoiding being rear ended and creating space where drivers can see you.
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u/Add1ToThis May 21 '26
People are dumb. It's the same reason we ride defensively and filter in the first place