The Truth About Lane Splitting Nobody Will Say!

The UK doesn't have a law prohibiting filtering but lane splitting normally results in a "riding without due care and attention" summons. There is no proscribed upper speed limit or method of filtering in the Highway Code (the rules of the road) but, if you are travelling at more than 20 - 25 mph or weaving between lanes, expect a "without due care and attention" or dangerous riding summons. About 50 years ago, for a very short period of time, an upper limit of 27 mph for filtering was mentioned in the Highway Code.

In France there is a specific law covering lane splitting but there seems to be no law covering filtering. The law for lane splitting only allows it on Autoroutes or dual carriageways at speeds of under 50 km/h (31 mph) under very specific circumstances but, there are caveats! There are signs on some major Autoroutes advising motorists that lane splitting is legal. Motos (motorcycles and scooters) filtering to the front at junctions is the norm but there is no law allowing it - in France, in general, you need a law to allow you to do something, if there is no law, it is usually prohibited.
 
JQL said:
The UK doesn't have a law prohibiting filtering but lane splitting normally results in a "riding without due care and attention" summons. There is no proscribed upper speed limit or method of filtering in the Highway Code (the rules of the road) but, if you are travelling at more than 20 - 25 mph or weaving between lanes, expect a "without due care and attention" or dangerous riding summons. About 50 years ago, for a very short period of time, an upper limit of 27 mph for filtering was mentioned in the Highway Code.

In France there is a specific law covering lane splitting but there seems to be no law covering filtering. The law for lane splitting only allows it on Autoroutes or dual carriageways at speeds of under 50 km/h (31 mph) under very specific circumstances but, there are caveats! There are signs on some major Autoroutes advising motorists that lane splitting is legal. Motos (motorcycles and scooters) filtering to the front at junctions is the norm but there is no law allowing it - in France, in general, you need a law to allow you to do something, if there is no law, it is usually prohibited.
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When I'm abroad I just do what the locals do... :cool:
So particular in France, Italy, Spain or Portugal lane splitting and filtering are a breeze; drivers are attentive, completely used to it and (mostly) free of any resentments...
(here in AuSTria only filtering is legal; specific restrictions apply though, and especially here in Vienna I'd be wary about Talahons in their beefed up Beemers, Mercs and Audis...)

Care is advised if you run into tourists...
absolute convinced that the validity of ze Deutsche Straßenverkehrsordnung travels along wherever they go, a 'Klingon' is his Passat Estate will attempt run you of the road... 😒
ze GF's NT700VA still has a nice mark from scraping a safety rail while she got nearly pushed of the road by one of those up way up in Norway, and I had my fair share of encounters with such imbeciles all across Europe over the years... :rolleyes:
 
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When I was a Courier (DR - Dispatch Rider) in London, we had, erm, polite methods :rolleyes: to deal with those who attempted to block us.

In France, woe betide anyone who tries to block a Scooter rider in the Paris area. I've witnessed some rather unpleasant behaviour. French Motorcycle riders seem to be calmer and cooler...

This was filmed about 5 years after I left the industry and is fairly representative (no sound):

This was filmed about 10 years after I left the industry and is slightly more restrained :
 
JQL said:
When I was a Courier (DR - Dispatch Rider) in London, we had, erm, polite methods :rolleyes: to deal with those who attempted to block us.
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Yeah, smacking rear-views, kinking aerials, flipping wiper blades... 😉
JQL said:
In France, woe betide anyone who tries to block a Scooter rider in the Paris area. I've witnessed some rather unpleasant behaviour. French Motorcycle riders seem to be calmer and cooler...
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Had no issues in France/Paris joining right in with the ST... where it got too narrow ahead, I pulled in with the cars to let the smaller scoots by (who always thanked BTW), but as soon as the flood ahead parted I was right back with them...

Places like Naples/Italy are a different terrain, those scoots are all over you like a swarm of angry hornets... the only chance is to absolutely wring it and get ahead of them...

An ST has the benefit of intimidating appearance* towards cagers... most think twice before harassing, the few absolutely stubborn ones get an advance warning by dual FIAM horns, to then end with size 48/13 Daytona boot imprints in fenders and door-skins to show and tell about...

*coming off her small Kawa ER5 (which is 'life as an insect' in dense urban traffic...) ze GF gained similar experience once commuting with her way more impressive looking NT700...
But also she soon requested an upgrade to that roadrunner squeak Honda selected as OEM horn in there... 😈
 
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