Been filtering through traffic during rush hour

[油井緋色]

Problem with filtering is if an accident occurs, it's your fault. This essentially gives impatient ******** a legal way to act on whatever holy justice they want to serve because they can't filter...most of them don't know this thankfully.

For the record, I've had a ****ing Canada Post truck try to race me off the red. When I passed him he honked so I did the most mature thing by turning around, giving him the finger and waving good bye.

 

[hedo2002]

Fortunately, I don't have to ride a ton in downtown traffic most of my riding is north of Steeles. But have been riding on and off for over 30 years. I simply don't see a justifiable excuse to filter.

It places you at increased risk, look at the post above of being run out of a lane by an irate cager. (Of course this is the same rider who was asking about a call he got from the cops over a report about his driving and at the time claimed he really generally rides safely and in a responsible manner. He couldn't understand what he had done to warrant someone calling in the report.) Then as stated if ANY form of accident occurs YOUR the one biting the fault, and it is your insurance, Not to mention a possible serious injury.

Is it really worth it in the end, to the OP the questions is really two fold. Firstly would you ride in this manner if you KNEW there was an officer present? If the answer is no then why do it at a time when you HOPE that one isn't there? Secondly and the one which is less quantifiable, is exactly how much time does this riding style really save you in the end, (30 - 45 seconds in your overall commute, perhaps even less but likely best case scenario 1 MINUTE tops). Is the chance of a ticket or serious injury or much higher insurance worth 1 MINUTE?

Yes in places like California filtering is permitted and "seems" to work better as cagers are used to it and expect bikes to be there, (BUT there are still collisions), this practice has been in place there for decades now. Cagers in Ontario are simply not used to bikes doing this nor do they expect ti so your chances of a collision here are greatly increased.

Now having said that this is like weather another rider wears proper gear, we all know we should but quite frankly it doesn't affect MY life one iota if another rider doesn't wear gear and spends months of painful skin grafts etc, I choose to wear MY gear, (yes I had an accident a few years ago cause I "was just going a short distance, and didn't need full gear". I spent weeks pulling gravel out of the wounds three ER visits and many more to my doctor, (I still walk with a slight limp from the broken toe that acts up from time to time). but it is the other riders decision if they choose not to wear gear.

I certainly wouldn't be going on the theory that a cop will write then ticket then simply choose not to show up for court, (this is monitored by all police services), miss too many court dates and you hear about it, (trust me been there done that)..lol

I imagine after the NY video cagers, (at least the few that have seen it), hold a MUCh different view of riders then they did before and view us as a "menace" to "be dealt with" and if there isn't a cop there to do it there WILL be some foll cager who will take it upon themselves to "serve justice" So why "poke the bear"...lol

 

[Buddhacide]

Hedo, if you read my post you'll see I admit that I do things that arent 100% legal, like filtering - which IMO can be done completely safely on a bike (provided other drivers dont have it in for you). If the phone call was about that then I would take my medicine. I admit in the thread I probably did something that ****** some body off. The phone call was about a bunch of stuff I would never do, like running reds and almost hitting pedestrians.

Despite filtering and some other moves that cagers might look down on I've been a daily urban commuter 8-9 months of every year for almost a decade that has never been so much as pulled over. I do consider myself to be a safe driver - in a logical sense. However, when you factor in irate cagers logic goes out the window.

 

[hedo2002]

Hedo, if you read my post you'll see I admit that I do things that arent 100% legal, like filtering - which IMO can be done completely safely on a bike (provided other drivers dont have it in for you). If the phone call was about that then I would take my medicine. I admit in the thread I probably did something that ****** some body off. The phone call was about a bunch of stuff I would never do, like running reds and almost hitting pedestrians.

Despite filtering and some other moves that cagers might look down on I've been a daily urban commuter 8-9 months of every year for almost a decade that has never been so much as pulled over. I do consider myself to be a safe driver - in a logical sense. However, when you factor in irate cagers logic goes out the window.

Correct, I agree with your premise, I got busy at work and had to cut my post shorter, what I was going to highlight now that I had 2 minutes to edit my last post, (but seeing you replied I will do so here). Is we all "think" what we are doing is safe and responsible riding at the time. Just as those who drink and drive often think they are ok to do so. But in reality it isn't what we perceive how our driving is but how other road users perceive our riding style.

You undoubtedly, (and it may be I can't say as I have never ridden with you), think all your riding may be responsible and safe, (note I said nothing about legal or illegal), but it may not be viewed as such by another road user. I agree whatever you may/may not have done to warrant the "roadwatch" call, was done with some degree of safety, (otherwise you would have crashed or caused an accident involving others), but someone felt your driving was bad enough that they needed to take the time to call and report it. So all I am saying is it is in the eye of person watching weather something is safe or not. Think of skydiving, (I have jumped out of many planes and think it is a "safe activity" but many will not have the same view of it. So in the end whose point of perspective is right and is it safe?

The OP "views" his style of filtering as safe and responsible. It very well may be but is it in the end worth the risk? In the end this is a call only he can make, and if he chooses to do so, I could care less but he has to realize that others may not view it the same way he does. If he is willing to accept the risks, (accident or tickets), then that is his personal choice

I have a LOT of dealings with MTO and the OPP S.A.V.E team, as a result of my position within ATV'ing here in Ontario, so I am somewhat fortunate that I have gained insight that many don't have the opportunity to see or hear. Will filtering ever come to Ontario? Not likely in the near future, as it would need to be studied to death before it became possible and quite frankly like many things that seem a slam dunk to us is simply not a priority for the MTO