Hey guys just found this thread! I ride with my full beam on when sunny and filter regularly! I ask this very question when I attended the very last Bikesafe in Scotland on 17th May and basically the instructor did say that riding with full beam could dazzle other road users and said that a 3 second burst of full beam would be more appropriate and technically you could be pulled for it! My answer to him was that a 3 second burst would be seen as flashing and therefore a sign of aggression or impatience and would be more of an annoyance to the guy in front also that the sun on chrome strips or windows on cars cause more dazzle the a bikes full beam! And that safety comes first and you presenting yourself to other road users is paramount! I asked the likelyhood of being pulled for this and he said it depands on what mood the officer is in when you are seen riding with the full beam on. Also filtering is all about common sense! If you are filtering at speed on the motorway it could be perceived as undertaking and therefore an act of dangerous driving so if you think it is wrong it probably is! Filtering should be done slowly not putting yourself or other road users at risk! If you think it's not worth the risk then it isn't! Trying to save 5mins could cost you weeks in hospital or worse! As for me I will continue to use fullbeam on sunny days! And if road users think I'm being a total dick then it's worked! THEY'VE SEEN ME!!! I'm prepared to be pulled up for it as I think it will be a long time in coming! Above all just be safe guys
As someone who knows how the rules of the road affects everyone by not using them, this is making for cringy reading.. i cant be bothered to quote and pick bits out, but more people should read the highway code, or have a bit of foresight, maybe think about the consequences once in a while. I think most training is substandard, and people only do the minimum to get through tests, drivers and riders are constantly dumbing down, and the odd bend of the rules here and there, when an accident happens they are too quick to blame the other. Stick to the original rules, use some hazard perception and general anticipation and you won't go far wrong. Main beam is a no for me, and if you saw what new drivers do when a bike (even worse with main beam) do, you wouldn't go near any car, and expect the driver to not take you out. Different cars have different sized blind spots, too many dont use shoulder checks, and due to different body shapes, some drivers will actually turn the steeering wheel while shoulder checking. Filtering is unnecessary above 30mph. If you're dumb enough, you're asking for trouble, as you have to be able to stop if something happens. I doubt you'd stop well. Also clearance applies to all 4 sides of your vehicle, so while not illegal to filter, you are not keeping your clearance. we allow 2ft @ 20mph, 3ft @30mph etc.. so at 40 etc you've no chance. This is to allow for doors opening, people walking out etc.. Dont sit in a cars blind spot, it is difficult for a car to take you out by getting into the left lane unless you were in the cars blind spot. I personally do not pass on the left. Never. I teach people with full nigerian driving licences for example, they are not familiar with using the left mirror at all most of the time. They do not need a uk licence to drive on our roads for a year after moving here. Lots of foreign countries concentrate on the traffic in front, no need to check behind you as it is the responsibility of the car behind to watch where he is going. Bear this in mind, there are lots out there. Silly things, like approaching junctions where you have right of way, mini roundabout where its is clear on your right, what if you approach so fast that the guy on your left screws up and pulls out, technically his fault, but not really eh? All the little rules are being eroded. across the board. stop relying on the rules being followed, treat everyone as a threat, but using the rules to the letter I find means that despite people actively trying to take us out all the time, we remain safe. Works for me on the bikes just as much, maybe my anticipation is better. ok, rant over.. slate away..
Ooohh.... No.... Best filter between vehicles that are alongside each other. Mr Audi driver, c*&^ck though he is, cares much more about his paint finish than anything else. He's not going to squeeze you any more than he can help against another vehicle. He will however quite quickly and without much thought charge immediately from lane X to lane Y without indicating, simply because he thinks he can... He also doesn't look, so that gap you thought you were going to move into is now a one-way carge into the back of yonder truck that isn't moving anywhere near as fast as you are. H
Think you've got a few valid points there Mel other than "filtering is unnecessary above 30mph" it's too broad a statement to make considering all the possible traffic situations you could be in....
