I was commuting this morning along the East Lancashire road which is a nice big dual carriageway with several major sets of traffic lights. (It's a good place to try out your 0-60 time)

This morning I came to one set of lights and started tootling between the standing traffic to get to the front. One chap in a car moved out to make a bigger gap as I was passing him and a lorry. "Nice guy", I thought. But then he then started to jig in and out to dislodge me and was looking me right in the face as he did it. B*st*rd.

We all know the dangers of falling of a bike whether you're doing 20mph or 120, and as far as I'm concerned this c*nt was attempting murder. I considered stopping, blocking his way and smashing his stupid face in. Luckily common sense and my own inate cowardice kicked in only seconds later.

So I have 3 questions...

1) What would YOU have done?
2) Does anyone have any similar stories?
3) Is overtaking between standing traffic up to a set of lights strictly legal?

from the sound of this i'm just glad you're ok. had a similar situation when i was about 18 on my cm250, some twat saw me filtering through the traffic and i saw him look directly at me in his mirror and pull across to try and stop me, but being 18 common sense didn't prevail and i proceeded with my left leg out in front of me and kicked his wing mirror off. so to answer your questions:

1) this day and age what with chicken shits who carry blades probably the same as you did.

2) yes as above

3) i'm sure as long as it's stationary or moving less than 10mph you are quite entitled to filter through the traffic.

Hiya,

The advise below is from another forum, where an ex-policeman who was in the bike section was asked the same question.

Filtering is considered an overtaking manouver, so check out your highway code to see where you can't do it.

Off the top of my head, it's illegal to fillter if you've got to cross a solid white line, at the zigzags near a pedestrian crossing or school, or to make other road users change speed or direction.

There's another one, but I can't remember it now, and the webby I got the info from is down atm.

As for the other two things. I duno, I'd have to have it happen to me first.

YOU'RE RIGHT THERE,ELDER.IN FACT IT IS NOW RECOGNISED AS A LEGITIMATE MOVE.
HAVING SAID THAT,CAUTION IS THE BYWORD.YOU'RE GONNAE GET SOME T***ER TRYING TO BLOCK YOUR WAY.
REMEMBER TO A CHARITY RUN WHERE WE FILTERED THROUGH TRAFFIC AND SOME SMART $%£" EDGED OVER TO BLOCK THE LAST FEW BIKES.THE NEXT ONE WAS A BEEMER,WHO SQUEEEEEZED THROUGH.....LEAVING DEEP SCRATCHES ALONG THE CAR.
HAPPENED TO ME ONLY I WAS ALREADY ON A MINI ROUNDABOUT,WHEN THIS RETARD PULLS OUT TO BLOCK ME.THE OUTSIDE LANE WAS STOPPED AND THERE WAS A PARKED CAR BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH OF A GAP TO SQUEEZE UP IN FRONT.
AS MY PEG PASSES IN FRONT OF THE HEADLIGHT,I GAVE IT A SHARP BACK-HEEL,GAVE HIM THE :123 AND OFF UP THE INSIDE.
I DRIVE A CAR ALSO,BUT WHEN I SEE A BIKE COMING UP TO THE LIGHTS,I HAVE THE DECENCY TO GIVE THEM SPACE.

I think all or most bikers have had a similar situation as you had today, I think maybe car drivers cant except that there expensive tin boxes cannot match the ability of any bike to get through the traffic to the next set of lights.
Best advise is to keep calm but were ever possible break there inconsiderate mirrors off. :123