Do you filter past cops?

Discussion in 'Anything Goes' started by GatorGreg, Apr 27, 2018.

  1. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    So this morning while approaching a red light I was filtering between two lanes to get to the front when I noticed a cop's SUV in the right lane about 3 cars from the very front. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to filter or lane split in Florida but for a second I thought about just nonchalantly riding on by him anyway. I chickened out though and squeezed into a little gap in the left lane about even with the cop's rear bumper :D

    The cop had dark tinted windows so I couldn't tell if he was looking at me but I'm about 90% sure he would have had to seen me approaching in his mirror since I had my brights on. In hindsight I wished I had kept going just as an experiment to see whether he would have bothered pulling me over. Would you guys have kept going? Any idea what the ticket would be for if he had pulled me over? Failure to maintain a lane or careless or maybe even reckless driving? Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for lane splitting or filtering in a state that doesn't allow it?
     
  2. Bubba Utah

    Bubba Utah Member

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    OMG, Gator! Did we not just go over this in another post? Who taught you how to ride? You truly are a unusual sort in the art of riding safely!;-) or tempting fate IMO (notice I did not use "I" like James.) ;-)
     
  3. fink

    fink Member

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    You should know the basic rules of the road before you venture out.

    I passed a traffic car the other day heading home in pouring rain nice big long overtake then slipped back into line as the oncoming cars approached and back out after they went. They guys never even bothered and won’t if your riding sensibly.
     
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  4. Nelix

    Nelix New Member

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    The correct action was to filter slowly to the front and stop. When the lights change bare both arse cheeks, flip the cop the bird, and wheelie away shouting "Yeehaa."
    If the cop pulls you over you learn a vital piece of information, the cop is gay.
     
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  5. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

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    In the UK its legal to lane split, in certain areas in the US its not. Why give them another excuse to write you a ticket...
     
  6. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Don't worry Bubba - the cars were all stopped and I was just filtering towards the front of the line at maybe 5 mph - I do it all the time - nothing terribly dangerous but technically against the rules.
     
  7. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    I was curious if they would have bothered to pull me over for something that trivial - it would have been a good test because there was nothing terribly dangerous about what I was doing. I consider filtering slowly through stopped traffic to be much safer than lane splitting through moving traffic. I'm pretty sure I could have talked my way out of a ticket and gotten just a warning if they had pulled me over in that scenario.

    I'm wondering if anyone in the USA (outside of California where it's legal) has actually been pulled over and given a ticket for either filtering or lane splitting and what the ticket was technically written for and how much the penalty was if any.
     
  8. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    LOL - here's a movie clip for you :D

     
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  9. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    You know it’s illegal why do it? You’re a lawyer and pose this question? Not a good habit Florida.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2018
  10. Thumbs

    Thumbs Member

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    Ive never had the chance to filter past a cop on a motorcycle in California ...they're always going too fast ....it's usually the other way around
     
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  11. cat0020

    cat0020 Trumper

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    All the time, most of the time it's the officers that wave for me to filter through, at least that's one thing NYPD have gotten better in the last few years.
    Philadelphia cops not as friendly, but never pulled me over neither. my filter speed is mostly under 15 mph, rarely get above 20 mph.. they know I'm not speeding, not trying to run away, just getting by to reduce the traffic volume.
     
  12. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    LMAO - what are you a fucking Eagle Scout? I'm talking about filtering at a stop light - not armed robbery. I have another confession for you: I bought some fire crackers and bottle rockets in South Carolina and set them off in Florida - feel free to call the police and/or The Florida Bar to report me :D
     
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  13. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Thanks - that is helpful info. It's technically against the rules there, correct? I'm guessing most officers in my area would also use their discretion as long as I'm filtering in a reasonably safe manner.
     
  14. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    From what I understand it's legal in California so you can filter away while there. Isn't it legal in the U.K. as well? I might write an amendment to our traffic statute and see if I can get one of my local state legislators to sponsor it here in Fla - would probably pass.
     
  15. fink

    fink Member

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    Andthe bottle crashed.........



    I got pulled palo alto for doing it. Copper let me off cos I was a “ tourist” and a fellow Scot. :Nono::Nono::)
     
  16. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    How long ago were you in Palo Alto? According to this article lane splitting didn't become legal in Cali until 1/1/17. (The article also has several tips from the CHP on splitting safely.)

    https://www.vititoelawgroup.com/blo...of-california-motorcycle-lane-splitting.shtml

    Is it legal in Scotland?
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2018
  17. fink

    fink Member

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    It was back in 20o8 was doing a medical course at Stanford.

    Yeah legal in UK. Kind off hard doing it on single track roads tho. Nearest mway is over 100 miles away, in fact closet to 150.
     
  18. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I wudda hung every damned ticket I could on you and made up a few that included having sex with dead roadkill. Perv!
     
  19. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    In California it is not legal necessarily to do so. (or wasn't a few years ago) It is just that there is no law on the books there that says lane filtering is illegal. So long as you practice discretion and prudence in your actions, the officer will let it go. If one behaves like a frikken idiot, I suspect there are laws they can use to hang you.

    When there was movement afloat several years (maybe decades) ago the strongest support of maintaining the ability to lane share was the CHP. Info comes from a reliable source.
     
  20. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    Lane splitting has been A OK here since at least since 1987.
    Limit of my experience.
    Weed about the same.
    Screw the feds. :homer:
     
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