Mmmmm, I love it....!!!!

[ldn1702]

Look at what they're planning to do in Paris on March 13th... hundreds (if not thousands) of bikers will cause an enormous traffic jam to protest at proposals to prevent motorcyclists from filtering through the traffic.

French bikers say that as they will no longer be allowed to filter between cars, they will demonstrate by taking each the space of a car and behave like a car, thus causing an enormous and massive traffic jam ever seen in Paris.

I love it! I can put money on it that the authorities will announce on March 14th that bikers will carry on being able to filter through traffic. The FFMC is organising this massive protest.

That's absolutely brilliant, FU*K them!

http://www.motomag.com/FFMC-Appel-a-la-mobilisation-le-13.html

[kaychanc]

how on earth did the French think that proposing to take away one of the liberties of motorcycling is a good idea?

[ldn1702]

how on earth did the French think that proposing to take away one of the liberties of motorcycling is a good idea?

They're just another bunch of idiots, the French local bureaucrats I mean

[kaychanc]

They're just another bunch of idiots, the French local bureaucrats I mean

bureaucrats! the bane of my life.... i would dearly love to set one on fire!

[gibbo]

Paris in march............... sounds good maybe we should go on mass to support them

[spannermonkey]

Being totally self centred, a group of us going to Paris  with flags and flyers in french asking for their help can't hurt.

what do you think?

[gibbo]

sounds good to me how much is it to put a bike on the euro tunnel

[1frog]

good idea but it would work out quite expensive. I'd be happier to do it in  the spring/summer.

[Bandit]

Ban filtering! How absurd!
On what ludirous premise did the bureautwats come up with that one!??

Having said that, I saw a report in MCN last year over a biker who got an ASBO for filtering.
Filtering in a manner liable to cause a breach of the peace, or in a threatening manner, or likely to cause offence or some such bollocks.
Looks like PC Shiny Knob is also Legion!

I'm sure that French bikers will stuff up the traffic no problem - can't wait to see the footage.

[1frog]

What is going on ?
Why don't they try to ban bikes altogether while they're at it instead of torturing us slowly, bit by bit !
bikers need to unite "presto" and fight for our survival or these bureaucraps will exterminate us.

[ldn1702]

Don't worry guys, the twat who made that proposal/decision will come back to it straight after the 13th March. There will be complete chaos in Central Paris on the day, the French know very well how to protest and cause enormous disruption.

[jimc]

The French have a particular problem.

Here, we can do whatever isn't against a 'law'.  In France, you can only do what you are 'allowed to by law'.  There is no mention of sharing lanes - so it's against the (non-existent) law explicitly allowing it.

Here in the UK filtering is implicitly allowed (as not proscribed) - and even mentioned a couple of times in the latest Highway Code.

[woodstock521]

Having said that, I saw a report in MCN last year over a biker who got an ASBO for filtering.
Filtering in a manner liable to cause a breach of the peace, or in a threatening manner, or likely to cause offence or some such bollocks.

I read about a guy a few years ago winning a court case, (which set a precedent) and it effectively said that filtering was a right to bikers, and the onus was on the drivers -as opposed to riders- to look out for, and cater for us to filter. MAybe someone with more legal knowledge than myself could identify if that technically (or effectively) makes it law...

The French have a particular problem.

Here, we can do whatever isn't against a 'law'.  In France, you can only do what you are 'allowed to by law'.  There is no mention of sharing lanes - so it's against the (non-existent) law explicitly allowing it.

Here in the UK filtering is implicitly allowed (as not proscribed) - and even mentioned a couple of times in the latest Highway Code.

I was always told that the highway code is law...  or that legal legislation was needed for something to be put in with regard to motorised vehicles...

Filtering has always been a 'grey area'. Technically an overtake, made possible by the fact we are thinner than cars, but also not quite an overtake as circumstances are different; Filtering is moving through/past slow or stationary traffic, while an overtake is at speed. The chap with the court case, and now the highway code revision make reference to filtering directly, surely require - if they're not already and no-body has noticed- laws to be drawn up or modified to account for filtering as a maneuver, not just a low speed overtake (or undertake as the case may be)...

[templar]

I read about a guy a few years ago winning a court case, (which set a precedent) and it effectively said that filtering was a right to bikers, and the onus was on the drivers -as opposed to riders- to look out for, and cater for us to filter. MAybe someone with more legal knowledge than myself could identify if that technically (or effectively) makes it law...


I was always told that the highway code is law...  or that legal legislation was needed for something to be put in with regard to motorised vehicles...

Filtering has always been a 'grey area'. Technically an overtake, made possible by the fact we are thinner than cars, but also not quite an overtake as circumstances are different; Filtering is moving through/past slow or stationary traffic, while an overtake is at speed. The chap with the court case, and now the highway code revision make reference to filtering directly, surely require - if they're not already and no-body has noticed- laws to be drawn up or modified to account for filtering as a maneuver, not just a low speed overtake (or undertake as the case may be)...

Not entirely true in my understanding.

There was an article in the larger Riders Digest a couple of months ago where they got a lawyer to look at filtering. While it is legal, the question arises as to who has right of way. If a bike is deemed to have acted reasonably: not riding too fast and close, keeping a good eye out etc, and the car is obviously liable, then any court case is likely to go the bikers way. If the bikers is steaming through packed traffic, without slowing down to check adjoining road or make themselves as visible to joining cars as they could have, then the biker can be held responsible for any collision, for having not displayed proper care and attention.

I believe it falls under the tort of negligence (It's all about snails in bottles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donoghue_v_Stevenson), and the Good Neighbour principle. If you're behaving badly, then you're likely to be held accountable.

The piece (which I can try to find tonight if you like) basically said that when filtering, consider everythng you do as evidence in court. If you're going over the spee dlimit, it will look bad, if you're wearing a high viz, it will look good. Other than that, there is no rule as to whether it is 100% legal and expected, or whether it is 100% illegal.

[ldn1702]

Here is the official annoucement from the FFMC for the demo in Paris on 13th March for those who understand French.

http://ffmc84.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=219

[bigdave]

Here is the official annoucement from the FFMC for the demo in Paris on 13th March for those who understand French.

http://ffmc84.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=219

and for those who don't understand French...
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fffmc84.ouvaton.org%2Farticle.php3%3Fid_article%3D219&sl=fr&tl=en

[spannermonkey]

euro tunnel price check ? About £30 day return. 

10 people going is £300, so do we spend the cash and go to france, or put it in the legal fund???

A trip to France might make a change and charge up are batteries , espeically if we take someone who has NOT  got whats going on yet in WCC.

BUT £300 worth of bugging the shit out of WCC makes more sence?? ?

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

[ldn1702]

I might go and attend their protest as a pillion passenger on one of my mates' bike.

[1frog]

euro tunnel price check ? About £30 day return. 

10 people going is £300, so do we spend the cash and go to france, or put it in the legal fund???

A trip to France might make a change and charge up are batteries , espeically if we take someone who has NOT  got whats going on yet in WCC.

BUT £300 worth of bugging the shit out of WCC makes more sence?? ?

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

don't forget to add petrol, extra insurance cost for european cover, motorway toll, overnight hotel, etc...and being in March it could be freezing or snowing...so you would need quite a lot more then just the £30 eurotunnel fees, it would be more apealing if it was a summer demo, comming from the U.K....

[ldn1702]

Best to go by train and jump on a bike as a pillion passenger, I'm sure if we turn up at the meeting point on foot, many French bikers will be honoured to carry a few British supporters as pillion passengers!