Africa Twin rider today

[Holmsey]

There I was at work travelling towards the Blackwall Tunnel in very slow moving rush hour traffic when a Twin filtered past me in no great rush. He then tried to squeeze in between a HGV and a car, he obviously misjudged the gap and brushed against the HGV causing him to lose control, he bounced of the lorry and car like a pinball before going in front of the lorry and ending up in the car in front.
Luckily the lorry driver was looking in his mirror and brakes immediately the incident started. A bit of damage to the bike clutch lever and hand guard bent, bar riser bent and a few minor scratches to the bike. The rider was OK apart from sore wrists but very embarrassed.
I think his missus will be ripping him a new one when he gets home if the conversation with I heard over the phone was anything to go by

He was going ride to Maidstone but was advised against it by the ambulance service ... He still insisted he would but I persuaded him not to because I might be forced to prohibit his bike due to he damage  .... He was in too much pain to ride and his handlebar was not straight due to the bar riser damage anyway.
It still does amaze me why some people insist on trying to go through gaps the you can see are small.

Still no one died and he has learnt a lesson.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Lucky him & glad he was OK. I really don't like filtering down the side of lorries unless the gap is very wide

[wurzel]

  With luck he will have learnt from this, any manouvre in traffic is a potential danger imo, your putting yourself at the mercy of others.
 Filtering, whilst a great time saver,does require you to be commited to your move with few ways out if it goes wrong.
 

[boosabuser]

Never liked filtering, I fully understand the benefits, progress etc but personally I feel the risk is too great sometimes, especially where HGV's are involved

Just watching Royal Jordanian on YT slicing through West end traffic is a great cure for incontinence

Saying that, I rarely get Involved in traffic on the  Strom, so I am well out of practice but I hate seeing the aftermath of it going wrong from the van

Stay Safe Peeps I just saw a (small) bit of blue sky in Stevenage, spring  is here

[MartinW]

The only bit of what he did that was sensible was that he was going to Maidstone in the first place.
 

[kwackboy]

Filtering is a must in London otherwise buy car and and add to the traffic or join the rest of the ripped off daily London transport commuter's.
There is a couple of choices for me and it isn't trains or cars in London. I'd rather risk filtering on a motorcycle or push bike any day of the week.
 

[Dark-Strom]

 

Started my working life in Reading and filtering on me DT50 was a must, otherwise walk .

[SuzukiSte]

I have to Filter there are traffic lights all the way going to work, would never get there if I waited with the cars.

[Loz]

Spent a fair few years commuting up and down the A13 into and out of London, never minded it in the dry, but hated it when it was dark and raining.

[hotbulb]

I ended up filtering between a couple of trucks yesterday......made me a bit nervous although both trucks, and all surrounding traffic, was at a standstill. (And I'm pretty sure they were both aware of me and had left a "tidy" gap). I rarely ride in heavy traffic - maybe I need more practice 

[SimonW]

<snip>It still does amaze me why some people insist on trying to go through gaps the you can see are small

You've never tried pushing into a gap that initially appears small...?