Are the police clamping down on lane splitting?

[Erelyes]

If you are lane splitting and you crash in NZ, its your fault, its called dangerous riding and that's what you could be charged with, your fault or not.

I have seen some marked police cars ,with about 100 cars,using the left lane emergency stopping lane on the northern south bound m/way to get to the exit in heavy traffic though, you bad popo you!

Don't agree. General concensus on previous threads is that legally speaking, filtering (i.e. past stationary traffic) is legal, splitting (i.e. past moving traffic) is a very dark shade of grey, or illegal, depending on circs. But Dangerous is a stretch. Careless, perhaps.

I regularly split/filter down Crawford Street on the way to work. I go past either marked or unmarked police cars perhaps once or twice a week and have never had an issue.

Yesterday in particular I was splitting (doing about 20 past traffic doing 10), went past a mufti commodore, and as traffic was then speeding up, I slotted into a gap which the mufti commodore graciously made between them and the car in front. I was then riding ahead of them for a good way (until I split/filtered through slowing traffic to the red lights at Jetty St). Despite me being immediately ahead of them and there being ample free parks to pull me over, they saw no need.

[Moi]

We ended up discussing the bus lane, and he was firmly of the belief that we can use the bus lane on the motorway...

My concern with the bus lanes on any of the motorways round Auckland is the condition of the road surface in the bus lane. If there's rubbish there or uneven surface or shoulders then a bus is not likely to notice it, however on a bike would be a different matter. Was told that motorway bus lanes were a 'no-no' because NZTA do not maintain those lanes to the same standard as the other traffic lanes and was a safety issue and not a legal issue...

Don't start me on bus lanes on arterial roads... the whole bus lanes issue needs to be revisited by someone who has some common sense and make it apply through out the country as a standard... and that 50metres only before turning left from a bus lane! Why not, if you are in a bus lane to turn left who MUST turn left at the next intersection... or a decent sized fine: might stop those who believe they have the right to drive some distance in a bus lane in their car...

Just my tuppence worth...

[MonkeyJim]

We ended up discussing the bus lane, and he was firmly of the belief that we can

The rode code specifically states "bus lane"s can be used by busses, motorcyclists and cyclists, while "bus lane only" is for buses only, although they can be used by anyone to turn left if driving for no more than 50m only

[Gremlin]

The rode code specifically states "bus lane"s can be used by busses, motorcyclists and cyclists, while "bus lane only" is for buses only, although they can be used by anyone to turn left if driving for no more than 50m only

a) the road code isn't law (it even mentions this)
b) the law states vehicles must be specifically excluded
c) I wouldn't use them anyway...

[Swoop]

Examples of "specifically excluded" are like this:





To find a sign which says "Only Gay Pink Elephants" simply does not meet the requirement of the law.

[Big Dog]

a) the road code isn't law (it even mentions this)
b) the law states vehicles must be specifically excluded
c) I wouldn't use them anyway...

Not to mention there are bylaws that need to be taken into account.
AKL city and North Shore city had differing laws. AKL yes, North shore say no unless specifically included. (OR so I was told by the cop who came to a couple of wednesday night rides)
I suspect this position would be somewhat differnet now with the supercity and the passage of 7-8 years.

[Gremlin]

Not to mention there are bylaws that need to be taken into account.
AKL city and North Shore city had differing laws. AKL yes, North shore say no unless specifically included. (OR so I was told by the cop who came to a couple of wednesday night rides)
I suspect this position would be somewhat differnet now with the supercity and the passage of 7-8 years.

Now throw in that NZTA actually manages the highways, not the local councils (or something like that) and I believe the motorway bus lanes aren't legal (a body without the authority declared to do so, created them).

[Moi]

Now throw in that NZTA actually manages the highways, not the local councils (or something like that) and I believe the motorway bus lanes aren't legal (a body without the authority declared to do so, created them).

Which is why I said earlier that it is about time that the whole issues of bus lanes was looked at and standardised for the whole country - and stop this ridiculous nonsense of every little village and hamlet having their own special rules about bus lanes... and while they are doing that they could ad to the list - lane markings and early warning for intersections...

Grump, grump, grump...

[madbikeboy]

I suspect the number one gripe by car drivers re lane splitting is when it is done at speed. By that I would consider anything above 50 "at speed" to travel between moving vehicles in a non-existent lane. Is it being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a cop just happens to see you or a pissed off driver *555ing you for doing 'dangerous stuff' ?
As a rider I try to be aware of bikes splitting when I'm in the car but some come up pretty quickly and don't leave much wiggle room. I've also been in motorway traffic where cars are moving at 80/90kph and bikes still split. My sphincter has tightened a few times watching them play the odds with mere centimetres to clear the corner of a car or truck.
Personally I've never been pulled over for it but would have to accept that if I was I've gotten away with it all those other times. A bit like speeding really.

Splitting at 150 is speed (*MPH). This is why I won't ride on the street anymore…