Am I in the wrong?

[Robbie_]

Hi all

Was on the bike this morning. Anyway There was about 20 cars banked up at a round a bout I was approaching. I indicated and went down the right hand side of them all. I was doing it at a safe speed and wasn't being a hero. I was under the impression that this was legal if I stayed in my lane. (If your being picky the tire was about 10cm in the medium strip next to me)

Anyway I pass a mufti cop. He puts on his lights and sirens and pulls me over. I was polite to him the entire time, even while he was being arrogant. He gives me a lecture on how Illegal it was and how I should read the road code and how he could fine me for many things ( I don't know what he was on about - I was doing everything 100% legal and so was the bike)

Anyway eventually he tells me that I made an unsafe overtaking move over stationary traffic ( It was slowly moving at a round a bout wtf??) He didn't have his ticket book on him so he said he will decide later on what is the most appropriate fine and decide whether or not he will let me have a warning as it was my first time in trouble with the police.

I do accept the consequences if I was in the wrong, how ever not so if he was just being an ass. So what I want to know is was I in the wrong? If he wrote out a ticket for "Unsafe passing" any idea how much it would be? And also, when should I expect a ticket/ know if he let me off with a warning?

Cheers.

[Taz]

You're a bad boy! Lucky you weren't killed (that cop could have done a U-turn in front of you) :lol:

[over5tayer]

sounds like he was just trying to scare ya. Ive been fined for overtaking on a median (cars were stationary at a red light) - no demerits and $150 fine. I'm pretty sure he'll let you off if its your first offence...

[Eyegasm]

He didn't have his ticket book on him so he said he will decide later on what is the most appropriate fine and decide whether or not he will let me have a warning as it was my first time in trouble with the police.
Cheers.

Hahahahaaaaaa

When I read this all i can think of is that he hasn't passed his test to be able to issue tickets!!! :rofl:

[Robbie_]

sounds like he was just trying to scare ya. Ive been fined for overtaking on a median (cars were stationary at a red light) - no demerits and $150 fine. I'm pretty sure he'll let you off if its your first offence...

Yeah heres hoping, although I'd rather know now, then waiting to see if a ticket turns up in the mail..

[Oakie]

I guess his concern would have been what was going to happen when you got to the roundabout. Would you be able to merge in with the traffic again our would the cars just leave you hanging out in the breeze trying to navigate your way around a roundabout two abreast (assuming here it was just a single lane). Perhaps a car might have to slow or swerve to let you back in.

I can see why he may have considered it potentially unsafe. It was potentially unsafe to you.

[Robbie_]

I guess his concern would have been what was going to happen when you got to the roundabout. Would you be able to merge in with the traffic again our would the cars just leave you hanging out in the breeze trying to navigate your way around a roundabout two abreast (assuming here it was just a single lane). Perhaps a car might have to slow or swerve to let you back in.

I can see why he may have considered it potentially unsafe. It was potentially unsafe to you.

It is a single lane round about. I've done a dozen times before, and the cars have always merged. I can see your point. Although I do look ahead and If I'm in doubt whether I can merge in there, I will merge back in earlier. Again, I'm not being a hero blasting down there at 100km/h

[Toaster]

Median strips and shoulders outside the lane limit lines are a nono as they are not lanes there for bikers to use as a convenience.

Police are entitled to send you the infringement notice later on. They don't need to pull you over either.

Simply put, if you are not riding in an available lane then it is likely you are not where you should be.

[Robbie_]

Median strips and shoulders outside the lane limit lines are a nono as they are not lanes there for bikers to use as a convenience.

Police are entitled to send you the infringement notice later on. They don't need to pull you over either.

Simply put, if you are not riding in an available lane then it is likely you are not where you should be.

The thing is, I wasn't using the media strip in its entirety. I was still partially in the lane, and only part of the rear Tyre was actually in it. I'm not avoiding anything, I'm just trying to clear it up is all. Hence my questions.

[over5tayer]

Yeah heres hoping, although I'd rather know now, then waiting to see if a ticket turns up in the mail..

just forget about it. I'm sure he'll be hoping you're constantly worrying about it so that next time you decide to something "dangerous" you'll think twice. Continue business as usual and keep an eye(or two) out for all newish Holdens (including unmarked utes :facepalm:)

[Robbie_]

just forget about it. I'm sure he'll be hoping you're constantly worrying about it so that next time you decide to something "dangerous" you'll think twice. Continue business as usual and keep an eye(or two) out for all newish Holdens (including unmarked utes :facepalm:)

Alright cheers.:scooter:

[Nasty]

The thing is, I wasn't using the media strip in its entirety. I was still partially in the lane, and only part of the rear Tyre was actually in it. I'm not avoiding anything, I'm just trying to clear it up is all. Hence my questions.

LOL ... "the media strip in its entirety" ... you are only looking at half of what you yourself are saying ... that means you were not in the lane entirely either. The cop was more than likely in the right .. and you in the wrong - but then again ... he could be wrong about your danger as you of course have done this many times before - and got away with it. It does, however, take one time where it doesn't work out for you to make use of the acc levys that you are paying in your registration.

[Oakie]

I've done a dozen times before, and the cars have always merged. Yeah, trouble is you get comfortable in that and then you get some twat who gets pissed off with you and goes out of their way to make it difficult for you by swerving out in front of you. Saw it happen again to another biker about four weeks ago.


Again, I'm not being a hero blasting down there at 100km/h Pleased to hear that.

I'm not being all pious about this as I admit to doing the same thing last week when we had 30 odd vehicles staggering towards a give way. I was my usual metre and a bit from the centre line and catching up to the traffic stream when bugger me, some twat in a generic Jap two door sports car raced up and passed me on MY LEFT to sneak infront of me before we caught up with the traffic stream! WTF I thought. I was a little miffed to say the least. Anyway we all stopped and then I noticed the traffic stream was well to the left of centre leaving an inviting and safe gap to pass them. Normally I wouldn't have bothered but out of anger I thought fu*k it and began passing. As I passed the guy in the sports car I got close and gave him a 'cheery wave' in front of his windscreen as I showed him how to really get ahead of the traffic. Felt good! Stupid to do anything on the road out of anger and on reflection if I struck the same situation would I do it again? Hell yeah! (If I was sure it was safe).

Oh Robbie. Enjoy your FXR. That's the bike I used to get back into biking nearly 7 years ago and it was a pleasant ride (once I got decent tyres on it) :)

[Robbie_]

LOL ... "the media strip in its entirety" ... you are only looking at half of what you yourself are saying ... that means you were not in the lane entirely either. The cop was more than likely in the right .. and you in the wrong - but then again ... he could be wrong about your danger as you of course have done this many times before - and got away with it. It does, however, take one time where it doesn't work out for you to make use of the acc levys that you are paying in your registration.

I didn't know this was a Grammar test too. I'm tired this is the first time I've been able to sit down all day. Not everybody are robots yah know and make mistakes.Oh well, if you get picky of such little things, I'm far from envious.

[Nasty]

I didn't know this was a Grammar test too. I'm tired this is the first time I've been able to sit down all day. Not everybody are robots yah know and make mistakes.Oh well, if you get picky of such little things, I'm far from envious.

What bloody grammer test ... did you read what i said ... the cop was right ... you were wrong ... you even state it ... my summary was you did what you did cos you get away with it. Its when you don't that its too bloody late and he is proved absolutely correct.

[mattian]

Unfortunately, you admitted passing on the median. I see bikers doing it, and, its not neccasarily unsafe. Just realise that if you get caught you will get told off :innocent:

[Robbie_]

Yeah, trouble is you get comfortable in that and then you get some twat who gets pissed off with you and goes out of their way to make it difficult for you by swerving out in front of you. Saw it happen again to another biker about four weeks ago.

Pleased to hear that.

I'm not being all pious about this as I admit to doing the same thing last week when we had 30 odd vehicles staggering towards a give way. I was my usual metre and a bit from the centre line and catching up to the traffic stream when bugger me, some twat in a generic Jap two door sports car raced up and passed me on MY LEFT to sneak infront of me before we caught up with the traffic stream! WTF I thought. I was a little miffed to say the least. Anyway we all stopped and then I noticed the traffic stream was well to the left of centre leaving an inviting and safe gap to pass them. Normally I wouldn't have bothered but out of anger I thought fu*k it and began passing. As I passed the guy in the sports car I got close and gave him a 'cheery wave' in front of his windscreen as I showed him how to really get ahead of the traffic. Felt good! Stupid to do anything on the road out of anger and on reflection if I struck the same situation would I do it again? Hell yeah! (If I was sure it was safe).

Oh Robbie. Enjoy your FXR. That's the bike I used to get back into biking nearly 7 years ago and it was a pleasant ride (once I got decent tyres on it) :)

Oh yes, I have been known to give a car driver the one finger salute when they have been, oh, not very considerate shall we say. Common sense is all that is need there. The FXR is a good bike, never misses a beat, just want something with a lot more oopmh.. 11 more months till I can get my full..

[Robbie_]

What bloody grammer test ... did you read what i said ... the cop was right ... you were wrong ... you even state it ... my summary was you did what you did cos you get away with it. Its when you don't that its too bloody late and he is proved absolutely correct.

Now deep breaths there bud..

[CookMySock]

Ah yeah you're not allowed to pass ON the median strip, over an intersection, or on the left of moving traffic, or cross a yellow no-passing line. Unlikely he will fine you for that since you seemingly passed the attitude test.

You can pass everywhere else though, and you should do it incessantly, and if the fuzz stops you tell them to go buck themselves off their high horse. :sunny:

[Usarka]

He didn't have his ticket book on him so he said he will decide later on what is the most appropriate fine and decide whether or not he will let me have a warning as it was my first time in trouble with the police.


I'll decipher that cop speak for you.

"I have no fucking idea so I will have to go back and ask the guys at the station if there is anything that I can book you for."

[Berries]

In the wrong ? Quite possibly, but the kind of thing I do most days and I am sure many others do as well. If you are ever doing something that you aren't quite sure is legal, lane splitting, filtering, overtaking stationary traffic on the left or right etc etc etc, the only tip is to be extra vigilant for cop cars. If you stop a few cars behind them they can't do anything. Nip past one who is having a bad day because he missed his donut break and you may end up getting a talking to, regardless of the legal position.

[over5tayer]

You can pass everywhere else though, and you should do it incessantly, and if the fuzz stops you tell them to go buck themselves off their high horse. :sunny:

i know you try to sound all legal while you pass everything on the road, but really the only way to pass something doing 50ish kph is by going at least 20-30kph faster - instantly making it illegal. Maybe thats why you leave your light on hi-beam all the time, you'll blind the cop thats lining you up in his speed gun sights :woohoo:

[chanceyy]

Now deep breaths there bud..


Bud !! Bud ??? :facepalm: :rofl::rofl:ohh dear .. :rofl: :rofl:



:shutup: :spanking: :jerry:

[The Stranger]

I didn't know this was a Grammar test too. I'm tired this is the first time I've been able to sit down all day. Not everybody are robots yah know and make mistakes.Oh well, if you get picky of such little things, I'm far from envious.

I think you miss the point. You admit you used it. Even 1mm is using it. The law says you can't use it for that purpose.
I know a guy nabbed for travelling 100mm on a yellow line. it doesn't come down to degrees - either you did or you didn't, and seeing you admitted it then you are in the wrong.
Now if you had claimed you went to stop but the guy behind you obviously couldn't without hitting you so you had to take the median you perhaps would have had an argument.

[BMWST?]

Hi all

If your being picky the tire was about 10cm in the medium strip next to me


Cheers.

Median Strip is not available to you,therefore your offence is using a lane not a vaoilable to you.You quite clearly admit to riding in or on the median strip

[steve_t]

You can pass everywhere else though, and you should do it incessantly, and if the fuzz stops you tell them NO CONSENT, NO CONSENT, NO CONSENT. :sunny:

Fixed it for ya :sunny::corn:

[DrunkenMistake]

Yeah, I would be expecting a fine,
I try to make it a habbit of not doing anything on a median strip as there is always a slight possiblity that someone could turn out to a drive way or whatever, and not everyone uses their mirrors.
Filter by all means but you just have to think of certain areas as no go zones.

[sleemanj]

These "can I split" type threads come up so often, it's clear that riders are unclear, the police are unclear, the public are unclear... everybody is just "playing by ear" and there is little in the way of consistency by anybody.

If I was running things then for starters I'd allow motorcyclists to use cycle lanes at cycle speeds, that would resolve half the "splitting" situation on it's own, many of the roads that you want to split on in cities have a cycle lane which could be shared quite safely by motorcycles and scooters doing 20k's an hour or whatever. All most of us want to do is crawl down to the front, to save time, and in some cases save on overheating risk (and not just of the bike!)

And we'd be able to use Bus Priority traffic lights (that's a ridiculous rule in itself, sure you can use the bus lane, but you have to hold up the bus behind you if there's a B signal).

And median strips would be fair game for getting to the front of a queue if traffic was stopped and you travelled at a slow speed with your right hand indicator on.

And every police officer would get a little laminated card to put in their wallet with the rules!

[over5tayer]

These "can I split" type threads come up so often, it's clear that riders are unclear, the police are unclear, the public are unclear... everybody is just "playing by ear" and there is little in the way of consistency by anybody.
.......
And every police officer would get a little laminated card to put in their wallet with the rules!


+1 :yes:

everything really needs to get cleared up... unless clearing up meant making all these things become set-in-stone illegal :confused:

[blonky]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/21150-Lane-splitting-filtering-the-legal-and-commonsense-answers

Basically if you're doing it within reason (carefully on the motorway/ only past stationary traffic in town), police will generally turn a blind eye. It's all up to the discretion of the constable though, if he's having a bad day or your riding is erratic then expect a $150 ticket....

[superman]

Manurewa on-ramp at hill road I just pootle along down the median, not even closish to the cars just in the centre of the median and making sure oncoming traffic isn't planning on using the median to turn :yes: Only about 10km/h faster than the traffic usually.

Had a cop sitting twice in a spot where they could plainly see me doing it and both times they just sat there doing whatever they were doing, I duno. I wouldn't complain if I did get a ticket for it, I just have to hope that whatever cop sees me doing it isn't a prick.

[Hawkeye]

As I passed the guy in the sports car I got close and gave him a 'cheery wave' in front of his windscreen as I showed him how to really get ahead of the traffic. Felt good! Stupid to do anything on the road out of anger and on reflection if I struck the same situation would I do it again? Hell yeah! (If I was sure it was safe).


Sorry Oakie but all this will do is give the prick an issue with bikes and some other poor sap will get the brunt of his stupidity. Next time a bike comes up to pass, he may decide to become a total prick and move sideways causing an off for the rider.

[over5tayer]

Manurewa on-ramp at hill road I just pootle along down the median, not even closish to the cars just in the centre of the median and making sure oncoming traffic isn't planning on using the median to turn :yes: ....

around half my usual trip is done on medians/shoulders :innocent:. I didnt buy a bike to sit in traffic and watch it overheat.


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i've followed around 15 other bikers that do the same thing in these spots. I dont think too much can go wrong as long as you hover both brakes and watch for everything

[CookMySock]

around half my usual trip is done on medians/shoulders :innocent:. I didnt buy a bike to sit in traffic and watch it overheat. [...] I dont think too much can go wrong as long as you hover both brakes and watch for everythingAmen bruthah, this is good fun, especially on a really noisy bike. Maybe everything is fun on a really noisy bike lol!

Watch for larger gaps between cars that enable them to manoevre - they can't pull out on you while they are jammed nose-to-tail but they can if they leave a gap in front of them.

In the end, the median strip is THERE to allow people to merge in and out of the traffic, and thats why its illegal to overtake on it.

[oldrider]

Hi all

Was on the bike this morning. Anyway There was about 20 cars banked up at a round a bout I was approaching. I indicated and went down the right hand side of them all. I was doing it at a safe speed and wasn't being a hero. I was under the impression that this was legal if I stayed in my lane. (If your being picky the tire was about 10cm in the medium strip next to me)

Anyway I pass a mufti cop. He puts on his lights and sirens and pulls me over. I was polite to him the entire time, even while he was being arrogant. He gives me a lecture on how Illegal it was and how I should read the road code and how he could fine me for many things ( I don't know what he was on about - I was doing everything 100% legal and so was the bike)

Anyway eventually he tells me that I made an unsafe overtaking move over stationary traffic ( It was slowly moving at a round a bout wtf??) He didn't have his ticket book on him so he said he will decide later on what is the most appropriate fine and decide whether or not he will let me have a warning as it was my first time in trouble with the police.

I do accept the consequences if I was in the wrong, how ever not so if he was just being an ass. So what I want to know is was I in the wrong? If he wrote out a ticket for "Unsafe passing" any idea how much it would be? And also, when should I expect a ticket/ know if he let me off with a warning?

Cheers.

If you are convinced that you are right, contact the officer, demand the ticket and then defend it, all will be revealed! :yes:

[oldrider]

i've followed around 15 other bikers that do the same thing in these spots. I dont think too much can go wrong as long as you hover both brakes and watch for everything

What happens is that slowly over time the government (supported by all those car drivers) increases our ACC until we can no longer afford to continue to do that!

Well done that man! :facepalm:

[Max Preload]

If you were riding even slightly in the flush median for reasons of overtaking, you were in the wrong on that count and that count alone. However, it cannot be an unsafe overtaking manoeuvre when the other vehicles are stopped, standing or parked.

[CookMySock]

What happens is that slowly over time the government (supported by all those car drivers) increases our ACC until we can no longer afford to continue to do that!

Well done that man! :facepalm:Speaking things as "truth" doesn't make it truth. The internet is intended for everyone to freely speak their mind, revealing their own feelings and consequently their beliefs.

The skill is, to separate the practices of "emotionally aligning our belief sets with others", from "scientifically filtering for what is real based on fact." In the end, one of these activities is a productive tool and one is not, unless we only ever want to rant about shit and never resolve it. Sure there is a time for the former, but I'd be tempted to reserve projecting it onto others, as its probably nothing about them and more about ourselves. Oh well. :violin:

[Blinkwing]

Was this the ginga cop?

[The Stranger]

Speaking things as "truth" doesn't make it truth. The internet is intended for everyone to freely speak their mind, revealing their own feelings and consequently their beliefs.


So you do have a sense of humour?

[avgas]

In wrong.
Pay fine.

If you don't want a ticket. Don't do illegal things and sit with the rest of the traffic.
Nuff said really.

[Banditbandit]

Hi all

Was on the bike this morning. Anyway There was about 20 cars banked up at a round a bout I was approaching. I indicated and went down the right hand side of them all. I was doing it at a safe speed and wasn't being a hero. I was under the impression that this was legal if I stayed in my lane. (If your being picky the tire was about 10cm in the medium strip next to me)

Anyway I pass a mufti cop. He puts on his lights and sirens and pulls me over. I was polite to him the entire time, even while he was being arrogant. He gives me a lecture on how Illegal it was and how I should read the road code and how he could fine me for many things ( I don't know what he was on about - I was doing everything 100% legal and so was the bike)

Anyway eventually he tells me that I made an unsafe overtaking move over stationary traffic ( It was slowly moving at a round a bout wtf??) He didn't have his ticket book on him so he said he will decide later on what is the most appropriate fine and decide whether or not he will let me have a warning as it was my first time in trouble with the police.

I do accept the consequences if I was in the wrong, how ever not so if he was just being an ass. So what I want to know is was I in the wrong? If he wrote out a ticket for "Unsafe passing" any idea how much it would be? And also, when should I expect a ticket/ know if he let me off with a warning?

Cheers.

Yeah .. technically you're in the wrong - and you got stopped by a pickie cop who probably hadn't met his quota for the week ... Here's hoping he forgets about it ..

[CookMySock]

sit with the rest of the traffic. LOL Whut </10 chars>

[Oakie]

Sorry Oakie but all this will do is give the prick an issue with bikes and some other poor sap will get the brunt of his stupidity. Next time a bike comes up to pass, he may decide to become a total prick and move sideways causing an off for the rider.

I'm afraid by passing me on the left on a single lane road he has has already reached 'total prick' status and far from having an issue with bikes, he just has no regard for us at all.

[Mom]

Simply put, if you are not riding in an available lane then it is likely you are not where you should be.

How likely am I to get pinged for tip toeing past a line of almost stopped cars on the flush median? I know it is illegal, and wont generally do it, but have been so tempted this week.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/136623-Auckland-Commuters?p=1130030871#post1130030871

[awayatc]

don't know...

Never tried tip toeing....
always give it heaps

[Toaster]

How likely am I to get pinged for tip toeing past a line of almost stopped cars on the flush median? I know it is illegal, and wont generally do it, but have been so tempted this week.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/136623-Auckland-Commuters?p=1130030871#post1130030871

I have been doing a Moses up the middle.... the big arse loud 139db horn on the ST1300 with lights blazing, white helmet and glow vest seems to help.:scooter:

Never liked the sides too much - puncture fodder out in then there parts.

[Expert]

Lots of things are technically ilegal, boning the missus up the ass is one of them, so if you need to do illegal stuff, just don't get caught.

Fines are the tax you pay for being able to do those passing manouvers and get where you're going faster.

If you're not spotting mufty cars when you're doing these manouvers, then your observation isn't good enough, if you want to stay alive you're gonna need better observation than that.