lanesplitting ettiquette

[bastardsquad]

So on the way to work I lanesplit along a long clogged stretch of road, one lane each way. I pass the cars on the right between the cars and the centerline. There a a couple of other bikers who follow the same route around the same time I do, and two of them always split on the left (actually in the service lane off the road).
At a point nearing a roundabout I switch from centreline to left side to then immediately split between the two lanes of cars that form at the roundabout.

A couple of times I have had 'awkward moments' where the person in the service lane has come up from behind as im moving from centreline to left side of the lane . Not a near miss, but if both of us werent careful , easily could be.

Lanesplitting is overtaking within a lane, and we must overtake on the right always, correct? So are these guys splitting on the left in a single lane road in the wrong? Or is it inconsiderate? What do you guys do?

[rastuscat]

Can of worms is open, so here goes.

The rules on lane splitting in NZ actually don't exist. The law doesn't mention lane splitting. In Victoria they have a lane splitting law, here we don't.

Our lane splitting in governed by the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, Rules 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8.

These deal with when you can pass on the left, when you can pass on the right, and general rules for passing.

People get so bound up in the technicalities of left and right, this lane marking or that, that they miss the most important part.

2.6 General requirements about passing other vehicles

(1)A driver must not pass or attempt to pass another vehicle moving in the same direction unless—


(a)the movement can be made with safety

When a cop sees you lane splitting, if they suck the air between their teeth and think to themselves "Shit, that wasn't safe", the ticket of "Unsafe Passing Manoeuvre" is available to them.

Because "unsafe" is a subjective judgement. What you might think is safe, someone who doesn't ride bikes might not think is safe.

It's so damn subjective, there is no hard and fast answer.

Sorry to be so negative about it, but there just isn't a hard and fast answer.

[Akzle]

always split at 12 oclock, full throttle.

it's statistically very safe. i've never heard of any accidents from anyone doing it.

[rastuscat]

\i've never heard of any accidents from anyone doing it.

And because you've not heard of it, it hasn't happened?

Deaths on Auckland motorways have happened. One I can think of where a lane splitting motorcyclist hit a left hand car mirror with his right hand handlebar. Bike fell to the left, rider got run over by the vehicle in the next lane.

But I guess it didn't happen, coz you haven't heard of it.

[Akzle]

And because you've not heard of it, it hasn't happened?

Deaths on Auckland motorways have happened. One I can think of where a lane splitting motorcyclist hit a left hand car mirror with his right hand handlebar. Bike fell to the left, rider got run over by the vehicle in the next lane.

But I guess it didn't happen, coz you haven't heard of it.

i liked the bit where you posted something relevant that rebutted my assertion//

O, wait on... <_<

wheelies are fokken sikk.

[bastardsquad]

Absolutely its a risky exercise, and a grey area in many ways. In essence though, is it a dick move to split in the service lane on the left side of the road outside the white line?

[rastuscat]

i liked the bit where you posted something relevant that rebutted my assertion//

O, wait on... <_<

wheelies are fokken sikk.

Happy to help.

[Swoop]

Absolutely its a risky exercise, and a grey area in many ways. In essence though, is it a dick move to split in the service lane on the left side of the road outside the white line?

There are several large threads on this exact topic on KB.

Here is one of them. Use the search function for others...
https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/21150-Lane-splitting-filtering-the-legal-and-commonsense-answers?highlight=lane+splitting


It really sounds like you are meaning to ride in the left hand / service / bicycle lane prior to turning left?
If so, this needs to be done with heaps of care and attention. Cars will fail to see you on the left, especially if they are also turning left.

Loud pipes save lives...

[bastardsquad]

I'm not looking to ride in the service lane to the left of moving cars, i'm moaning about other people that do, and then zip in to the lane at a point where I am moving from the right side of a lane to the left side (while within the lane markings). Thanks for the link tho, it answered my question. Left side is no go unless traffic is stationary, service lane is no go full stop. These riders are pulling a dick move - especially the one with the L plate that forced his way past me the other day !

[rastuscat]

There's lots of things that are against the rules but which get done so often yet are enforced so little.

Lane splitting is one. Using the emergency stopping shoulder is another.

Following too closely is my favourite. If they ever gave me a ticket book back I'll fill it before morning donut time. Yet it gets so rarely enforced it's commonplace.

[Akzle]

There's lots of things that are against the rules but which get done so often yet are enforced so little.

Lane splitting is one. Using the emergency stopping shoulder is another.

Following too closely is my favourite. If they ever gave me a ticket book back I'll fill it before morning donut time. Yet it gets so rarely enforced it's commonplace.

failing to give way, failing to keep left, impeding traffic...

[rastuscat]

failing to give way, failing to keep left, impeeding traffic...

Spelling impeding incorrectly......I'd enforce that.

[Akzle]

Spelling impeding incorrectly......I'd enforce that.

if you had any idea how much i had to drink and smoke before during and after driving home last night, you'd use your discretion at 6 in the fuken morning.


hint:it was lots

[Voltaire]

Can of worms is open, so here goes.

The rules on lane splitting in NZ actually don't exist. The law doesn't mention lane splitting. In Victoria they have a lane splitting law, here we don't.

Our lane splitting in governed by the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, Rules 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8.

These deal with when you can pass on the left, when you can pass on the right, and general rules for passing.

People get so bound up in the technicalities of left and right, this lane marking or that, that they miss the most important part.

2.6 General requirements about passing other vehicles

(1)A driver must not pass or attempt to pass another vehicle moving in the same direction unless—


(a)the movement can be made with safety

When a cop sees you lane splitting, if they suck the air between their teeth and think to themselves "Shit, that wasn't safe", the ticket of "Unsafe Passing Manoeuvre" is available to them.

Because "unsafe" is a subjective judgement. What you might think is safe, someone who doesn't ride bikes might not think is safe.

It's so damn subjective, there is no hard and fast answer.

Sorry to be so negative about it, but there just isn't a hard and fast answer.

Hard and Fast answer:

Given the Police can only measure speed and alcohol against an acceptable range and cannot measure drivers on cell phones, poor driving, erratic lane changing

and so I don't worry about what they think about lane splitting, don't ride in a way that attracts attention until you get pulled over ( which is unlikely).


I do find it amusing riders who ride up the line between lanes with hazard lights on....is that like a dollar each way?

Oh and ettiquette implies some sort of road manners and if your talking Auckland they barely exist and the ease of getting a drivers licence has not improved it.

[Diggers]

"I do find it amusing riders who ride up the line between lanes with hazard lights on....is that like a dollar each way?"

Ditto Volty, I think they're trying to be "safe". They must be the OSH guy at their work.

[slofox]

I've never heard of any accidents from anyone doing it.

Nah me neither.

[Old Steve]

It is legal to pass a vehicle on its right within the same lane, you must have your right hand indicator on. If there is a lane to the right, then legally you must stay to the left of the lane divider line. It's illegal to pass a vehicle to it's left in the same lane and to ride in the gap between the centre lane of a motorway and the centre barrier or in to the left of the fog line on the left of the inside lane.

However, the Police will probably take more notice of the safety of your manoeuvre. I lane filter with my hazard lights on for two reasons, maybe I'm more visible and I consider I'm a hazard to other vehicles being between two lanes of cars. If I'm not passing cars at 30 km/hr then I pull back into the lane - lane filter, don't lane split.

[kawa64]

It is legal to pass a vehicle on its right within the same lane, you must have your right hand indicator on. If there is a lane to the right, then legally you must stay to the left of the lane divider line. It's illegal to pass a vehicle to it's left in the same lane and to ride in the gap between the centre lane of a motorway and the centre barrier or in to the left of the fog line on the left of the inside lane.

However, the Police will probably take more notice of the safety of your manoeuvre. I lane filter with my hazard lights on for two reasons, maybe I'm more visible and I consider I'm a hazard to other vehicles being between two lanes of cars. If I'm not passing cars at 30 km/hr then I pull back into the lane - lane filter, don't lane split.

Under the Land Transport Act and rur, passing on the left of the same lane does not apply to motorcycles, established by a High Court precedent in New Zealand.

The hazard lights is interesting, has any other road user commented about them on the road?

[Swoop]

"I do find it amusing riders who ride up the line between lanes with hazard lights on....is that like a dollar each way?"

Ditto Volty, I think they're trying to be "safe". They must be the OSH guy at their work.
Hopefully wearing a Hi-faggotry vest and surrounding themselves with orange cones too?


Under the Land Transport Act and rur, passing on the left of the same lane does not apply to motorcycles, established by a High Court precedent in New Zealand.

The hazard lights is interesting, has any other road user commented about them on the road?

You'd better have a source for the high Court precedent comment. Most unusual and could be very important if true.

As for hazard lights... Fucking stupid idea. Obviously the bike is a hazard if the rider does that.

[Old Steve]

As for hazard lights... Fucking stupid idea. Obviously the bike is a hazard if the rider does that.

And isn't that what we want to do, make the driver think the bike is a hazard so they don't change lanes on us?

I see quite a few lane filterers with hazard lights flashing going between lanes on the Auckland Southern Motorway, probably 50% of the lane filtering riders. Funny, most of the lane splitters - screaming through between lanes - only use one indicator.

I've always been a believer in 'more is better', so if one indicator is good then two are better.

[caspernz]

Under the Land Transport Act and rur, passing on the left of the same lane does not apply to motorcycles, established by a High Court precedent in New Zealand.

The hazard lights is interesting, has any other road user commented about them on the road?

Yeah right to the High Court comment, reference?

My take on hazard lights is legal only for stationary vehicle.

[FJRider]

https://www.rideforever.co.nz/assets/Uploads/PDFs/ACC7009-RIDEFOREVER-Infosheet-FA.pdf

[Berries]

If I saw a rider going along with their hazard lights on I would immediately think they were a bit 'special' and give them a wide berth. So they probably work.

Am trying hard not to use the word retarded here.

[rastuscat]

https://www.rideforever.co.nz/assets/Uploads/PDFs/ACC7009-RIDEFOREVER-Infosheet-FA.pdf

Oh for heavens sake. Stop trying to solve the problem. Just let it continue to burble on.

[rastuscat]

Under the Land Transport Act and rur, passing on the left of the same lane does not apply to motorcycles, established by a High Court precedent in New Zealand.

Source? Or it's a fallacy.

[Swoop]

My take on hazard lights is legal only for stationary vehicle.

Well, if you are being towed it is "ok"...

Bottom of the page here.
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-driving/giving-signals/

[Honest Andy]

Source? Or it's a fallacy.

Phallusy...? :laugh:

(whoops... spelling infringement)

[rastuscat]

Phallusy...? :laugh:

(whoops... spelling infringement)

Cheers Fellas see

[Akzle]

Yeah right to the High Court comment, reference?

My take on hazard lights is legal only for stationary vehicle.

or when backing onto a main road.
and generally or otherwise being a fkn hazard

[Akzle]

Source? Or it's a fallacy.

http://www.nzlii.org/cgi-bin/sinosrch.cgi?meta=/nzlii&query=motorcycle,%20passing%20within%20lane,%20lef t%20hand&method=auto&mask_world=:nzlii:nz&mask_path=+nz

[rastuscat]

http://www.nzlii.org/cgi-bin/sinosrch.cgi?meta=/nzlii&query=motorcycle,%20passing%20within%20lane,%20lef t%20hand&method=auto&mask_world=:nzlii:nz&mask_path=+nz

Pages of stuff. Which one is it?

[Berries]

Would have thought section 8.6 of the Road User Rule would cover it.

http://nzta.thomsonreuters.co.nz/REG-NZL-PUB-Y.2004-427.pdf

I can think of valid reasons to use them that are not specified, such as on motorways to warn traffic behind of stationary/slow moving traffic ahead when you are braking hard, but when splitting it seems a bit wanky. Just looks like you have left them on by mistake.

And another use - http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-india-41917369/hair-raising-drive-through-delhi-smog

[Akzle]

Pages of stuff. Which one is it?

fuck if i know. help yourself

[Daffyd]

We get idiot drivers using their hazards here when it rains!:bash:

[Swoop]

fuck if i know. help yourself

That one on the chinese bitch who killed the motorcyclist was interesting. She appealed the jail time and won...!

[R650R]

Was up in the big smoke Friday.... Observations....

Apparently having both your indicators flashing hazard style is a thing now and not just for BMW riders either...

The odd GSXR or Kwakas with load pipes... I never heard you till your passing my passenger door... and im a biker TRYING to look out and listen for you...
But the combination of road noise from three lanes of tyres on the other side moving at speed plus engine noise etc.....
I think I noticed MAYBE 20% of bikes before they were in my danger zone.
Seems lot more cars doing wasted lane changes trying to que jump to faster lanes too...

As you were, have fun and keep safe :)

[Whynot]

ok .........

[Old Steve]

I often wonder why a lane splitting rider has only their right hand indicator on if they're just as likely to suddenly dodge into the left lane to get passed someone driving too far to the left of the right hand lane.

Wouldn't that be some sort of infringement, turning left when indicating right. And wouldn't that be a little dangerous, because the sleepy driver on your left just wouldn't be expecting you to come into their lane?

And some sports bikes with aftermarket bullet indicators, you can't see them blinking they're so small and weak.

When NSW introduced legal lane filtering they sold it as a win-win situation. A bike takes up about the same space as a car in a queue, if the bike moves up between the cars to the front of the queue and pulls away then some lucky bugger moves up one spot in the queue - that might just be the reason why they make the next set of lights and get home in time to catch the wife in bed with the milkman.

[Voltaire]

Was up in the big smoke Friday.... Observations....

Apparently having both your indicators flashing hazard style is a thing now and not just for BMW riders either...

The odd GSXR or Kwakas with load pipes... I never heard you till your passing my passenger door... and im a biker TRYING to look out and listen for you...
But the combination of road noise from three lanes of tyres on the other side moving at speed plus engine noise etc.....
I think I noticed MAYBE 20% of bikes before they were in my danger zone.
Seems lot more cars doing wasted lane changes trying to que jump to faster lanes too...

As you were, have fun and keep safe :)

Fairly accurate description.
I no longer use indicators lane splitting as drivers are mostly looking at the queue's of traffic in front of them.

The odd acknowledgement that they moved over is good as I've noticed it happening more lately.

I watched an L plate rider weaving in and out the other day from the comfort of the cage, he should look at Google maps and

work out the short cuts and he ended up in front of me 5 minutes later and I can't be arsed lane changing on the motorway.

[MD]

I think the use of hazard lights is silly and you look like a dick who can't make up his mind what he's doing. I will put on my left or right indicator depending on which way I'm moving when I pull left or right to commence lane split/filter. That way I letting those near me know I'm about to move to my left or right.

Hazard lights are for stationary obstructions that pose a risks to passing traffic.There, that's my technical explanation.

Above all else, try not to look like a dick. We have standards to maintain.

[Whynot]

I often wonder why a lane splitting rider has only their right hand indicator on

I think this is a combination of two things.
- Thinking it will make them slightly more visible to other traffic (cars, other bikes)
- Since half of the time while lane splitting you are overtaking the car to the left having the indicator on might help if mr. plod decides to question the legality of the maneuver

[Swoop]

I often wonder why a lane splitting rider has only their right hand indicator on...
Simply because that person is complying with the legal requirement to indicate a passing maneuver.


Using the logic of riding with hazard lights blinking away, does this give the person the right to weave around in traffic like a drunken retard?

[Racing Dave]

I was riding on a motorway on the outskirts of the outskirts of Paris a couple of months ago and the traffic was horrendous. Local riders were blitzing their way through at speed - most with their hazard lights flashing, using either side of any lane, and the drivers (poor sods) almost without exception (what with being alert) pulled over and let them through. My turn - when in Rome, and all that, and despite my rental Rallye having large panniers and me carrying a pillion, in this particular case (what with the drivers being alert!) it was the only way to make better than slipping-the-clutch progress. The only time I was beeped at was by another motorcyclist, who thought that I wasn't lane-splitting fast enough.

Might not work so well in NZ, what with the drivers not being alert.

[Old Steve]

Above all else, try not to look like a dick. We have standards to maintain.

Guess I'd rather be a live dick who had his hazard lights and has been seen by a car driver than a dead, cool dude who only had one indicator on and wasn't seen.

I'm having to drive the car at the moment following my shoulder op, and I find those guys (and the one girl around Penrose at about 5.30 pm) who race through the stopped traffic at speed, disconcerting. You notice their headlight in your mirror when they're quite some distance back and often miscalculate their speed, and then they're suddenly beside you with a roar before you know they're there. If it startles me with my bike riding mirror watching habits, then just think how it frightens the not-so-aware car driver.

But it amazes me that I've never come upon a traffic cop and ambulance at a motorcycle accident on the motorway, so they must get away with it.

[GazzaH]

Might not work so well in NZ, what with the drivers not being alert.

Not alert? Not alert? Who said that? Did someone speak? Was that a flash? A signal? A hoot? A bike? A mountain? Where am I bro? Now, where's that damn phone, somewhere down here among Colonel Sanders in the footwell I guess. Oh look, half a spliff! Who dropped that? Careless bugger. O shi

[Berries]

You notice their headlight in your mirror when they're quite some distance back.
But not their hazard lights eh?

[Old Steve]

Nah, 'cos they all ride with only one indicator on, you don't see it until they've passed.