Lane splitting the northwestern [Archive]

Fub@r

11th October 2007, 18:52

Yes its another lane splitting thread, but this guy I keep coming across in a Green Sentia is really starting to piss me off.

Now lane splitting the NW motorway I've had people swerve at me, intentionally block me, toot etc but this guy takes the cake.

He drives in the right hand lane with his car hard to the left in the lane. He see's you trying to split but refuses to move over, instead he sticks on his right hand indicator to tell you to go around him on his right between his car and the barrier!!!!!!!!

I come across this guy every second day or so, same story everytime. Anyone else on the NW come across this guy?

Swoop

11th October 2007, 19:09

What time of the morning?

Fub@r

11th October 2007, 19:19

What time of the morning?

I usually come across him around 5pm heading west

Grahameeboy

11th October 2007, 19:24

Point to his rear tyre and gesture that he has a flat tyre..........he may pull over then............otherwise live with it, just one cage.........

Swoop

11th October 2007, 19:27

I usually come across him around 5pm heading west
Green sentia? If I had to crawl through that traffic in rush hour in a green p.o.s. jappa I'd be certifyable.

Might have to alter my travel time...

Sam I Am

11th October 2007, 19:42

Is Lane splitting legal then ? and if not any one been pulled for it ?

RC1

11th October 2007, 19:45

He drives in the right hand lane with his car hard to the left in the lane. He see's you trying to split but refuses to move over, instead he sticks on his right hand indicator to tell you to go around him on his right between his car and the barrier!!!!!!!!

so hes not really doing anything wrong is he ?? just use the left lane and GET OVER IT !!!

EJK

11th October 2007, 19:54

I'll go tomorrow night and see if I can find him ;)
Just for fun :p

90s

11th October 2007, 20:11

On Weds evening about 5:20pm on the NW I had someone in the 'middle'-lane (although I think there are 4 lanes at this point) doing this when they saw me coming up the middle - indicate. Thinking they were changing lanes for the mysterious compulsions that make cages change lanes when the traffic is not even moving I backed off waiting for him to pull into the 'fast' - ie. 35kph - lane. He didn't, and even the guys in the fast lane made space for him confused. After a while I realised he was just trying to frustrate me.
Think it was a white flat-bed yute though.

Is this a new fad?

Pancakes

11th October 2007, 20:13

Is Lane splitting legal then ? and if not any one been pulled for it ?

Yeah for sure, but you need to be doing at least 30K's more than the cars or another 50% of their speed, whatevers faster, I'm surprised this keeps coming up! Isn't in the test anymore? Happy splitting Sam.

surfchick

11th October 2007, 20:25

Sam I Am

11th October 2007, 23:13

Yeah for sure, but you need to be doing at least 30K's more than the cars or another 50% of their speed, whatevers faster, I'm surprised this keeps coming up! Isn't in the test anymore? Happy splitting Sam.
PMSL so i I have to ride @ 130k's to 150k's when there doing 100k's
and moving up to the front of lights i need to be doing 80ks

but no slower HAHAHA

thanks for the advice y last ticket was for speeding and not staying entirely with in my lane ( now fuck thats a dumb ass rule ) and the cop was a total NAZI DICKHEAD with out any humor ( no way to spend 300 or so bucks )

craigs288

12th October 2007, 07:40

[QUOTE=Fub@r;1243240]He drives in the right hand lane with his car hard to the left in the lane. He see's you trying to split but refuses to move over, instead he sticks on his right hand indicator to tell you to go around him on his right between his car and the barrier!!!QUOTE]

The next time it happens, return the favour. Go past as close as you possibly can. I find that leaning on the car with your elbow and knee as you scrape past can give them the impression you would appreciate a little more room, and courtesy. Be careful though, not to damage the mirror or scrape the paintwork. And be aware they may swerve away from you while you are leaning on them.

As soon as you get past him, pull in front, slow down a little, move to the far left of the lane and then indicate left and don't change lanes. And be sure to deliberately ride more slowly than the vehicles in front of you to make a big gap that he can't move into.

Eventually he will realise how annoying it is when he does it. Or he will remain an ignorant prick and just hate you and all other motorcyclists.
Either way, you will probably feel pretty good about it.

Swoop

12th October 2007, 07:43

The next time it happens, return the favour.

Eventually he will realise how annoying it is when he does it. Or he will remain an ignorant prick and just hate you and all other motorcyclists.
Either way, you will probably feel pretty good about it.
OR he will tailgate you at 0.000001mm distance and then ram you.
Be quick - then fuck off outta there. Use your power/weight ratio to your advantage.

Griff

12th October 2007, 08:02

Pixie

12th October 2007, 08:51

I have had this a few times now and it's fun.
If I know the guy is just signalling to piss me off, I will use the car in the next lane as cover whilst I overtake the tosser. I don't often rebuke them as it just encourages them to do it again.

It is important to realise that the very worst you can do to such arseholes,is to act as if they don't even exist.

ManDownUnder

12th October 2007, 09:02

Go round him on the right if you safely can. I do it from time to time (not with him - I'm normally west bound at 5:30 or 6:00) but with a little practice it's ok. Just make sure there's room in front of him so you can get back into the splitting lane when you've passed him.

Otherwise wait 30 second while the traffic next time hopefully speeds up (at some point), slot into it and pass him.

As I understand it - he's actually obeying the law - staying left in his lane etc... painful as it is.

I just wish bikes used their mirrors a little more often. Mr Hardly Movin' Davidson yesterday *mutter mutter mutter*

discotex

12th October 2007, 09:08

It is important to realise that the very worst you can do to such arseholes,is to act as if they don't even exist.

Works for me. I refuse to give them the satisfaction.

Generally the cage in the lane next to these morons freaks out at having a car so close and they move over to the left as well. 99% of the time you can swerve past them in a gap in the other lane without ever slowing down.

Must really piss them off after trying so hard to block ya :cool:

discotex

12th October 2007, 09:11

I just wish bikes used their mirrors a little more often. Mr Hardly Movin' Davidson yesterday *mutter mutter mutter*

I had one of those (a BMW I believe) on the northern yesterday. The dude knew I was behind him (saw him check his mirrors) and still wouldn't pull back aside to let me past. He just sat on the white line going 15km/h with the cars :mad:

BevanPT

12th October 2007, 09:30

I had a guy on the southern motorway once, swerving his car all over the lane to try and block me. I just sat behind him for a minute or so until he hit the gridlock and had to stop. Almost waved as I went by, but decided not to waste my energy.

Pancakes

12th October 2007, 11:08

As much as I want to give these drivers the fu*k off they deserve (and may have been know to give the wing-mirror shop some extra customers) I have to say that first you'll come off worst and second if someone is pissed of their judgement is impaired so when they think they're gonna put the shits up ya, they might just put a bumper up ya. Hang back and let them have a crash on their own.

MDU, I've seen that guy heaps! low straight pipes and leather saddle bags? Does about 5k's more than the cars? Theres a few slowies out on the NW'ern which is ok but when you follow from town to Te Atatu and they still don't let the 5 bikes behind them pass it's a bit rude. Have you seen the guy/girl who looks about 1.4m high on a similar RF to yours? They sit between cars doing the same speed, argh! My solution to a frustrating commute of the NW is home to Whenuapai via Helensville, Silverdale then Pare'/Old Nth etc. My wife asks why I'm late and I say "traffic". Mmmmm, traffic.

pzkpfw

12th October 2007, 12:02

As I understand it - he's actually obeying the law - staying left in his lane etc... painful as it is.

Given the bit that makes lanesplitting "legal" is passing a vehicle - on their right - within their lane; could this moron be trying to "implement" that?

(Yes, I know the reality of lanesplitting is just trying to safely go between the lanes, and in practice it can mean as much passing the cars on your right, on their left, as the "legal" way...)

90s

12th October 2007, 12:20

Theres a few slowies out on the NW'ern which is ok

Hiya!

(no, seriously, I do pull over when caught up by other bikes ... )

PuppetMaster

12th October 2007, 14:03

I just wish bikes used their mirrors a little more often. Mr Hardly Movin' Davidson yesterday *mutter mutter mutter*

It is really frustrating being heldup by another bike. sometimes it is probably arrogance rather than ignorance.

Guided_monkey

12th October 2007, 14:43

Just ignore him. Get around the best you can a you'll be home and he'll still be getting past Te Atatu.

Just ride safe.

delusionz

12th October 2007, 16:53

Alot of the advice in this thread is just asking for trouble. You're on a bike man, don't tempt him. I got taken out by an ignorant driver in the left lane pulling right into me at only 40kph I still came out with broken bones. Do not lean on his car, Do not bash his mirror off, Do not provoke him. Hell don't go looking for him, Find another lane and clear yourself a good hundred metres from him.

If you drive a car aswell as a motorcycle you'll know that bikes come out of nowhere and can be taken out before the motorcyclist is even seen, All it takes is to ride along the side of someone when the road curves and they understeer or steer late and you'll be flicked off.

Fub@r

12th October 2007, 21:26

I'm not skilled enough to kick off a wing mirror etc. Just wanted to see if anyone else had come across this guy or whether he just picks on me for some odd reason.

As for retaliation I take the approach in rush hour if I do something to piss a cager off then the next bike that comes along will be the poor sod that cops it the cagers revenge

speedpro

13th October 2007, 18:21

You are only allowed to overtake other vehicles in the same lane as you, either to their right or if the other vehicle is stationary you may overtake on their left. Mr Green car is actually giving you the opportunity to lane-split legally by passing him on his right within the same lane.

The only real problem is that every other arsehole driving in the right lane keeps as far as possible to the right of the right lane leaving a perfect space to overtake them but unfortunately, illegally, on their left.

Shiny side up

13th October 2007, 22:37

I have an old XJ550.... they all rotted the pipes out close to new. Most now have 4 into 1 pipes and the make a real sound. When I get a car tring to block me at low speeds 30-45kph droping 2 or 3 grears and winding the throttle up as I go between the two cages seems to work wonders. The both jump and move appart leaveing a gap I can slip through while still doing sane speeds.

MaxCannon

13th October 2007, 23:22

If people kept left in their lane like they are supposed to it would be much easier.
Unfortuantely the majority drive a long way to the right and quite a few seem to have trouble keeping within a lane at all.
I've had a few people seem to take deliberate blocking moves.
I'm guessing they are pissed at sitting in gridlock and can't stand the though of someone beating them to the head of the queue.
I'm pretty cautious when splitting, once traffic hits 30ks I generally won't try going between the lanes.
On the whole I've been pleasantly surprised at how many people are checking their mirrors and will make a gap for me.
It's just a small number of twits that seem oblivious to anything around them that cause problems.

WarlockNZ

14th October 2007, 07:17

When I get a car tring to block me at low speeds 30-45kph droping 2 or 3 grears and winding the throttle up as I go between the two cages seems to work wonders.

LOL .. I do the same thing, the looks on their faces are a mastercard moment.

But i feel your pain Fubar, i have incidents all the time on the northwestern, car drivers, by and large are a good bunch and will move out of the way, but the odd one is just a real prick.

I can recall one where an old bastard blocked me in and shouted, "your going to die if you keep doing that sonny", to which i replied " only if you continue to drive like an assehole sir" and then rode off.

The best advise is to "safely" leave them behind, don't stress about it, while your sitting at home having an afterwork drink, they will still be stuck in gridlock, sucking on the tail pipe of the car in front.

FROSTY

14th October 2007, 19:51

Im reading the overwhelming arrogance displayed in this thread and shake my head in wonder.
In around 20 years of bike commuting I can count the close calls Ive had on ONE hand.
If YOU want to save YOUR life then pull your fucken head in and give em a wide berth--Its not rocket science.
Kick a door in--YEA FUCKWIT and Ill be the poor sod that comes along a minute later and gets swiped by the pissed off car driver
DONT YOU GUYS GET IT What goes around comes around.

rwh

14th October 2007, 20:33

If people kept left in their lane like they are supposed to it would be much easier.
There's no requirement to stay to the left within your lane - you only have to keep left on an unlaned road (and to the left of the centreline, obviously).

Unfortuantely the majority drive a long way to the right and quite a few seem to have trouble keeping within a lane at all.

Keeping to the right of the lane is the natural thing to do in a car, IMHO - when I'm driving, I want to have the best view forward I can, and I sit on the right hand side of my car, so the best way to see past the car in front is to move to the right of it. I'm not talking about looking forward for hazards, BTW - I try to keep enough following distance that that isn't necessary. I'm talking about sitting in traffic, and wondering what the holdup is, and trying to get a glimpse of it. It doesn't help in the slightest - there's almost always nothing to see - but it's still the natural thing to do. I'm guessing therefore that most drivers are not actually out to block motorcyclists.

The other thing I'd note is that while it seems to be legal to overtake on the right within the same lane, I've seen nothing to suggest that the person being passed has to give way - they are entitled to use the whole lane, so I hope everyone splitting is ready for them to swerve to the right (or left, for that matter) to avoid an obstacle that's just been revealed by the car in front of them.

Richard
(who almost never splits, except occasionally at the lights when the cars are stopped and therefore can't swerve)

Pancakes

14th October 2007, 20:53

.....Richard
(who almost never splits, except occasionally at the lights when the cars are stopped and therefore can't swerve)

Know splitters before you judge splitters.............

The law and being in the right or wrong doesn't matter, staying in one piece matters so steer clear of everyone and double it for the dickheads who serve for bikes, their motivation is less important than your life!

dwnundabkr

15th October 2007, 21:19

The old added story be prepared if you split (which i do) be prepared to stop,avoid or get hit i work on the fact that i am in their lane i need to be the one that needs to give way not the other way round and yes i have come across him just change lanes go round him most times though the western motorway is pretty good

craigs288

16th October 2007, 08:21

When I'm in my cage I keep an eye in the side mirrors and when I see bikes coming I move over and provide more room for the biker to continue where they choose to ride, regardless of whether they are on my right or left.

When I'm on the bike I assume that no one knows I'm there and ride accordingly. If people 'seem to be' swerving over to block me, I assume they haven't seen me, rather than doing it deliberately. I just keep riding where I was going to in the first place.

Never fails to amaze me how small a gap you can get a biggish bike through.

90s

16th October 2007, 08:31

TI'm talking about sitting in traffic, and wondering what the holdup is, and trying to get a glimpse of it.

The point of this being?

Seems a little like the idea cagers in solid traffic have that by changing lanes to get one car lenght ahead they are "in control" of their destiny, even though no-one is going anywhere anyway.

_intense_

16th October 2007, 11:35

I spoke with a roadknight onnce, we discussed the simple pleasures of riding and such.. his solution to cars he didnt like was to put a brick through the windscreen and ride off. reckoned he had one in each pannierbag.

Defiant

16th October 2007, 12:07

I lane split all the time but i pick my times......stopped traffic where i can see the light turn green and motorways that are congested to the point of stopping most drivers are cool with it...if i come across a cage that blocks me in i just assume he/she didnt see me....lets face it we ride bike so when we drive our cages we drive with awareness of bikes.......most drivers dont expect bike to be there.....kicken doors ansd abusing only m,akes them remember to do it on purpose next time.....dont give cage drivers an excuse to think we are idiots...

90s

16th October 2007, 13:13

This morning SH16 splitting: fun with the cops!

This morning (Tues Oct 16) about 7:30am I started splitting onto the SH16 from the Gt Nth Rd entry, but the traffic was up to 60 kph shortly and I filtered in. Just before the SH1 junction traffic really thinned and was doing an open 100kph, when a blue/white Gixxer came up 130kph approx and split through the cars. Rider was almost collected by a car moving from one of the East Port lanes to the SH1 lane as he was undertaking it within its lane and it had no idea he was there. Evading to the left, he then pulled around and over to overtake several more vehicles to get back into the town exit lanes, now doing 120 in the 80kph zone.

As I turned onto the Wellesley St exit I saw him getting pulled by the cops. I caught the light and by the time I turned he was standing jacket off by his bike. Looked like an accountant; late 20s?

Split when it saves time lads, but video-game driving upsets the cagers and will get you busted.

And if this was you, and you just got a warning or licence check only, you were lucky not to have been hit by that car. And even more important, freak-out the car driver who could have caused some other accident.

Taz

16th October 2007, 13:54

I came along the western motorway at about 430am on Sunday morning with 5 or 6 other Rusty Grand Challenge riders and didn't see him........ Wasn't lane splitting though, that might be why?

Grantasaurus

16th October 2007, 14:02

It is important to realise that the very worst you can do to such arseholes,is to act as if they don't even exist.

I second that, they're just looking for a reaction to let them know that they've pissed you off.

Don't bite.

rwh

16th October 2007, 19:11

The point of this being?

The next sentence was: "It doesn't help in the slightest - there's almost always nothing to see - but it's still the natural thing to do."

Idle curiosity, I guess. Other than the effect on lanesplitters, it makes no difference either way. And since the rest of the cars are doing it, it doesn't make any difference to lanesplitters either.

Richard

MaxCannon

16th October 2007, 21:08

delusionz

17th October 2007, 00:28

Over the last couple of days I've had two people go out of there way to make room for me while splitting at traffic lights.

So it goes to show that some people are using their mirrors. Perhaps these were bikers who'd left the bike at home.

You definitely know what it's like if you drive both.

On a similar note, I'd probably urge most bike only people to take up driving, you really start to notice how close you come to being clipped in an instant in different motorcycle vs car situations which could help give you a bit of hindsight when you're the one on the bike. This is just something I've noticed myself.

90s

17th October 2007, 10:12

Over the last couple of days I've had two people go out of there way to make room for me while splitting at traffic lights.

So it goes to show that some people are using their mirrors. Perhaps these were bikers who'd left the bike at home.

I would say I on any normal day the ratio of cars moving aside to those - for whatever reason - pulling in front of you is about 8:2.
If I can spare the concentration, I give a little head bob or curtsy to those who pull over.

Maybe they're bikers too, or have family on bikes.
Or maybe they'be had a friendly brick through the screen or wing mirror knocked off.

Pancakes

19th October 2007, 16:27

.....I just wish bikes used their mirrors a little more often. Mr Hardly Movin' Davidson yesterday *mutter mutter mutter*

Haha! Saw this guy again today, just after 4. Must read the forum, he saw me in his mirrors and moved over into the next hawg sized gap. Thanks matey!! Please join up or change your name to "Hardly" I recon that'd be classic!

ManDownUnder

19th October 2007, 17:08

Haha! Saw this guy again today, just after 4. Must read the forum, he saw me in his mirrors and moved over into the next hawg sized gap. Thanks matey!! Please join up or change your name to "Hardly" I recon that'd be classic!

True - but... credit where it's due - I wish more people simply considered the commentary of others. :niceone: that's hardly the sign of a hard headed "fuckoffski".