Is this a legal manoeuvre??

[mazz1972]

Is one allowed to pass a vehicle, not crossing the centre line, but in the same lane as said vehicle?

Said vehicle is just driving along in the line of traffic, not slowing to turn left or pull off, and has not or moved over to let a vehicle past.

Anyone know?

[Ragingrob]

I believe that the legalities of "lane splitting" through moving traffic is that yes you can pass on the right of the vehicle if you're in the same lane and indicating right and not exceeding more than 20k's faster than the car.

I think :bash:

[Ixion]

It's just a standard overtake. There's an example in the Roadcode. Quite legal (assuming all the other stuff for overtaking is met) . Not always a very good idea though.

[vifferman]

Quite legal (assuming all the other stuff for overtaking is met) . Not always a very good idea though.
Yursss.
Depends how much space you allow, how you perform it, etc. If a cop deemed it to be unsafe, then you could get done under the "two vehicles may not share a lane" thingo.

[Nagash]

Yeah, I saw the example of it in the road code, apparently it's legal but I still prefer to just give 'em their space and pass on the opposite lane. Unless lane splitting ofcourse..

[mazz1972]

I often encounter someone on my way to work, on SH1 between Waikanae and Otaki (just the one lane in each direction).

This turkey constantly passes vehicles in their lane (not crossing the centre lane) when there is traffic coming in the other direction. I have seen them do it countless times.

Put out of your mind any visions of this turkey giving a quick squirt on the accelerator and blitzing past at warp speed, as they ride a GN250, and generally passes vehicles at probably only 10kms faster than the vehicles are travelling.

I have gotten a hell of a fright a few times now to suddenly see a bike creeping past me to my right (I'm in a toyota surf).

So if I didn't see the bike passing me, and swerved to avoid some debris on the road and collected the rider, who would be in the wrong?

I'm guessing they would, provided they weren't indicating (and this person often doesn't that I have noticed), but in my mind that is beside the point - chances are if I looked in the rear view mirror or side mirror the turkey would be in my blind spot anyway and I'd not see them.

I just don't expect to be driving along in the flow of traffic, with oncoming traffic, and suddenly be passed in my lane by a bike (or any vehicle).

Any comments people?

[Nagash]

Err, I reckon you'd still be at fault unfortunately.. You should be looking in your mirrors, and then turn your head to check your blind spot even though, as with the example you gave, that is sometimes a pretty ridiculous expectation.

I reckon if it did get taken to court and the situation was explained then the driver would probably get a lesser fine or the blame would be placed on the rider. Otherwise, if you tried to follow the law as black and white as possible, the cager would be at fault.. it's a legal manouvre (sp?) but not one that i'd do.

[EDIT] Actually, on second thought, if there are vehicles on the other side of the road wouldn't it be considered illegal because of the 100m's free space ahead or whatever? Even if he wasn't gonna cross over.. Though then again in the example in the road rules it says we can pass on double yellow lanes within our lane which usually only appear if you can't see 100m's ahead...

I dunno.. it's confusing.

[Matt]

I often encounter someone on my way to work, on SH1 between Waikanae and Otaki (just the one lane in each direction).

This turkey constantly passes vehicles in their lane (not crossing the centre lane) when there is traffic coming in the other direction. I have seen them do it countless times.


I must be a turkey then as I do it on that road quite a bit :spanking: - always sensibly though and I make sure I've made eye contact with the cage. Still winds me up though that hardly anyone moves over on the bit with cheesecutters from Pukerua Bay to Paekak!

[Mole_C]

So if I didn't see the bike passing me, and swerved to avoid some debris on the road and collected the rider, who would be in the wrong?

Think he would as i believe there is a rule that you are not allowed to pass within 1m of another vehicle and could easily be classed as an unsafe passing maneuver as he is not allowing space, does not have 100m free passing space etc

Seems pretty silly to creep passed cars like that, i sometimes do it so i don't have to cross yellows but only when theres plenty of space and can get past quickly.

[Finn]

It's just a standard overtake. There's an example in the Roadcode. Quite legal (assuming all the other stuff for overtaking is met) . Not always a very good idea though.

What about the same scenario with a double yellow (without crossing it) ?

[TOTO]

Yes it is legal. As a recent till now Learner I have read the road code many times in the last 6 months and it explains exactly that situation and this is 100% legal.

[TOTO]

What about the same scenario with a double yellow (without crossing it) ?

what you just said is also 100% legal.

[madandy]

yellow lines mean no crossing centre line. overtaking within your lane is legal.

[Mikkel]

If you stay within your lane you may pass any vehicle:

On the RIGHT at anytime.

On the LEFT if the vehicle is stationary or indicating to turn right.

And speed doesn't factor - other than you of course still have to observe the speed limits.

[BiK3RChiK]

I often encounter someone on my way to work, on SH1 between Waikanae and Otaki (just the one lane in each direction).

This turkey constantly passes vehicles in their lane (not crossing the centre lane) when there is traffic coming in the other direction. I have seen them do it countless times.

Put out of your mind any visions of this turkey giving a quick squirt on the accelerator and blitzing past at warp speed, as they ride a GN250, and generally passes vehicles at probably only 10kms faster than the vehicles are travelling.

I have gotten a hell of a fright a few times now to suddenly see a bike creeping past me to my right (I'm in a toyota surf).

So if I didn't see the bike passing me, and swerved to avoid some debris on the road and collected the rider, who would be in the wrong?

I'm guessing they would, provided they weren't indicating (and this person often doesn't that I have noticed), but in my mind that is beside the point - chances are if I looked in the rear view mirror or side mirror the turkey would be in my blind spot anyway and I'd not see them.

I just don't expect to be driving along in the flow of traffic, with oncoming traffic, and suddenly be passed in my lane by a bike (or any vehicle).

Any comments people?

You would probably be in the wrong... However, I don't remember reading in the cage road code that at any time expect a motorcyclist to be sharing your lane.. Could be entirely wrong here but I think this practice could be potentially lethal to ones health. Can't say I constantly check my right mirror and blind spot as I'm tootling along in my Surf or any other car for that matter! It would possibly give me quite a start too.

[titirangi]

Agree and do this every day. very slow mind e.g. 10-15k. very occasionally I end up drifting an inch or two onto the left yellow line when cages are hard right in the lane.


yellow lines mean no crossing centre line. overtaking within your lane is legal.

[mazz1972]

Thanks for your comments peoples. It's a pretty basic rule, I should have known of course, not sure where my road code has gotten to! The rule makes sense in many situations, but seems friggin stupid and bloody dangerous in this situation.

I do check my mirrors, very regularly, but this person just seems to creep up out of nowhere and even passes it to very large trucks that way. Doesn't seem to make any attempt to see if the other drivers have seen him/her or not, just carries on regardless.

Personally I'd only pass another vehicle in the same lane if it was pulling over to let me pass, or slowing/pulling over to turn left or stop.

Regardless of it being legal, I still think the rider I refer to is a nutter. All the passing seems pointless anyway as they turn off at Otaki and usually only end up about 5-6 cars in front of me anyway. Seems quite a risk to take to arrive at the roundabout 15 seconds earlier!

[90s]

It's just a standard overtake. There's an example in the Roadcode. Quite legal (assuming all the other stuff for overtaking is met) . Not always a very good idea though.

And for when you mislay the code you can see it online. Here's what Ixion is talking about:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/about-driving/passing.html

See "Passing without crossing the no-passing line".

Seriously, I have spoken to cops that do not know details of the roadcode (one, an ex-neighbour of mine, seriously had never heard of "lane discipline" and told me "we don't have that in NZ. On the motorway you can use any lane you want like in America".
Read the code front to back and know it.
(sadly I can still recite the pointless UK braking distances, devised for 1950s drum brakes ... )