Highway Ethics

[outlawtorn]

Greeting all,

Here is another question from a leaner rider. On my way to work this morning I was travelling in between the middle and right land on the motorway, my questions is in two parts:
1. Is it illegal to ride between the cars like this?
2. Is it legal to ride down the extreme right hand side of the motorway?

I've seen many bikes come past me on the right hand shoulder.

Cheers

[jrandom]

Do a forum search for threads about "filtering" and "lane splitting".

Please, for the sake of sanity, nobody else reply to this thread until outlawtorn has unanswered questions on the subject AFTER he's done that, OK?

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Do a forum search for threads about "filtering" and "lane splitting".

Please, for the sake of sanity, nobody else reply to this thread until outlawtorn has unanswered questions on the subject AFTER he's done that, OK?
So you do not want this thread to go on and on and on and on over old ground then :unsure: :ar15: :banana: :lol: :lol: :doh:
Sorry think I will go to bed and leave it alone :bash:

[outlawtorn]

Thanks Jrandom,

Did those searches you suggested and found out the info I wanted, slowly but surely I'm also getting to grips with the terminology. I didn't know it was called "splitting".

Cheers for that.

[vifferman]

So... do I get first shot at "leaner rider" (presumably as opposed to the fatter ones)? What about the "middle and right land"?
I actually rather like that last one - sort of paints a picture of the road as a river, bounded by grassy land bits....

[jrandom]

Did those searches you suggested and found out the info I wanted, slowly but surely I'm also getting to grips with the terminology. I didn't know it was called "splitting".

Yup. 'Lane splitting' is the merrikan term, in the UK it gets called 'filtering'. They seem to be used pretty much interchangeably here.

It's not that nobody wants to enlighten you, quite on the contrary in fact, but enough has already been written about it on the forum that it would be counterproductive to try to do it all again in a new thread.

Since you're on the Shore, I imagine that there are plenty of local KBers who'd be happy for you to follow them down the motorway in rush hour for some sedate filtering experience.

[Biff]

Just be bloody careful doing it. Freakin cage drivers are famous for changing lanes suddenly - watch out for gaps in the traffic, they're like vacumes for cars. Go slow. I always have my hand ove the front brake and a thumb hovering over the horn.

Sorry, I couldnt resist posting. It makes me feel useful. :moon:

[bugjuice]

I called the fuzz on an unrelated matter, but decided to get a 'definitive' answer, since I had them on the phone.. Is it worth posting what 'they' told me? or let sleepin pooches lie?

[StoneChucker]

I called the fuzz on an unrelated matter, but decided to get a 'definitive' answer, since I had them on the phone.. Is it worth posting what 'they' told me? or let sleepin pooches lie?
go on, go on, go on, you will now!

[crashe]

I suppose you are gonna tell us its illegal.....lol

Well we know that, but we just make sure that we don't get caught....
and when we spot a nice police officer ahead of us, we all pop back into the lanes and ride nicely until we can pass them... and then back to lane splitting.....

And the fine for being caught is what? $150 ???

Or are you going to tell us something totally different... go on tell us..

[bugjuice]

k, well the chick on the phone at the time wasn't so sure, so she told me to hang on while she asked a bike-cop what the scoop is;

Filtering (splitting) - When the traffic is stationery, technically, it's parked. You're allowed to ride past a parked car, thus, at red lights and traffic jams, you can filter - but within reason. It doesn't permit you to fly thru at 150kph, cos that's just silly.
I mentioned as a rule of thumb, I travel at around 20kph, wether traffic is moving slower or not at all. They said (again, within reason) this is ok. I have passed many cop cars while they're doing 10 or so, and I've passed them at 20kph. So far, no one has given me grief. As soon as the traffic picks up speed, merge back in asap, but don't cut anyone up (they don't really like that either..)..

As for riding down the extreme right hand side of the motorway, big no-no. As is riding down the hard shoulder (very left emergency lane) unless it's clearly stated as a bus lane within those hours (or you follow a bus outside the hours, cos if you get done, then he can get done too..).
Using the chevrons too, is also a big no-no.. In fact, it's pretty much safe to say, that if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't, aside from slow speed filtering.

You can use any bus lane, as long as it's within the hours if stated. Else, the law applies (as in, if cars can use it outside the hours too, then so can you).

I was precautioned tho - a lot of this is at the officers' discretion. If you're being a silly dick, then they're gonna pull you and give you some paperwork. If you behave and don't 'act' nervous and keep your cool, they'll most probably ignore you.
I have been stopped once for filtering, but that's cos I made a bad/late decision and ironically, a cop was a few cars back, plus I was a little over the limit before the traffic. He just slapped my wrist and said what I did was ok, but to think ahead. That's the trick. Think ahead and don't be stupid, else they will have you.

This is all what I've been told by the boys in blue and is what I ride by, so if there are any cops reading this, or anyone knows any different, then please, tell me too!!

[Biff]

k, well the chick on the phone at the time wasn't so sure, so she told me to hang on while she asked a bike-cop what the scoop is;

Filtering (splitting) - When the traffic is stationery, technically, it's parked. You're allowed to ride past a parked car, thus, at red lights and traffic jams, you can filter - but within reason. It doesn't permit you to fly thru at 150kph, cos that's just silly.
I mentioned as a rule of thumb, I travel at around 20kph, wether traffic is moving slower or not at all. They said (again, within reason) this is ok. I have passed many cop cars while they're doing 10 or so, and I've passed them at 20kph. So far, no one has given me grief. As soon as the traffic picks up speed, merge back in asap, but don't cut anyone up (they don't really like that either..)..

As for riding down the extreme right hand side of the motorway, big no-no. As is riding down the hard shoulder (very left emergency lane) unless it's clearly stated as a bus lane within those hours (or you follow a bus outside the hours, cos if you get done, then he can get done too..).
Using the chevrons too, is also a big no-no.. In fact, it's pretty much safe to say, that if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't, aside from slow speed filtering.

You can use any bus lane, as long as it's within the hours if stated. Else, the law applies (as in, if cars can use it outside the hours too, then so can you).

I was precautioned tho - a lot of this is at the officers' discretion. If you're being a silly dick, then they're gonna pull you and give you some paperwork. If you behave and don't 'act' nervous and keep your cool, they'll most probably ignore you.
I have been stopped once for filtering, but that's cos I made a bad/late decision and ironically, a cop was a few cars back, plus I was a little over the limit before the traffic. He just slapped my wrist and said what I did was ok, but to think ahead. That's the trick. Think ahead and don't be stupid, else they will have you.

This is all what I've been told by the boys in blue and is what I ride by, so if there are any cops reading this, or anyone knows any different, then please, tell me too!!


Hang on a minute - you don't qualify for being a member of this site. The membership rules clearly state that only over exaggeration, BS and pure guess work are allowed on here. How dare you come here and post hard facts!!








Good work - and welcome. :msn-wink:

[bugjuice]

Hang on a minute - you don't qualify for being a member of this site. The membership rules clearly state that only over exaggeration, BS and pure guess work are allowed on here. How dare you come here and post hard facts!!

Good work - and welcome. :msn-wink:

damn it, I've been had!! every dude for themselves :ar15:
I could try guessing, if that helps.. I'd guess that pulling a wheelie past the cops while sat in mild traffic might get attention.. but I didn't ask and haven't done that yet, so it's purely a guess

[vifferman]

I've been stopped twice - once for "riding like an idiot" (which I guess was for carefully filtering past stopped traffic to the front of the queue at the traffic lights :spudwhat: ) and the other time was basically for overtaking both lines of stopped traffic and not indicating when I pulled out to do so.

On the first occasion, the cop (on a bike) just frothed at the mouth, yelled and screamed like a gibbering idiot (so I presumed he was) and told me that if I rode "like a proper motorcyclist instead of a bloody idiot, I wouldn't give the rest of us a bad name!" :mad:
Riiiight.... whatever, Dude.
Get that blood pressure checked, and please get back to me on how a "proper motorcyclist" rides. I've been learning to ride for over 30 years, and carefully studying this, and I've still no idea what he meant.
Unless of course, he meant, "If you ride your bike like it was a car, staying in your lane, thus completely negating the whole purpose of riding it in the first place, then you will be less visible, less happy, arrive at work late, not enjoy your commute, and be a tight-arsed, uptight, crabby wanker like me!"
The second time, the policeman was very polite and pleasant, so I took the opportunity to ask him about lane-splitting, filtering, KombatKommuterKaos, etc. He actually advised me that there was a grey area with regards to the law, but if I was going to filter, do it on the gutter side (!) However, if I was involved in a collision, it would be my fault, and I would be in trouble (presumably they'd get Biker Cop to come and chastise me some more.... :confused: )

Anyway, as we now know from previous threads, from extensive research, and from all the crap I've found embedded in my tyres, this "filtering in the gutter" is patent nonsense, illegal, and dangerous. Just like The Spanish Inquisition, no-one expects you to sneak past them on the left, so they are easily startled by this and tend to run you over. Well, only once, at least. And then it was someone who was turning left, and I ignored his confirminator, as no-one uses this to actually indicate a turn.
Generally, when I do this (several times a week, sneaking past backed-up traffic on the on-ramp onto the Harbour Bridge), they ignore me or move out of the way. I know it's very very bad, but it saves lots of time, and I've become addicted to it.

[**R1**]

damn it, I've been had!! every dude for themselves :ar15:
I could try guessing, if that helps.. I'd guess that pulling a wheelie past the cops while sat in mild traffic might get attention.. but I didn't ask and haven't done that yet, so it's purely a guess
No its fact i proved it 4 years ago(im a dumbass) i was lane splitting on my old 750 and thought it would impress the hell outa all the cagers if i wheelied between the cars.....well one happend to be a mufty :doh: ...he was actualy quite shaken when he stopped me...recons all he saw was a front wheel level with his passenger window, lost licence for 3months for careless driving....not sure how it was careless?? i did it on purpose. :crazy:

[vifferman]

lost licence for 3months for careless driving....not sure
how it was careless?? i did it on purpose. :crazy:
I'm not sure they have a traffic offence called, "Purposefully impressive but potentially dangerous use of a motor vehicle."
But he could have pinged you instead for dangerous driving. :doh:

Or given you an award of some kind. But obviously it wasn't quite impressive enough for that...:sly:

[Gixxer 4 ever]

k, well the chick on the phone at the time wasn't so sure,
This is all what I've been told by the boys in blue and is what I ride by, so if there are any cops reading this, or anyone knows any different, then please, tell me too!!Darn good posting. :banana: See that's how good the K/B community is. Here we have a "please do not post" thread that is picking up steam. You have given the facts as they are relayed to you and I have to say I was pleased to read it. I creep up the line of cars at the traffic lights and I can hear the cage drivers growling as I pass there windows. So if I have reason to speak to one of them I can say " are but you are parked and I have the right to do this". :2thumbsup
Good info and thanks. I note you have 20 posting and good feed back already. :yes: Welcome to the mad house.

[jrandom]

Here we have a "please do not post" thread that is picking up steam.

It was never a 'please do not post' thread. It was a 'please wait until outlawtorn has finished searching the forum before replying' thread.

[scumdog]

No its fact i proved it 4 years ago(im a dumbass) i was lane splitting on my old 750 and thought it would impress the hell outa all the cagers if i wheelied between the cars.....well one happend to be a mufty :doh: ...he was actualy quite shaken when he stopped me...recons all he saw was a front wheel level with his passenger window, lost licence for 3months for careless driving....not sure how it was careless?? i did it on purpose. :crazy:

I think it's because the offence description is "using a vehicle in a manner a normal prudent motorist would not", the word pertinent in your case was the " NORMAL" :bleh: :laugh: :laugh: :Pokey:

[Slingshot]

Heading home last night on the motorway, I came up behind a cop. Traffic was still moving quite quickly at that point.

It looked as if the cop car was heading a procession, nobody was keen to pass him, the road was fairly empty ahead of him but packed behind him.

Anyway, the traffic ended up crawling along at about 50ks. There were a number of bikes sitting a few cars back from the cop, they'd lane spitted up, spotted the cop then jumped into the lane.

I got bored with sitting in traffic so I decided to split past. I made sure I was overtaking on right and had my indicator on, I wasn't splitting much faster than the traffic was going either.

Cops didn't pull me up so unless I get a bill in the mail I can only assume they were fine with me doing it.

[Hitcher]

One certainly thinks more carefully about splitting when one is riding a "does-my-arse-look-big-in this" ST resplendent with its integrated pannier system...

[jrandom]

One certainly thinks more carefully about splitting when one is riding a "does-my-arse-look-big-in this" ST resplendent with its integrated pannier system...

I think you should 'streetfighter' it.

[Hitcher]

I think you should 'streetfighter' it.
LOOL! The mind boggles. If I did I suspect that members of the ST broederbond would at least burn a cross on my lawn...

[Hitcher]

I think you should 'streetfighter' it.
Oh, and by the way, you can do what ever you like to it when I die...

[**R1**]

I think it's because the offence description is "using a vehicle in a manner a normal prudent motorist would not", the word pertinent in your case was the " NORMAL" :bleh: :laugh: :laugh: :Pokey:
come on if eveyone rode bikes it would be "normal" just coz cars cant its deemed careless :spudwhat:

Im not sure but i get the feeling you like picking on me :yes: :crazy: :sly: :sly:

[scumdog]

come on if eveyone rode bikes it would be "normal" just coz cars cant its deemed careless :spudwhat:

Im not sure but i get the feeling you like picking on me :yes: :crazy: :sly: :sly:

'Course I ain't picking on you, it's just you keep leaving all that juicy bait dangling on front of me and hell, I just can't resist!!! :2thumbsup

[avgas]

All i would like to say is watch out for BMW drivers, they dont indicated....and i had a X5 open a door infront of me :mad:
Fucken wankers
So no dont bother doing it, not unless you know the situation

[Coyote]

Did I hear streetfighter? :p

[Biff]

Did I hear streetfighter? :p

No alarumba - It's not the arcade game. Look there's an Atari over there, off ya go fella, fetch. Good boy. :bleh:

[Biff]

One certainly thinks more carefully about splitting when one is riding a "does-my-arse-look-big-in this" ST resplendent with its integrated pannier system...

Reminds me of a story my mate told me about the time that he left a motorbike showroom in Bristol UK and began working for another bike shop in Cardiff which also did a side line in trikes.

One day whilst taking a trike for a test drive he forgot that he was riding such a contraption, until that is he attempted to lane split and promptly got ejected over the handlebars and snapped the rear axle off the trike. Needless to say the owners of the cages he kissed with the trike were non too impressed.... :wacko:

[Coyote]

No alarumba - It's not the arcade game. Look there's an Atari over there, off ya go fella, fetch. Good boy. :bleh:
Atari? Showing your age :p

[Skunk]

Atari? Showing your age :pAtari is still going... :doobey:

[Coyote]

Atari is still going... :doobey:
But not as a console manufacturer :whocares:

[Skunk]

But not as a console manufacturer :whocares:Just trying to change the thread direction... :yeah: Look --> ... beer!

[Biff]

But not as a console manufacturer :whocares:

Not true - haven't they just released on of those thingamy bobs game whatsits with some classic old games on, looks like the old Atari joystick. :love: I want one. I saw one in the states late last year.

I'll have you know I can still touch my toes (with a stick) have all my own hair (up my nose and in my ears) and can still pull the ladies (from behind by their jumpers). :sneaky2:

[sAsLEX]

Just trying to change the thread direction... :yeah: Look --> ... beer!

Summer Ale is back on sale!!!!

[Slingshot]

Summer Ale is back on sale!!!!

Summer Ale never went off sale...it's a marketing ploy.

[marty]

Reminds me of a story my mate told me about the time that he left a motorbike showroom in Bristol UK and began working for another bike shop in Cardiff which also did a side line in trikes.

One day whilst taking a trike for a test drive he forgot that he was riding such a contraption, until that is he attempted to lane split and promptly got ejected over the handlebars and snapped the rear axle off the trike. Needless to say the owners of the cages he kissed with the trike were non too impressed.... :wacko:

now i would have paid money to see that....

[Racey Rider]

One certainly thinks more carefully about splitting when one is riding a "does-my-arse-look-big-in this" ST resplendent with its integrated pannier system...


Alright! It's time a good friend told you the Truth! :apint:




:mega: You've brought a CAR with NO ROOF and only TWO WHEELS you daft twit!! :lol:

[outlawtorn]

Hey thanks everyone, got all the info I need now....

Good to see that the thread turned into a laugh though...

Cheers all

[カワサキキド]

No its fact i proved it 4 years ago(im a dumbass) i was lane splitting on my old 750 and thought it would impress the hell outa all the cagers if i wheelied between the cars.....well one happend to be a mufty :doh: ...he was actualy quite shaken when he stopped me...recons all he saw was a front wheel level with his passenger window, lost licence for 3months for careless driving....not sure how it was careless?? i did it on purpose. :crazy:

Try a rolling stoppie next time :yes:

[Coyote]

Not true - haven't they just released on of those thingamy bobs game whatsits with some classic old games on, looks like the old Atari joystick. :love: I want one. I saw one in the states late last year.

Might be interested in this then (http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=482)
I want the sega one :p

[Grumpy]

Heading back from work last night, the motorway looking like a big carprk as usual, I started to head up the middle of the lanes. Got to a white van full of young fellas. Just as I got upto the side window this bloody white hairy arse shot out the window. :moon: :eek5:

Scariest thing I've ever seen. Was nearly enough to put me off lane splitting for good.

[Coyote]

Heading back from work last night, the motorway looking like a big carprk as usual, I started to head up the middle of the lanes. Got to a white van full of young fellas. Just as I got upto the side window this bloody white hairy arse shot out the window. :moon: :eek5:

Scariest thing I've ever seen. Was nearly enough to put me off lane splitting for good.
Should given him a swift kick

[MSTRS]

Heading back from work last night, the motorway looking like a big carprk as usual, I started to head up the middle of the lanes. Got to a white van full of young fellas. Just as I got upto the side window this bloody white hairy arse shot out the window. :moon: :eek5:


There's a good cure for that. surgical glove recommended :devil2:

[bungbung]

Might be interested in this then (http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=482)
I want the sega one :p

I've got one of them. $20 from the warehouse. I want the Namco version with galaga on it though.

[ajturbo]

Heading back from work last night, the motorway looking like a big carprk as usual, I started to head up the middle of the lanes. Got to a white van full of young fellas. Just as I got upto the side window this bloody white hairy arse shot out the window. :moon: :eek5:

Scariest thing I've ever seen. Was nearly enough to put me off lane splitting for good.


sorry didn't mean to put you off...... :Pokey:

[Coyote]

I've got one of them. $20 from the warehouse. I want the Namco version with galaga on it though.
Although, nothing can beat the Sega Master System II :headbang:
Mines still working :eek:

[Sniper]

Although, nothing can beat the Sega Master System II :headbang:
Mines still working :eek:

Mine met a happy fate.

Hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, a hammer and other varying destructive devices.

And they say I was a deprived child!!! :sweatdrop

[Coyote]

Mine met a happy fate.

Hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, a hammer and other varying destructive devices.

And they say I was a deprived child!!! :sweatdrop
Still got your games?

Talking about games, I've got the dodgyest game for the Sega: Michael Jacksons Moonwalker. You go around kicking gangsters and zombies, trying to save the little kids from Mr Big :lol: