Has lane-splitting reached critical mass?

**Indiana_Jones** · 16th October 2009, 11:25

Originally Posted by Gareth51

The faster split the more fun it is

REDLINE TO THE DEADLINE

-Indy

**bull** · 16th October 2009, 16:12

Still a few riders on Welly commute whom hardly ever check their mirrors, get stuck behind them and just keep waiting and waiting then finally they take a glimpse in mirror and pull over to let me go.

Still a harrowing time spliting and even got cut off by a car whom never saw me, and ended up sharing paint with the right side of his bumper vs my left side fairing. Use to be a guy on SV650 whom would cane it through the cars but id assume he may have had a crash as he was going real slow last time i saw him.

**tomobedlam** · 16th October 2009, 20:58

I'll be splitting even more come July next year. If I have to pay so much to be able to do it, I'll be getting my moneys worth.

**Hopeful Bastard** · 16th October 2009, 21:08

while im in my cage, Whenever i am travelling down the road, Whether it be 50k or 100k, I will always move over to the left to allow room for you other bikers to pass safely. I know what it is like to be stuck behind traffic. Sad thing is.. Only about 25% of the people i let through, Acknowledge i have done something generous for them..

**Hawkeye** · 17th October 2009, 09:10

Originally Posted by bull

Still a few riders on Welly commute whom hardly ever check their mirrors, get stuck behind them and just keep waiting and waiting then finally they take a glimpse in mirror and pull over to let me go.

With you there Bull. I get this everyday on the commute into Welly on SH1. There are a number of bikers who are prepared to split but only at around 3-4k faster than the cages. They never look in their mirrors and have no idea someone is behind them.
I also come across the other kind of inconsiderate rider. You know the ones. Don't split but hug the white line so they have a safe exit. No problem with that but they never move over when another bike wants passed. Trouble is, if the gap opens, you don't know if they are going to go for it, just as you decide to go passed.
The number of times I have had to go off the Churton Park slip, over the top and back onto SH1 so I could get in front of them. The Gorge is another place where I have had to switch to the left hand lane to get passed a slower splitter in the right lane.
I don't split at rocket speed but I am prepared to be travelling 10-15k faster than the cages (until they are moving at a reasonable rate). And it pisses me off when slower splitters won't move over.
I'm also suprised at the number of splitters I seen lately who still have 'L's on. FFS. They have yet to get the skill set to do that especially in rush hour.

**sAsLEX** · 17th October 2009, 09:39

Originally Posted by McJim

I actually miss lane splitting in Auckland - never had any close calls - always seemed to be able to anticipate fuckwits and with clear signals to the cars around me everything was pretty cool

The spidey sense goes away after a while, now I don't commute on the MW every day I have to be a little more careful!

Originally Posted by bull

Still a few riders on Welly commute whom hardly ever check their mirrors, get stuck behind them and just keep waiting and waiting then finally they take a glimpse in mirror and pull over to let me go.

It is very hard to check mirrors splitting, you need all your concentration focussed forward as it only takes a fraction of a second for the situation to change and then a need to react.

Though if anyone is wanting to get by me when I am splitting they are fair moving.

**MaxCannon** · 17th October 2009, 15:22

I lane split every day and usually find people are happy to move.
Do it sensibly and you'll avoid pissing anyone off.

One dude at a set of traffic lights did get really angry with me and started hurling abuse.
I did think about dragging him from the car and kicking him to death (I heard you only get 3 years in prison so long as you say sorry afterwards) but I just ignored him and then caned it from the lights.

I've also noticed drivers willing to move over on the open road.
Today I had three in a row all make a big effort to let me through. Wasn't actually going that much faster than they were but it's nice to see people using their mirrors.

**cs363** · 17th October 2009, 15:41

Originally Posted by Marmoot

Where in the world is Wanganui???

Originally Posted by Headbanger

On the muddy bottom of a quite shallow hole.

Oh, no wonder I can never find it - I thought it was on the other side of the bridge to nowhere...

**st00ji** · 18th October 2009, 16:07

Originally Posted by McJim

I actually miss lane splitting in Auckland - never had any close calls - always seemed to be able to anticipate fuckwits and with clear signals to the cars around me everything was pretty cool

I ALWAYS used to wave a thank you to other courteous drivers. Courtesy costs nothing but it's amazing how much you can buy with it.

Over the years I did this in Auckland I got used to the same courteous cars and the same fuckwits so I knew who to avoid and who would let me pass. People are creatures of habit and generally leave for work the same time every day.

Maybe it has improved further as more imigrants from countries where lane splitting is absolutely expected of motorcycles have come to live in New Zealand.

Remember - road courtesy is alive and well outside New Zealand.

i've never seen you post without complaining about NZ drivers. we are a bunch of arrogant pricks, get over it! way to portray the whinging pom to a tee. if you dont like it then im sure you can go back to ole blighty :P

**Maki** · 18th October 2009, 17:01

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

With you there Bull. I get this everyday on the commute into Welly on SH1. There are a number of bikers who are prepared to split but only at around 3-4k faster than the cages. They never look in their mirrors and have no idea someone is behind them.
I also come across the other kind of inconsiderate rider. You know the ones. Don't split but hug the white line so they have a safe exit. No problem with that but they never move over when another bike wants passed. Trouble is, if the gap opens, you don't know if they are going to go for it, just as you decide to go passed.
The number of times I have had to go off the Churton Park slip, over the top and back onto SH1 so I could get in front of them. The Gorge is another place where I have had to switch to the left hand lane to get passed a slower splitter in the right lane.
I don't split at rocket speed but I am prepared to be travelling 10-15k faster than the cages (until they are moving at a reasonable rate). And it pisses me off when slower splitters won't move over.
I'm also suprised at the number of splitters I seen lately who still have 'L's on. FFS. They have yet to get the skill set to do that especially in rush hour.

With you on the mirror thing. Just be careful in your assumptions about L platers. They may have been riding/racing for years and are only now bothering to get a proper licence, hence the L plate. For all you know they may have more skills than you do....

**centaurus** · 21st October 2009, 08:45

Originally Posted by bull

Still a few riders on Welly commute whom hardly ever check their mirrors, get stuck behind them and just keep waiting and waiting then finally they take a glimpse in mirror and pull over to let me go.

It must be frustrating for you, but unfortunately some bikers are such "in a hurry" that don't even bother waiting.

Not commuting on the motorway, I don't have enough skill to split, so unless traffic is crawling at 20kph, I don't split, but I've been caught a few times splitting at 40kph when the traffic was doing less than 20kph and "getting split" by some fuckwit going close to 100kph that came so fast from behind between the cars that I didn't even have time to see him/her and react (I check my mirrors every 3-4 seconds).

And instead of slowing down and waiting for a wider gap, he just brushed between me and one row of cars (while I was splitting) almost dropping me.

I guess my point is: Lane splitting is GOOD and done properly it is also safe enough, but some idiots take it way too far and one day the law will be changed to specifically forbid lane splitting for all of us because of a few idiots that think the motorway is their own racetrack and ride with no regard for other motorists.

**Anarkist** · 21st October 2009, 10:20

Originally Posted by centaurus

It must be frustrating for you, but unfortunately some bikers are such "in a hurry" that don't even bother waiting.

Not commuting on the motorway, I don't have enough skill to split, so unless traffic is crawling at 20kph, I don't split, but I've been caught a few times splitting at 40kph when the traffic was doing less than 20kph and "getting split" by some fuckwit going close to 100kph that came so fast from behind between the cars that I didn't even have time to see him/her and react (I check my mirrors every 3-4 seconds).

And instead of slowing down and waiting for a wider gap, he just brushed between me and one row of cars (while I was splitting) almost dropping me.

I guess my point is: Lane splitting is GOOD and done properly it is also safe enough, but some idiots take it way too far and one day the law will be changed to specifically forbid lane splitting for all of us because of a few idiots that think the motorway is their own racetrack and ride with no regard for other motorists.

Well don't split like a pussy then. If you're gonna do it that slowly do it between the first and second lanes, not the third.
Splitting requires very little 'riding' skills. You just need to be alert, cover your brakes and have a bit of initiative.

**zjet** · 22nd October 2009, 00:11

Personaly I have not found to many issues with this and i do, do it all the time, however I take to slow give time for people to know i,m coming through and sometimes people add alil more room for me.
I have had a prat jam his car right up the ass end of the car infront of him so I couldn't merge into the lane once, I just slowed down looked at him through his window shock my head went up the left of the lane 5 cars up where a good cage driver understood what was going on, then let me in I moved straight to the right of the lane and procceded to over take along the right slowly as I moved along traffic.

And when i,m in my car I aways move over for bikes but can't help thinkning "you lucky buggers, i should be doing that" :P