Auckland commuters

[Mom]

Will I get pinged using the flush median to filter past slow/stopped traffic?

Or, how likely am I to get pinged doing it respectfully? I know it is risky in slow moving traffic, but I would be taking special care to watch for turning vehicles for my own safety.

I had a friggen stupid bint come up along the left of me tonight, totally oblivious to my existance, so much so she did not register my presence even though she stopped beside me. I was to the right of the lane ( right wheel track right), attempting to see past the friggen tinted to the max people mover in front of me. Traffic was moving 15 kph max. This bint came up my inside taking up the shoulder! To her credit, she looked a bit surprised to see me glaring in her drivers window I used polite sign language to indicate that this was MY lane and she should be behind me, it worked

I so wanted to creep by the very slow line of cars on the median strip, but it is illegal, and I am a good law abiding gal. Probably would have been safer for me though, and frankly would have avoided a bit of arm pump for me.

So how likely am I to get pinged for that if plod saw me?

I am happy to filter past slow moving traffic if there is no flush median.

[steve_t]

Did you get in on this thread, Mom?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...-in-the-wrong?

[Mom]

Did you get in on this thread, Mom?

No, but thank you, I have just asked the question of the lovely Toaster

[chasio]

You'd have to miss a plod and be unlucky. If you look confident and are not taking the piss (and I know you will / won't in that order) should be all good. Either I've been really lucky for the last few years or they genuinely aren't too bothered.

Course, you may not know where they like to hang out on your route yet and someone may not like fancy blue bikes, so you could be unlucky... I hope you're not

[Nasty]

and his thoughts were????

I spend a reasonable amount of time splitting up here and find it an interesting way to travel ... when I don't feel comfortable I drop back into the traffic ... am not sure how likely it is to get pinged .. but I have some rules around how much faster than the traffic etc ....

[Mully]

I do it everyday - past Mr Plod in his disco taxi quite often.

My theory is, in Auckland traffic, anything is legal as long as you don't do it like your trousers are on fire. Unless you're unlucky, and Mr Plod is having a bad day, I'd suggest you'd be unlucky to get pinged.

You're more likely to get cleaned up by an errant cager pulling into the median without "seeing" you.


EDIT: And be aware of rubbish swept onto the median by the traffic - stones etc....

[swbarnett]

I do it everyday - past Mr Plod in his disco taxi quite often.

Ditto.

I also concurr with everything else Mully said.

[Captian soup]

iv never been pinged for median strip spltting either, dominion rd great south/north, infront of mr plod no worries..i think they sit there and think "lucky prick" i have only been riding for a year or so though..

[Gremlin]

As with most stuff, if the cop is a bad egg, or having a bad day, they'll find something.

Technically, no, you cannot use the median to pass vehicles.

[marie_speeds]

I haven't done it, but that is a confidence thing and with my L plate I most definitely would get pinged but I do watch others do it every morning on strip in Waterview. I think that as long as traffic is moving and nothing is dangerous the police don't worry about it. Well certain officers anyway.
I once drove from Papakura back to the city in a line of traffic all doing 120km and in the mix of the line was a police car.... he didn't do a thing and then just got off at the city and went back to central. So I sort of gathered that he was either late for something or just didn't want to disrupt a good flow of traffic.

[YellowDog]

I've been doing the SH1 Harbour Bridge crossing every morning this week. On the first couple of days when I have seen Cop Cars ahead of me, I have pulled into lane only to be overtaken by bikers who just iignor them.

As has already been said, just ride responsibly and you'll be left to it.

After all Cop bikes do lane split to get through the traffic, so it must be OK...........

Remember to use the KB wave (the middle finger one). They love it

[ac3_snow]

I have heard of someone getting pinged for using the median strip as its 'not a passing lane' - think I even read about it on here somewhere...
But again I have yet to be pinged for such so +1 to what everyone else has already said!

[Mom]

If you look confident and are not taking the piss (and I know you will / won't in that order) should be all good.

Sweet, thanks guys, this will cut a HUGE amount of time off my trip. I have two 50kph sections to travel, complete with several roundabouts, it has been driving me crazy this week being such a good girl

Yay, Maha, you will have to watch out for me 10 mins earlier each night

[C.Linnell]

I do this sometimes on a short stretch of Manukau road when all the cars are stopped at rush hour.

I've never seen a cop there, but and I feel like if I was doing it slowly and carefully there'd be no issue.

However, there's a massive risk of drivers going "fuck this" and pulling out into the median. It's happened more than once just in front of me (thankfully not too close). You know they're not going to look before they leap.

[Voltaire]

yeah, you gotta be extra vigilant riding in the city as car drivers are pretty unpredictable contrary to what is spouted on by " you know who"

As tempting as it is to go 50kmph down the bus lanes when traffic is at a crawl I don't recommend it for the reasons given above.

However, there's a massive risk of drivers going "fuck this" and pulling out into the median. It's happened more than once just in front of me (thankfully not too close). You know they're not going to look before they leap.

Car drivers live in their own little world of music, phone, makeup, passengers....and attention to road is way less than a rider.