Overtaking a line of stationary vehicles

**Hellzie** · 31st May 2012, 14:33

Originally Posted by meteor

Parlane/Hellzie,
Totally agree we need a better way. I hate to see how quickly the buses go right next to the footpath, I crap myself when on a bus going down Symonds past the varsity (figurativly speaking!)
I've worked through some road engineering issues with councils and what seems easy and common sense to most is quickly put through the regulations and beurocracy complicator and if that doesn't kill good ideas out comes the cost/benefit analysis of injury history over/on that particular road and if you're still wining, it has to fall in that years budget...
Sorry, hate to sound negative but if you have a great idea to save lives... don't go to council

It sure is an uphill battle, but it's quite easy to challenge the road engineering issues, and if you get a good engineer on board, and just keep plugging away at them, you eventually get something good. This wouldn't cost that much, and Council can't ignore the capacity issues on Onewa Road. It needs to be fixed, it's not working as it is. Must... stay... positive...

**meteor** · 31st May 2012, 16:08

Hey Hellzie I love your positive outlook...

Originally Posted by Hellzie

... Council can't ignore the capacity issues... it needs to be fixed, it's not working as it is

Thanks caller you're second in the queue... right behind the Auckland Motorway system! haha

**chasio** · 31st May 2012, 18:20

Originally Posted by Hellzie

It sure is an uphill battle, but it's quite easy to challenge the road engineering issues, and if you get a good engineer on board, and just keep plugging away at them, you eventually get something good. This wouldn't cost that much, and Council can't ignore the capacity issues on Onewa Road. It needs to be fixed, it's not working as it is. Must... stay... positive...

All buses I have seen in NZ only have doors on the left, requiring large central reservations so users can exit the bus safely: not cheap to build especially if roads need to be widened to accommodate them. Also pedestrian tunnels are no drop in the ocean.

Personally, I would rather they spent the money on rider/driver/pedestrian education and practical training! But I still admire your approach.

**Mom** · 31st May 2012, 18:28

Keep your friggen eyes open and actively seek out the could be dangers. If in doubt dont. I dont need to split that often on my commute, but coming home do filter past slow and stationary lines of cars. There is a marked "cycle lane" on the left of the route I take, but as I am not on a cycle I wont use it. Undertaking a line of cars is stupid and dangerous as far as I am concerned. I would rather blazenly overtake a vehicle in full view, at a speed that does not alarm anyone and leaves me plenty of time to stop, ease back into the traffic or what ever I need to do.

I share, for want of a better word, the median lanes with other vehicles and have developed this rather keen awareness of the driveways etc on my route. After a bit you get to know where you can expect trouble and take extra care.

I find cars changing lanes on the motorway a bigger risk to me on my commute.

**Ocean1** · 31st May 2012, 19:05

Originally Posted by Reckless

I never do it! Its undertaking and its fuckin dangerous legal or not?

Much as I find such Skatmanesque generalisations distasteful I must say I agree. I’ve never rationalised such behaviour, at least I haven’t for a long time, nor have I ever been bitten doing it, just makes my skin crawl thinking about it so I don’t do it.

**ducatilover** · 31st May 2012, 19:18

It's very, very simple.

Use the foot path.

**Yow Ling** · 31st May 2012, 20:14

Rastus, Living in Churchur you would be familiar with the old median strip on cranford st heading into town, you used to be able to pass the whole line and turn right into McFadden rd. Well I fucked that up for everyone. and put my ute on its roof when a bus driver let somebody through a gap. Now there is a traffic Island and the problem has been engineered away for that bit of road. Would have been way more dangerous if I rode a commuter bike. Got a day off work and not much else

**rastuscat** · 31st May 2012, 20:25

Originally Posted by Yow Ling

Rastus, Living in Churchur you would be familiar with the old median strip on cranford st heading into town, you used to be able to pass the whole line and turn right into McFadden rd. Well I fucked that up for everyone. and put my ute on its roof when a bus driver let somebody through a gap. Now there is a traffic Island and the problem has been engineered away for that bit of road. Would have been way more dangerous if I rode a commuter bike. Got a day off work and not much else

Yeah baby!!!!

We used to enforce that one. The painted island was being used as a passing lane, and the troops at Placemakers were having grief getting in and out with traffic zooming up and down outside their driveways.

The traffic island will now be called Yow Ling Island, in your memory.

Must have been something to see.

**Yow Ling** · 31st May 2012, 21:07

Originally Posted by rastuscat

Yeah baby!!!!

We used to enforce that one. The painted island was being used as a passing lane, and the troops at Placemakers were having grief getting in and out with traffic zooming up and down outside their driveways.

The traffic island will now be called Yow Ling Island, in your memory.

Must have been something to see.

Ill post a picture tomorrow

**Subike** · 31st May 2012, 21:35

Undertaking of the left of a stationary line of traffic?
Even if that is legal, it is not something I would want to do, unless on a motorway, where there are no parked cars, pedestrians or driveways.
I filter on multi lane roads, but when I do it an at an idle speed in 2nd gear, about 10kph max, with fingers over the brake,
Very aware of cyclist and pedestrians who will cross stationery traffic on multi lane road.
Have only had one close call in the past three months, a kid on a bmx,
A bmx sits lower than cars, almost invisible.
but because I was prepared, i stopped in time,
scared the crap out of the little fella.

**cheshirecat** · 31st May 2012, 22:07

Hmm.

Like a couple of other riders here I used to ride for a living in London. There's a phrase there "gone by lunchtime" for the new bies in the game and if you survive a year then you are considered experienced. If you survived 6 years then you needed your head fixed. London weekday driving is unforgiving and very unforgiving the end of a long week of 12 hour rain filled days in the winter.

More than a few bikers I see commuting in the traffic mild Welly conditions are of the "gone by lunchtime" type and I wonder when they are not seen for a few days.

What would help is specialist traffic rider training as part of the test, along with motorway, wet weather and MUCH MORE. The current test reads as if they are talking to 4 year olds.

If Police riders were to be paid to run courses they would be very popular and save many incidents especially if riders were trained early at test level. The UK police riders manuel should be required reading for everyone taking the test.

Such a test needs to be taken with atitude of valuable FREE training and NOT an enforcement with a significant cost

If one wants to filter or "make progress' in traffic there are a number of safety criteria, well what I established after a few years of survival, and I'm sure others with similar experience would volunteer advice as well.

**bike** · 1st June 2012, 01:10

I filter, and hardly lane split or even pass on the left when traffic is stationery. When I do anything like this, always exercise extra caution. As a matter of fact everytime I get on the bike I'm extra careful. I would flash my lights etc to be noticed when filtering etc. Even when I know whats legal, I also know that most drivers don't understand the rules. If anything is to happen I'll be the one badly hurt. It still surprises me how little people understand about the legality of filtering and lane splitting etc. Education for both riders and drivers is key. Share your riding experiences with workmates / friends etc to spread the awareness.

**KIPS powervalve** · 1st June 2012, 16:41

Why does the government not just make it flat out illegal to lane split, but make the bike equivalent of the bus lane, only on the rhs of the right lane (especially on the motorway)? That way, there will be fewer "grey area" tickets and a speedy and safer way of doing the morning commute.

**Berries** · 1st June 2012, 17:56

Originally Posted by KIPS powervalve

Why does the government not just make it flat out illegal to lane split, but make the bike equivalent of the bus lane, only on the rhs of the right lane (especially on the motorway)? That way, there will be fewer "grey area" tickets and a speedy and safer way of doing the morning commute.

Where's the fun in that?