Traffic Lights and Cars!

[Fart]

Feint; you should have gave him the fingers and shout verbal abuse at him before taking off.

[Beemer]

We go to the Manakau Medieval Market Day every year and the traffic is usually backed up for miles, so we take the bikes. A couple of years ago we were gliding along the edge of the road on the left (all the traffic was at a standstill) and this guy in a 4WD (you knew I'd say that!) took great offence at our progress and he yelled and screamed at us! Not that he could do anything and besides, it's not like we were going to take his parking space - we parked under a tree where no car could fit!

As for the lights, yes, I do occasionally get idiots who try and block the whole lane so no one can pass them. I usually wait until I get through the lights then change lanes and pass them. I just don't understand their attitude - after all, it's not like a bike is going to hold them up or cloud them in diesel fumes!

And yes, I have sometimes dragged a car off at the lights - just because I can!

[Lou Girardin]

I had one driver try to run me into the kerb once. I couldn't get to the front and was stuck behind the first car, when the lights changed the second driver nailed it and ran me into the kerb. I followed him while he explored most of the back roads of Northcote.
But he had to stop eventually and we had a discussion about how he may think he's invulnerable in a moving car but when he stops he isn't. His education is almost complete now.

[vifferman]

I wasn't going to lanesplit today, but stayed in bed because I was grumpy and tired, so I ended up leaving late. This meant that the traffic was busier, and coming up to the Onewa Rd lights behind three buses was tooooo much, so I split to the front at the lights. Then after the next light, I ended up behind a VERY poked Mitsushitsi (aren't they nearly always the ones responsible for the pollution? Them and Lasers...), so I decided I needed to split again, did so, and cut into a gap afterwards. right behind another Mitsi (luckily not as smokey as the first piece of shit).

If I do split to the front, I make sure I take off fairly smartly, as I don't want to risk being run over or whatever, and if the front inadvertantly :sly: forgets it's bound by the law of gravity, there's nothing in the way to run into.

[Squiggles]

i've had people see me coming down the side to the lights that have actually purposely moved their car right over as far as poss so i cant get by..... they're the assholes, but other than that i only notice that quite often the car i choose to squeeze infront of moves up really close, trying to squeeze me out of the lane......but im always away first at the lights and leave them there

[Bartman10]

smoke em, well, as much as the zzr can manage, but I do that at every light, I can't help it when I am in front. I watch the lights like a hawk

should keep a solid eye peeled on the traffic coming in from the sides as well

And ya mirrors!

[mstriumph]

I believe i have a responsibility to be quick away from the lights in those circumstances - least i can do....

...........
If I do split to the front, I make sure I take off fairly smartly, as I don't want to risk being run over or whatever, and if the front inadvertantly :sly: forgets it's bound by the law of gravity, there's nothing in the way to run into.

[Ixion]

One of my favorite places,the Pukekohe/Drury turn off heading south on the southern motorway.
Go right to Puke an under the bridge or left to Drury.Sometimes there will be 20 cars lined up in the right lane an having to stop for traffic coming from Puke at the intersection.
I go down the left hand side an run to the front.The exhaust sounds primo on the over run bouncing back off the cars as I go past.
I always do this pretty fast so nobody gets a chance to do anything stupid or painfull to me.I had to stop myself once an the car driver at the front tryed to push me a bit as we took off,but I had my eye on him so no worrys.
Must piss em' off but,,,,,,,Fk em'

Left turn to Papakura off the motorway, southbound is good. There's all this grass on the left beside the lane. Lots and lots of banked up traffic. Pass em all on the left, and you've got the grass to go to if anyone objects.

Never understand why cages get so irate. Do they have a hissy if a pedestrian walks past while they're waiting in the line ?

[Pathos]

...? I never lane split/ jump the queue.

[MagicMarker]

what if your bike gets off the lights kinda slow? My fzr250r doesn't seem to wanna jump off the lights (bike doesn't run too well, and I don't ride all that well either) Most of the cars are patient and wait, some of them just try to give you a go...

[sAsLEX]

today was a great day for it!!! lecs ended at five saddle up and off down symonds and anzac, thats funny traffic was backed all the way up here...... well much splitting ensued as I made my way to the MW to head North. Nice dude in a Civic made a great effort to move out of the way so got a little toot and wave. Then some plonk in a dirty big merc pushed across the bus lane at the intersection by Vodafone so I did't slow down till the last second and put my bike on his front left quarter and started creeping forward, and magically to avoid a dented Merc he backed out of the way and I was off (hate people that come from beside the park and block the bus lane when theres clearly no space!!!) tootling down the bus lane up beside the traffic on the on ramp and then I see the reason for the hold up, two big red X's above the left two lanes, some more splitting and find a truck looks like its dropped its guts over the two lanes on the left just before the bridge.


Moral of all that shit, if you dont ride on a day as nice as today the biker gods will smite thee by causing traffic chaos!

[erik]

Does anyone else keep with the traffic after initially accelerating away from the lights?
If there are side streets up ahead with cars waiting to turn in or out, I'll initially accelerate away from the lights quickly but then back off and stay relatively close to the cars behind me.
That way I figure it gives the cars in the side streets more space to pull out or turn etc, plus when I do get to them I'll have a bunch of cars behind me, so they'll be less likely to turn across my path.

[DingDong]

choose your driver... men I feel are more understanding, Im quite a big guy and most guys dont want to get into a fight so they leave me alone, women on the other hand know (real) men wont fight them so they can afford to be more arrogant.

Another thing to remember, is you dont need to get right up to the lights... I often stop two or three cars back and gett'm at the next intersection.

If someone did try to sqeezz me, id park my bike in front and walk back for a chat... play it be ear from then.

[Morepower]

Had this clown (guy in his late 50's in a silver jap sedan)next to me at a set of lights who looked a bit annoyed that I had lane split. at the next lights I got a red and was first in the que anyway sitting just to the right of the middle of the lane. This clown trys to lane split me down the left had about 1 inch clearance each side. Iguess he was hoping for a reaction which he didnt get. I ignored him and cruised off at a normal pace. sometimes I think that not letting them bother you would probably upset them more than reacting.
Mostly the black leathers, black helmet , shades and loud V twin rumble put people off messing with you even though I am a chicken shit in real life

[chickenfunkstar]

Don't think I've ever been deliberatly squeezed coming up to the traffic lights before.
If possible I try to get right infront of one of the two cars in the front of the queue at the lights. That way the car driver can't move before you anyway.
Once, when I had to stop at the lights between 2 cars, I stalled the engine. Not the best situation to be in.