Lane splitting appears to be being policed in Wellington

**bounce** · 16th January 2014, 17:29

Just got ticketed on the way home for steadily moving through the peak hour motorway traffic coming up to the gorge.
First time in ten years so I guess it is a focus this month.

Has anybody had success contesting that they were inside the cats-eyes and thus overtaking the center lane as opposed to undertaking the right hand lane?

Cheers

**jim.cox** · 16th January 2014, 17:32

So just what was the alleged offence? - should be written on the ticket

**bounce** · 16th January 2014, 17:34

haven't got it. His machine broke so it will be in the post. He was saying undertaking at the time though.

**FJRider** · 16th January 2014, 17:37

It is up to the individual officer to decide if you justify getting a ticket ... write your letter of explanation and see what happens ...

Take it to court even ... what's the worst than can happen ... ???

(post results in this thread)

**R650R** · 16th January 2014, 17:59

It's scorching hot this week, anyone stuck in a cage including a cop will be septic about someone escaping the heat and traffic jam.
From a legal perspective and that's all that matters, you cant be guilty of undertaking if in separate marked lane.
If he's a smart cookie he'll just call it improper overtaking.
Unless the points are going to cost you your license its prob not worth going to court...

**Katman** · 16th January 2014, 18:04

Look on the bright side - at least you don't live in Queensland.

**RDJ** · 16th January 2014, 18:07

Originally Posted by R650R

Unless the points are going to cost you your license its prob not worth going to court...

Yes. As someone said in another context - "you can't win, you can't argue a draw, and you can't get out of the game". If you're not a Protected Member of an Approved Underclass(™) and / or a Self-Nominated Victim of the Perpetual Grievance Industry(™) a la Kahuis… then we just gotta pay up, put up and shut up.

MD · 16th January 2014, 20:01

Bad luck buddy. That's bad news to hear since I'm using the bike a fair bit these days to get through the grid lock.

Was it that old lanky git on the cop bike? He hates motorcycles full stop and even more so black Kawasakis. He ticketed me twice when I had the black 636, not for lane splitting though. Paint your bike pink and he wont notice you. Other than that I don't think you will win this argument.

Before others say serves you right, Bounce is one of the sensible splitters that try not to draw attention to themselves and upset car drivers.

**Madness** · 16th January 2014, 20:08

I always chuckle a little when I read words like grid & lock being used in discussions about Wellington traffic

**vifferman** · 16th January 2014, 20:16

Keep left.

Naughty people like me (and you) wouldn't have to pass in an "inappropriate manner" if people kept to the left.
Like they're supposed to.
And like I do when going home and everyone's crawling along, hugging the centreline.

So *I* keep left. Gutterwards.
It's not my fault the VFR has mental pannier-mounted radiators and overheats if I'm crawling along in traffic.

**Swoop** · 16th January 2014, 20:22

Originally Posted by Madness

I always chuckle a little when I read words like grid & lock being used in discussions about Wellington traffic

I'm still scratching my head over "being stopped" and ZX14 in the same post.

**Ocean1** · 16th January 2014, 20:24

Originally Posted by vifferman

Keep left.

Naughty people like me (and you) wouldn't have to pass in an "inappropriate manner" if people kept to the left.
Like they're supposed to.

That's what I said. But someone else said that was bollux, and there wasn't any such rule.

I looked, briefly, and I couldn't immediately find any official admonitions to keep left.

But I remember reading stuff in my licence getting paraphernalia about "though shalt keep as far to the left as is practically possible."

**Ocean1** · 16th January 2014, 20:26

Originally Posted by Swoop

I'm still scratching my head over "being stopped" and ZX14 in the same post.

... In fact I'm struggling to understand how a cop could pull a splitting C90 in crawling traffic...

**russd7** · 16th January 2014, 20:31

Originally Posted by bounce

Just got ticketed on the way home for steadily moving through the peak hour motorway traffic coming up to the gorge.
First time in ten years so I guess it is a focus this month.

Has anybody had success contesting that they were inside the cats-eyes and thus overtaking the center lane as opposed to undertaking the right hand lane?

Cheers

semantics i know but even if your wheels are on the left of the centre line if any part of your bike is hanging over, and it will be if you are hugging the centre line, then you are technically encroaching on the next lane.

**Scuba_Steve** · 16th January 2014, 20:33

Originally Posted by Ocean1

That's what I said. But someone else said that was bollux, and there wasn't any such rule.

I looked, briefly, and I couldn't immediately find any official admonitions to keep left.

But I remember reading stuff in my licence getting paraphernalia about "though shalt keep as far to the left as is practically possible."

It's there, in the Road User Rule 2004 I think?

Edit: Yep Land Transport Road User Rule 2004 (s) 2.1 [keeping left]