Traffic Lights and Cars!

**FEINT** · 3rd August 2005, 01:06

Traffic Lights and Cars:

Any of you had any problems with cars when you split / filter to the front of the queue at a set of traffic lights? Any of them tried blocking / dragging / squeezing you off the road?

I just don't understand why they have such a problem with bikes and splitting? After all, come the next queue you are GONE and he is still waiting!

I had it happen to me twice today and just a wee bit curious as to your experiences!

**Artifice** · 3rd August 2005, 01:24

havent had em try anything on. i have had the odd northlander swear at me as i filtered past 100 odd cars backed up for road works... get to the front and they let me go through... coool as i had a clear road for the next 30 mins.

**justsomeguy** · 3rd August 2005, 01:24

Yup it does happen, this is Auckland after all..... the drivers have their reputation to uphold

**Gremlin** · 3rd August 2005, 02:38

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

Once I did try to race off the line so I could get into the left hand lane to turn left, but as I was belting along, there was a holden just behind me, so I couldn't move across.

Next set of lights I was slightly ahead and they went red. Instantly on the brakes and he roars ahead. I think: Whatever mate, you ran the red, and I am not trying to race. Got a bit of a surprise when crossing the intersection he moved into my lane

Reckon he and I were both trying to do the same thing, yet reversed.

Have had one car load of hoons sorta cheer (wasn't hanging around, after all, I had to get to the front of the queue). Other than that, I don't wait around to find out, I just go

**sAsLEX** · 3rd August 2005, 08:37

Originally Posted by Gremlin

I watch the lights like a hawk

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

**Sniper** · 3rd August 2005, 08:39

Keep an eye on the buggers, alot of them hate it when you get in front. Its a subconcious thing, like you ever notice that when someone overtakes you, you want to keep up with them?

**Flyingpony** · 3rd August 2005, 08:48

Never encountered any problems.

**Death 'N' Taxes** · 3rd August 2005, 08:55

I've had a couple of experiences.

Yesterday I was splitting down Gillies Ave to the on ramp, saw a guy look at me in the rear vision mirror, then try to close the gap. Didn't do anything that time though. Concentrating on trying to make it through rather than retaliation.

A few months ago, a guy took offence to me overtaking on the right on Gillies Ave (where it is single lane but as wide as two lanes) so he then tried to overtake me on the inside. I just took a big open hand swipe at his wing mirror. He wasn't happy, but I couldn't understand what he was saying as his English wasn't very good (Asian guy).

Oh - and one other twat, when I lane split to the front of a queue, as soon as the lights turned green and I started to pull away, the guy mashed his horn. Obviously too much of a pussy to say something while we were stationary. Again - I just took off to show him that he wouldn't be able to keep up anyway.

**SARGE** · 3rd August 2005, 08:59

Originally Posted by FEINT

Traffic Lights and Cars:

Any of you had any problems with cars when you split / filter to the front of the queue at a set of traffic lights? Any of them tried blocking / dragging / squeezing you off the road?

I just don't understand why they have such a problem with bikes and splitting? After all, come the next queue you are GONE and he is still waiting!

I had it happen to me twice today and just a wee bit curious as to your experiences!

i wear a set of Ikon Titanium gloves and Fox Tracker MX boots for just this occasion

**zadok** · 3rd August 2005, 09:28

Haven't had a problem (touch wood). Since getting the new bike, which is bigger and wider, I don't lane split so much. Maybe it's psychological, but I make sure the gap is wide enough to my liking.

**bugjuice** · 3rd August 2005, 09:41

most of the lights I filter to, I know the sequence. That helps a lot. Then if I get some dick at the front, which happens a few times, then I just anticipate the green light and nail 'em. But just before the light is about to go green, have a quick sweeping look at the traffic that's stopping, to make sure they're stopping and not running the red. I've had that once, where I was about to bolt from some dick at the lights, and he nailed it. I sat there and put my left arm out to stop the car to my left. Just as the twat on the right gunned it, a car ran a red and nearly side swiped him. Once they had finished, I glided off as I do, and he did the mandatory wheelspin off the spot.. looser..

don't know why they're jelous of us being able to filter. I've even had people move onto the white lines so that I can't pass

**v.ros`** · 3rd August 2005, 10:03

never had it happened... but do sometimes get the boyracers tailget me... so i just slow REALLY down until they either change lanes or back off. If they do change lanes... then smoke them

**FEINT** · 3rd August 2005, 10:17

I had a guy yesterday try to run me over yesterday. He wasn't pleased I was in front of him at the lights. I didn't really feel like smokin him, so I just puttered along right in front of him. He tailgated me down the off-ramp. It was 5:30 so peak hour traffic, I went on to the shoulder and gave him a little wave! He wasn't happy, but he couldn't go anywhere! Isn't it great to be on a bike......

But most of the time, I do wait around to see what these idiots at the lights will do, on green, I GO!!!

Seems to be only in Peak hours, cars seem MORE aggressive!

**Phurrball** · 3rd August 2005, 10:35

Too new to riding to have much experience of cager's reactions to lane splitting, but the manoeuvrability of 2 wheels does seem to make some people jealous. When in my cage I look in all those mirror thingees (that people seem to have so much difficulty with) and make sure there's room for anyone on a superior mode of transport to get past.

I had a guy do his nut when I was riding a pushbike once, at the next intersection he moved as far as possible into the gutter trying to block us, just went round the right side of the car. The look on his face was priceless! You are pretty vulnerable on a human-powered machine machine though...perhaps I would not attempt such antics now I am older and (supposed to be) wiser...then again...

**erik** · 3rd August 2005, 10:39

The only time anyone's tried to block me when I was lanesplitting was when there was that murder/accident on the western motorway and all the traffic going nw was deverted along great north road. It was bumper to bumper the whole way, so I guess the guy was pissed off about that. I still got past him though, just went around the other side...