Why do you wait behind traffic?

[jrandom]

This thread is bollocks. If theres traffic on the motorway, causing me to slow to anything slower than 3rd gear, I'll split everything. If I wanted to sit there in traffic I would do it in a car cause it has a stereo.

Im with the bus driver on this one. nothing worse than crawling along in full protective gear on a hot day sniffing exhaust.

Im not with frosty tho, coz hes just mental and contributes substantially to the bad reputation of west aucklnad bikers on his way to work every morning.

[mangell6]

Sometimes I stay inline to admire the view (KILLER HIGHWAY), often I stay there as the gap between the single yellow line on my side is to small and there is no gap on the inside. Yellow lines are a no goer for me, forms bad habits.

[SuperDave]

To be really honest I find there to be NOT enough space on the right hand side to split in virtually all situations, be it a queue at traffic lights or on the motorway. I do however split on the left hand side of traffic when there are two or more lanes in one direction.

Those driving cars insist on hugging the right side of their lane or the centre line making splitting within the same lane on the RHS impossible.

[notme]

I'm starting to favour the right side for splitting now....lots of crap gets swept to the left of the road by cars (glass from fender-benders, nails, other misc stuff that tyres don't like)

And to reiterate what most have said, if the lights aren't just about to change, it's safe, and there are no psycho-types obviously present, then i'll split. If i get a feeling in my little toe that i don't wanna this time, i'll go with that feeling.

Being on a bike isn't about lanesplitting and parking and fuel costs and all the other advantages to me, it's about KNOWING that you have those advantages, should you choose to use them!

[Lou Girardin]

I consider it my God given right as a biker to be first.
Besides, it's safer to get away quickly and build a safety cushion between you and the cage behind.

[zadok]

Sometimes can't be arsed, depends on the amount of traffic, the width of the road, it's not logical to say that lane splitting should occur all the time at every interection.

Right on. There are several things to take into consideration.

[crashe]

it is easier on the Buell than the virago,

Tis easy as on a Virago.... I get throu most gaps...

I do go up to the front... on most occassions...
But if I'm in no real hurry and having a laid back sorta day... then I sit in the lane behind the cars... and tap my fingers to a song on the tank...

[Rashika]

Tis easy as on a Virago.... I get throu most gaps...

I do go up to the front... on most occassions...
But if I'm in no real hurry and having a laid back sorta day... then I sit in the lane behind the cars... and tap my fingers to a song on the tank...

yeah 'cept mine was a bit bigger/wider than yours
its funny really, I just find it easier on the Buell (might be the super quick takeoff/lighter weight/narrower bike), but I dont tend to do it much ...same as a few folks have said on here, it just aint worth the potential agro/danger

[sunhuntin]

the lanes here aint wide enough to allow for it mostly, plus i was usually scared witless pup would throw a tizzy and stall on me.

honestly, i hate being head of the que at lights, round abouts etc. if pup got annoyed and stalled or threw up the front wheel, then that means im holding up cars who are likely to get really pissed and i dont really want to be run over by numberous cars! lol.

once the new bike gets in, ill likely start using that a bit more where i can, but only after ive gotten used to her.

[Drum]

Destination is also a factor for me. I'm not gonna go hard out so I can get to work a couple of minutes earlier. Rather be sitting on my bike.

[texmo]

Being a courier I never lane split or jump in front of people while waiting at the lights that would be unsafe and just plan rude....

[pritch]

Your kidding right? Its not a couple of minutes.. more like half an hour or more at a minimum.

You seem to be referring to the Auckland motorways. Thankfully, I very rarely ride there. (I'm assuming that sitting parked with both feet on the ground watching the temperature needle rise can actually be described as "riding"...)

On the Southern motorway I was passed by guys filtering, one sprotbike rider looked back apparently thinking he may have hit a car and in so doing nearly clouted another.

If I was to join that rat race regularly I might perhaps get more assertive but considering that I had only a rather imprecise idea of where I was and how to get where I was going it was probably better to play safe and stay in the queue.

[Bonez]

Your kidding right? Its not a couple of minutes.. more like half an hour or more at a minimum. Sit on my bike while it overheats in traffic?? I dont think so.
Get to work a bit earlier and kick back with a coffee and paper

Thought you are ment to WORK at work.
You see some of us start work and leave at a time when there's fuck all traffic
so no need to lane split at all, at all. Tis all about choice. Just because you choose to do it all the time doesn't mean others should.

[Two Smoker]

The reason i now stay in ques of traffic will be explained after my court hearing this monday....

[Swoop]

I've seen alot of bikers lately waiting behind long queues of traffic when theres ample space for them to pass safely on the rh side to get to the front. Isn't that supposed to be one of the advantages of riding a motorbike? Is it fear of getting hit or is it because you don't know the road rules that state you can pass them if they are stationery or moving very slowly?

I can't understand why they do it, can someone enlighten me pls? tks.

Sometimes the wisdom is in being able to switch the brain form "interceptor" to "cruise" mode, and just relax.

Other times it is simply a pleasure to be able to sit next to some emptyhead wearing a back-to-front-peaked cap, and who has a baked bean can welded onto his exhaust, and is now enjoying the sound of a v-twin through his open window INSTEAD of some bass drumming hip-op shite...