Why do you wait behind traffic?

[skelstar]

Im fairly new to this riding game. It took me about 5000kms before I filtered, and then rarely (commute to work against Welly-Petone traffic) did it.

I lane-split'd for the first time the other night (9000 kms) when I had to ride with the traffic for a change. Nervous at first but then latched on to some others (Mikey actually) and was sweet...stopped filtering at 80km/h.

Ive got to say that I get a kick out of filtering and 'single-lane-splitting'. Probably wrong and a little 'freudian' but I think its great.

[redbaron36]

Lead the way i say, even started lane splitting on the north western while traffic is moving, think it is a personal confidence/risk taking thing sure have to have your wits about you and a good handle on the gas.
Even better is when cage drivers see you and move over. they normally get a hang loose for their efforts

[Drunken Monkey]

WHY Q ...?

Please join the end of the Far Q.

:P

[NhuanH]

Please join the end of the Far Q.

:P

why don't U GO find a 69er?

[SARGE]

Lead the way i say, even started lane splitting on the north western while traffic is moving, think it is a personal confidence/risk taking thing sure have to have your wits about you and a good handle on the gas.
Even better is when cage drivers see you and move over. they normally get a hang loose for their efforts

jump behind me anyime man.. im between Lincoln and the City about 830 am every day.. cant miss the beast.. pic in my profile

[John]

jump behind me anyime man.. im between Lincoln and the City about 830 am every day.. cant miss the beast.. pic in my profile

NAH I"VE ALREDY HAD U YOUR SMALL I NEED A REAL AMERICA, WAYLANDERR/

[avgas]

Cos the other option is titanium......

[Ninja51]

Interestingly, I was pulled by a mufty on SH2 the other week for something that has nothing to do with lane splitting, more to do with speed in excess of 60mph...sorry officer, my bike's speed isn't calibrated in kph! Oops! Anyway, I digress... Whilst he was writing out the ticket and admiring the bike, I quizzed him with regard to lane splitting as I too was uncertain about the legalities. He said that he lets it go if it is done sensibly and safely at slow speed through stationary traffic. Turns out he was a biker too which accounts for his views. He understands why we ride bikes and the advantages thereof. Nevertheless he admitted that another officer may think very differently, so it's your call guys and gals. Must admit that I commute pretty much on a daily basis now between Upper Hutt and Wellington and Im buggered if I'm going to sit at the back of a queue. It's too easy though to get a bit over confident when lane splitting and before now I have found my speed creeping up and then I suddenly think of the consequences of cagers deciding they'd prefer life in another lane! - Which they do with regularity as we all know. I tend to look ahead for clues as to what might make people change lanes...slow truck, on ramp with vehicles converging etc etc. I can understand those who choose to sit on their bikes and wait especially if they are newbies, but me? Slowly with caution has seen me OK so far...hmmm, methinks I have just tempted fate!

[The Pastor]

I'm overly cautious when splitting, I don't do it with moving traffic fullstop. And not allways at lights. Lack of practice.

You sure are,

I dont see what so scary... First time I took a road bike through town, I lanesplitted every chance I had. Sure those nuts cage drivers who love to run the red light give you bit of fright... but you have brakes right.

[mstriumph]

Me thinks you have just identified the advantage of being in Perth :-)

You go girl...way to have a positive attitude :hbd:

just one of the many advantages ....including higher speedlimits, good weather, great roads, no front plates and no following radar

[2wheels in Red Beach]

You sure are,

I dont see what so scary... First time I took a road bike through town, I lanesplitted every chance I had. Sure those nuts cage drivers who love to run the red light give you bit of fright... but you have brakes right.

I travel the northern from red beach to mt wellington everyday and I lane split at there thought of a bit of traffic. The other day I was quite happy going down the middle when I saw the ol' bill on two wheels so pulled in to a gap and some silly old bird took a dislike to this maneuver and started to play see how close I can get to the back wheel of the bike. Lucky fo me she then also saw the ol' bill and laid back. Moral of the story while lane splitting is ok just be carefull It ain't always the big ugly fellas out there that have road rage.

[kro]

I am guilty of waiting in line. I lane split a couple of times when agro car drivers threatened me or my bike with grievous bodily harm, it ensures a peaceful resolution to problems of that nature.

[Wolf]

Better knowen as the suicide.

Was behind a truck one day, had two signs on the back.

On the right: "Passing side -->"

On the left: "<-- Sui-side"

I seldom lane split as I've seen Hamilscum drivers do stupid things too frequently to risk it most of the time... I'm seldom in enough of a hurry to get somewhere to risk dying or being fucked-up Big Time because some retard has decided that he's tired of sitting in the queue and decides to swing his cage out to stake a claim to a non-existent gap between cars in the other lane - I've actually seen this: retard with his car diagonally across the dotted line between the lanes in the fond hope that he can force his way in front of a car that seems to be wanting to mate with the car in front.

Also seen them suddenly U-turn out of the queue if it's a two-lane street and they decide that it would be faster taking another route - they always look like they're more interested in the gap in the on-coming traffic than what might be beetling responsibly and carefully down the white line behind them.

Then there's the eggs who might decide to open a door or do something similarly dickheaded because they're jealous of bikes - I learned to ride in this town and I've lived here for a large number of years - consequently I have a very low opinion of Hamilscum cage drivers.

Most of the time I just sit in the queue and compose the Great New Zealand Novel... or my shopping list. I live by "better to be five minutes late than dead on time."

I've been riding for a large number of years and I've done some pretty crazy and down-right irresponsible in my time, now I ride like a "Nana" - Ixion style - in the interests of riding for a large number of years to come and showing a good example to my kids (and enjoying my time with them for a large number of years to come.)

I have nothing to prove to anyone, I don't have to get anywhere first. If I'm first in line at the lights, I usually stay there unless I catch up with someone or someone pulls out in front of me. If I'm in the queue, who cares - I'm enjoying my bike ride.

[stunz]

Last Wednesday, I thought I'd be a responsible motorcyclist for the benefit of all the youngsters that always eyeball ya as you ride, and stay in the flow of traffic. All 5km per hour of it.
I glanced over my shoulder looking for a break in the middle lane when the car ahead stopped. I hauled on the front picks believing I had plenty of time to pull up only for the brake handle to snap off in my hand. The front takes off again, the back locks up, and...BANG! (Cheap, crappy 15 year old brake handles...who'd've thunk eh?)

Long story short, minor damage, no injuries, no police.

Personally, I feel a lot more vulnerable inching forward in a slow moving line of traffic than I do travelling 25-30kph up between them. With all that stopping and starting, cage drivers just do not have a long enough attention span for me to trust my life to them pulling up in time as they're busy inspecting that stringy booger they just excavated.

[Ixion]

..
I've been riding for a large number of years and I've done some pretty crazy and down-right irresponsible in my time, now I ride like a "Nana" - Ixion style - in the interests of riding for a large number of years to come and showing a good example to my kids (and enjoying my time with them for a large number of years to come.)

...

Oh dear.Is this the wrong time to admit that I lanesplit (if the traffic is banked up more than about 10 cars and less than 20kph) and filter if the queue is more than about 6 cars ? Very carefully of course.