FILTERING THE TRAFFIC

**Drunken Monkey** · 25th February 2004, 07:39

Originally Posted by Gordonius

Filtering is illegal and the cops will nail you for it ... but ...

No, filtering is NOT illegal. Go read pages 64 to 69 of the road code guide for motorcyclists - There is a correct way to do it though, and it has been discussed in this web site ad nauseum.

**Coldkiwi** · 25th February 2004, 10:16

Originally Posted by Jackrat

Sounds like you've taken a hit to one of your own personal inadequacies.
So just how do you know that if I FOR INSTANCE decide fuck you your not coming through here, that I hav,nt been planning it for fuckin years an your just the smart asshole thats going to pay for it.You sound like just the prick I'm talking about.

Hey, its a possibility that the drivers I've seen move in front lead such bitter lives that they actively seek to do harm to others on a daily basis, sure. Maybe I'd just rather take the optomistic approach that they've just had a bad day or got called a bad name they took personally and need to vent a little and hence, want to see EVERYONE stuck in the traffic that they're in.

As for being a 'prick'... well thats your call probably driven by the fact that we don't see eye to eye on this. Far enough, I'm not taking it personally. But there's almost certainly plenty of car drivers that get passed by bikes doing a whole lot less speed than me who also think these guys are pricks for what we may well all deem as 'safe and reasonable'.
I lane split the way I do remembering that I have a lovely fiancee that i want to get married to in June and that i know would be distraught if I got injured. I'm not on a rambo style rampage so i normally operate within my limits of safety and reason (sometimes I get too excited and have to ease off but I'm not claiming to be perfect).

Like the saying goes 'Isn't it funny how everyone slower than me is a moron and everyone faster than me is a maniac'.

Thoughts?

**White trash** · 25th February 2004, 11:29

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

Hey, its a possibility that the drivers I've seen move in front lead such bitter lives that they actively seek to do harm to others on a daily basis, sure. Maybe I'd just rather take the optomistic approach that they've just had a bad day or got called a bad name they took personally and need to vent a little and hence, want to see EVERYONE stuck in the traffic that they're in.

As for being a 'prick'... well thats your call probably driven by the fact that we don't see eye to eye on this. Far enough, I'm not taking it personally. But there's almost certainly plenty of car drivers that get passed by bikes doing a whole lot less speed than me who also think these guys are pricks for what we may well all deem as 'safe and reasonable'.
I lane split the way I do remembering that I have a lovely fiancee that i want to get married to in June and that i know would be distraught if I got injured. I'm not on a rambo style rampage so i normally operate within my limits of safety and reason (sometimes I get too excited and have to ease off but I'm not claiming to be perfect).

Like the saying goes 'Isn't it funny how everyone slower than me is a moron and everyone faster than me is a maniac'.

Thoughts?

Hoist a good second gear, 120 kay minger down between 'em and watch 'em part like the Red Sea.

GET OUT'A THE WAY

**Hitcher** · 25th February 2004, 11:35

Originally Posted by White trash

Hoist a good second gear, 120 kay minger down between 'em and watch 'em part like the Red Sea.

GET OUT'A THE WAY

Kay Minger -- I think she sat opposite me in 5th form English...

**White trash** · 25th February 2004, 11:36

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Kay Minger -- I think she sat opposite me in 5th form English...

**Coldkiwi** · 25th February 2004, 11:37

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Kay Minger -- I think she sat opposite me in 5th form English...

so was she up for a firemans lift or would that get her offside with you?

**SPman** · 25th February 2004, 14:52

120 kay minger......pretty heavy man, you'd need that firemans lift!

On a ZXR, would it be a ninja minger?

**Hitcher** · 25th February 2004, 15:39

Originally Posted by SPman

120 kay minger......pretty heavy man, you'd need that firemans lift!

On a ZXR, would it be a ninja minger?

Or in Kay's case, a "ginger ninja minger"...

**dangerous** · 25th February 2004, 18:23

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

TBH

The traffic in auckland sucks and lane splitting is my way of dealing with it. Haven't hit anyone doing it in the 4 years since I started riding and lane splitting so I'm doin ok.

That maybe but it only takes the ONE hit to wreak your life

**Deebeeriz** · 25th February 2004, 20:49

Originally Posted by speedpro

Geez, don't be shy man, let it all out.

When I got warned for splitting lanes last June it got me on a mission. I wrote letters to the papers, the AA, and Kiwi Rider. I rang a few traffic stations and talked to the cops. I also took the opportunity to check a few of our fellow bike-riding police officers who I bumped into. Every single one I spoke to said they wouldn't bother with a motorcycle splitting lanes, unless it was stupid, as it was only a $150 fine. The car guys especially as they can't get through the traffic much faster than 30KmH even with the lights going. Two of the bike guys said they rode bikes privately and understood what it was about. What I gathered but can't prove is that there is only one bike riding cop in Auckland who will pull you over and ticket you. I got warned a second time by the same guy so I suspect it's him. I'm sure I only got a warning as I split real cautiously. I've also never had a problem filtering past a police "car", even when they have got free space in a lane and pulled back up beside me. Being on a non-aggressive MB100 might help and reduce the hoon image and therefore the suspected requirement for issuing a ticket. Being an old bastard might help too.

Im an old bastard and I got fined $150 for lanesplitting on the nw m/way by the rosebank interchange all cars were crawling and i was going less that 40kph.he was on a bmw parked up the off ramp waiting for m/cs to lanesplit, For the little time you save I dont think its worth $150

**Deebeeriz** · 25th February 2004, 20:51

Originally Posted by Deebeeriz

Im an old bastard and I got fined $150 for lanesplitting on the nw m/way by the rosebank interchange all cars were crawling and i was going less that 40kph.he was on a bmw parked up the off ramp waiting for m/cs to lanesplit, For the little time you save I dont think its worth $150

by the way to catch me had to lane split as well.

**Zed** · 25th February 2004, 22:02

Originally Posted by Gordonius

We know that bikes get us to work much quicker than any other mode of transport and that it is mainly due to us being able to "change lanes" as we ride through the stopped, stalled and staggering traffic. Filtering is illegal and the cops will nail you for it ... but ... it is usually much safer on a bike in stalled traffic to be moving slowly through the cars than to stop and put your feet down and the cops know it. HOWEVER, there are morons amoungst us who insist on belting down the crash lanes on the motorway and between the car lanes at 60+km/hr and are getting us all a bad rap and are getting the car drivers annoyed. This will incite a clamp down by the cops on ANY filtering if they keep doing it. We get away with filtering simply on tolerance and expedience but like any naughty act, if you push the limit you will get smacked. Treat this "privilege" with some respect and ease up on the throttle and some of the scary stuff designed to annoy other road users. This way we will all still continue to get to and from work in the most efficient way.

I lanesplit/filter but don't enjoy it. But I would be even more miserable if I sat in my lane and stop-started with all the cages!

Lanesplitting requires strict concentration in Auckland peak-hour motorway traffic, not only on the unpredictable vehicles you are passing but also on the whereabouts of the police....I much more enjoy it when the traffic is moving steadily at say 60kms where large gaps occur enabling me to safely & legally indicate and pass cars between the lanes.

Good thread for your second post Gord!

Zed

**Coldkiwi** · 26th February 2004, 10:56

Originally Posted by Deebeeriz

Im an old bastard and I got fined $150 for lanesplitting on the nw m/way by the rosebank interchange all cars were crawling and i was going less that 40kph.he was on a bmw parked up the off ramp waiting for m/cs to lanesplit, For the little time you save I dont think its worth $150

thats a bummer man. I guess I try and split my attention 25% cops, 75% cars. I know the likely spots for the cops so I spend 1/2 of that 25% looking through the traffic to spot unmarked cars etc. and the other half scanning the usual spots.

I know filtering is more dangerous than sitting in my lane (got a stark reminder of that this morning when I underestimated how much a truck was slowing to let someone pull in front- all of a sudden said car was changing lanes beside me! Yikes!)... but I live and have learnt!!

**bgd** · 27th February 2004, 11:07

Filtering here (UK) is a way of life if you commute. Depending on traffic I filter for 5-10 miles on my 35 mile journey into work. In fact it was filtering that got me into bikes in the first place. Got tired of sitting in traffic and watching bikes making progress.

On my route I generally find cagers pretty good. They are used to bikes and usually look before lane changing. Only ever had one deliberately move over to stop me. It was 3 guys in van just having a laugh, nothing aggressive and they gave me a wave when I finally got through.

Heard this evening that plod are going to be cracking down on excessive filtering - filtering in excess of the speed limit or filtering at greater than 20mph faster than surrounding traffic.

**Coldkiwi** · 27th February 2004, 11:57

Originally Posted by bgd

Heard this evening that plod are going to be cracking down on excessive filtering - filtering in excess of the speed limit or filtering at greater than 20mph faster than surrounding traffic.

well sod me! that actually sounds like a sensible idea from the cops! unbelievable!