LANE SPLITTING- ANYONE GOT THE LAW

[sAsLEX]

high ranking police official that basicly said if you are doing it on the right hand side of the car and do not cross the center line it is legal so long as all the traffic has its indicators on to turn left.

hy needs to learn the law then as you can pass on the right wether they are indicating left or not, but you can only pass on the left if they are indicating right in order to make a turn etc

[R1madness]

hy needs to learn the law then as you can pass on the right wether they are indicating left or not, but you can only pass on the left if they are indicating right in order to make a turn etc

Good spotting. It was me that got it wrong :slap: ....... you are right...... you can only pass on the left if they are indicating right....... right? Right.

[sedge]

About time there was a sticky on this one, it comes up every week...

Whenever you do it, watch for cops, assume it's illegal and suck it in if you get pulled for it.

While the law is in a half arsed state cops will ignore you doing it unless you are being a cock and doing it dangerously.

Don't write to the cops and ask for a definitive ruling on it, the ruling will be 'it's illegal' and then we're all fucked.

Sedge.

[FROSTY:Me]

Short version --If ya gonna split lanes then dont be a dickhead about it--really fast or really stupid overtaking. Keep ya eyes peeled for errattic drivers.

Personally I dont look at my speedo/revcounter/mirrors if Im gonna filter
I'm watching that funnel of cars in front -Im watching about 150m in front and all 3 lanes -Its a cyclic scan from 1.0m in front of me and either side out 150m and out both sides--BUTonly in front
If I wanna check behind I find a spot to travel with the traffic and then check mirrors.

[TLDV8]

The last time i had some confusion on the legalities of this subject,a nice mr man on a BMW cleared things up by giving me a ticket choice...dangerous driving or not using the lane provided... i took the latter,thats a while ago but do not think the stance has changed or will.

[buellbabe]

While i was being ticketed for going up Stanley St onramp using the "breakdown lane" ( grrr!!!!! ) I asked the cop and he said 'Yep ya can lane split if ya do it safely and considerately' but i really think it depends on the mood of the cop at the time eh!

Jeez when are they gonna give us a motorcycle lane????
AAArrgh!

[Test Pilot]

i do it past cops now but only when the traffic is moving slow and i go real slow, havnt had a problem yet

[metric]

it's been a weekend of it...

was on the way to king kong last night (back late-ish from fishing) and got pulled over for splitting

I didn't actually hear the cops behind me until they whacked their sirens on... I pulled over straight away, and the cop came charging up and yanked the keys from my bike

I calmly stepped away from the bike, he appeared to be fuming!

anyway, long story short, they thought I was doing a runner, I told them I couldn't hear them... however no ticket for speeding (which I'm pretty sure I wasn't - just overtaking sunday drivers along tamaki drive) but they said they'll post out a ticket for unsafe lane changing or something

they clarified that you can't use the middle lane for over taking however... I"m surprised by that, I was of the impression that you could, provided it wasn't a dangerous manoeuver over the speed limit etc

[Lou Girardin]

they clarified that you can't use the middle lane for over taking however... I"m surprised by that, I was of the impression that you could, provided it wasn't a dangerous manoeuver over the speed limit etc

Define "middle lane", Tamaki Dr is either 2 or 4 lane isn't it?

[Divot]

they clarified that you can't use the middle lane for over taking however... I"m surprised by that, I was of the impression that you could, provided it wasn't a dangerous manoeuver over the speed limit etc

Middle lane on Tamaki Drive? You dont mean the middle of the road that has cross hatching on, known as a flush medium. Which is techicnaly and island, which is against the law to use. Except for 50 meters prior to a road that your are turning into.

Or something like that

[Marmoot]

*snip*... if you are doing it on the right hand side of the car and do not cross the center line it is legal so long as all the traffic has its indicators on to turn left....*snip*

I got a ticket 5 years ago on Northern M'way (between Northcote and Esmonde) by a bike cop. $150 for "Passing on the left when prohibited".
He basically said I am allowed to lanesplit as long as I stay within right hand side of the vehicle I am passing in the lane I am splitting. If I cross the line and get into the next lane, I'll be passing on the left and that is prohibited.

I guess the logic is that drivers are more aware of what's going on in right wing mirror than in left wing mirror.

As a sidenote, I was directed to use the emergency lane once. 6 years ago, there was a truck overturned and blocked BOTH motorway traffic north and south at Manurewa/papakura ramps (perhaps someone remembers? It took cages aout 6 hours from Ham to Auck). I was carefully lanesplitting in between totally-stopped traffic when I came upon a cop car. The cop kindly pointed me to the emergency lane, which I then took happily and cut down hours of my travel time. The traffic jam was like the one in War of The Worlds.

[mdb]

I've never been stopped and do it nearly everyday on SH2 (Welly). I've even followed a cop on a bike between traffic (he was a little slow for my liking tho)!

[Fatjim]

I've never been stopped and do it nearly everyday on SH2 (Welly). I've even followed a cop on a bike between traffic (he was a little slow for my liking tho)!

Ditto, on SH2 in welly 2.

Even had marked coppers pull out of my way.

Lets keep it that way in Wellington by not being complete plonkers when splitting eh.

[Divot]

I got a ticket 5 years ago on Northern M'way (between Northcote and Esmonde) by a bike cop. $150 for "Passing on the left when prohibited".

That was 5 years ago, they should be a bit more friendly now

[NinjaBoy]

As a sidenote, I was directed to use the emergency lane once.

I can do one better than that. Cruising up Southern southbound towards the Wydham St on ramp. Lucky me had the HP right behind. Eventually the traffic grinds to a halt. Aware of who was behind I didn't attempt to lane split... however after some time passed... the nice officer got out the car and walked up to me.... " you can go up the middle if you're really careful"