Lane splitting/filtering: the legal and commonsense answers

[Ocean1]

I will quickly exceed any advantage you may have gained by lane-splitting as I leave you apparently standing once the lights turn green, without ever exceeding 4000rpm. Such is the smug arrogance of big-bore air-cooled torque.

What lights, mate?

And what time?

[swbarnett]

I've made a bit of a study of the potential benefits of filtering and lane-splitting since I've started riding again and have come to the conclusion that the big time-saving advantages come from filtering and lane-splitting is the refuge of the angry people who think that a tenth of a second is a long time in the scheme of things.

What city are you riding in?

I commute from Mairangi Bay to the Auckland CBD. It takes me 15-20 minutes as oppsed to over an hour if I stick with traffic.

[Jantar]

...I commute from Mairangi Bay to the Auckland CBD. It takes me 15-20 minutes as oppsed to over an hour if I stick with traffic.

I commute from Springvale to Clyde and it takes me 10 minutes by bike as opposed to 11 minutes by cage. What is this "traffic" you talk of?

[James Deuce]

What lights, mate?

And what time?

You'll never know when I'll strike.

[Gareth123]

Not to beat a dead horse here, but I have a question, and I know how uptight people get when you make new threads about this, so..

Situation: You're lane splitting and a car ahead changes lanes suddenly, they don't indicate for three seconds, and knock you off. I'd assume, legally, so long as you're overtaking vehicles within their lane on their right, you're in the clear?

If you're overtaking vehicles on their left I'd assume you're also in the clear if you get hit, and they didn't sufficiently indicate?

And finally, I'd asume that where this buck stops is that if they were indicating for three seconds and knocked you off, then you're in the wrong, and also an idiot.

I once spoke to an officer of the law who said that lane splitting is legal as long as the other traffic is stationary. Once it begins to move, you must merge back in. Its on video somewhere IIRC.

Based on that officers comment, if your splitting in moving traffic and get hit, Its probably gonna be your fault.

[swbarnett]

I once spoke to an officer of the law who said that lane splitting is legal as long as the other traffic is stationary. Once it begins to move, you must merge back in. Its on video somewhere IIRC.

As long as your whole vehicle is still in the lane and you're to the right of the vehicle you're passing it's legal no matter what speed you or the other vehicle are doing.

[James Deuce]

What city are you riding in?

I commute from Mairangi Bay to the Auckland CBD. It takes me 15-20 minutes as oppsed to over an hour if I stick with traffic.

I thought it would have been obvious from the "location" shown in the top right of my post. Now that the sarcasm is out of the way, I ride into Wellington from Greytown which means the Rimutakas and SH2, through to Wellington. The main road through the Hutt isn't a motorway until the Ngauranga gorge and is plagued by traffic lights. So yes, my observation is completely biased by the road I use. I also leave at 6am, and get to Wellington between 6:50am and 7:00am and leave work at 4pm, so the traffic moves comparatively well.

When I were a lad and living in Auckland it used to take about 45 minutes off peak to get into the Auckland CBD from Mairangi Bay or Brown's Bay because the motorway started and finished at Sunset Rd. It used to take my 30 minutes to get to my job just off Wairau Rd from Brown's bay, so I think you don't know how lucky you are mate. You just don't know how lucky you are.

[swbarnett]

I thought it would have been obvious from the "location" shown in the top right of my post.

Must've been looking at someone else's location.

I ride into Wellington from Greytown which means the Rimutakas and SH2, through to Wellington. The main road through the Hutt isn't a motorway until the Ngauranga gorge and is plagued by traffic lights. So yes, my observation is completely biased by the road I use. I also leave at 6am, and get to Wellington between 6:50am and 7:00am and leave work at 4pm, so the traffic moves comparatively well.

Yeah, been down that way a few times and I know what you mean. Unless you're on a motorway splitting moving traffic doesn't make a lot of sense (although it's starting to in some parts of Auckland).

When I were a lad and living in Auckland it used to take about 45 minutes off peak to get into the Auckland CBD from Mairangi Bay or Brown's Bay because the motorway started and finished at Sunset Rd. It used to take my 30 minutes to get to my job just off Wairau Rd from Brown's bay, so I think you don't know how lucky you are mate. You just don't know how lucky you are.

Boy, that takes me back. I grew up in Magnere and remember the few times we drove over that way. When I started riding I commuted in to the CBD from Mangere. You're right, my commute now is shorter than it was then. I'd hate to try that commute now though.

[Ocean1]

You'll never know when I'll strike.

Fuck, that sounds ominous.

P’raps I orta go get myself some more of that there big-bore air-cooled torque.

[James Deuce]

Disconnect a radiator hose.

[FJRider]

I once spoke to an officer of the law who said that lane splitting is legal as long as the other traffic is stationary. Once it begins to move, you must merge back in. Its on video somewhere IIRC.

Based on that officers comment, if your splitting in moving traffic and get hit, Its probably gonna be your fault.

The key to understanding it's legality ... is how lane-splitting is written, and described ... in Legislation.

[f2dz]

I don't really understand why there's no specific section of lane splitting/filtering in the road code.

When I started lane splitting I rode at around 30km/h max. That gradually built up to 60km/h before I almost hit a car, with it totally being my fault. I now ride 40km/h, second gear, with a lot of engine braking, and am very cautious to not place myself in any position to be potentially hit.

I usually get around two or so other riders passing me in the morning on the southern motorway heading northbound into the CBD though, even a crazed scooter rider who blasts through at what looks to be around 80km/h.

Lane splitting is the whole reason I got into riding in the first place. It's a faster way to get to work. A buddy of mine, who lives near me, leaves his place 30 minutes earlier than me to get to the same workplace and has to pay for parking on top of that. If I didn't filter it negates the whole reason for me to ride during the week.

I guess what I'm getting at is that it would be nice to have some clean cut wording in the road code to define the legality of splitting so you don't end up with a case of, "Well Mr Motorbike was wrong because he was doing something frowned upon." Most people here have been saying you'd be looked down on in any case, but why should that be if you were potentially in the right?

[Fatjim]

I've made a bit of a study of the potential benefits of filtering and lane-splitting since I've started riding again and have come to the conclusion that the big time-saving advantages come from filtering and lane-splitting is the refuge of the angry people who think that a tenth of a second is a long time in the scheme of things.

I keep getting overtaken by people lane splitting, only for me to filter up behind them at the next set of lights. I have no objection to lane-splitting, however I think it may be an unnecessary risk. If you then find yourself in front of me on a smaller capacity motorcycle I will quickly exceed any advantage you may have gained by lane-splitting as I leave you apparently standing once the lights turn green, without ever exceeding 4000rpm. Such is the smug arrogance of big-bore air-cooled torque.

I almost agree with you, however, the few times I have attempted to ride in heavy traffic I have found it more dangerous, as many idiots look for gaps in the cars, which they try and move into. Often, they don't look for a motorcysle in that gap, move over, and get supprised to see a motorcyclist leaning on their car blasting on the horn in an effort not to get squashin the centre barrier. I gave up after the second attempt at not lane splitting in rush hour.

[Swoop]

...it used to take about 45 minutes off peak to get into the Auckland CBD from Mairangi Bay or Brown's Bay because the motorway started and finished at Sunset Rd.

Jim, do you remember when the northern motorway ended at Tristram Ave? Perhaps you are younger than I thought...

[James Deuce]

Jim, do you remember when the northern motorway ended at Tristram Ave? Perhaps you are younger than I thought...

Yes. I used to go to work on the Weekends and in the Holidays with Dad when they started the extension. We once flattened all four tyres in a Mazda B200 ute doing a jump off the embankments that the overpass at Tristram Ave now spans. Apparently fencing staples will stand up and puncture tyres when you land on them hard. We got a lot of air that time. I remember my brother floating up past me, hitting the roof and then landing on my nuts when we crashed to earth.