Lane splitting/filtering: the legal and commonsense answers

[Madness]

It is if you consider that first time a novice car driver overtakes on the open road. Learning to drive in traffic necessitates using other vehicles as guinee pigs. That's why we have L plates. So that those other drivers know not to expect that novice to drive "normally".

That's all well and good for a learner who rides within their lane and overtakes using a passing lane or the other side of the centre line, no issue. Lane-splitting is not a pre-requisite activity in order to ride a bike on the road though and I certainly don't recall being tested on lane-splitting when I went through the graduated license system. The noob will of course have to have to have a "first time" should they choose to lane-split, all I ask is that they be sure they have the basic skills to do so without hitting my vehicle. It's not that much to ask, surely?

[Madness]

So noone's allowed to learn to drive then?

Now now, I think you need to sloow doown a little. I'm not saying no-one is allowed to learn to drive (or ride), I'm saying that if a biker clipped my wing mirror whilst lane-splitting I would expect them to know that this is unacceptable behaviour and them being a learner does not preclude them from this expectation. It's the road, it's not a dodgem ride.

[Ocean1]

Oh, but it is that simple. Any simpler and it would be from Upper Hutt.

So, you live in Kansas is it? Where people can acquire suficient skills to eliminate the risk from other road users?

Keep it up but I still don't agree on your stance that riding between two occupied lanes is safer than sitting in a lane proper. To suggest so to noobs is rather irresponsible IMO. Would I rather get a (rather unlikely) tap from the vehicle behind me or get (highly likely) smeared all over the side of a bus? Hmmmmm, it aint rocket science is it?

I'd rather get neither. Hence the qualification about keeping my space as free from risk as possible. If I consider it's safer to split past the guy in front in order to put space between me and the guy behind who's following too close then that's what happens. If that offends against some rule, personal, official or otherwise stiff shit, I find hard and fast rules nowhere near as effective in risk management as a healthy paranoia.

I've had vehicles roll back towards me at traffic lights too whilst I've been in all manner of vehicles, it happens. Are you suggesting that I should run up on a road island beside a queue of traffic in my ute to avoid this happening in future?

I'd suggest you do anything possible to avoid it. If I thought it worthwhile suggesting anything at all to someone who should be well old enough to have his own ideas about such shit.

[Madness]

So, you live in Kansas is it? Where people can acquire suficient skills to eliminate the risk from other road users?

No, unfortunately I find myself living in Auckland, lane-splitting capital of New Zealand.

If I consider it's safer to split past the guy in front in order to put space between me and the guy behind who's following too close then that's what happens. If that offends against some rule, personal, official or otherwise stiff shit, I find hard and fast rules nowhere near as effective in risk management as a healthy paranoia.

Certainly doesn't offend me, in fact I agree whole-heartedly. Your quoted post wasn't so clear (much like the bit below) so thanks for taking the time to clarify this point.

If I thought it worthwhile suggesting anything at all to someone who should be well old enough to have his own ideas about such shit.

Huh? Did you get distracted at the end of typing that post by chance?

[Ocean1]

Huh?

It's your life. Nobody on earth has the right to tell you how to spend it.

Not me.

Not Skatman.

Nobody.

[Madness]

It's your life. Nobody on earth has the right to tell you how to spend it.

Not me.

Not Skatman.

Nobody.

No issues there. It's my fucking wing mirror, nobody on earth has the right to clip it whilst splitting past me in heavy traffic.

Not you.

Not Mr Branett.

Not Skippythekangaroo.

[Ocean1]

No issues there. It's my fucking wing mirror, nobody on earth has the right to clip it whilst splitting past me in heavy traffic.

Not you.

Not Mr Branett.

Not Skippythekangaroo.

I agree.

As a rule.

[Madness]

I agree.

As a rule.

I'm pleased by that.

[pritch]

If that offends against some rule, personal, official or otherwise stiff shit, I find hard and fast rules nowhere near as effective in risk management as a healthy paranoia.

Agree absolutely. The other day the car in front of me attracted my attention as being driven a bit strangely. Nothing in particular just a bit strange - then she stopped at a green light.

I passed her up the inside using the gutter (I was on the moped) and was gone. Fuck hanging around someone who is apparently enjoying the full effects of their favourite recreational chemical.

[Ocean1]

I'm pleased by that.

I was at Te Marua speedway last night for the first time in many years.

It's an education, for sure.

[Ocean1]

Agree absolutely. The other day the car in front of me attracted my attention as being driven a bit strangely. Nothing in particular just a bit strange - then she stopped at a green light.

I passed her up the inside using the gutter (I was on the moped) and was gone. Fuck hanging around someone who is apparently enjoying the full effects of their favourite recreational chemical.

What, and no sign of the constabulary? I'm astonished your not severly crippled, at least!

[Maha]

I was at Te Marua speedway last night for the first time in many years.

It's an education, for sure.

It that the one at the start (ish) of the Rimutakas?

[Ocean1]

It that the one at the start (ish) of the Rimutakas?

It is indeed. Apart from the spectator gate location it hadn't change in 25 years.

No bikes, though, and no sidecars.

[swbarnett]

That's all well and good for a learner who rides within their lane and overtakes using a passing lane or the other side of the centre line, no issue.

With overtaking the issue is not one of road or lane width. It's about the length of the gap the ovretaking driver decides is long enough.

Lane-splitting is not a pre-requisite activity in order to ride a bike on the road though

Technically, niether is overtaking. It is quite possible to ride or drive from Cape Rienga to Bluff without overtaking anyone.

and I certainly don't recall being tested on lane-splitting when I went through the graduated license system.

Things may have changed in the 30 years since I sat my license but I certainly wasn't tested on overtaking either.

The noob will of course have to have to have a "first time" should they choose to lane-split, all I ask is that they be sure they have the basic skills to do so without hitting my vehicle. It's not that much to ask, surely?

This is a bit of a catch 22. Being "sure they have the basic skills to do so without hitting my vehicle" can only be done with certainty in hindsight. You have to test the skills you think you have before you can be certain you have them. In academia, someone that knows a little about a subject will most likely think they know a lot. There comes a point when they know enough to realise exactly how little you actually know. The same holds true for any thing that must be learnt.

Now now, I think you need to sloow doown a little. I'm not saying no-one is allowed to learn to drive (or ride), I'm saying that if a biker clipped my wing mirror whilst lane-splitting I would expect them to know that this is unacceptable behaviour and them being a learner does not preclude them from this expectation. It's the road, it's not a dodgem ride.

No argument there.

No issues there. It's my fucking wing mirror, nobody on earth has the right to clip it whilst splitting past me in heavy traffic.

Not you.

Not Mr Branett.

Not Skippythekangaroo.

Another thing we agree on. Nobody's claiming in this thread that they have a right to clip a wing mirror. Just that, as we are human, it does happen (especially to novices), it's not deliberate and doesn't always warrant anything more than a wave of apology.

[bosslady]

Right. To whomever can't take a joke and didn't realise my last post was in jest and is a mock of a Katy Perry song. Im sorry that you hope I get crippled by a car. But dare I say, with a sick attitude like that, I'm sure that fate will sooner be inflicted on you than I. Also, GO FUCK YOURSELF.