Lane splitting/filtering: the legal and commonsense answers

[GOONR]

I also use the onewa bus lane, particularly when its crawling along the overpass. Always been a bit dubious about the legality of it though so when mr is stuck in traffic I tend to stay in the regular lane till I see other bikes go past

Same, if traffic is moving slow then I'll use the bus lane on the overpass but try to be back in the regular lane before the on ramp merges with the motorway.

Plod seem to hang around at that layby thingy on the left.

[R-Soul]

Same, if traffic is moving slow then I'll use the bus lane on the overpass but try to be back in the regular lane before the on ramp merges with the motorway.

Plod seem to hang around at that layby thingy on the left.

I s'pose that whether you are in the bus lane or claim to be "splitting" between teh bus lane and the normal lane it has the same effect...

I turned left onto onewa rd from onepoto domain road today, and a cop car put its lights and siren on behind me. I was flying atteh time, and only reaslised that it was following behind me by the time that I got to teh motorway. I joined the motorway and waited to see if he was after me (I had gone down busway).

But he went past off to some other event.
PHEW!

Also, on the onepotoo domain rd I normally filter past the big tails they have. But one day as I arrived at teh tail, I saw a bike in the car lane. I wondered why (as we all filter normally) and then saw MrPlod a cuple of cars agead of him. I pulled in next to him asap.

But then I figured that if I was going to have to follow teh tail, then I would rather U-turn and go filter somehwere else. So I thought I would get it in teh open, so pulled up next to the cop car and asked Mr Plod if he was Ok with me filtering through. I he said no, I was gonna U-turn.


He said "Well you are not really supposed to, but I suposse its OK - just be safe". I was outta there, and when I stopped at the traffic lights infront, the other bike was just behind.

I guess that kinda sums things up - they start getting uppitty when you do dumb unsafe things - as they haveto clean up and it makes paperwork for them I s'pose.

[MarkH]

So I thought I would get it in teh open, so pulled up next to the cop car and asked Mr Plod if he was Ok with me filtering through.

I generally just filter past the plod - what is he going to do, he is stuck in traffic. But twice I have gone to head onto the motorway on the northbound Ellerslie onramp and spotted a police car. I didn't really want to filter to the front and then go at the same time as 2 cars with the plod watching - it is a traffic light controlled thing with a sign saying "one car from each lane per green" and I am not too sure what the police would make of my idea of a vehicle from the left lane, a vehicle from the right lane and a bike from the lanesplitting lane.

Whether the particular officer would feel inclined to do anything about it I really don't know, but both times I decided not to risk it.

[swbarnett]

"one car from each lane per green"

Doesn't say anything about bikes (or trucks for that matter). Do what you like.

I got through two of these stupid things every day. I have never stopped for the light (bike or car) and have no intention of ever doing so (cop or no cop).

[CookMySock]

um, watch out splitting at open road speeds (70-90km/hr.) I was left to ponder what might have become, today.

Here's me slipping down the centreline on a two-way, two-lane road, about 90k (15-20k faster than the line of traffic), and I spot a biker at the very last second in between the cars in the opposing direction. Like, I was right next to him as he was almost completely concealed by the car he was following.

What was unusual about this biker, is he had good dose of lean-angle on to the left. My guess is, he had swung the bike hard at the centreline to basically do what I was doing, and spotted me and hurriedly initated the opposite. The consequences of this, of course are enormous. Massive explosion of steel and plastic getting trampled by a fleet of ten or more cars does not bear thinking about.

Suggest if you are going to split at open-road speeds;

• Expect a biker coming the other way to be doing the same
• Don't commit hard to the manoevre
• Be bloody ready to get back in
• Expect bikers to come out of nowhere
• Don't come out of nowhere!

Take it easy out there.

Steve

[dmoo1790]

One thing about using the shoulder. I did this for a few years in Melbourne and ended up with 6 punctures. Nails and other rubbish get swept onto the shoulder so it's pretty hard on tyres.

[BMWST?]

um, watch out splitting at open road speeds (70-90km/hr.) I was left to ponder what might have become, today.

Here's me slipping down the centreline on a two-way, two-lane road, about 90k (15-20k faster than the line of traffic), and I spot a biker at the very last second in between the cars in the opposing direction. Like, I was right next to him as he was almost completely concealed by the car he was following.

What was unusual about this biker, is he had good dose of lean-angle on to the left. My guess is, he had swung the bike hard at the centreline to basically do what I was doing, and spotted me and hurriedly initated the opposite. The consequences of this, of course are enormous. Massive explosion of steel and plastic getting trampled by a fleet of ten or more cars does not bear thinking about.

Suggest if you are going to split at open-road speeds;

• Expect a biker coming the other way to be doing the same
• Don't commit hard to the manoevre
• Be bloody ready to get back in
• Expect bikers to come out of nowhere
• Don't come out of nowhere!

Take it easy out there.

Steve

thats is why you should not split on a two way road.A motorbike is not the only thing concealed by the other traffic.

[CookMySock]

thats is why you should not split on a two way road.A motorbike is not the only thing concealed by the other traffic.

Perhaps. I approach the split tentatively, and examine everything I can see. I consider it to be a "safe" passing manoeuvre.

Initiating a brutal swerve into a shared-direction "lane" without checking it first isn't a safe passing manoeuvre. We are even entitled to share an opposite-direction passing lane if it is unused, but that doesn't mean entering it blindly at all costs, even it's going your way.

Steve

[BMWST?]

Perhaps. I approach the split tentatively, and examine everything I can see. I consider it to be a "safe" passing manoeuvre.

Initiating a brutal swerve into a shared-direction "lane" without checking it first isn't a safe passing manoeuvre. We are even entitled to share an opposite-direction passing lane if it is unused, but that doesn't mean entering it blindly at all costs, even it's going your way.

Steve

the "shared passing lane is one thing but spliiting on a twp way road is something else entirely IN MY OPINION

[CookMySock]

the "shared passing lane is one thing but spliiting on a twp way road is something else entirely IN MY OPINION

What do other people think of this?

I feel comfortable using the white line regardless of traffic direction. Perhaps if both lanes were going in the opposite direction it might get weird.

Steve

[BMWST?]

um, watch out splitting at open road speeds (70-90km/hr.) I was left to ponder what might have become, today.

Here's me slipping down the centreline on a two-way, two-lane road,

Steve

What do other people think of this?

Perhaps if both lanes were going in the opposite direction it might get weird.

Steve

arent you talking about a two lane only road with opposing traffic in the original examplee??

[CookMySock]

arent you talking about a two lane only road with opposing traffic in the original examplee??

Yes. Sorry for the confusing narrative.

Steve

[Berries]

What do other people think of this?

Isn't this just overtaking in to oncoming traffic as opposed to lane splitting ? Opens up a whole new realm of possiblities when traffic isn't going in the same direction, which is what lane splitting means to me.

[CookMySock]

Isn't this just overtaking in to oncoming traffic as opposed to lane splitting ? Opens up a whole new realm of possiblities when traffic isn't going in the same direction, which is what lane splitting means to me.

Yes it is overtaking into the oncoming traffic. I just growl crackle up behind them and cars move over for me. Theres loads of room. I stay in the left lane. I've never had a problem with it.


If they stay glued to the centerline, then I wait.

Steve

[FROSTY:Me]

Just to be clear the origonal post was specificly talking about Motorway traffic or similar. Splitting lanes with oncoming traffic to me is like playing russian rulette--eventually you will get hit. You arent talking about adjusting to a 5-25 km./h speed difference you are dEALING WITH UP TO A 200KM/H SPEED DIFFFERENCE