Lane splitting/filtering: the legal and commonsense answers

[R-Soul]

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

I agree
Massive differences in speed and potential damage. Also a huge additional number of factors that could happen, including:

- opposing car moving onto the white line to trurn right (he would be trying to get out of the way of cars behind him, but making life REAAL scary for you coming the other way). Speed difference up to 130km/hr
-opposing car moving onto white line to pass a car in his lane turning left. speed difference up to 220kkm/hr

These two scenarios happen frequently and are not "exceptions" to look out for. Looking at the risk management aspect of it (i.e. probability of it happening in percentage i.e. about 20% X by the effective result scaled from 1 to 10 - which is pretty much death for a rating of 1), you get 0.1x1 = 0.2 (or about 20% chance of death). That is significantly higher than I am prepared to go. And damn close to russian roulette.

Looking at lane splitting in two lanes going the same way:

Chance of car pulling out is quite high- maybe 30%, but the effect is lower - as the relative speeds are lower. And the rsik of a car pulling out is reduced by cautious riding between the lanes. The lower the relative speeds, the less chance of a car pulling out in front of you that you can't brake for. Whereas you would find it pretty much impossible to brake for a car pulling onto the white line going the other way.
So the weighting is about .3 for effect/resultant damge (by my thumbs suck).

Of course you also have the chance of being run over by following cars, but -I hope - this is low. So by my reckoning total weighting is .2x.3= .06


Thats about a quarter the risk of the first example. Still not great, I admit. But nobody said that lane splitting was safe.

Now I have chucked my figures into the pot, I expect a massive debate on them...

[BMWST?]

I agree
Massive differences in speed and potential damage. Also a huge additional number of factors that could happen, including:

- opposing car moving onto the white line to trurn right (he would be trying to get out of the way of cars behind him, but making life REAAL scary for you coming the other way). Speed difference up to 130km/hr
-opposing car moving onto white line to pass a car in his lane turning left. speed difference up to 220kkm/hr

These two scenarios happen frequently and are not "exceptions" to look out for. Looking at the risk management aspect of it (i.e. probability of it happening in percentage i.e. about 20% X by the effective result scaled from 1 to 10 - which is pretty much death for a rating of 1), you get 0.1x1 = 0.2 (or about 20% chance of death). That is significantly higher than I am prepared to go. And damn close to russian roulette.

Looking at lane splitting in two lanes going the same way:

Chance of car pulling out is quite high- maybe 30%, but the effect is lower - as the relative speeds are lower. And the rsik of a car pulling out is reduced by cautious riding between the lanes. The lower the relative speeds, the less chance of a car pulling out in front of you that you can't brake for. Whereas you would find it pretty much impossible to brake for a car pulling onto the white line going the other way.
So the weighting is about .3 for effect/resultant damge (by my thumbs suck).

Of course you also have the chance of being run over by following cars, but -I hope - this is low. So by my reckoning total weighting is .2x.3= .06


Thats about a quarter the risk of the first example. Still not great, I admit. But nobody said that lane splitting was safe.

Now I have chucked my figures into the pot, I expect a massive debate on them...

i disagree witrhthe risk of lane splitting error with traffic going the same way.If you or the car misjudge and you touch i would say you are likely to go down and almost certainly run over by either one of the cars behind you....or even the ones beside you

[R-Soul]

i disagree witrhthe risk of lane splitting error with traffic going the same way.If you or the car misjudge and you touch i would say you are likely to go down and almost certainly run over by either one of the cars behind you....or even the ones beside you

I agree it could happen. But because of teh relative speeds being less, there is larger chance of evasive action by a car having some effect. i.e. they have more chance to swerve/brake.

You also have more chance to swerve or brake before you hit another car.

Having said that, the other day I was lane splitting and as I was just behind the line of a car's boot, they put their indicator on, and started moving across. Whereas 9 times out of 10, the bike would be able to see it and brake/accelerate to get out of trouble, this was different. The timing of it was perfect (ly bad), and did not leave me with much option. I started braking hard, and may have made it, but not sure. It was all at innocuous speeds, and seemed to be in slow motion. But the physics of it left me with no options but to rely on the car driver (scary scenario).
Luckily she looked over her shoulder and saw me, and stayed in her lane. It can and will happen. That is why you need to be especially diligent when a gap opens up in the lane alongside. Only pass cars when there are no gaps.

[Bald Eagle]

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

With opposing traffic it ain't splitting it's insanity.

[FROSTY:Me]

ONLY time I'd ndo it is gridlock both ways.

[Ratti]

Handy to be able to move up to the front of a que when waiting at lights. Maybe in VERY slow moving traffic I'd consider it. Too risky otherwise, I dont have the balls for it...actually I dont have balls at all

[PrincessBandit]

Handy to be able to move up to the front of a que when waiting at lights. Maybe in VERY slow moving traffic I'd consider it. Too risky otherwise, I dont have the balls for it...actually I dont have balls at all

you and me both honey!
I only split when the gap is one that will 99.9% guarantee me a nick-free (or is that knock-free) tootle through. I see plenty of bikes splitting through as I patiently stay in my lane - you see lotsa cute rear views! (then just have to make sure you don't stare at them to the point you run up the jacksy of the car in front eeeek)

[Brownbikerbabe]

This is one thing that is rarely done where I live. I have never seen it done here, but I have seen it in Europe and U.S.A and it is quite a normal thing, the cagers in those countries are aware to watch for motorcycles who are land splitting.

[CookMySock]

Interesting to hear folks feelings on this.

Yes I concede turning traffic is a risk, particularly so when their movements are rash and unannounced. Mind you, any rash and unannounced movements on the road are tantamount to dangerous driving, particularly in a group of swiftly moving vehicles.

For anyones' use, I made myself a few rules when lane sharing into oncoming traffic ;

Know the traffic. If you don't like the way they are behaving - don't pass.

Don't make gaps. If there's no gap, don' try and force one. Let them pull over for you, then go. Thank them with a wave.

Don't pass where they can pass. If they can pass, quite likely they will, so don't chance it.

Keep your speed differential down. Self explanatory.

No hard braking. The centreline has gravel all over it. Don't brake hard on it or pay the price.

Always remember, theres loads more room on the centreline that you think, so don't panic and bash the brakes.

Be careful out there.

Steve

[swbarnett]

But the physics of it left me with no options but to rely on the car driver (scary scenario).

You could go around the front.

I've been in the exact scenario that you describe except that the car driver did not see me. I rolled on the power while falling in to an extreme right lean. If I'd stayed this way I would've low-sided in under the car so I flipped to a left lean and scraped past the front of the car. The right corner of the front bumber folded up my foot peg and left a scratch in my left muffler.

[swbarnett]

land splitting.

Do you tow a plough with your bike?

[swbarnett]

No hard braking. The centreline has gravel all over it.

Not to mention long stretches of white (or yellow) paint.

[MarkH]

I
Having said that, the other day I was lane splitting and as I was just behind the line of a car's boot, they put their indicator on, and started moving across. Whereas 9 times out of 10, the bike would be able to see it and brake/accelerate to get out of trouble, this was different. The timing of it was perfect (ly bad), and did not leave me with much option. I started braking hard, and may have made it, but not sure. It was all at innocuous speeds, and seemed to be in slow motion. But the physics of it left me with no options but to rely on the car driver (scary scenario).
Luckily she looked over her shoulder and saw me, and stayed in her lane.

If you had been really lucky it would have been one of those very rare drivers that indicates at least 3 seconds before changing lanes - then you would have had plenty of time.

[Ladydragon]

I saw something happen at the lights that i've never seen before the traffic was thick right up to the lights so this person on a motor bike decided not to wait till the lights turned green he just drove up on the foot path was quite a way to the lights I thought to myself not setting a good example for learners and very dangerous for pedistrians and ilegal

[R-Soul]

I saw something happen at the lights that i've never seen before the traffic was thick right up to the lights so this person on a motor bike decided not to wait till the lights turned green he just drove up on the foot path was quite a way to the lights I thought to myself not setting a good example for learners and very dangerous for pedistrians and ilegal

Yeah thats pretty shocking. And dangerous.