Lane splitting/filtering: the legal and commonsense answers

[Phantom Limb]

Generally you're only lane splitting when the traffic is going slow (20-30KPh), so when the traffic gets moving again, of course I'm going to be merging back in with the que.

Squid rings on the other hand, he'll lane split when traffic is doing 80KPh! So when I merge with the moving traffic, off he shoots on his merry way. So I'm not exactly creating a 'road block' for other lane splitters. I'm just not prepared to go out of my way to let the bugger through if the traffic is nearly standstill.

[f2dz]

Nope. Have, however, been part of a "train" of about six bikes all splitting along behind the leader... who was riding a police bike!
We were happily travelling along in 2a and making good time, as well.

Haha, that sounds awesome. I should've tried to coax that coppa into doing the same for me to help me get to work on time.

yes anything, anytime
10 - 15 k above the speed of the queue is fast enough to get through the blind spots but slow enough to react should a cage change lanes unexpectedly. I also split with the view that the cage changing lanes has right of way, not me because I am doing the unusual or unexpected.

Haven't had any close calls splitting yet, but that's a good thing to keep in mind. Also to cool ya jets if one does end up changing into you because after all, you are sorta coming outta nowhere and creeping up on em. Just be ready to react to anything, the whole reason you go slow and not mach 1.

[caseye]

Your';e onto it! No one is saying. DON'T LANE SPLIT. Just that if you do it with some consideration it'll work much better for you with the general public and the poo poo's.
Glad for a change to see that most people on a thread are apparently on the same page.
Reasonable speed while splitting is accepted by most other motorists, stupid speeds and splitting while traffic is moving at highway speeds is considered dangerous and the rest of us get tarred with the same damned brush.
Not a good look and totally counter productive to the overall objective of keeping on keeping on with a practice that while not totally legal is allowed by most enforcement types simply because the bad eggs haven't crashed yet while stirring public opinion against all other bikers.

[st00ji]

everyone going slower than me is a wobbler / nana. anyone going faster is a squid / mental.

[FROSTY:Me]

This caught me out recently over the weekend. I usually roll up to intersections, observe which phase is currently moving, then split to the front if I can tell our lights won't be going green for a bit. But the turning traffic had a short phase and the traffic started moving with me in between cars. Scary moment, but that's always something to be mindful of too. If in doubt, just sit behind the cars.
I've only been riding for a few weeks but I'm learning more and more that you should trust your gut. If something feels wrong or you feel like you're riding out of your comfort zone it means you probably are.

Could I suggest tou you that if you have only been riding a few weeks that lane splitting isn't recommended. You just haven't got the experience yet to be able to preempt a situation.
With lane splitting I genuinely feel its a case of avoiding a situation before its about to happen -by the time its at the "reaction" stage its often too late.
Its not for me to tell you what to do but do concider it

[FJRider]

Haven't had any close calls splitting yet, but that's a good thing to keep in mind. Also to cool ya jets if one does end up changing into you because after all, you are sorta coming outta nowhere and creeping up on em. Just be ready to react to anything, the whole reason you go slow and not mach 1.

I know of plenty that have lane-split for years with no issues. And then somebody either makes a little mistake ... a little error of judgement ... or just a small act of aggression. Then there's blood on the road.

everyone going slower than me is a wobbler / nana. anyone going faster is a squid / mental.

Ahhhh ... you've reached the perfection in motorcycling stage. Where everywhere you go is at the perfectly chosen, safe speed, for every occasion. Well done that man.

[st00ji]

Ahhhh ... you've reached the perfection in motorcycling stage. Where everywhere you go is at the perfectly chosen, safe speed, for every occasion. Well done that man.

sarcasm obviously lost in text here... but it was more an observation of peoples opinions than a statement of personal perfection - that is, most people tend to think of themselves as good / safe riders. hence, what i said is a prevailing attitude

[FROSTY:Me]

I know of plenty that have lane-split for years with no issues. And then somebody either makes a little mistake ... a little error of judgement ... or just a small act of aggression. Then there's blood on the road.

Yep and whereas an experienced rider will have accumulated the skills to at least minimise the affect someone with barely weeks of riding really has no chance.
Kinda like airline Pilots. They earn their money ALL their money in thge few seconds when things go wrong. In the other times you could likely have a chimp sitting at the controls.

[f2dz]

Could I suggest tou you that if you have only been riding a few weeks that lane splitting isn't recommended. You just haven't got the experience yet to be able to preempt a situation.
With lane splitting I genuinely feel its a case of avoiding a situation before its about to happen -by the time its at the "reaction" stage its often too late.
Its not for me to tell you what to do but do concider it

Cheers for the advice! I totally hear where you're coming from. I only split going quite slow, especially this morning in the fog. I get passed by pretty much every other motorcyclist splitting so that gives you an idea of the speed I go.

Because I'm splitting only after riding about a month now, I realise I am sorta jumping into the deep end a bit quick perhaps but that's how I usually end up learning new things. Plus not to mention, I didn't split the whole first week I rode in to work and it felt more dangerous doing that than splitting. The number of people who almost ran up the back of me was crazy. People don't give bikes enough room eh, especially when you have a target painted on the back of your bike, aka. an L plate.

[GrayWolf]

Cheers for the advice! I totally hear where you're coming from. I only split going quite slow, especially this morning in the fog. I get passed by pretty much every other motorcyclist splitting so that gives you an idea of the speed I go.

Because I'm splitting only after riding about a month now, I realise I am sorta jumping into the deep end a bit quick perhaps but that's how I usually end up learning new things. Plus not to mention, I didn't split the whole first week I rode in to work and it felt more dangerous doing that than splitting. The number of people who almost ran up the back of me was crazy. People don't give bikes enough room eh, especially when you have a target painted on the back of your bike, aka. an L plate.

I understand you feel you 'learn' by jumping in the deep end. However, this 'learning curve' can and likely could' end with 'painful lessons'. 1 month on the road, please understand you as yet know 'jack shit' about 'roadcraft/reading the road/imagining the possible behaviours of any other fucktard on the highway. Someone nearly rear ending you would feel 'scary' and lane splitting may seem safer, it's actually THE MOST hazardous (should be)< low speed driving you will do....
Take care

[aquahort]

1. Ride no faster than 20kph than the cars, I usually don't pass over 70 kph on a motorway.
2. Pass cars as they brake, and you pass at double the speed.
3. Extreme caution passing trucks, one mistake and you are dead.
4. Give your eyes & head a break after passing 10 to 30 cars, pull in for a couple of minutes. Lane splitting gives you tunnel vision.
5. Extreme caution when pulling out to lane split as other bikes could be right up your bum, use your mirrors all the time.
6. Cover all your brakes, but as a other has said in an emergency better to go for a gap.
7. Lane splitting extreme caution in streets, especially coming to side roads, cars will stop to let a car in, while you pass into it!
8. Look at the car drivers eyes in their mirror, note where they are looking.
9. Always give a friendly wave to a car that pulls over.
10. Keep in a lower gear, better to have a little more noise, cars can hear you but most important use engine braking to slow.
11. Remember modern sport brakes have massive stopping power below 40kph so use one finger or rear brake so no front wheel washout.
12. Don't push your luck, by passing a cop while lane splitting, to discover whether lane splitting is legal or not!

Regards from a Hayabusa rider

[swbarnett]

12. Don't push your luck, by passing a cop while lane splitting, to discover whether lane splitting is legal or not!

I've lost count of the number of cops I've passed. They don't care as long as you're not being a dick.

[Phantom Limb]

I've lost count of the number of cops I've passed. They don't care as long as you're not being a dick.

I go past a cop station to work, so I split past at LEAST two cops a day, usually up to 5 if the traffic is really bad. I have split past cops and had them pull up next to me at the lights down the next off ramp immediately afterwards, in one situation I even had a cop wind down his window and say good morning, so correct lane splitting is not going to get you booked by the fuzz.

[Kendog]

so correct lane splitting is not going to get you booked by the fuzz.

Except when they decide to give you a ticket.

[f2dz]

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.