Paranoia re LANE SPLITTING??

**bugjuice** · 1st February 2006, 16:00

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

It is possible to safely lanesplit at pretty high speeds provided you are able to split continuously and not dart from gap to gap and if you are confident in what you're doing.

errr.... no it's not.
Drivers will dart into any gap they can see. Their process is something like:
1) ooo there's a gap in that lane, and it's moving
2) gonna get it
3) done it.

What's missing there?
Your version
1) yeah, splittin quick..
2) ooo a gap
3) SPLAT

You're moving at something like 20m p/s say. How fast is that? Now go find 20m of traffic. Go filter thru, and see how many seconds it takes to do 20m. Now how many cars would you pass at that speed, within a minute? Now, how many of those cars, are going to check their mirrors in that minute and see you? Not many, if any. And no, they aren't going to check their mirrors, cos they aren't thinking that a bike could be coming down the lane any second. They just don't. Fact.

Faster you go, the more ground you cover, the less likely a driver is going to see you before they move/switch lanes.

**Grahameeboy** · 1st February 2006, 16:04

Originally Posted by bugjuice

errr.... no it's not.
Drivers will dart into any gap they can see. Their process is something like:
1) ooo there's a gap in that lane, and it's moving
2) gonna get it
3) done it.

What's missing there?
Your version
1) yeah, splittin quick..
2) ooo a gap
3) SPLAT

You're moving at something like 20m p/s say. How fast is that? Now go find 20m of traffic. Go filter thru, and see how many seconds it takes to do 20m. Now how many cars would you pass at that speed, within a minute? Now, how many of those cars, are going to check their mirrors in that minute and see you? Not many, if any.

Faster you go, the more ground you cover, the less likely a driver is going to see you before they move/switch lanes.

Exactly why I don't lane split.....better to be late and get home......rather than be "justsomeguy".....sorry could not resist...just poetic licence nothing personal JSG

**justsomeguy** · 1st February 2006, 16:22

Originally Posted by bugjuice

errr.... no it's not.
Drivers will dart into any gap they can see. Their process is something like:
1) ooo there's a gap in that lane, and it's moving
2) gonna get it
3) done it.

What's missing there?
Your version
1) yeah, splittin quick..
2) ooo a gap
3) SPLAT

You're moving at something like 20m p/s say. How fast is that? Now go find 20m of traffic. Go filter thru, and see how many seconds it takes to do 20m. Now how many cars would you pass at that speed, within a minute? Now, how many of those cars, are going to check their mirrors in that minute and see you? Not many, if any. And no, they aren't going to check their mirrors, cos they aren't thinking that a bike could be coming down the lane any second. They just don't. Fact.

Faster you go, the more ground you cover, the less likely a driver is going to see you before they move/switch lanes.

You missed my bit about watching the drivers as you do it?? It's pretty easy to pick up on their behaviour through their side mirrors and looking into the cars with a bit of practice.

That's another reason why it's important to "split" between the gaps at a decent speed -so you're in and out of the gap before anything happens.

I dunno how you guys split (everyone does it their way). But I usually just stick to the centre line and only move myself from lane to lane about a meter depending on how close to the center line the car is each lane is. It's also better to split in the fast lane of the motorway as it's usually the slowest moving lane and is full - meaning no gaps for the cages.

It also depends how comfortable you feel being close to cars, trucks are the worst as they have bits that stick out on their trailers that break your mirrors.

It all comes with practice.

**justsomeguy** · 1st February 2006, 16:26

Originally Posted by Grahameeboy

Exactly why I don't lane split.....better to be late and get home......rather than be "justsomeguy".....sorry could not resist...just poetic licence nothing personal JSG

NO offence taken.

Grahameeboy: "..better to be late and get home..."

Be late??

I though lanesplitting was done for the kicks/rush not getting from point A-B

**bugjuice** · 1st February 2006, 16:51

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

You missed my bit about watching the drivers as you do it?? It's pretty easy to pick up on their behaviour through their side mirrors and looking into the cars with a bit of practice.

no, I didn't. At speed, it doesn't matter what you do. A car can be traveling in a straight line, then a split second decision will easily see you on your sorry arse.

Also, at speed, you are going to see the driver, acknowledge (or basically trick yourself into thinking) that they see you and recognise you're there then decide that it's ok to pass them, twice (since you have one car either side) at speed (so, 16 cars every couple of seconds?), and still be confident that no one is going to cut across you? good luck..

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

That's another reason why it's important to "split" between the gaps at a decent speed -so you're in and out of the gap before anything happens.

utter utter utter bs. The faster you go, the less you're seen. The less you're seen, the higher the chances of being cut off. The faster you go, the longer it takes to stop. The faster you go, the harder you smack into the back/side of a car/van etc. The faster you go, the further you fly (that's the fun bit), and the harder you fall (that's the ouch bit). How the hell can you think that moving faster between stationary or slow moving vehicles that have no predictable pattern, is safe?

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

It also depends how comfortable you feel being close to cars, trucks are the worst as they have bits that stick out on their trailers that break your mirrors.

It all comes with practice.

if you're not comfortable doing it, then just don't. Start small if anything, but motorway splitting is really optimistic.

And practice? well..

**mstriumph** · 1st February 2006, 17:12

the authorities are trying to introduce legislation against lane filtering and splitting over here ...... proposed 'rule 151A'

there's been a fair amount of negative comment about it as you can see from the public submissions

http://www.ntc.gov.au/rfccommentsvie...24034004500204

if there's any shred of commonsense left in the system it'll be abandoned .... but i have a nasty feeling that if it goes thru, there will be a fair few additional outlaw bikers about in sheer self-defense .......

**justsomeguy** · 1st February 2006, 17:22

Originally Posted by bugjuice

if you're not comfortable doing it, then just don't. Start small if anything, but motorway splitting is really optimistic.

And practice? well..

Hahahaha, you like dissagreeing huh??

I really like all your theory, the real worlds a bit diff sorry. Buggy no offence mate, but after reading your comments I know you're not a lanesplitter.

As for me being optimistic by trying to split on the m'way - hehehe - ask around.

**madboy** · 1st February 2006, 17:56

Lanesplitting on the mway is no different to anywhere else, in fact I do MORE lanesplitting on the mway cos the lanes are wider generally, and the traffic is moving slower.

The odds go up with the speed, and the proximity to areas where cars are prone to change lanes - particularly last minute. Like nearing offramps, areas where congestion builds up "Shit, I can save four car lengths if I suddenly duck into the left lane real fast without looking, then duck back into the fast lane four car lengths up". Hey, I still lanesplit pretty much everywhere on the mway, but time and place and all that.

Now Buggy, you must be one of the few bikers who check their mirrors while splitting. I used to never pass a biker until I was dead cert they'd seen me and either moved over or waved me thru. But I've been stuck behind so many that act like f***ing cage drivers now that I'm all good with cutting them up splitting. When you split your focus tends to be what's in front, as that is where the threat is, and you don't check your mirrors that often. And the frequency shrinks even more when you start splitting real quick. But the amount of bastards I see on bikes who NEVER seem to check their mirrors for kilometres on end, split slowly and then hog the centreline while they decide do they split, do they not... And then they check their mirrors, see a bike behind them, and go back to what they were doing - hogging the centre line jammed up the butt of the cars nearest to them!! It's like you just about have to pry the position from them to get past. Fine, they may think they're going fast. They may think they're taking all the risks they need to. No problem with that. I'm not running around with lights and sirens so I don't expect instant parting. But you'd think they could make some effort to let a faster moving bike through?

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty that do let you through, but there's just as many letting the side down.

**bugjuice** · 1st February 2006, 19:43

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

Hahahaha, you like dissagreeing huh??

I really like all your theory, the real worlds a bit diff sorry. Buggy no offence mate, but after reading your comments I know you're not a lanesplitter.

As for me being optimistic by trying to split on the m'way - hehehe - ask around.

no, I like to make sure newbies don't listen to advice like yours.
I split all the time. What's the point of being on a bike and sitting in traffic? But it's the rate that we seem to differ. It fuckin hurts to crash, so I'm just gonna take it easy. Doesn't seem to hurt you, so you go right ahead and knock yourself out

All my advice I offer, is from what I see and do in your so-called real world. You think people don't switch lanes in a split second? I hope you never find out what happens when they do. I've seen it happen a couple of times, and that's a couple of times too many.
good luck mate.

Madboy, we've met, and played (true, not on the road yet), and I know you have some common sense knockin around in there sometimes, and a bit more experience under your belt. Plus, the added bonus of not being in Auckland

**Lou Girardin** · 2nd February 2006, 07:22

Now I know I'm a riding God,

but I've never had a really close call when splitting (touch wood). If you know what to look for you can tell when a cager is thinking of grabbing a gap. You always leave an escape route too.

**justsomeguy** · 2nd February 2006, 07:31

Originally Posted by bugjuice

no, I like to make sure newbies don't listen to advice like yours.

All my advice I offer, is from what I see and do in your so-called real world. You think people don't switch lanes in a split second? I hope you never find out what happens when they do. I've seen it happen a couple of times, and that's a couple of times too many.
good luck mate.

Yup, newbies and oldies - do what I do at your own risk. I'm only voicing my opinion not preaching anything. It works for me, it may not work for you.

Yeah, it's fun when cars change lanes suddenly. Only had it happen about 3 times a week, pretty much every week, pays to be awake when that happens.

**skelstar** · 2nd February 2006, 07:35

I rarely split, but was in town yesterday (talking to a man about a Daytona) and had to ride out to the 'burbs in v-heavy 50km/h traffic. Got stuck down between a 18wheeler truck and a line of cars. A road cyclist was behind me and things just got uncomfortable all of a sudden. Obviously he could get through but I couldnt. A common problem?

**thehollowmen** · 2nd February 2006, 08:39

There are a couple of intersections in Dunedin where the lanes narrow so family sedans will touch mirrors. I'm not sure why they narrow like this but there are a few marked in my head that you'd get pinned in if you tried to split them.

Are we able to split in and out of cycle lanes?

**Phurrball** · 2nd February 2006, 11:25

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

You missed my bit about watching the drivers as you do it?? It's pretty easy to pick up on their behaviour through their side mirrors and looking into the cars with a bit of practice.

That's another reason why it's important to "split" between the gaps at a decent speed -so you're in and out of the gap before anything happens.

You can watch all the cages up ahead - pick up on cues...'easy', fine and dandy until you get an aberrant cage driver who does not give the cues you are expecting...ya know what they say about assumption...

'Decent' speed means less time to react - for you and any lane-chopping cagers.

Slow and steady with the RH indicator on works for me on the NW M/Way - so does minimal splitting near on/off ramps - only if cages are near as goddamit to stopped. They be dangerous places. (Kinda like those blank places on maps of old with the notation 'Here be dragons' = worth avoiding.)

Going nice and slow in a low gear means plenty of ability to accelerate fast (Or stop quickly) to get out of potential strife, and a nice, loud zorst note to wake the sleepy commuters from their comfortable, air-conditioned slumber...

I'm only a n00b, so I take it *really* easy on the spiltting. I do it 'cos it's a god-given advantage of being on a motorcycle. If it starts to feel wrong, I stop doing it.

Fast splitting is asking for trouble IMHO.

(I do try my best to monitor the mirrors and look for quicker splitters than I so that I may move - 'tis harder when you are more front focussed than normal, but if someone appears behind you 'tis your duty to let them past in a timely and safe fashion, making it very obvious that that's what you're doing...)