Do and don'ts of lanespliting

[Gremlin]

if another bike comes up faster than you are splitting, don't stress and don't feel pressured. They'll get their turn. Just pull into a gap where the bike behind can pass safely, then check there's no others behind that, and move on at your own pace.

Yep, I have no problem coming up behind slower bikes and waiting. After a short while of perhaps not noticing me (and fair enough, I seldom look behind) I'll just give a couple of blips of the throttle. I like the sound, and they hear it

It's grey area of the law, so any excuse you give, could be one they're looking for. But more often than not, they won't do much at all

Grey area is the best way to describe it. You can do exactly the same thing, and one time you will get pulled, and another you won't. There are so many ways to look at how they might take your splitting...

BMW, if you were looking behind while splitting, I hope you don't do it too much. You need 110% concentration in front. I very seldom check behind me, as things in front of me can cause heaps more damage. Check only when it is relatively quiet.

As for speed, I have found that too slow, and you get no-where. Too fast, and the cagers are swerving to one side as you are passing them, which is no use...

Two tips, watch out in front of trucks, if you want to use the gap, make sure no-one from the other side is doing the same thing, its common. Second, be very careful splitting between trucks/buses, especially when it is windy. I had a gap disappear once when in it, as the vehicles moved together... had to haul the bike up fast.

Ride only as fast as you can pull it up if something really bad happens.

[riffer]

DONT - try to keep up with Frosty

Yeah, I'll second that.

The biggest gripe the cops have down here is speed differential between you and the cars you're going past - even if you're only filtering.

Hence my user title. $150 that cost me...

[Rincewind]

stay away from elderly aisian ladies in volvos with a bowling hat on the back windowsill....

........ and, when intending to pass a ute with a large dog in the tray, pause to make sure aforementioned pooch is TETHERED ON A SHORT LINE before splitting

This is so true,there's nothing quite like the snarling clatter of teeth on your nice new Shoei first thing in the morning,it's warms up the lower half of your leathers atreat Ha Ha

[Gremlin]

The biggest gripe the cops have down here is speed differential between you and the cars you're going past - even if you're only filtering.

I still wonder which way cops go... if you split past looking uncertain, maybe unconfident, do they get you because you might be dangerous and perhaps you will immediately pull over if the lights go on??

And what do they think of the ones doing 50+ diff to the cars... nutter that needs to be stopped, or someone who obviously (well, hopefully) knows what they are doing? Do they consider trying to catch the person, or immediately dismiss the idea as it would be impossible to catch up.

Or do they try to grab the license plate?? If so, is there the time to, and is it their automatic instinct to stare at the biker, or grab the rego??

err... not that I have been thinking about this for any reason....

[GSX-RJIM]

Also watch the cage drivers hands as some times they indercate or move their ungloved hand upto the indercator just before they run you over.

[Odin]

And along with all the other stuff you're watching as you motor past the cars. Keep an eye on the gab as that's where you want to be and you go where you look. I spend most of my time looking at the gab 2 cars ahead while still having some focus on the cars I'm passing.
Be very careful passing a gab in the line of cars as all cagers will feel an urge to fill it.
Passing trucks and busses are best done by sitting in the other lane and hoping it goes faster at some point.
Look out at spaghetti junction in ack as the lanes are narrower there and that leaves less room for splitting
In rainy weather be extra careful and watch out for the older cars that are all fogged up.....
But most of all don't feel you have to. Do it only if you are comfortable and feel there is enough room.

[loosebruce]

I wouldn't recomend 160kph wheelies while splitting traffic, as cool as it is, but if you fuck up er not that i've ever done such things.

On a side note, i got pulled for riding in a bus lane on the m/way (no i wasn't doing a wheelie) i wasn't going overly fast (until an HP dropped in behind me) but when i stopped (when the 2nd HP that came out of thin air got tail on me) but thats another story all together.

I argued that surely with the traffic bumper to bumper in all 3 lanes that i'd be safer riding at a sedate but slightly quicker (and i was coz i knew about the 1st HP, so i's taking it easy, well for me) than the traffic flow in a nice wide bus lane (like we can ride in inner city bus lanes) but he insisted i'd be better off splitting the traffic with the numptey drivers we have around here, when i said what if someone just pulls across and wipes me ut sending me under another car? He replied well what if someone pulled into the bus lane suddenly? ah yeah okay mate. I can see law is law, but really what do you think is safer.

But i think the biggest tool for splitting is anticipation (fuck knows if thats how you speel it) but ya's know what i mean, racing other bikes in splitting races is a good way to get into trouble, but oh man is it fun.

[sAsLEX]

But i think the biggest tool for splitting is anticipation (fuck knows if thats how you speel it)

thinks its spelt "Spidey Sense", after splitting for years you often find yourself slowing for no apparent reason then all of sudden some numpty pulls in front of you.

[Flyingpony]

When splitting and following another bike. Keep one car gap distance between yourselves. If they have to stop suddenly, they won't want you plowing into their rear.

When splitting and you see another bike, careful as you pass, they might decide to go for it and cut you off, rare but could happen. Typically, they'll end up following, unless it's a goldwing or BMW (have never seen those filter).

Keep engine rpm in the middle of it's range. This means you can go faster or slower without difficulties and won't find it lugging when 10km was suddenly peeled off. Obviously the higher rpm means more noise and noise is your friend when filtering.

Be a bright spark and always have headlights on. Higher visibility is good.

Don't filter near schools

If biker gut feeling tells you to stop filtering for a moment, obey it. There's a good reason for it.

[Swoop]

1:High beam can be your friend when splitting.

2:Sometimes riders on brand-new bikes can be "jittery" with their new pride and joy when attempting a filter... "I don't want to scratch her"...
If this is you, then please move over for others.

[XP@]

Learn the "wing mirror wiggle"
The little dance you do when avoiding cage mirrors. The top of your bike leans over whilst keeping the wheels in the same direction, and then go the other way.

Learn how wide and high your bars are. Hit something hard with them and you will make like a pinball. Highly embarassing.

[Jamezo]

Learn the "wing mirror wiggle"
The little dance you do when avoiding cage mirrors. The top of your bike leans over whilst keeping the wheels in the same direction, and then go the other way.

Learn how wide and high your bars are. Hit something hard with them and you will make like a pinball. Highly embarassing.

Truly! I've used that technique to get past cars with only centimetres more than myBike + 1cageMirror of clearance. And only 1 metre between said mirrors. And a rather high differential. Fun stuff.

There is really only one rule with splitting: Watch out for the Commodores with funny lights!

How hard would it be to get legislation requiring all HP cars, mufti or otherwise, to be fitted with a radio transponder, a Bacon Beacon as it were, and so bikes could be fitted with appropriate recieving equipment?

It would cut down on the accident rate, I think. If you're going to open it up, should your attention be focused on the road, or by the side of the road?

[cruxis]

I like this guys technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVVBjrTu0w

[XP@]

I like this guys technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVVBjrTu0w

Not thought of using the horn...
Probably just a normal commute in that part of the world, makes wellington rush hour look like SH58 at 3am

[aff-man]

ok might as well put in my 2c.

-mirrors won't help you much unless you're jumping in and out of lanes. keep looking ahead cause that's where you are going.

- If you feel your concentration lapsing pull into a lane and take a breather. Lanesplitting on autopilot is a scarey thing.

-If there is someone faster than you pull over. If your faster than someone make yourself known. But remember bikes can split so said person in front may pull out into the middle of the lane to split at any time.

- Don't listen to music while splitting. Although it can cut down your commute time by half it also means your going way faster than you probably should

- white stripes and catseyes are death.

If inbetween cars are the gap is closing make a descion. This will be dependant on your bike. For those on bigger bikes a squirt of gas will get you through. I don't ercommend it on the likes of a gn though. Also if you decide to brake remember that you don't know how big the gap is behind you (in a split second) so you need to take that into account.

- there will be arseholes who try to basically ride on the centreline to stop you splitting. Take your time and go when passing such suspects because they can be most volatile.

- for those with after marked exhausts although noise is a friend it can also be a foe. Don't rev the guts out of your machine while passing If a cager isn't paying attention (which most arn't or listening to music or whatever) coming past them with exhaust blaring could freak them out and make them swerve or do something stooooopid.

- trucks are out to kill you.