How 'bout a little courtesy, fellow biker?

[DingDong]

Dammit man, I only go fast as in the
Marina entrance cause everyone stops through there for no fucking reason and I want to get past as many of the idiots as I can.
The rest of the time I'm filtering I'm only going maybe 8kmh faster than the rest of traffic.

And when I come up on a bike filltering slower than me. I wait behind them. I know I would rather be watching what the cars ahead of me are doing than worrying about another bike comming up behind me.

And oddly enough I have yet to crash in traffic.

LOL I wasnt actually thinking of you when I posted that Ay?... but now you mention it Ay? I was thinking a YZF600 that filters past me on my way home from work... Ay?... shessshhh.... bloody Canadians Ay?

[Waylander]

LOL I wasnt actually thinking of you when I posted that Ay?... but now you mention it Ay? I was thinking a YZF600 that filters past me on my way home from work... Ay?... shessshhh.... bloody Canadians Ay?

lol checked my sig link yet?

Just so used to you digging at me for that. Havn't seen any YZF600 so must be at a different time than when I'm headed home. Seen a guy on a DucatiSS 750 nearly take me out a couple times. And a Speed Tripple aswell.

[mstriumph]

No excuses... no one has said it so I will, lane splitting is the most dangerous motorcycle act .................

mebbe no one has said it because many of us don't believe it's true?

no - i'm not advocating aggressive splitting at more than 20ks faster than the surrounding traffic or supporting those otherwise behaving like a hoon, endangering the splitter and everyone else

but, provided it's done with proper care and with attention to the traffic pattern and road conditions, lanesplitting is a legitimate, legal and sensible use of the road - a useful tool and one better mastered than maligned.


........ here endeth the first lesson - sorry - i KNOW i carry on a bit but i've been splitting for a long time and it bothers me when someone wants to decry the entire practice because it's abused by a few hoons ......

[diggydog]

Dammit man, I only go fast as in the
Marina entrance cause everyone stops through there for no fucking reason and I want to get past as many of the idiots as I can.
The rest of the time I'm filtering I'm only going maybe 8kmh faster than the rest of traffic.

And when I come up on a bike filltering slower than me. I wait behind them. I know I would rather be watching what the cars ahead of me are doing than worrying about another bike comming up behind me.

And oddly enough I have yet to crash in traffic.

well said there,lane spilting is ok to a degree with every other thing happening around you, that would'nt be a priority, but would move over when it was safe, thats when i'm riding safely .

[apteryx_haasti]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate all your views. I'm here to learn, so I find it pretty helpful to hear what people think about these issues that bemuse me...

(PS - Skelstar, yes, but I'm REALLY slow....)

[bert_is_evil]

If you're lane splitting and the bike in front of you hasn't moved over to let you past then it indicates that they probably haven't seen you as they're concentrating on the cars around them, I would consider it pretty dangerous to pass (or follow closely) in that situation - even if there is room for you to edge past the slightest flinch from them and you're both toast.

[Freakshow]

Hi there -

I have a little rant for the biker who was in front of me on the Wgtn motorway heading into the Hutt this evening...

If you are lane splitting, and a bike comes up behind you and is clearly able to go faster than you, then PLEASE pull into a space and let the faster rider past. It's really hard to follow you without getting too close, and concentrating on what you're up to makes it hard for me to pay attention to other things - like the cars and what THEY'RE up to.

OK, I am not a super fast lane splitter myself, which is why I keep an eye on my mirror for anyone coming up behind me and I get out of their way. This usually results in a friendly wave.

Perhaps you didn't see me there, although I doubt it, but I thought you might have figured it out when I pulled in to let a faster bike through (thanks for the wave, yellow bike!), who then had to pass you by using an "interesting" manouver when you didn't/wouldn't get out of their way.

AM I being a bitch - or is a request for a bit of biker courtesy OK in this situation?

End rant - deep breath and a nice cold beer...

A_H

Hang on your on a Ginny and the person in front was slower???

[Str8 Jacket]

Hang on your on a Ginny and the person in front was slower???

Its not WHAT you ride, its HOW you ride it. Last year sometime a GN250 was on one of TRTNR's and as far as im aware the guy riding it was keeping up with, if not in front of the 1000cc guy's. Granted he is/was a very good racer, but just goes to show!...

[slimjim]

We were crawling past cars that weren't moving - but point taken. (1) Lane splitting should be done with care at all times and (2) I am not as good at it as I think! [and (3) take a chill pill.]

Will remember this if a similar situation occurs.

CHeers.

you wanta see yourself through to a 600, then ride to stay upright

[Fatjim]

AM I being a bitch - or is a request for a bit of biker courtesy OK in this situation?

A_H

Even GN's have a horn. A couple of peeps should have any doubt about how obnoxious (sp?) he is. If he can't pull over cause he's scared, he shouldn't be on the motorway.

No excuses... no one has said it so I will, lane splitting is the most dangerous motorcycle act and unless your crawling past cars that aint moving your an idiot...

From persoanl experience this is bullshit. I find it far more dangerous not to lane split. And I'm not making this up. I've had to avoid more cages whileriding steadily in a lane than when I lane split. I also find a high level of concentration is easier to maintain on a 20 min lane split ride, than a 60 min rat race ride. Both due to the duration, AND the lane splitting.

Another thing, riding on the motorway in heavy traffic is more dangerous at some speeds than others.

This is because at slower speeds cars tend to be closer together and are more likely to swerve. This means you have less time to react, and less room to menouver. Also when traffic goes from a standstill to moving then people are more likely to take the gaps that appear to change lanes. This is often done in "stealth" mode, without indicators so that the gap isn't blocked by the following car. Be very carefull in slow traffic when you're approaching or in a gap.

At higher speeds, cars don't change lanes so quickly and they are much further apart. Above 80kph tends to be a stress free speed to lane split.

[James Deuce]

No excuses... no one has said it so I will, lane splitting is the most dangerous motorcycle act and unless your crawling past cars that aint moving your an idiot... whats the rush!?... I hate (HATE!) fools splitting moving traffic at speed, I've seen guys doing 70k+ through traffic doing 20K... its not fun!, you aint cool!... you just give bikers a bad name, and you will crash, too many variables.

NO your not right to complain about this rider...

Ignoring the grammatical errors, the single most dangerous act on a motorcycle is entering an intersection, followed by passing a side street or driveway, followed by riding with a group of motorcyclists you've never ridden with before.

Lanesplitting is a long way down the list, and as the lovely Mstriumph has already mentioned there's lanesplitting, and then there is lanesplitting.

[Fub@r]

When I lane split I have my own "comfort" criteria. If the traffic movement is outside that I won't split even though there are some bikes still doing it, which to me seems rather risky. If the traffic gets up to a steady 50-60kph I won't split, below that I will however still with extreme caution.

Riding in Auckland stop/start traffic especially following people in automatics who just creep without using accelerator feels dangerous to me as you are in the zone of trying to maintain balance and/or prepare to put feet down. Also constantly having to keep an eye behind you for the idiots not paying attention in cars, using cellphones, putting makeup on etc. eg this morning I was following a woman on the motorway doing her eyelashes! People like that dont see stopped traffic and have accidents, I would rather be lane splitting than potentially a bike sandwich to an inattentive driver

See some guys lane splitting at 80kph or more when the traffic is moving close to that just seems nuts to me

[bgd]

I'm with Apteryx on this. When filtering it is inconsiderate and ignorant not to let faster traffic through. Even a newbie should check their mirrors once in a while and know what is behind them. Filtering is all about making progress and bikes shouldn't delay others, that's for cages.

[skidz]

Hell, Ionly lane-split when it's safe to do so, which is most of the time. I don't like cagers sitting right up my rear end as if I have to brake it ends up more than a tickle when we connect.

[DingDong]

I just wanna say... I'm not against lane splitting, I do it all the time... but I'm against someone getting pissed off cause they want another rider to either ride faster or get outta the way...

OK Jim... so I cant spell... get over it already, and altho you think it's not dangerous... you should have a go at filtering at 70kph...