Now I AM confused (or more so than usual)

[Thumper]

When coming in from the North Shore this morning on the Northern, filtering as one does, I noticed a biker cop on the side of the road chatting with a biker just before the Takapuna off-ramp.

While this subject has been done to death on various forums, I am still none the wiser as to whether filtering is or isn’t legal. My current understanding is that while it isn’t technically legal to filter (especially if undertaking not overtaking) a certain amount of leeway is being given by the cops in this regard. In order not to test my understanding I slipped back into a lane with the strategy of getting some clear air then reverting to filtering once the cop was out of sight. As I did this I noticed that about six cars ahead of me in the same lane was a police car. So I though mmmmmm, police car and bike within 100m, better play safe and just sit in the lane for a while.

Less than a minute later, the bike cop came filtering down past me on the right (between middle and fast lanes with a mix of undertaking and overtaking) obviously having finished off with the biker he was chatting to. As he passed me he signalled to me that I should be filtering behind him. This seriously confused me. While I was thinking about what I should be doing, the biker that he had pulled over and a second biker on a GN came filtering past behind the biker cop. As the biker cop passed the patrol car he gave them a wave and shouted something to the driver. The other two bikes just continued past the patrol car. Right I though, looks all good to be filtering so off I went behind the cop and other two bikes. No problems what so ever. Cruised past the patrol car and filtered all the way through until the traffic cleared just before the bridge.

All I can say is “WHAT THE…..”. First time I have seen a biker cop actually encouraging bikers to filter on the Northern. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

[placidfemme]

Never experienced that... It really does depend on the cop I guess. I've split past cops on Onewa Rd where the traffic merges... and nothing... I've ridden up the centre line on Onewa Rd instead of splitting (more dangerous I guess) and been on the wrong side of the road, with cops at the lights and even once with a cop coming at me head on... and nothing... I've split up the harbour bridge in rush hour traffic... past cops in the lanes and past cops parked on the side on the motorway... and nothing...

If you look like your splitting safely, not hooning and whatnot, generally they just let you be...

[hellnback]

Yeah I saw him this morning too, I caught up to him at Greville so I jumped back in the line of traffic 'till just past Constellation (seriously gay) then thought fuck it and started splitting again and hoped he was far back enough not to see me, although by the sounds of it wouldn't have mattered anyway?
He stayed in the line of traffic the whole time I could see him and I've never seen one go flying down the middle.... yet.

[Kflasher]

Hmm is screwed then , I filtered passed a marked car this morning, followed by two scooters .
In fact he gave me room...I thought this the norm here in Auck.

[Lil_Byte]

I am totally confused - but now days it is not a problem as there is nothing to filter down here.

When in Auckland I got a few tickets for filtering (undertaking). It was explained to me by the bike cop that if I was to filter I had to over take i.e. pass on the RHS and stay in the lane I was overtaking.

The lane was equivalent to an individual road.

[marty]

how do you know what the cop was saying to the biker?

the filtering thing has been done to death. passing on the right is ok. passing on the left isn't, unless the cars are stopped.

[rwh]

how do you know what the cop was saying to the biker?

the filtering thing has been done to death. passing on the right is ok. passing on the left isn't, unless the cars are stopped.

Still requires 100m clear visibility though, right?

I haven't seen that point mentioned ...

And, I'm guessing the vehicle being passed still has right of way, and is entitled to use whatever bit of lane they like, so you've got to be careful.

For most of my commute, the traffic is hard up against a flush median, which I know I'm not allowed to use (and many others do use ...)

Richard
(who hasn't tried it yet, to any significant degree)