Questions about lane splitting

[Ms Piggy]

Hi Guys & Gals,
I don't lane split cos I'm not quite sure what the 'protocol' is or how to do it safely.

Apologies in advance if this topic has been discussed before.

[Two Smoker]

Whats the rule with passing on the left, you can only do it when a vehicle is turning right or is stationary, therefore at t he traffic lights the vehicles are stationary and the bike can go up the middle same applies on the motorway, traffic stopped, middle you go......but as soon as the traffic is doing 5kmh its ticket time...

[sAsLEX]

you can pass on the right though as long as you stay within the same lane

[FROSTY:Me]

Legally speaking you can't lane split. In a thread ages ago the legal stuff was explained to us by I think one of the legal begal types.

[jrandom]

'Go nuts, but not in the vicinity of Plod' is my personal rule. Worked well for a couple of years so far. You can spot the patrol cars a mile off in heavy traffic, and worst case, even if you miss 'em and blow past, what are they going to do? Sprout wings to catch you?

Be VERY aware of the white ST1100s, though. Any time you see a white helmet and/or flouro vest bobbing around in the traffic ahead, assume it's out to give you a ticket until proven otherwise.

But if you prefer a little less 'excitement', then only passing on the right of another vehicle within a lane and indicating correctly to pull out and in during passes and during any lane changes will keep your nose clean.

[mattt]

Fuck that - you ride a bike to get places faster - free parking cos Auckland is a traffic nightmare, and for the freedom of it.
Lanesplitting is like speeding - Totally legal and safe to do so untill you get caught, officer.
But like speeding, you only lane split to your riding capabilities. ie - if you're a newbie to riding, you wouldn't take 55k corners at 180k's like MR can, so you only take the wide open gaps that you feel safe with. When you get more confident (cocky, crazy, suicidal) then you start hitting your wingmirrors with cages wing mirrors, like on the way home from the plane-station after work, and stuff.
Just my .02

[dangerous]

But like speeding, you only lane split to your riding capabilities. ie - if you're a newbie to riding, you wouldn't take 55k corners at 180k's so you only take the wide open gaps that you feel safe with. When you get more confident (cocky, crazy, suicidal) then you start hitting your wingmirrors with cages wing mirrors

very well put,
I dont know what the traffic is like up your way CSL but here it isent worth risking ya life and nice bike for (I understand that the Auckers amongest us do however need to split) as a wait in traffic isent all that long here.
I dont mean to be persumpsoius (*sp I think, big word for me) or bossy but I wouldent reconmend doing it for someone in your position (newish rider) 21 non stop years riding for me, and I still dont like doing it

[jrandom]

very well put,
I dont know what the traffic is like up your way CSL but here it isent worth risking ya life and nice bike for (I understand that the Auckers amongest us do however need to split) as a wait in traffic isent all that long here.
I dont mean to be persumpsoius (*sp I think, big word for me) or bossy but I wouldent reconmend doing it for someone in your position (newish rider) 21 non stop years riding for me, and I still dont like doing it

Yup. Based on comments from mates working in Christchurch at the moment, it doesn't sound like there's much point in filtering there.

We've been over the subject ad nauseum on the forum before, of course; I do it because it turns a potential 2-hour-each-way commute (I know this because it's taken that long in a cage on occasion) into a reliably sub-30-minute-each-way commute.

Best advice is, don't do anything that makes you pucker. If you know what I mean. Err on the safe side. If a gap needs to be taken, your brain and neuromotor units are on fire and the cages are sitting there like slow-mo lumps in a molasses pudding, shoot through and give praise to the heathen gods of two-wheeled transportation. If it feels scary, sit tight and think happy thoughts.

Better late than dead on time, and losing the plot or exceeding your bike's abilities when filtering is a good way to end up in the latter category.

[Bob]

Best advice is, don't do anything that makes you pucker. If you know what I mean. Err on the safe side. If a gap needs to be taken, your brain and neuromotor units are on fire and the cages are sitting there like slow-mo lumps in a molasses pudding, shoot through and give praise to the heathen gods of two-wheeled transportation. If it feels scary, sit tight and think happy thoughts.

Better late than dead on time, and losing the plot or exceeding your bike's abilities when filtering is a good way to end up in the latter category.

Sounds about right to me - over in Britain, lane splitting (or 'filtering' as we call it) is 100% legal, but if you're being reckless, the police might pull you for undertaking.

But I'm still very cautious about my filtering - and I've been riding for over a decade. If my 'comfort meter' feels like it is twanging into the red zone, then I sit backl and admire the scenery!

I also, as a rule of thumb, only do about 10mph more than the traffic - if the gap is wide (and I mean wide) I'll up the pace a little more.

One thing I would say, if you are splitting/filtering and someone is coming up behind you, don't let them pressure you into going faster, but DO move over as soon as you can do so safely and let them through. I do this all the time (I'm not proud - I know lots of people will split/filter faster than me) and usually get a wave of thanks as they go past.

[speedpro]

You can spot the patrol cars a mile off in heavy traffic, and worst case, even if you miss 'em and blow past, what are they going to do? Sprout wings to catch you?

Be VERY aware of the white ST1100s, though. Any time you see a white helmet and/or flouro vest bobbing around in the traffic ahead, assume it's out to give you a ticket until proven otherwise.

EVERY cop I have spoken to except the twit that wrote me a ticket has said the same thing, basically they can't be bothered with such a piddly offence, and they spend lots of time in traffic and know what it's like. At various times I have rung a couple of the stations and spoken to various officers and whether they ride a bike or drive the car they all say the same thing. It's pathetic and we all agree except one officer as far as I can tell.

I'm posting the letter tomorrow pleading my case, complete with photos of traffic and copies of the regulations. Fat chance I reckon.

[Velox]

Hey - I was wondering about the legal side of passing on double yellows though. Is it ok if you're still on your side of the lines? I'm pretty sure it's no passing the line rather than no passing the cars eh?

[wkid_one]

Hey - I was wondering about the legal side of passing on double yellows though. Is it ok if you're still on your side of the lines? I'm pretty sure it's no passing the line rather than no passing the cars eh?

Contrary to popular belief - these are NOT no passing lines - they are NO CROSSING LINES. You aren't allowed to cross the yellow lines in any circumstances - passing or otherwise (including cornering) else you will get a ticket!

[loosebruce]

It's all a comfort thing, my flat mate was scared shitless of splitting, the more and more he rode to work, everynow and then a biker would pass him so he'd pull out an follow, that got his confidence up and he went from there. There's a line to be crossed for sure, as far as the police go, if your're putting by 10-15kph quicker than the traffic and you got a bit of room etc, they won't bother, but then again if traffic is pretty steady on 80kph+ and you're splitting then, they have an issue with that. Never been caught lane splitting (mainly coz i never stopped) even with red n blues they can only go so fas, and the dip shits up here in cars arent all that switched on, so they don't move outta there way in a hurry. But i'd like to know what the fine would be, is it a drving charge like careless or reckless.
But yea whatever your're comfortable with..............

[bgd]

For what it's worth I try to follow the 20/40 approach. No more than 20mph faster than surrounding traffic and no faster than 40mph. If I can do the speed limit then I move move back into the traffic.

[wkid_one]

Ditto - I never bothered worrying when I was lane splitting either - Welly cops don't seem as focused on it. Provided you aren't splitting like an idiot I don't think you have much of a problem. It is the idiots who swerve in and out of traffic that is happily travelling at 80kph+ that piss me off.