Lanesplitting/filtering habits

[jrandom]

Right. I need some collective wisdom here.

How much and how fast do you lot filter? I'm starting to notice that my antics down the north-western motorway getting home every night seem to be happening at higher and higher speeds, and every day I have to weave through the lanes to overtake at least two or three other bikes, also filtering but much slower. I also seem to be braking madly to avoid blowing past coppers in a compromising manner at least once a day.

Last night the traffic was pretty nasty but I did the trip from Northcote to Te Atatu in 20 minutes (5:35pm - 5:55pm).

I guess I'd be averaging about 85-ish through the traffic. Opinions; am I:

(a) worried about nuffin, everyone does it, the only reason I'm not going even faster is because I have such a slow wee bike, and I should stop being silly, get on with it and enjoy the hour every day during which I *don't* have to sit in traffic;

(b) mental and gonna die;

(c) a way-above-average riding god who whups the ass of all you pansy foo-foos crawling through the traffic? (doubt this one, somehow...)

[What?]

You should do what you are comfortable with. And that includes being comfortable with the possible consequences...

I personally don't feel at all safe lane splitting, but I do split at lights - provided they are red and not about to go green. On m/ways, I tend to be a bit conservative and wait for gaps unless the traffic is just about at stand-still.

[SPman]

The more you lane split and the more comfortable and used to it you get, the more your speeds tend to creep up! It becomes second nature. Unfortunately, you can get too blase' about the whole affair - and end up like me  - racing other mad barstards at up to 120k between virtually stopped traffic

If that happens, have a serious think and just dont be stupid about it. It is illegal , so as long as you dont go too much faster than the traffic, only do it if the traffic is moving reasonably slowly (-> 30-40k..) and make sure you've got all traffic aware senses on full detect, you should be OK

Well thats my 2 bobs worth, anyway...

[SPman]

Yeah and what What? says, be fully aware of what can happen, if it all goes wrong.    

[Coldkiwi]

yeah.. I second SP Man... our little chat up at Mangawai a few months back was ringing lots of bells! I go everywhere on the bike and I'm normally running late so my brain is pretty much always tuned to 'whats the fastest way through this traffic?' as opposed to 'whats the most legal way through this traffic?'... although I try not to forget 'whats a safe way to get through this traffic'.

I will change lanes to get round cars even if I'm not running late.. its 2nd nature.

you do need to be scared a few times though to keep you honest.. if you haven't had to jump on the brakes very hard, be wary because lane splitting at higher speeds on the motorway will eventually put you in a situation where you need to stop in a BIG hurry. If you don't think you can stop to the best of your bikes abilities, go get some training or go test yourself in a big long carpark or empty road and try and reduce your braking distance as much as possible.

 

[Duke of Rogan]

If you're doing 85km/h between rows of cars that are crawling (<30k's) then I'd say B: you're crazy and probably will end up with a serious injury.
but if you're using the right shoulder on the very inside of the motorway (not sure if the NW got one, but the nothern going in to the city has) then you'll live longer, although this is illegal too (failing to drive within a lane = $150 but no demerits)

I use the right shoulder quite a bit when going to work as a calculated risk 'cos I'd rather travel safely even if is illegal, and I try and scan for coppers as far ahead as poss.
Last time I got stopped I was doing it at a nice safe speed of about 60ks but failed to see the cop, and I made the dumb mistake of pulling in AFTER I went past him. Only got a warning

I follow a rough sort of rule where if the traffic is doing more than 30 or 40 (depends how I feel) then I won't lane split, but if its slow I will but go no more than 50ish (or even slower in the wet/dark)

[SPman]

I seen ya lanesplitting on the shore DoR....yeah but you were just taking it easy....

[Duke of Rogan]

ha, nice to be noticed. did you see my scratches?

my bike hates it when I "take it easy" too, its like its trying to tell me "why the f*ck do you keep taking me here!"

I did overtake a fellow lanesplitter this morning however...

[SPman]

DoR.........hmmmmmmm...........

This was pre scratches.

[mangell6]

Hmm, Lane splitting - First question is do I trust cagers that are moving? Not one your life they like swapping lanes cos they can.

Now if they are stopped - see ya later down the lane I go.

Bottom line is have your own rules for splitting and stick to them.

Like moving to the front of traffic stopped at the lights and there is a member of the NZ traffic force. He must have been still asleep cos he ignored me.

Mike

[Marmoot]

I don't lanesplit.....must be something wrong with me....

[Andrew]

I tend to agree with What? Afterall i'm too young to die!

[Big Dog]

Originally posted by What?
You should do what you are comfortable with. And that includes being comfortable with the possible consequences...

I personally don't feel at all safe lane splitting, but I do split at lights - provided they are red and not about to go green. On m/ways, I tend to be a bit conservative and wait for gaps unless the traffic is just about at stand-still.

I agree with the above but then most other riders think im soft

Pehaps a poll?

[Andrew]

Yeah I can feel a poll coming on!

Those who lane split motorway whatever speed.

Those who lane split motorway up to 40 Kph.

Those who don't lane split on motorway but do at red lights

And those who ride as if they're a cager.

[Big Dog]

Well Spankme thats three votes for lane splitting poll!

I have to add though it pays to steer clear of the little whit landmines in the middle when raining.

a cop has told me of comming a cropper while lanesplitting on the way home from a shift on traffic duty.