North Shore: Northern Motorway: Police targeting motorcycles (25 January)

[shafty]

p.dath, you may wish to include the AA's reference to reducing congestion........

[Maha]

Boris Ive been commmuting on Aucklands motorways for 25 years. I have NEVER in all that time had a ticket for lane splitting nor have i recieved a warning for the same. My daily commute for a number of years was a rush hour traffic 30km each way trip every day 6 days a week.
Have I been "lucky"??

Well have ya Punk?
I would assume that you (as MSTRS said above) ''provided it is done within the parameters of the law'' lane split using this technique?

[piston broke]

they had wellsford blocked off both ways this morning.
seemed like they made a few $

[FROSTY:Me]

I've "mostly" alwaystried to be as non threatening as possible. I do accept TOTAL personal responsibility for what happensto me whilst splitting lanes.

[Maha]

they had wellsford blocked off both ways this morning.
seemed like they made a few $

Fuck I know mate, I saw the rego/warrant check point, had a quick look at my warrant and it expired mid December.....

They waved me through though.....

Van booked in on Wednesday.

[Mikkel]

no matter what you think the law is or what it should be, the laws are there. if some police choose to enforce these and some don't it is because of discretion.
all the name calling under the sun does not change the fact it is illegal to pass on the left (unless you are in a seperate lane) even if the traffic is stationary.
if you don't think this is true then just carry on riding like you are and don't complain if you get a ticket.

I think the others covered it quite well, you are indeed mistaken.

i stand by what i have said and that you can get a ticket for lane splitting.

if you want to dissagree than fine don't care. i have tried to be helpfull so if you do get a ticket then fight it you just might make case law or maybe not.

Now listen, no one here have said that you can not get a ticket for lane splitting.
It's merely been noted that it is not - per definition - illegal in all circumstances. If you by "i stand by what i have said" mean you still argue that it is illegal to pass stationary traffic on the left - then by all means stand by it, wrong as you are, at least you won't get into trouble for not passing stationary traffic on the left.

[tide]

Yeah, so who was the guy that got pulled over just in front of me at the Constellation Drive over pass SH1 southbound... Yellow BMW... guy on the BWW looked like he got a bit of a fright when he saw the cop car, proceeded to wobble a bit then tuckin behind the car in the right lane, then seems to go fuckit and start splitting again... I was at this stage about a car or 2 behind him and about level with the cop slowing down going wtf, cop then proceeded to pull him over... not surprised he looked very unsure about whether he should or shouldn't be splitting... wonder what happened, did he warn ya... or ticket ya...

[Cracker]

Everyone knows the South Auckland police are more "earthy"

I have been observed doing well over 100 mph twice by patroling police trafic units in last 2 weeks in the sweeping bits of the Mercer exspressway. No chace, despite me slowing down.

I don't regard that as unsafe on a beautiful bit of safe road, I quess they thought the same.

[PrincessBandit]

Everyone knows the South Auckland police are more "earthy"

I have been observed doing well over 100 mph twice by patroling police trafic units in last 2 weeks in the sweeping bits of the Mercer exspressway. No chace, despite me slowing down.

I don't regard that as unsafe on a beautiful bit of safe road, I quess they thought the same.

Well over 100 mph? I usually travel comfortably over 100kph through there and have never been ticketed, somehow I think if it truly were mph a ticket would be a forgone conclusion...

[Qkkid]

I commute everyday over the bridge and have talked to most of the cops over the last 5 yrs for one reason or another ,but have never been ticketed for lane splitting . They have all said a common thing, as long as you are not doing dangerous manouvers and weaving they will tolerate it. The only concerns they have is on wet days they prefer you to stay with the flow of traffic. They will tolerate about 20kms faster than the traffic. I myself stick by this rule and do pass traffic/cops and motorbike cops every morning without hassle. You have nothing to worry about if you go about it in a sensible manner.

[jeffs]

It's always easier when someone else does the job for you, but sometimes you just have to stand on your own two feet.

Once again Pdath good on you. Yes since you have first hand knowledge and experience of being pulled, while traveling ( in you mind ) in a safe manner ( irrespective of what people on KB think the the law is or is not ).
This would be a good opportunity to ask for clarification.

Asking the cop at the side of the road, could be deemed provocative, so explain in you letter that you did not pursue the question in case you exasperating your situation.

[Cracker]

Well over 100 mph? I usually travel comfortably over 100kph through there and have never been ticketed, somehow I think if it truly were mph a ticket would be a forgone conclusion...

Princess,

You would of thought so. Maybe he is the Pommie Gezzer cop I've run across at Pukekohe track days.
Anyway, my bike is in MPH and I look at it when I see the police.
Truth is, modern bikes are the jet fighters of the highways and car. truck speed limits just don't apply unless your cornered.

[p.dath]

p.dath, you may wish to include the AA's reference to reducing congestion........

Do you have a URL to this? Otherwise I'll try and find it.

[p.dath]

Well I'm pleased to say that every bike I saw this morning was still lane splitting despite the issue yesterday.

I saw only one Police car, and I was going to stop and talk to him. When I got along side I noticed that it wasn't the same officer, and he didn't seem to mind the other bikes who were lane splitting, so I carried on.

If you got pulled over this morning (26/1/2010) though, please let us know.


I'll probably start on my letter after lunch. Having though about it overnight, I still feel there is value in writing to the District commander. It's simple a matter of making some respectful noise to help set the direction of decisions.

[nawtyfroggie]

I was pulled over yesterday just after the Constellation Drive over pass SH1 southbound - said it was for passing on the left of a car, which is illegal and that I should read the road code. Harsh warning, just because others do it, etc and then said I was lucky for not getting a $150 fine so early in the morning and sent me on my way ... saw 'him' pull over another guy minutes later.
This morning while I was sitting in the traffic with all the cars and their fumes, wondering whether or not to start lane splitting ... I saw someone had been pulled over by a cop - different guy.
I certainly hope this is just something that they are enforcing this week, then we can all go back to normal again.