Overtaking through heavy traffic

[Hoon]

Yep next time take the attitude that lane splitting is illegal and the cops are doing you a favour by turning a blind eye. Forget all that "as long as you stay on the left of the white line" bullshit. Everyone that lanesplits knows that it's near impossible to keep that up the entire time.

Once you start thinking that lane splitting is your given right and take offence at anyone that thinks otherwise, then you are just asking for it.

[Erelyes]

The cop gave ya a warning, I'll bet he wasn't stickin his arm out for funsies. You ignored the warning. What'd you expect?

[mossy1200]

Passing on the left within the same lane is illegal, passing on the right within the same lane is legal. Riding between two lines of traffic can arguably, hypothetically be done exclusively within the left lane to the right of other vehicles in that lane and therefore be legal.

Practically of course, this isn't the case. You ride between the two lines of traffic without hitting anything and the white paint is just somewhere you don't want your tyres to be if you have to brake. If it were a wall and you had to ride entirely within the left lane then opportunities for lane splitting would be extremely limited, but definitely not zero.

Is on the line in or out?

[swbarnett]

Is on the line in or out?

I have it on the authority of a cop that told a freind (i.e. sounds right but don't take it as gospel) that the entire vehicle has to be to the left of the line, including any extremities e.g. handlebars.

[Ender EnZed]

I have it on the authority of a cop that told a freind (i.e. sounds right but don't take it as gospel) that the entire vehicle has to be to the left of the line, including any extremities e.g. handlebars.

That's the only answer that would make sense. If it were a two way road then having two bikes travelling in opposite directions on the centre line wouldn't end well.

[Berries]

At the bottom of my paper licence it said tear along the dotted line. Have they changed that Rule as well now?

[Bonzo]

I don't understand why this is such a big issue in this country. In place's where there over 70million people living there it's the reason people riding motorcycle to commute to work to save the hour plus journey. It's also far better for congestion! It seems to be a similar issue with parking facing the wrong way in the road. If you can do it safely in a place like London where there's a hell of alot more people why's it dangerous here!? If you tried to park the same direction there it would take you a long time and be very frustrating! ('there's across the road i'll just turn round. Oh no it's gone!')

It's pretty uncomfortable sitting on an air-cooled bike with a finned cylinder head on a roasting hot day in stationary traffic! I say just over take cruise on by with a smile on your face because those guys are just jealous they aren't on a bike!

[Oggywh3]

So not only did you get a warning and potentially got away with it, you decided to fuck with him and failed the attitude test?

I'd say you got what was coming to you.

Try to keep cool and check your ego next time.

Possibly fair enough - he was the same guy though who opened his door on me to stop me when he was stopped at lights, to make me join the 4 or 5 others behind him. What I was doing then was perfectly legal as all traffic was stopped - at least that is my reading of the rules. So he doesn't like bikes overtaking even when it is legal.

Actually I don't recall if I was in the left or right lane when he stopped us. I don't hoon - I have a self-imposed rule that I will only go 50 kph max down that middle lane, and I have to let lots of others through. Which is perhaps why I feel so miffed.

I am seeking someone who can quote some police statement that their official line is to tolerate safe lane splitting on the grounds that it smooths traffic flow. I've heard some senior cop say it publically (on National Radio) but can't remember when. I certainly think that travelling behind slow and stopping traffic is more dangerous for the bike than lane splitting.

And then there are the bicycles in city traffic who constantly overtake on the left. No enforcement there. So my gripe is that I was picked out not because of how I was acting illegally, but because I let my displeasure show. And I did not illegally overtake and zoom off - I and the other rider legally changed lanes and went ahead. So I don't think I was being a "cock" as someone else has said, but a frustrated well behaved biker doing what police say they think is OK. He didn't pull over the other guy, so it was not about the offence. I was ticketed for something else - which is unspecified -and that may be my defence, as it amounts to arbitrary targeting.

[st00ji]

i dont think 'he didnt like my attitude, its not fair' should be your defence.

swbarnett, i do agree that legal clarification might put an end to the blind eyes, i guess im just hopeful that common sense can still prevail sometimes.

as it stands you can typically get away with it (i've certainly never had even a second glance in 4 or 5 years of lanesplitting most days) but things like, for example, that thread which popped up on TM forums a while back about how lanesplitting bikers are all homicidal nut cases, or that kid in his mx5 mouthing off about taking out a bike for a free panel repair... if the powers that be said 'its legal under these circumstances' that would clarify it for everyone, and would ultimately be better for bikers in general i think, and the biker / driver relationship. it might even get a few more people out of their cars, and that has to be a good thing.

maybe im being too optimistic.

if they decided it shouldnt be allowed, and started enforcing it as such, i'd probably sell my bike TBH - or at least stop registering / riding it to work.

[caspernz]

Two day earlier a Hornet rider got injured cutting traffic coming into Wellington. Ambo etc.
They probably have been asked to clamp down on it as a result.
Simple. If your sharing a lane with another vehicle and pass it on its left hand side then you are in the wrong, assuming that vehicle is moving. Its called passing on the left.

Yeah it'd be as simple as the boys in blue being asked to pay some attention to lane splitting after the accident. This regardless of whether it's being done in the technically correct manner or not.

[Voltaire]

I lane split every day, but only in stopped or barely moving traffic. I find a lot of cars move over too. I take the view its not legal but tolerated. If I ever get pinged I'll just accept it. I take the car some days and just sit in the flow listening to the B, on the bike I can't bring myself to do that.
I work in an office, riding the bike is the high point of my day
Maybe they should have more of those lanes where you need more than one person in a box taking up space, I like them.

[Oggywh3]

Yeah it'd be as simple as the boys in blue being asked to pay some attention to lane splitting after the accident. This regardless of whether it's being done in the technically correct manner or not.

My ticket was three weeks before the accident, so that was not a factor. I think I know the bike that got hit - one of the idiots who weaves and speeds. I agree, tough, but it serves him right. But that is not what I was doing.

OK - so attitude (i.e. no deference to an officious official) was the problem - but there is still the police tolerance policy - what is it? Can anyone produce a reference to it? I have tracked down a report which refers to the Auckland policy and I have asked for more information - I'll let you know if that yields fruit.

[swbarnett]

i do agree that legal clarification might put an end to the blind eyes, i guess im just hopeful that common sense can still prevail sometimes.

Unfortunately, the law is already pretty clear. It will take a law change to make what is done safely on a daily basis legal. A clarification (even with common sense present) will only highlight this and mean that the police will have to save face and start targeting lane-splitters.

[superjackal]

good on you for testing it in court, lane splitting really needs some legal clarification imo

Yeah, that'd end well. All they'd do is ban it, as there's risk involved.

[Zedder]

Yeah, that'd end well. All they'd do is ban it, as there's risk involved.

Nah, don't worry MOTO NZ will surely have it on their agenda to sort out for us.