Splitting headaches

[nzspokes]

No shit sherlock. Not all busted up bikes parked on the side of the motorway were splitiing either.

I look forward to your response telling me that the three bikes have previously been seen splitting at ridiculous speeds

Pro Tip. Each time its been in stop start traffic.

[Luckylegs]

Pro Tip. Each time its been in stop start traffic.

Apologies, my comment should have said "were not splitting at extortionate speeds"

Notwithstanding that, please shove your pompous "pro tip" where the suns rays do not radiate" you dumb cock

Or in the words of cassina.... pro tip yourself

[Luckylegs]

Either way - shit happens. People arent dying splitting so who cares. Are they injuring themselves. Highly likely. Are tgey just as likely to injure themselves with some other passtime or in a car, even more probable so who cares.

Look, given ive seen people splitting at speeds i wouldnt, if this was really causing serious carnage then we would know about it or the five o would be campaigning and taxing against it.

Its likely not the issue the puckered arseholes of other motorists think it is

[Ifsn8u]

I split and feel a shit ton safer rather than crawling with makeup lady behind me and newspaper reader in front of me. If I get knocked off yes I will hurt, however, I am 100% paying attention to my surroundings and what the traffic is doing. This has saved my bacon many a time. But I certainly have seen some douche bags splitting. Saw a scooter and rider sprawled out on the road few weeks back. It was peak hour, don't know if he was splitting or not. Must have missed it by about a minute. Looked like that hurt.
I have now seen about 4 bikes and riders in less than happy circumstances on the Auckland Mway. That's one a year for my time on the roads.

I forgot why I'm writing this
Good day to you fine young and old peeps.

[Viking01]

Either way - shit happens. People arent dying splitting so who cares. Are they injuring themselves. Highly likely. Are tgey just as likely to injure themselves with some other passtime or in a car, even more probable so who cares.

Look, given ive seen people splitting at speeds i wouldnt, if this was really causing serious carnage then we would know about it or the five o would be campaigning and taxing against it.

Its likely not the issue the puckered arseholes of other motorists think it is

Hi,
An interesting perspective on lane splitting. Especially your opening lines.

"People aren't dying splitting, so who cares?" Are they injuring themselves?
Highly likely" . So who cares?

Well, can I raise my hand and say 'I for one care'. And that I care for a
number of different reasons.


1. Encountering Injured Riders
It's not good to turn up at an accident scene and come upon a fellow biker
down on the ground.

2. Avoiding Personal Injury
I enjoy being able to split through traffic, and have been doing it reasonably
safely (without incident) to date. I do however rely on my fellow motorists
giving me a little space, and not unexpectedly carving me up. Even though
occasionally the opposite occurs.

I'm happy to keep my own splitting speed (in slow traffic on the Wellington
motorway) down to 40km/hr max, to not scare the living daylights out of car
drivers (by racing past), and to acknowledge those motorists shifting over
to give me space with a hand wave where appropriate.

I realise that I have to co-exist with them on the motorway, and that in the
event of a collision, I'm likely to come off second best. So by acting in a
sensible manner, I'm trusting that my fellow motorists will in large part act
the same way towards me. So I'll be riding in a marginally safer environment.

3. ACC Charges
While not every motorcycle accident will result in an injury requiring ACC
related treatment and expense, why potentially risk making the current ACC
charges levied via vehicle registration any greater?

4. Legislation
Again, I enjoy being able to split through traffic, and I'd be upset if the
politicians choose to outlaw lane splitting. It just doesn't sound like smart
behaviour to act in an irresponsible manner and give them more ammunition.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Viking

[Luckylegs]

Hi,
An interesting perspective on lane splitting. Especially your opening lines.

"People aren't dying splitting, so who cares?" Are they injuring themselves?
Highly likely" . So who cares?

Well, can I raise my hand and say 'I for one care'. And that I care for a
number of different reasons.


1. Encountering Injured Riders
It's not good to turn up at an accident scene and come upon a fellow biker
down on the ground.

2. Avoiding Personal Injury
I enjoy being able to split through traffic, and have been doing it reasonably
safely (without incident) to date. I do however rely on my fellow motorists
giving me a little space, and not unexpectedly carving me up. Even though
occasionally the opposite occurs.

I'm happy to keep my own splitting speed (in slow traffic on the Wellington
motorway) down to 40km/hr max, to not scare the living daylights out of car
drivers (by racing past), and to acknowledge those motorists shifting over
to give me space with a hand wave where appropriate.

I realise that I have to co-exist with them on the motorway, and that in the
event of a collision, I'm likely to come off second best. So by acting in a
sensible manner, I'm trusting that my fellow motorists will in large part act
the same way towards me. So I'll be riding in a marginally safer environment.

3. ACC Charges
While not every motorcycle accident will result in an injury requiring ACC
related treatment and expense, why potentially risk making the current ACC
charges levied via vehicle registration any greater?

4. Legislation
Again, I enjoy being able to split through traffic, and I'd be upset if the
politicians choose to outlaw lane splitting. It just doesn't sound like smart
behaviour to act in an irresponsible manner and give them more ammunition.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Viking

To be honest, I skimmed the post, but looked Sensible, and while I dont come to KB for sensible often, may all your shield maidens be busty and wanton

[caspernz]

Lane splitting is a divisive topic. Done sensibly, with a reasonable differential speed to other traffic, no issues. When done at higher differential speeds, the margin for error shrinks rapidly. I suspect those who run at higher speeds haven't yet encountered a near miss or actual incident. Funnily enough, in Auckland traffic it seems to be the bikes sporting L plates that run the fastest between the cars. By comparison there's number of year round riders I come across regularly who'll happily lane split at sensible speeds. I guess experience makes a difference

[oldiebutagoody]

I did a two and a bit year stint as a mbike courier in the mid 90's and given the little sportbike I used, splitting was part of the professional and skin saving skillset employed on a daily basis.

On bigger heftier bikes nowadays. Still I had a chance to blast up to Aucks for this fine weekend (1-3/12/17) and the crap traffic started at Manukau before 3pm. I wanted to ride the new tunnel for the first time (it was no drama and quite fun). I was heading to Albany first so the stopped traffic at the beginning of the SWest motorway immediately made my stomach sink.

I found myself very quickly splitting as soon as the traffic halted, and would pull back in as it moved again. I was thinking all the time I should really have been on the left of the centreline the whole time but cars were right hard up against it leaving only the right side of the line to travel in. I did my best anyway.

So all the way from Manukau (excepting around the tunnel area) past Lincoln road/royal road was probably a fair old distance to be continually splitting. Encroachers were few, mover overers were more common (thankyous fullas). Faster splitters than me on nippier machines waved thanks when I moved over to let them get ahead of me. Yes a bit speedy but I wouldn't say more than 20kph faster than the traffic.

Surprisingly calm and orderly experience, and I haven't split motorway traffic recently. I was being sorta careful.

It was a great weekend to blast up from Wanganui to AK and back again South of Ngaruawahia traffic was sparse, north of that it sucked. Central plateau was wonderful, lots of bikes on the roads. Stopped at several cafes and decided eating was a fun part of the whole weekend so tried as many different things as were on offer.

Glad I don't have an Auckland mway commute any more. I commute Wanganui to Palmerston Nth daily, so no splitting required.

[Moi]

Considering that the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council [MSAC] states "The Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council's role is to ensure the motorcycle safety levy is spent on initiatives that will make riding on New Zealand roads safer."

It could be argued that the MSAC could formulate a set of guidelines for lane splitting* that could be adopted which would enhance the safety of riders who lane split. It would also be necessary to educate drivers as to how they should also behave...

* guidelines used in Australia would be a good starting point

[Luckylegs]

Considering that the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council [MSAC] states "The Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council's role is to ensure the motorcycle safety levy is spent on initiatives that will make riding on New Zealand roads safer."

It could be argued that the MSAC could formulate a set of guidelines for lane splitting* that could be adopted which would enhance the safety of riders who lane split. It would also be necessary to educate drivers as to how they should also behave...

* guidelines used in Australia would be a good starting point

You mean I gotta spend my $30.00 bucks on fixing something else that isn't broken... Awesome! Mind you, I was less than complimentary about there recent stats and pretty pictures however even that was better than them meddling in something that will only result in a "guideline" which will need to be dumbed down to the lowest common cassina, leaving the rest of us worse off than we are now.


Ho-Hum... As sweet as Malibu smells it really seems to be having the opposite effect on my mood. I'm off to open the peach schnapps

[Swoop]

It could be argued that the MSAC could formulate a set of guidelines for lane splitting* that could be adopted ...

With their previous track record, I'd prefer they kept the fuck away from anything.

[Moi]

You mean I gotta spend my $30.00 bucks on fixing something else that isn't broken... Awesome! Mind you, I was less than complimentary about there recent stats and pretty pictures however even that was better than them meddling in something that will only result in a "guideline" which will need to be dumbed down to the lowest common cassina, leaving the rest of us worse off than we are now.

You don't have to contribute your $30 to MSAC, you could easily do what others on here do - don't pay to licence your bike each year...

But seriously, would it not be sensible if MSAC came up with a set of guidelines that they supported through to becoming road legislation that removed a current grey area surrounding something which is common practice...

[Luckylegs]

You don't have to contribute your $30 to MSAC, you could easily do what others on here do - don't pay to licence your bike each year...

But seriously, would it not be sensible if MSAC came up with a set of guidelines that they supported through to becoming road legislation that removed a current grey area surrounding something which is common practice...

No. The government and police believe they have a sensible and neccessary set of guidelines for general roading. If splitting is based on the same fucked up logic then we'll all be worse off. Said grey area has not resulted in an accident or ticket in many years doing it so... grey is good

[Edbear]

When I was riding to work, I used to follow a cop on his BMW Police bike. I invariably lost ground to him as he split faster than I did on the C50T.

I came across a few bikers knocked off and not looking too well. Back then, 7 or so years ago, fewer bikers split at high speeds, unlike now. As per my OP, my concern is that most of the high speed splitters are displaying L-plates. So not very experienced to start with.

[Navy Boy]

Lane splitting is a divisive topic. Done sensibly, with a reasonable differential speed to other traffic, no issues. When done at higher differential speeds, the margin for error shrinks rapidly. I suspect those who run at higher speeds haven't yet encountered a near miss or actual incident. Funnily enough, in Auckland traffic it seems to be the bikes sporting L plates that run the fastest between the cars. By comparison there's number of year round riders I come across regularly who'll happily lane split at sensible speeds. I guess experience makes a difference

On my Ride Forever courses a year or two back I was told of the 30/30 rule regarding filtering. That is don't filter when the traffic is doing more than 30 Km/hr and when you are filtering ensure that the speed differential is no more than 30 km/hr. This seems to work well for me but as with all such things this needs to be applied with some judegement as Auckland motorway traffic tends to yo-yo in speed quite a lot.

As with oils and breaking-in this is an area where if you ask 5 different people you'll likely get 10 different answers.