To Lane Split or Not to Lane Split

To split or not to split

  • Total voters
    95
abraxas said:
I'm slightly stunned here, and must honestly thank each of you that has contributed:

Lane split 73.53%

Ride in line with cages 26.47%

Use the shoulder 0%

This blows me away, that not a single person here would use the shoulder, yet EVERY noob on my route goes there by default ...

Not something i can fix, but it's clear something is very wrong this side.

peace guys
Click to expand...
I would not use the shoulder. Where I live, a lot of the shoulders are soft - sand or pea gravel. Not the best thing to ride on.

Also there is a solid line to our shoulders and it's illegal here to cross a solid line. With my luck, I'd get caught. Not illegal to lane split in WA as long as you only cross broken lines to do it and it's not done through moving traffic.
 
Another guy lost his life on monday morning, he was riding the shoulder lane and got nailed by a car heading into the emergency lane. His helmet came off and he died on scene.

I'm busy talking to some stakeholders about a media message to send out ... and am looking at signboards to put up along that stretch.

Friday morning 7am i'm leaving BP Beyers Naude for a rush hour lane split clockwise around our ugly city. It's partl;y memorial run, not only for this guy (i still haven't found out his name) but for the multitude of others that have died on this stretch of road.

It's also to try get attention from the emergency lane riders on the route.

If you know of anyone who may want to join in it would be great.

peace
 
Kazza said:
Not illegal to lane split in WA as long as you only cross broken lines to do it and it's not done through moving traffic.
Click to expand...

Also, as long as you indicate if you should move from one lane to another.

The Police may try to cite you, not for 'lane-splitting', but for driving dangerously (hard to prove if you're doing 5kph!), driving without due care and attention (see point one) and changing lanes without indicating.

I have researched this ad nauseam and whilst the Police will TRY to say one thing, the restriction was removed from the National Transport Commission 'Australian Road Rules' due to apparent uproar in the south-eastern States.

Cheers,
Rick
 
Lane splitting is a 4 point ticket where I live. Too risky for me. Insurance is high enough!

The only time I've done it was when it was about 100 degrees and humid last summer. Traffic was at a DEAD STOP on Route 80 due to a bad accident, and unless I got moving I was going to pass out. Crossed my fingers and hoped the cops would rather deal with the accident than myself!
 
In CA, lane splitting isn't illegal under 30mph. Personally, i wont do it unless traffic is at a dead stop or going below 10mph (think freeway jam or looooong line to a red light). I don't see much point in doing it if you aren't gonna get very far ahead and if the risk is too great, especially with everyone on their cell phone constantly changing lanes without shoulder checking.
 
Yeah, probably a good 70%+ of all motorcyclists lane split in CA. The Harleys and other wide cruisers sometimes are too tight a squeeze---that's when I really appreciate the flex FZ6 mirrors! It's funny though because CA still has the 55MPH trucks/trailers max speed limit. Go figure. Just about every other US state sets the same speed limit for trucks/trailers but, no, not CA. Furthermore, it seems that 90% of trucks/trailers just ignore this lower limit despite this and CHP doesn't seem to care. I don't why CA just doesn't repeal that stupid law. Probably the same reason why other US states don't repeal laws that prohibit cycles lane splitting. Easy to make new laws but then it's a different dynamic to get rid of them. Sometimes, USA seems unsophisticated, almost sophomoric , when it comes to several other things (TV/beach female topless, male speedos, 16-18 year-old minimum age drinking, prostitution, 16 year-old age of consent, etc.) considered "ho-hum" in many other countries. Geez, when I go to many other countries, it almost seems that half the city traffic is motorcyles lane splitting traffic jams. It's the norm and cagers don't get worked up over it.
 
Tailgate said:
Yeah, probably a good 70%+ of all motorcyclists lane split in CA. The Harleys and other wide cruisers sometimes are too tight a squeeze---that's when I really appreciate the flex FZ6 mirrors! It's funny though because CA still has the 55MPH trucks/trailers max speed limit. Go figure. Just about every other US state sets the same speed limit for trucks/trailers but, no, not CA. Furthermore, it seems that 90% of trucks/trailers just ignore this lower limit despite this and CHP doesn't seem to care. I don't why CA just doesn't repeal that stupid law. Probably the same reason why other US states don't repeal laws that prohibit cycles lane splitting. Easy to make new laws but then it's a different dynamic to get rid of them. Sometimes, USA seems unsophisticated, almost sophomoric , when it comes to several other things (TV/beach female topless, male speedos, 16-18 year-old minimum age drinking, prostitution, 16 year-old age of consent, etc.) considered "ho-hum" in many other countries. Geez, when I go to many other countries, it almost seems that half the city traffic is motorcyles lane splitting traffic jams. It's the norm and cagers don't get worked up over it.
Click to expand...


So true, it is a shame because I love my the US, but we really have some stupid laws that might resemble those of a developing country :rolleyes:. In CA though the drinking age is 21 and the age of consent is 18 (not that people dont ignore the laws anyway). I'm pretty sure a lot of the lower states have these ages much lower though.

Regarding the speed limits, you would be shocked. There is one freeway called the I-5 that goes towards Las Vegas through the desert and you can see traffic sometimes averaging 85-90mph, especially when it gets out of L.A. and the cops just dont seem to care. It's crazy, I try to avoid that freeway at all times.

As far as lane splitting goes, the Fz6 is great at it, it's just the people that can be stupid and sometimes even offended at your lanesplitting. It's ridiculous
 
Today, I lost my virginity. At first, I was very nervous. I was afraid it might hurt. And what would others think of me or would there be enough room to fit? What if I did it wrong?

Well, I put those concerns behind me, took it slow, and did it!

My wife did not take too kindly to the news, calling it "cheating." In time, however, she'll understand.

P.S. Yes. I wore protection. :)
 
Ok, this morning i sat next to the highway, over th highway in fact, and counted motorbikes and their positions on the highway, over 3 hours. Monday morning rush hour.

Um ... here's the numbers:

Counted......Biker Lane........Emergency...........Normal Lanes
N1S 112...............42.....................6...................106
N1N 211...............28...................150..................61
Total 323...............70...................156.................167


Biker lane is between fastest and second fastest lanes, here it's right hand side of the road, you US guys it would be the extreme left. Emergency lane included both sides of the road, but overwhelmingly in the "fast" emergency lane, as opposed to the "slow".

For those who have trouble with numbers:
Almost half (156) the bikes observed (323) were technically "off" the roadway, riding in the emergency lane.
 
Last edited:
Guys, all of you agreed without hesitation that riding in the yellow line is a bad idea, yet 50% of the riders here do exactly that.

Does anyone have an insight into this?
 
I split today in 0-10-0 mph traffic. Someone in a CRV-like machine was crowding the middle which, I quickly realized was intentional. Once an opportunity to presented itself to pass in the next lane and carry on down the middle, I got a quick FU horn toot.

F ME? How about, thank you? You know what... don't waste your breath. Just go back to listening to the radio, while talking to your mother on the phone, reading the paper, eating breakfast, and shaving.

Why don't people understand?
 
abraxas said:
Ok, this morning i sat next to the highway, over th highway in fact, and counted motorbikes and their positions on the highway, over 3 hours. Monday morning rush hour.

Um ... here's the numbers:

Counted......Biker Lane........Emergency...........Normal Lanes
N1S 112...............42.....................6...................106
N1N 211...............28...................150..................61
Total 323...............70...................156.................167


Biker lane is between fastest and second fastest lanes, here it's right hand side of the road, you US guys it would be the extreme left. Emergency lane included both sides of the road, but overwhelmingly in the "fast" emergency lane, as opposed to the "slow".

For those who have trouble with numbers:
Almost half (156) the bikes observed (323) were technically "off" the roadway, riding in the emergency lane.
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention that the cagers here drive as if they ARE in the US or Europe, ie all sit in the extreme right or second from right lane because they are brain dead.

But seriously, so many the bikers in the emergency lanes? That's disgraceful....
 
Andz said:
That's disgraceful....
Click to expand...

Yes, that too :thumbup:

Dude, so many things i don't mention. I did a memorial ride 2 weeks back for the dude killed just past beyers ... 7am lap of honour round the ring road on a friday morning.

We must all be mad.

Spent some time with a lady from er24 while counting, she reckons the most common accidents in jhb are head ons ... been more than a few trucks losing brakes lately too ... keep it safe out there.

Pookamatic ... 1st i DIG your nick :rockon: but yeah, people don't get it. I dig your response ... i use the :Flip: a lot, although they can't see the :BLAA:
 
Well, back home in India, there is no lane discipline and hence no concept of lane splitting. If you were to drive/ride in India, you would be surprised to see a truck/bus "lane split" you at the stop signals. You will have to explain "What are those lines on the road?" before you ask the question "Is lane splitting legal?" :BLAA:
 
So on my way in to work today, I'm filtering (splitting thru stationery traffic).

And the traffic starts to move off about 4 cars ahead so I just pull in to a gap in the rh lane ( remember we drive on the lh side) and take off as the traffic does but the woman I had pulled in front of wouldn't allow me to move to the centre of the lane she was right on my tail. This went on for about 200 metres then I sped up a bit and moved in to the lh lane, away from her and then shes pacing me, keeping her nose level with me.
I eventually pull into her lane again and she speeds up to tailgate me. I leave about 3 car length in front of me as we pull up in traffic and she gives me a honk. I just turn and put both hands out palm up, "whasup?" nada from her.

about a km on she starts to 'gate me again then pulls into the lh lane as I slow to stop at tsome traffic lights, (her lane is clear by about 4 cars) and she winds down the window and says I'm dangerous!!!!! winds the window up and then floors it for the 20 or so metres.


....and I'm dangerous?


this is one down side to splitting.


The advantage to splitting(filtering) is, two sets of lights on and I'm waaay past her.
 
Not sure if you others from Oz are aware of the trials recently run in Sydney. 1 month with tough crack downs to get a "No Filtering" base line and then 2 months of filtering. No results yet but should be announced end of year.

I hear (not substantiated) Melbourne may be close to a similar trial, and there are now lots of groups trying to get a National Legislation regarding filtering, including a group of lawyers.

There could be light at the end of the tunnel.
 
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