Is it just me

[Razorback]

Or is this some dumbass behaviour ??

I have noticed since I have been back in Adelaide that a large number of riders are totally comfortable riding up the left hand side of the traffic... in the cycle lane if its there and against the curb if its not.

A guy I saw today on a tricked out R1 with a P plate, sat in stationary traffic staring down the centreline obviously comtemplating going down the middle. He even backed up a foot and pointed his wheel at the gap, then the light went green and he thought better of it, he was about 15 cars back from the lights and right behind me.

So we take off... and Im thinking "why the #@!$ dont riders lane split much these days, especially in stationary traffic" I mean to me it almost totally defeats one of the main advantages of riding a bike in the city.

I have lane split my entire road riding career... 16-43 (yes thats right I rode an RG250 for about 18 months unlicenced and my first 750 for prolly 2 years on a 250 licence, sue me) but the point is... in 25 odd years of riding I have lane split down the MIDDLE, more often than not obnoxiously (pop it down 1 or 2 cogs from 70kmh as you enter the gap, see those drivers jump!) and never had a drama doing it... I do it to this day and will likely never stop.

Several times now I have pulled up sharp next to a car... looked down (as you do) and seen the uniform and gone "gulp" but the only comment I ever got was in Mildura... cop rolled down the window and said... "fuck nice bike!" when I had the Bandito.

But anyway I digress.... WTF is up with going down the left side...?? To me thats madness... the kid I was refering to before... after balking at going down the middle STATIONARY proceeded to weave through the traffic after he took off, including going up the left in the cycle lane at 60kmh... my eyes bugged out... but the P plate tells a story of someone in a hurry to learn a hard lesson in my opinion.




http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1259793104.gif





What say you [?]

[Cruisecontrol]

I say: Hotlinking makes the baby Jesus cry.

[hotmilk]

preview post button ftmfw!

[Razorback]

yeah interesting coz it worked for about an hour... then woops LOL

[336LJ]

I'm having a sticker made up for the back of the van

LANE SPLITTING SAVES LIVES - with MAYBE a picture of a munted up bike smushed between 2 cars. Cause I have a big problem with the fact that its not allowed according to the revenue rasiers.

I havn't been pulled over yet - but everyone except the general public with their obvious micrococks who can't fuckin handle the fact that they havn't pulled their shiny ass shitbox overpriced 4wd up the front and got pole position for the start, KNOWS - its safer.

I tell you another thing - if your a motorcycle cop - and your reading this and you hunt people down for lane splitting - your a disgrace to the 2 wheeled community, and to the badge. Don't ever call yourself a fucking motorcyclist.
I'm not sitting in a mess of shit heads on their fones, attending to their screaming kids, daydreaming, putting on make up, reading, and eating their fucking breakfast behind the controls of a 2 tonne bone crusher , cause some fuck wit who has no idea made a "law" up saying its not allowed.

I'm leaving all that shit in the rear view mirror and excersizing my right to enjoy being able to do what I love and go home to my family in one piece. I will not stop lane splitting. (or filtering - to make it sound less evil)
/rant

oh and - I don't quite know about going up the left side, but I don't see it as any different to going up the middle unless theres a turnoff up ahead and you get wiped out cause you were going too fast, or some jerk didn't indicate - sunnybank/southport-nerang locals will be all to familiar with this. as am I - so I don't risk it - bob probably has once being chased by.. someone... You'd have to ask him tho. Havn't heard from that guy for a while..

[Jup]

quote:I don't quite know about going up the left side, but I don't see it as any different to going up the middle unless theres a turnoff up ahead and you get wiped out cause you were going too fast, or some jerk didn't indicate

I agree, the same risk is there whether you're filtering up the middle or down the left/right. It's up to the rider to assess that risk at the time and act appropriately.

I can also understand a newbie P-plater being anxious about filtering if he's not done it often.

Better a little caution than a broken bone, yes?

[grindella]

I lane split too, been doing it for 30 odd years, but it takes judgement of the width of your bike and the time when the lights are going to turn green. The young bloke on the R1 probally does not have these skills yet thats why the hesitation.

As for lane splitting, I would rather be ahead of the cars than in among them particularly in peak traffic situations. I guess I ride to stay alive.

[pearso]

My sister raised the whole lane spliting issue when doing her licence course (P's), and was told you could be booked for overtaking on the wrong side, I'm very carfull about when and where i do it, but (like most people!) I don't need another reason for the cops to be up me, as for old mate on his P's on an R1 sounds, to me like lane splitting shouldn't be a big deal(or R1's Lams approved where you are?) I agree that it's far more safe than getting run over by the dude trying to set up the bluetooth radio in his new $80000 3tonne landcruiser

[thepj]

the one time i did it i got stopped up f3 in stopped traffic was given a warning, i was like soaking wet it was pissing down and my boots were full of water so i just wanted to get home. but i'm a p plater and i just dont need to give the police a reason to take my license.

[Razorback]

Yeah the worry for me with going up the left... is that especially in evening traffic... approaching lights... people tend to rip off down left hand side streets offf the main drags to cut corners and avoid sitting there for 3 changes. Also my only 2 accidents involving cars have both been riding in the left lane and having people fly out from the left from an alley and a driveway in my two cases.

So I just have always had a policy of not spending too much time in the left lane and never overtaking up that side.. not even when the trafic is stationary.

Having said all that... this is a bloke who is pretty comfortable overtaking on the dotted line out on the highway between the on coming stuff.... so Im not trying to make out Im some sort of law abiding do gooder. But I think the risk calculation runs too high in the left lane.

[80s freak]

Left side is fuckin retarded. As for normal lane splitting, I have been booked for it twice last year on the Monash "freeway" in peak hour traffic. The listed offence was "Overtaking in an unsafe or dangerous manner" one of those up to the officer tickets. $185 and three points each time. I still do it though.

[rod185651]

When on the Eastern Distributor in Sydney, I ride in the Left hand lane because it turns into a car park during peak hour. I don't see a problem with it.

[grindella]

I am with you on that rod,specially when the 100 k zone resembles a car park but, the left lane can be dangerous sometimes trick is to know when. Overall, I think my idea about riding in traffic is that everyone is out there to kill you whether they mean to or not.

[Jockney Rebel]

ive split lanes all me riding life and honed it when i worked a bike in london for a living ,comes naturally , but i think twice here cos
1] most of the drivers here are total fuckwits and therfore unpredictable and...
2] the cops want my licence again