Filtering traffic

[Linkin]

I filter traffic because it prevents getting rear ended and saves time/money (fuel economy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ewFGBOF_x0

Peak hour Syndey traffic... Yuck! No way I'm sitting in that. Those tunnels are full of vehicle emissions.

Filtering was recently made legal at under 30KP/h in the state of NSW. I understand that only California (and maybe a few others?) in the states allow filtering.

Previously, we would get booked for traffic violations like changing lanes without indicating. Now we can filter all we like (for fully licensed riders though, no L or P platers... doesn't stop me though)

What's your experience with filtering?

[Roark]

I don't any experience doing it myself, but from what I've gathered growing up.. It's EXTREMELY looked down upon. At least here in TN.

[NevadaWolf]

No experience for me, even when I do drive in California.

At the moment, only CA allows splitting under the viewpoint of not being illegal. Other states either have laws specifically against it, or lump it under other traffic laws.

Met a nice guy recently who is working on spreading the word in CA that it is legal and trying to educate other states on the benefits. http://lanesplittingislegal.com/

[Whiskey]

Do it daily, the 250 is pretty narrow, it'll fit most gaps, my 675 is a bit wider. Get to the top of the Q & be ready to move, if you're not able to do that slot in somewhere and move off with the rest then split when it begins to slow down again (have your gap spotted before you go or watch for one that's about to open) you don't want to be caught out if oncoming begins moving & you're facing a truck with nowhere to go

Depends on where you are, cops here don't mind if you go beyond the line once you don't hold the Q up, aussies may be a lot less lenient

[cuong-nutz]

Although illegal here, I still do it as safely as possible. If traffic is flowing less than 25 mph, than I'll filter. Once it picks back up, I get back in a lane. Some people don't like and some don't care. I'm always looking to make sure I can be seen and anticipate people changing lanes out of the blue.

[xorbe]

The CA police even have a "how to do it safely" video somewhere. I've only done it in stopped traffic backed up for miles. Talk about a time saver.

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by xorbe

The CA police even have a "how to do it safely" video somewhere. I've only done it in stopped traffic backed up for miles. Talk about a time saver.

CHP was doing a lane splitting campaign until an asshole complained and they stopped everything and took down the lane-splitting guidelines and videos.

[alex.s]

CHP site complains about petitioner, directs viewers to ca-msp where one click away is the exact lane splitting video


so, **** that asshole who petitioned that crap. and go take the basic rider course to learn how to lane split, or something like that.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Roark

I don't any experience doing it myself, but from what I've gathered growing up.. It's EXTREMELY looked down upon. At least here in TN.

I am going to start doing it more! Even if it's not legal in TN. My friend recently got pulled over for what he though was for lane splitting. But nope, the cop said, "I don't give a **** about that." He got pulled over for his tag being expired. Friend didn't even have his proof of insurance or registration with him. Cop let him go with a warning. Haha. Oh the joys of living in a city with real crime!

[Linkin]

Previously a lot of people would get done for failing to indicate or changing lanes without indicating, and it was a real gray area. Since it was legalised there are specific things you can no longer do...

[akima]

If a car driver complains about you lane splitting, ask them this:

"If you're on a nice wide road and there's a cyclist plodding along to the side of the lane with plenty of space for you to safely pass in the same lane, but the oncoming lane is heavily congested; do you wait behind that cyclist until you can do a proper over-take going into the oncoming lane, or do you stay in your lane and pass that cyclist?" (at a safe speed obviously)

If they choose to pass the cyclist in the same lane as the cyclist, then they are lane splitting using their car. They're getting plenty of time-saving benefit out of it too. If they state that you shouldn't be aloud to lane split on your motorcycle then you've just exposed their hypocrisy and you can completely disregard their opinion. They have one rule for themselves and another rule for you.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by akima

If a car driver complains about you lane splitting, ask them this:

"If you're on a nice wide road and there's a cyclist plodding along to the side of the lane with plenty of space for you to safely pass in the same lane, but the oncoming lane is heavily congested; do you wait behind that cyclist until you can do a proper over-take going into the oncoming lane, or do you stay in your lane and pass that cyclist?" (at a safe speed obviously)

If they choose to pass the cyclist in the same lane as the cyclist, then they are lane splitting using their car. They're getting plenty of time-saving benefit out of it too. If they state that you shouldn't be aloud to lane split on your motorcycle then you've just exposed their hypocrisy and you can completely disregard their opinion. They have one rule for themselves and another rule for you.

Response: *puts thumb up butt*

Oh,... ummmm uhhh, well... cyclists shouldn't be on the road anyway, they don't pay taxes that go towards road maintenance (which is also false) because their bike isn't a registered vehicle.

/rant
drivers. ugh.

[akima]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Response: *puts thumb up butt*

Oh,... ummmm uhhh, well... cyclists shouldn't be on the road anyway, they don't pay taxes that go towards road maintenance (which is also false) because their bike isn't a registered vehicle.

/rant
drivers. ugh.

ORRRrr... response: *puts thumb back up butt*

Look... just yesterday I saw a bike doing a 100 weaving through and between traffic on the highway. You bikers are a problem.

Also: while I'm educating you. You should know that foreigners don't pay their taxes, Mexicans are all border jumping, drug smuglaz, cyclists are morons... oh... and British people are all super villains.




(that last one is actually true... MWA HA HA HA haa)

[greenaero]

I do it whenever traffic is stopped or barely moving. It is a tremendous time saver and one of the reasons I ride more miles than I drive.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by akima

(that last one is actually true... MWA HA HA HA haa)

I knew it!

[Finesse]

My buddy was doing this when the light turned green and someone took off and hit his bike and threw him into the path of an oncoming car.

I wouldn't do it. It may prevent you from getting rear ended but you are just trading one danger for another.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Finesse

My buddy was doing this when the light turned green and someone took off and hit his bike and threw him into the path of an oncoming car.

I wouldn't do it. It may prevent you from getting rear ended but you are just trading one danger for another.

How is that do to filtering?

[alex.s]

i split basically 100% of the time.

[akima]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i split basically 100% of the time.

What if there are no cars to split? ... pull over and wait for cars to split?

[cadd]

I normally don't filter. But this past wkend in NYC, I just had to do it. Traffic was moving less than 10mph (a lot of it was at a complete stop). I was filtering under 15mph.

This vid has been sped up 6x. I was in 1st gear the entire time. Friction zone until my left hand started cramping.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Panda]

Originally Posted by cadd

I normally don't filter. But this past wkend in NYC, I just had to do it. Traffic was moving less than 10mph (a lot of it was at a complete stop). I was filtering under 15mph.

This vid has been sped up 6x. I was in 1st gear the entire time. Friction zone until my left hand started cramping.

I got pulled over right where your video starts for crossing a solid white line. I skipped the traffic at the merge and dove over and didn't see a cop there.

(If you get off at Atlantic you can skip that knot of traffic by getting off at the Hamilton exit that runs parallel to the BQE. Try not to get run over at the bottom of the exit when you cut across two lanes of traffic though.)

[cadd]

Yup. I did that. I hopped off Atlantic and went under the BQE. Then this happened.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by cadd

Friction zone until my left hand started cramping.

I see how it is

[alex.s]

staying in the friction zone like that will burn out your clutch in no time

[cadd]

I know

But it was either filter through that or just stay behind cars for an hr! But I don't usually filter at all. This is the 1% time that I did filter. Usually traffic isn't at a complete stand still and I'm able to move at least 5mph be behind a car in my own lane.

[alex.s]

or go faster so you can let the clutch all the way out