Bikes Lane Splitting

[sts71]

Hey Everyone

Just curious, I know this is a car group, but I also ride a bike, Ive had to ride this week until my clutch gets fixed today and its reminded me of the current debate regarding motorcycles being allowed to "lane split". The current govt wants to make it illegal everywhere in Oz.
I do admit that on occassion, usually when traffic is stopped and its completely safe to do so and my engine is heating up to 3/4 on the gauge I have, purely to get airflow on the radiator I have, but generally I dont.
I belong to a few diff bike groups and believe that in Victoria, "lane splitting" is legal, but only when traffic stopped. London, its toally legal, called lane filtering.
Whats your thoughts here, should bikes be allowed to? AS LONG as its safe?
Yes there are hoons on bikes that wear tshirts and thiongs and pop wheelies and stuff, Im not advocating those, just purely lane splitting.

Your thoughts?

Steve

[AirStrike]

I dont mind it riders doing it once the traffic has come to a stop, but I have had them do it when the traffic is still going 20-30km/h before.
I am always nervous about the riders skill when they do it tho, nothing scares me more then someone with L's on there bike riding up the middle.
AirStrike

[sts71]

Yes I definetly agree about some L-Platers, some riders do think that its their god given right to do so. Most forget thet riding/driving is a priviledge not a right. Then you have the kamakasi scooter riders in the city areas, hmmm

[MarzVP]

I dont see a problem with it at all.

[BANGERS88]

i dont mind it also when your stopped, but when the traffics moving, i mean your not always looking for bikes to come beside you while your moving so whats to stop two cars side by side getting a bit close together just as a bike comes up the middle? And as for the thongs and bonzies on a moter bike one of dads friends did that on the way to the shop bike got stuck in third gear full noise, He looked like the michilen man with all the bandges, took the bark off him good and proper!

[Julie]

I think it is dangerous and I am glad to hear the govt are trying to make it illegal throughout the country.

[sts71]

Just to add to this conversation, what about tollways, on the harbour bridge in Sydney, they used to pay 5c and cars were 20c, back then they believed there was a difference.
Do you think a 2wheeled bike 250cc compared to a 1 tonne car at 1.6ltrs should pay the same tolls?

[Charg'd]

I fully agree with making it illegal, theres nothing worse than having a motorbike come roaring past your window when your at traffic lights, & i think tolls should be the same for all vehicles, as everyone uses the road

[sts71]

I fully agree with making it illegal, theres nothing worse than having a motorbike come roaring past your window when your at traffic lights, & i think tolls should be the same for all vehicles, as everyone uses the road

I agree with the dropkicks that roar past cars, thats just an accident waiting to happen, but I do think that maybe its unfair for bikes to pay 3.30 on M5, they use less space, less harmful to road to say a family car etc but anyway
Im just interested to hear people opinions.

[Charg'd]

I agree with the dropkicks that roar past cars, thats just an accident waiting to happen, but I do think that maybe its unfair for bikes to pay 3.30 on M5, they use less space, less harmful to road to say a family car etc but anyway
Im just interested to hear people opinions.

its the same as bikes as it is for cars, the minority ruin it for the rest, the idiots on bikes ruin it for everyone else i.e; some bikes drive between cars slowly & carefully others roar past like ********s.

As for the tolls my opinion is that we all use the road for the same thing ( gettin from A to B) therefore we should pay the same tolls. This is my opinion i dont expect everyone to agree

[Jules86]

I think it should still be legal if traffic is stopped and the build up of traffic isnt too long (can make it to the lights b4 they're green), because it'd be pretty dangerous if two lanes started moving while your up the guts of it. The only thing the cops can get you for atm is if you don't indicate EVERY time you cross that centre line.

[sts71]

As for the tolls my opinion is that we all use the road for the same thing ( gettin from A to B) therefore we should pay the same tolls. This is my opinion i dont expect everyone to agree

okay so what baout push bikes that take up a lane block trafic drive people nuts in peak hour traffic and yet we have to give them same road use as a car which we pay taxes etc for and they dont pay a cent plus they just ride thru tollways free of charge.
Dont get me wrong Im not attacking anyone just seeing what a different cross section of road users think.
As for the buttweebs who ruin it for the rest of us I dont defend them at all, thats both car and bike users.

[sts71]

I think it should still be legal if traffic is stopped and the build up of traffic isnt too long (can make it to the lights b4 they're green), because it'd be pretty dangerous if two lanes started moving while your up the guts of it. The only thing the cops can get you for atm is if you don't indicate EVERY time you cross that centre line.

Thats what MCC of NSW is saying I think, I agree its okay when traffic is stopped, lane filtering they have this legal in Victoria. I think the charge is lane sharing, ie also that you cant ride two abreast like the pushbikes do on the Old Road, they see motorbikes coming abd do this on purpose, Ive seen video footage of this and experienced it myself, they think they own the road and have caused 3 accidents I personally know of plus the others that I dont know of. And the way the law works, its in the pushbikers favour, even thou one occassion a motorcycle was coming around a corner at speed limit, push bikes went two abreast forcing bike onto other side of road and into a oncoming vehicle, no charges were laid against anyone but the bikers dead now...
But this is me getting alittle off track

I do thank those that have repled for your opinions..

Steve
Bike, car, ute driver.

[sts71]

its the same as bikes as it is for cars, the minority ruin it for the rest, the idiots on bikes ruin it for everyone else i.e; some bikes drive between cars slowly & carefully others roar past like ********s.


I totaly agree there Charged.

As for the tolls my opinion is that we all use the road for the same thing ( gettin from A to B) therefore we should pay the same tolls. This is my opinion i dont expect everyone to agree

But the RTA claim that toll is based on vehicle size weights etc thats why trucks pay a much higher fee, what the MCC and other groups point is that if thats the case why does a 180kg bike get charged the same as a 1 tonne car? See what I mean by that?

[sixshooter]

Well as I see it....

If a push bike can ride up the inside of you when traffic is stopped at lights then why not a motorcycle ?

I dont advocate Harley riders do it with straight through pipes though cause its unexpected and likely to give old folks heart attacks...

2 Harley riders overtook me last night cruising... one either side... one overtook me so close I almost lost the paint off my front bumper... and if the car in the right front lane braked suddenly he would have been a statistic cause he would've been boxed in :b: absolute idiot !

They had open pipes and were doing to purposely to scare the shits out of people.... further up a paddy wagon was cruising along... funny watching these macho men suddenly short shifting and not daring to overtake...

[Jules86]

okay so what baout push bikes that take up a lane block trafic drive people nuts in peak hour traffic and yet we have to give them same road use as a car which we pay taxes etc for and they dont pay a cent plus they just ride thru tollways free of charge.
Dont get me wrong Im not attacking anyone just seeing what a different cross section of road users think.
As for the buttweebs who ruin it for the rest of us I dont defend them at all, thats both car and bike users.

What r u sayin there...push bike riders take up a whole lane??? Id be revin em if they did that in front of me...They don't pay to use the road, for their push bikes but the ride side by side when doin training on the side of the road and force you into oncoming traffic...its bs, someone will run one over one day...For any cyclists reading don't ride side by side where one person is on the road; drivers don't like it!!! But these are usually the only bike riders that seem to do this shit...very frustrating!

[vlv8vic]

we have pushbike lanes anywhere important here so ive nothing to mention there.
motorbikes, however, annoy me when they do that. more the noise than anything right in your ear, because they are closer than any car would be and generally stick the arse near your window (if you are in pole position only)...

get their attention, politely inform them of the new laws incase they missed the notice, and make a point of scribbling down their rego.

if everyone broke laws they though 'didnt matter' or werent as important as the next law our roads would be a bigger mess than they already are.

[Charg'd]

But the RTA claim that toll is based on vehicle size weights etc thats why trucks pay a much higher fee, what the MCC and other groups point is that if thats the case why does a 180kg bike get charged the same as a 1 tonne car? See what I mean by that?

i see what you mean, i just gave my opinion

[Bax]

If the cars are stopped.. Nothing wrong with it. They're not getting in anyones way.. They aren't going to get in front and hold up traffic. As long as they are cautious its fine.

[STEALTHY™]

In my opinion, it has to depend on the road. 1 lane either way, i don't have a problem, as theres plenty of room for a bike.

2 lanes either way is a different story, on the outside i don't have a problem, but in the middle of the cars i do, as sometimes theres not enough room to get thru. And my car is my life, you scratch it, someones bike is getting dropped!

[DavidPartay]

I spend 15-20 minutes every morning lining up for the exit of the F3 Freeway at Wahroongah on my way to work.

If I had a motorbike, that 20 minutes would be reduced to no more than 5.

As long as they're careful I have no problem with motorbikes riding the lines. If you're checking your mirrors and being as observant as you're SUPPOSED to be, then you'll see them coming - I have never not seen someone on a bike coming up behind me on the line, and I always give them room.

Of course there's always going to be idiots but those idiots are going to be the ones who continue to break the laws which only put the responsible motorcycle riders in their place.

I say let the idiots do what they do legally and if they screw up then it's their funeral - don't screw the people doing the right thing over because it'll make no difference to the people doing the wrong thing.

Speed limits don't stop people doing 20km/h over.

[sts71]

What r u sayin there...push bike riders take up a whole lane??? Id be revin em if they did that in front of me...They don't pay to use the road, for their push bikes but the ride side by side when doin training on the side of the road and force you into oncoming traffic...its bs, someone will run one over one day...For any cyclists reading don't ride side by side where one person is on the road; drivers don't like it!!! But these are usually the only bike riders that seem to do this shit...very frustrating!

Its been hapening up on the Old Road around Mt White, talk to anyone who rides sports bikes and they will probably tell you something very similar, they think they own the road, at least we pay tax on it!


But to everyone, thank you for your opinions I appreciate your honesty.

Cheers
Ride safe, errr I meant Drive Safe