opinion wanted

[AttaBoy]

From what my aunt told me last year it seems (can't remember exactly) that he didn't stop and appears to not notice it at all and kept going. Unfortunately she had to get it repaired at her expense.

 

[Struma]

I'm a biker and a car driver, and I live in Brisbane, so anyone who lives here knows what the traffic is like.

Given that I only ride with a leather jacket, long pants and lace free biker boots (anyone who turns up at a hospital after binning it while only wearing shorts and thongs should be put at the bottom of the triage list), I understand that it gets really hot out in the sun while in the queue and that lane splitting when the traffic is stopped, while illegal, is understandable.

I had a couple of Brisbane bicycle coppers lane split on me while I was on Roma street just last week...and they caught up with me at every red light (they were all red)...

But lane splitting in moving traffic is a big no no. The danger is immense and since we know that Queenslanders do not use their indicators or look over their shoulders when changing lanes I would be petrified to attempt it in moving traffic.

I watched a guy on some Jap bike splitting down Gympie road the other day, and the P plater in front of me deliberately moved across the lane to tighten up the channel and stop him - the biker just grabbed his mirror and folded it back against his fairing - nice deisgn feature, probably created to stop mirrors being snapped off in minor lay downs...but it was still pretty funny to watch - the biker just kept on cruising.

I split when the traffic is standing and the weather is hot, but I would never dream of touching someone elses car...although I would like to throw a couple of old sparkplugs over my shoulder after passing some donkey who has just thrown a burning cigarette out his window with me behind him.

Have fun all.

 

[Struma]

Oh, and another thing... as Stealthy suggested, bikers really appreciate knowing that car drivers know that they are there...it can be really hard to tell if someone has seen you, in, for example, a roundabout, especially if they are wearing sunglasses - so do the bikers a favour and turn your head instead of your eyes when you are watching them, that way they know you have seen them.

Cheers.

 

[Grennan]

Id prefer to have them in front of me/beside me rather than behind me or in a blind sport where they could pop out at any second. But it does frustrate me when i see that, also annoys me when they weave in and out of traffic in peak hour. They wonder why they get hit, they move in and out of traffic by the time we see them and react theyve change their position again and end up under a car.

 

[maginoodle]

i dont do it on my bike because people just arent looking for bikes when they are driving.

 

[STEALTHY™]

Oh, and another thing... as Stealthy suggested, bikers really appreciate knowing that car drivers know that they are there...it can be really hard to tell if someone has seen you, in, for example, a roundabout, especially if they are wearing sunglasses - so do the bikers a favour and turn your head instead of your eyes when you are watching them, that way they know you have seen them.

Cheers.

A simple nod or a wave is what i give.

 

[bradcad]

I'm sorry to hear about the aunt's mirror. That does suck. At least it sounds like there are a lot of people with some common sence here.

 

[hingo1983]

If you are stopped in traffic, why not let them lane split. Its not like they are going to hold up the cars ahead of you. I don't see a problem. On a busy highway, thats another story because people are inclined to lane swap without checknig their blind spots.

 

[Low_VX_Taxi]

If you are stopped in traffic, why not let them lane split. Its not like they are going to hold up the cars ahead of you. I don't see a problem.

As long as the gap is big enough to fit the bike i see no problems with this (aside being jealous i cant do it lol), but ive watched a few pplz on larger bikes try and get thru gapz and end up scratching cars..... rare yes but it does happen.

Im always checking for bikes and once i see one i generally keep an eye on em.... I think of my friend whos been riding for 20 odd years and has two young kids.... I guess people tend to forget that bike riders are people often with families too!

 

[naf33n]

they have changed the rules lane splitting is LEGAL in nsw as long as the traffic isnt moving.

when i did my bike L's in december last year it was illegal. and we where told it was a $70 dollar fine for every car you pass.. but in march for my P's they gave everyone a little flyer on it. sayin they had changed the rules and it is now legal to lane split as long as the traffic is at a complete stop

they also said riding in the breakdown lane is illegal