Lane Splitting Aussie ( Filtering )

[Andells1200]

Lets get into it people (about time the powers that be found a brain) start filling it in then clean out your cookies and do it again.

http://motorbikewriter.com/riders-can-say-lane-filtering/

[ken65]

just filled it out,  all for it.

Sometimes if people can see you coming they try to block your path, not common at all but its happened, other times if the lanes are going from 2 into 1 they will speed up to try and stop you from getting in front of them.  Not really sure why?

[Arnie]

Yes, some people will try to block your progress (why?)
However, I've found more car drivers will actually move slightly over to allow you to pass.
(probably worried you'll scratch their car :-)

Arnie

[FJmonkey]

Yes, some people will try to block your progress (why?)
However, I've found more car drivers will actually move slightly over to allow you to pass.
(probably worried you'll scratch their car :-)

Arnie

Some here care and make room for you to get past...

[ken65]

Yes, some people will try to block your progress (why?)
However, I've found more car drivers will actually move slightly over to allow you to pass.
(probably worried you'll scratch their car :-)

Arnie

Some here care and make room for you to get past...

fair enough, as long as there not looking down at the phone texting and suddenly swerve back. lately
i find it hard to trust anyone in a car,

[Lotsokids]

I admit I am a VERY aggressive driver and rider. I push it rather hard most of the time. But I do not like lane-splitting. I've done it a couple times, but feel very uncomfortable doing it. It doesn't feel safe to me. I grew up in Minnesota where there is little traffic, and no need to split lanes. I now live in Hungary where lane splitting is legal and encouraged. I have ridden my FJ in Budapest, where this happens all the time. But I just sit with traffic in my lane and wait.

Italy and France are absolutely out of control with this (in the big cities).

I thought the comment in the article was funny how more of the road can be used, so less need for maintenance (paraphrased).

I am not saying it's a bad idea. There are benefits. Just throwing my opinion out there.

[TexasDave]

fair enough, as long as there not looking down at the phone texting and suddenly swerve back. lately
i find it hard to trust anyone in a car,
Had that very thing happen to me this week. Was at a stop light in a double left turn lane with a car beside me. The car drifted into my lane when we turned. I backed off and watched it weave in and out of its lane. I rode up beside it and observed a middle aged woman texting with the phone in her lap. At the next stop light I got off the bike and beat on her window. She was still texting and I startled her. When she looked up I yelled at her to get off the phone and drive the car! Luckily she turned left and I went straight.  Dave   

[Capn Ron]

Submitted my response...I hope it helps the cause.  I tried to be respectful and concise in my responses and essentially, my opinion was summarized by my last comment:

"Lane splitting allows me to opt for the safest place to be on the road. After
34 years and 100,000 miles of riding, I fully understand that we aren't always seen by the often well-intentioned car
driver.  Allow us to legally opt for the best and safest riding strategy for the sake of
our own lives.  In summary, keep the life or death, in-the-moment decisions in the hands of those
who are most effected."

This doesn't mean a person is required to lane-split, but it's unbelievable to me that if I choose to as the safest option...for the sake of my own safety...that I would be considered an outlaw.  Just baffling.  As others have noted...in states and cities that have sparse traffic, there is little need for lane splitting.  When I lived in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, it never even occurred to me.  Here in Los Angeles, it's a viable and oft-used survival strategy.

[Andells1200]

There is also another advantage that isn't talked about much and that is sitting in traffic with air cooled bikes. That was going to be my excuse when I get pulled over by the boys in blue hopping they would be bike riders themselves and be into giving warnings, at least Queensland police ride the right brand at the moment


I could be wrong about the warning though

[Bones]

Submitted my response, anything with common sense to increase the safety of motorcyclist will get my vote.

[ken65]

gday andells, thats always been my main excuse about it being aIR COOLED, if i ever got pulled over,gotta keep the air flowing etc, i dont think these revenue raising chimps would let you off though.  they'd just say, " no mate its just to dangerous and we will help you stay alive "

[Fj.itis]

Yeah...just filled mine out, this is definately  a step in the right direction.

[Andells1200]

G'day ken65... There are a few good revenue raisers out there. I was leaving Queensland Raceway after watching a round of the V8 supercars, had the wife on the back of the FJ and was crawling along at walking pace. Bunch of blue standing around not doing much, one heard the bike turned around and asked me where I was heading , told him Brisbane and he yelled back " go around the cars" it was the fastest exit from the raceway I have ever had.

[Arnie]

All this discussion of lane filtering has piqued my memory.

A number of years ago when the SouthEastern Fwy was still the "SouthEastern Freeway, I commuted on it most days.
It was a virtual parking lot with cars and trucks crawling along at 5-15 kmh and almost all the bikes inbetween the lanes doing 30-50kmh.
Of course, you notice what the car occupants are doing as you ride by.  This was before mobile phones were universal and many were drinking coffee or eating brekky.  Some were putting on makeup or removing hair rollers, some were reading papers or shaving.  One morning as I filtered by the cars, I saw one young woman struggling into a pair of pantyhose while she drove ! 
I slowed down to watch the show , but quickly realized that it was too dangerous and rode on by.

Arnie

[The General]

G'day ken65... There are a few good revenue raisers out there. I was leaving Queensland Raceway after watching a round of the V8 supercars, had the wife on the back of the FJ and was crawling along at walking pace. Bunch of blue standing around not doing much, one heard the bike turned around and asked me where I was heading , told him Brisbane and he yelled back " go around the cars" it was the fastest exit from the raceway I have ever had.

I bet it was Stainesy. He likes his FJ better than his modern work bike.