Lane splitting .... sorry, remind me again.

[rmg08057]

Hello

Can you remind me again about lane splitting ("filtering" in the UK)... when I lived in Sydney it was either legal or tolerated. What's the situation in Sydney now?

[onions]

G'day Ralph,
Whilst traffic law is certainly not my strong point (criminal law being more to my liking therefore I stand to be corrected...), my understanding of the Road Rules (which are now pretty much universal throughout Australia) is that it is illegal to pass a vehicle on the left hand side unless in your own marked lane or the vehicle you are passing is turning right but it is okay to pass a vehicle on the right hand side, if safe to do so. Therefore, if you are spliting lanes you can do so if you are passing vehicles on their right hand side... If it is illegal, then I don't think that the law is really enforced, perhaps such is just tollerated... But I often see police bikes doing exactly the same thing...although of course we have sections within the RRs that exempt us...

Any Aussie TOG (TMU) guys out there know better?

I'll have a chat to one of the traffic guys when I catch up with one and get the official line...stay tuned mate,

Merry Christmas,

[Daza]

Guys,
As far as I know Ian is right, that is, it's not legal but is tolerated to a point. What is not tolerated is riding up the breakdown lane (i.e. outside the lanes on a freeway) when the traffic is stopped. I get to see a lot of riders booked for this as I live in the Blue Mountains and the M4 to Sydney becomes a car park on a daily basis, and that space between the grass and the cars is very inviting if you're on a bike.....

[dshealey]

Sounds like it is much the same as California. Not legal, but neither is it illegal, since there is nothing in any of the state codes or regulations mentioning it in any way.

The CHP (California Highway Patrol) has statements in a flyer and in the FAQ's on their website that says "Lane splitting is permissible if done in a safe and prudent manner".

If one is doing it generally below around 35 MPH, no faster than 15 MPH over the slowest cars you are passing, the CHP pretty much has a blind eye to it. These "guidelines" however are not written anywhere, so it is somewhat of a crap shoot, always up to the observing LEO if you are being "safe and prudent".

Unfortunately, some local police departments do not agree with the CHP, so you are always liable to be pulled by one of them. San Diego Police Department is one that may stop you, but even then some of them don't stop you either. I have heard nothing of anyone being stopped in the last year, so maybe they are bending to the CHPs guidelines.

I did it every day for nearly 5 years going to and coming from work, only had one instance where a SDPD motor officer lighted me, pulled up by me and on his speaker said "Lane splitting is illegal, stay in your own lane.". I looked at him and said "The CHP allows it.". He shook his head and pulled away, so I did not get stopped. He must have been in a hurry to get somewhere, or I probably would have been stopped.

[rmg08057]

Thanks Ian and Daza ..... I may well soon be testing the limits myself. I hear there is a bit of a kerfuffle about the cross-town tunnel with no e-passes for bikes.

[fitzy79]

What Onions says is correct; however, I have heard a rumor recently that there is a move afoot to make it illegal in that National Road Rules which will mean all over the country of course. Advanced studies would be the people to clarify this in Victoria Ian.

[onions]

...Advanced studies would be the people to clarify this in Victoria Ian.
Thanks Fitzy, my traffic law is a little rusty these days and I don't have a great deal to do with the traffic guys... Perhaps you might catch up with one or two of them at Hobsons Bay TMU?

Happy New Year!

[rmg08057]

Here is a link to a similar thread on the K-bike site.
http://www.k-bikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259
I guess its up to us riders to try and stop the removal of ths ability.

[PhillWard]

What Onions says is correct; however, I have heard a rumor recently that there is a move afoot to make it illegal in that National Road Rules which will mean all over the country of course. Advanced studies would be the people to clarify this in Victoria Ian.

Courtesy of the Daily Telegraph Jan 12 2006...

"Bikers have called on the National transport Commission not to ban lane splitting by motorcyclists, saying it would increase congestion and accidents.

In lane splitting motorcyclists exploit their limited space requirements to manoeuvre their bikes through stationary or slow moving traffic.

The NTC has received 59 submissions on the proposed changes to the Australian Road Regulations outlawing lane splitting, but Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia's John Karmouche said no submission has been in favour.

"Some of the anti-lane filtering approach by regulators appear to stem from an attitude that motorcyclists should wait their turn and be treated like other traffic," he said."

Soooooo there yer go ......clear as mud!!!

Phill
'78XS1100E "The Tardis" (ret)
'99 K1200LT "Beryl Beemer"