Lanesplitting

[mastrmage]

Without having to wander through clauses and definitions, does anyone know the legalities involved in lanesplitting(ie, riding on the line in between two cars moving in the same direction (or stationary at lights))?

I've heard a couple of rumours like "if you pass a car on it's right hand side, but still in their lane it's okay" but that's just street talk - I'd much rather rest my trust in a bunch of BB motorheads!

Cheers

[Deej]

I’m sure Melkor or Madmax will set us straight with this properly, but my layman’s understanding is there is nothing in the law that says it is illegal to lane split, but there is allowances under the law for Careless Riding and Failing to Indicate.

So, so long as you:

1) change lanes with due care and attention;
2) don’t miss cars with 5 mm to spare (see 1 above);
3) you indicate with ample warning if you are changing from one lane to the other;
4) you don’t cross over the solid white line dividing the lanes that commences like.. 20 metres out from the stop line, and;
5) you do not cross over the stop line at the lights at all;

Then I believe (disclaimer) you are in the clear.

There should be one more unofficial rule.... DONT lane split unless your bike has the ability to accelerate faster than anything you may meet at the front. Fortunalty there are not too many McClaren F1's on Perth roads.

[Churchy]

this will be interesting....i lane split on the way to work if i ride.....wonder what im doin wrong.....

:twisted: :shock: :twisted:

[Anonymous]

Just quickly, has anyone ever been pulled over/fined/chewed out for lanesplitting? I don't do it through moving traffic, but fuck sitting there at the lights in traffic when ya don't have to..

[#151]

Lanesplitting.

Melkor if you have your acts at home look this one up for us.

But what the Police Driver/Traffic Training Section teach is;

Lane Splitting is both illegal and legal.

It depends on the circumstances.

If other traffic are STATIONARY then you can legally pass on left hand side and right hand side of vehicles, if;

no interference caused to other traffic

if moving between lanes, sufficient indication needs to be displayed/given

If other traffic are MOVING then you can only legally pass on the right hand side of traffic. Again;

no interference caused to other traffic

if moving between lanes, sufficient indication needs to be displayed/given

If you pass on the left hand side of a moving vehicle (in the same lane) then it is the same as it is for any vehicle being illegal to overtake on the left.

Key Note;

At no circumstances cross the continuous white line as Deej points out.

What is a contentious issue though is whether the bike physically has to cross the continuous line for it to be an offence or whether if you rode up the middle of traffic to the front, stopped on the right hand side of the line but your left foot rested on the left hand side of the line does that constitute an offence?

Some officers I have spoke to say yes because the rider is an extention of the motorcycle.

I don't believe so myself but if you ever copped a ticket over this one I would plead not guilty and let the magistrate deceide.

Does this help?

[dodgyone]

I asked and was told the same thing pretty much. No overtaking on the inside of moving traffic blah blah blah, when you stop you MUST be totally inside a lane, not straddling. And as for somebody opening a door on you, as long as you were legal, they would be in the wrong for getting out of a vehicle at an intersection.

[Melkor]

Re: Lanesplitting

Without having to wander through clauses and definitions, does anyone know the legalities involved in lanesplitting

I'm sure that's a dig at me cause I love to quote sections

Madamax has pretty much covered it. Some cops will say no, some will say yes. In a nutshell my understanding is passing on the right is ok (like when a car passes a bicycle, or another car that's crawling or something) but passing on the left is only ok if the vehicle is stopped or indicating to or appears to be turning right.

Try and stay on one side of the line or the other becuase you're supposed to give 30m indication to change lanes, and crossing the solid white at the line is also an offence, yadda.

I think the cops that have a problem with it are the same as normal tin-toppers who don't like it...they're just jelous you're going to get home before them and/or have the ability to shoot through the traffic.

Personally I lanesplit all the time.

[Melkor]

P.S. That VY Senator on Leach Highway a couple sundays was reasonably fast huh Deej?

Fast for a car at least.

[Deej]

P.S.  That VY Senator on Leach Highway a couple sundays was reasonably fast huh Deej?

Fast for a car at least.

It kept up with me......but admitadly, I had one wheel in the air

[Pete]

i got given a harsh pointing finger from a motorcycle cop when i was lane splitting on mount henry bridge then i saw he put his lights on and traveled up the emergency lane past the traffic. then flick em off and back into the traffic. whats the deal are they aloud to do that.

[mastrmage]

Thanks madmax/melkor! It's good to have a clearer picture of things, it's just a shame some cops are right w-nkers, most of them are alright though as long as you're aware they're only doing their job.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! I'm going crazy without a license [sob] I dont know if I told you guys?.. I had one demerit to go and popped a wheelie in midland somewhere and this st1100 jumped out from god knows where and pulled up beside me and a mate at the next set of lights. Long story short we were decent about it and I was prepared for the worst, and he just gave me a careless charge ($100 + 3 demerits).

So I'm out of action this winter as a result of my 3 month suspension (cant wait for summerrrrr, Yehaw!)

[Constable Jellyback]

What cops can and can't do.

Pete 026

Read my post under yada yada titled "tried running from the cops" and section 280 of the Road Traffic Act states it all out clearly.

[Pete]

thanks Constable Jellyback but it does't explain it as he wasnt going anywhere he was just using his lights to get past the traffic then got back into the traffic and switched em off. fair enought if he is gonna pull someone over or go to a situation of some kind but didnt look that way. is that right. looks as if he bent the rulz abit to me. not that i really care as he didnt book me..

[Constable Jellyback]

Who knows.

Pete 026

Only the Police Rider knows what was going through his head at the time.

He may of been heading to a job that got cancelled, seen something up ahead but decided to leave it alone who knows.

The point is Section 280 covers the boys in breeching the acts/code if reasonable care is taken.

Eg it is case law now that Police can legally speed whilst patrolling as its accepted that they may need ot do so to spot errant motorists etc. By speed i mean around 10 over on normal patrol.

[Pete]

fairy nuff