Lane Splitting To Become Illegal

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  jetute said:

  turtle33 said:

. I have had a car door opened on me in stationary traffic, and this *beep* tried to play the victim after I punched the piss out of him. I

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can see you doing that too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds fair

[obrut6]

well this thread gave me a good laugh,

I dont lane split in moving traffic

I do lane filter at the lights and will continue to do so, but dont worry I wont hold you up when the lights change to green.

If you feel that I have pushed in well tough !

[gogo]

Yep,

A lot of poorly informed people here with little (ie no) understanding of what it is like being on a bike in traffic...

Bottom line - Bikes are different and need to be treated as such. The laws SHOULD be different for bikes - just the way they are for other groups such as heavy vehicle (zero alcohol, log books, Safe-t-cam etc). the most appropriate laws should apply to make the roads as safe as possible for all road users.

Just because you don't like something doesn't remove the right of motorcyclists to maximise the safe use of the road. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that moving away from traffic is considerably safer than staying in it. As a former motorcycle courier, I have had lots of experience to figure out when some ignoramis (mostly in a car) is more likely to try and kill me when I am on a bike. Clear space will win every time.

There is also another factor and that is hot weather. Whilst I recognise that many riders do not choose to wear protective gear in hot weather some us do, and let me tell you it is far more comfortable with some air movement and having clean air than being stationary and stuck in traffic. Encouraging riders to wear the right equipment is good for all as it will dramatically lessen the likelihood of injury in an accident, any injury costs us all money through CTP insurance and through loss of work etc. It is also not something I would wish on anyone. I just think that the propose change would add another incentive for riders to leave the protective gear at home.

A little more open mindedness would be nice - particularly from a forum for people like high power cars - something some groups in the community would argue are completely unneccissary and should be banned.

enough from me...

Cheers,

Ben.

(I love my bike - even if I only ride it about 6 times a year now... )

[Guest casgeroth]

  gogo said:

Yep,

A lot of poorly informed people here with little (ie no) understanding of what it is like being on a bike in traffic...

Bottom line - Bikes are different and need to be treated as such.  The laws SHOULD be different for bikes - just the way they are for other groups such as heavy vehicle (zero alcohol, log books, Safe-t-cam etc).  the most appropriate laws should apply to make the roads as safe as possible for all road users.

Just because you don't like something doesn't remove the right of motorcyclists to maximise the safe use of the road.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that moving away from traffic is considerably safer than staying in it.  As a former motorcycle courier, I have had lots of experience to figure out when some ignoramis (mostly in a car) is more likely to try and kill me when I am on a bike.  Clear space will win every time.

There is also another factor and that is hot weather.  Whilst I recognise that many riders do not choose to wear protective gear in hot weather some us do, and let me tell you it is far more comfortable with some air movement and having clean air than being stationary and stuck in traffic.  Encouraging riders to wear the right equipment is good for all as it will dramatically lessen the likelihood of injury in an accident, any injury costs us all money through CTP insurance and through loss of work etc.  It is also not something I would wish on anyone.  I just think that the propose change would add another incentive for riders to leave the protective gear at home.

A little more open mindedness would be nice - particularly from a forum for people like high power cars - something some groups in the community would argue are completely unneccissary and should be banned.

enough from me...

Cheers, 

Ben.

(I love my bike - even if I only ride it about 6 times a year now... )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hear hear!

Though it's true that there are some idiot motorbike riders out there that will lane-split at high speed through moving traffic which should always be considered as highly dangerous and illegal, there are a lot more who will just lane-filter carefully through stationary traffic to put themselves into a safer position.

This has the added bonus of putting you, the car driver, further ahead in the queue. The bike rider isn't cutting in line just to annoy you. If a bike rider sat in line with the rest of the cars it puts you another place further back (aswell as leaving them open to be rear-ended by some idiot not paying enough attention).

There was an organised protest ride in Melbourne today. Bikes all riding as they will be meant to if this law is passed, all in file, no filtering. Caused a fair amount of congestion as I heard

I've signed a petition against this proposed law, though being an online petition it probably won't get anywhere, and have emailed people involved in this debate.

I know a lot of riders who have made their voices heard to the right people, in politics and media.

In a few other countries they've made safe lane-filtering explicitly legal and given them an advanced line at intersections for them to wait at. They've recognised that the practice can help to ease traffic congestion and improved rider safety.

Why is Australia backwards?

Anyway, just my 2c.

[XR6T-riffic]

as a truckie my opinion is they should be allowed to lane filter. I like it that way so I can see exactly where they are and not hiding in a blind spot.

another benefit would be the fact they cant get sandwiched between 2 vehicles.

no real down side as far as I can see - as for those of you that are jealous perhaps a bike license for you

[geea]

I think that this subject is the same as many others that involve our roads. If everyone, including the law makers and law enforcers used a commonsense approach we'd all be better off.

I'll start by letting everyone know that whilst I have never ridden a bike on the road I do sympathise with bike riders. Alot of my fiends, partners and employees ride bikes in 2 of my closest friends. If I'm in traffic and see a bike coming I'll try to move over to give them room to move through. The reason I don't ride is I'd probably ride like I drive and be the victim of some idiot car driver.

The problem we have is that not all people on motorbikes are enthusists. If this was the case there would be no problems as most enthusists have done 1 or more riding courses and some have participated in track days. These riders respect the road and conditions and other motorists and make allowances for idiot drivers. It's the other 70% of people on motorcycles who are clueless and try to follow what the enthusist is doing. This results in damaged cars and bikes pissing off car drivers. This is why the enthusists don't understand why alot of motorists are pissed of with bike riders.

It's not only the bikes where this is the case. The same applys with motorcars. There are a small % of good drivers surrounded by a bunch of unskilled untrained idiots that drive a car like they are a passenger on a train, completely oblivious to those around them. It's these people that go slow in the fast lane or travel 3 accross on a quiet 3 lane road, doing 70 in an 80 zone, holding up the other drivers. The requiremenst to get both car and bike licences should be much tougher and involve alot more training. This would eliminate alot of accidents and lower the road toll a great deal.

Geea.

[HellionXR6T]

  geea said:

I think that this subject is the same as many others that involve our roads. If everyone, including the law makers and law enforcers used a commonsense approach we'd all be better off.

I'll start by letting everyone know that whilst I have never ridden a bike on the road I do sympathise with bike riders. Alot of my fiends, partners and employees ride bikes in 2 of my closest friends. If I'm in traffic and see a bike coming I'll try to move over to give them room to move through. The reason I don't ride is I'd probably ride like I drive and be the victim of some idiot car driver.

The problem we have is that not all people on motorbikes are enthusists. If this was the case there would be no problems as most enthusists have done 1 or more riding courses and some have participated in track days. These riders respect the road and conditions and other motorists and make allowances for idiot drivers. It's the other 70% of people on motorcycles who are clueless and try to follow what the enthusist is doing. This results in damaged cars and bikes pissing off car drivers. This is why the enthusists don't understand why alot of motorists are pissed of with bike riders.

It's not only the bikes where this is the case. The same applys with motorcars. There are a small % of good drivers surrounded by a bunch of unskilled untrained idiots that drive a car like they are a passenger on a train, completely oblivious to those around them. It's these people that go slow in the fast lane or travel 3 accross on a quiet 3 lane road, doing 70 in an 80 zone, holding up the other drivers. The requiremenst to get both car and bike licences should be much tougher and involve alot more training. This would eliminate alot of accidents and lower the road toll a great deal.

Geea.

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Right on the money there Geea

[gogo]

  geea said:

I think that this subject is the same as many others that involve our roads. If everyone, including the law makers and law enforcers used a commonsense approach we'd all be better off.

I'll start by letting everyone know that whilst I have never ridden a bike on the road I do sympathise with bike riders. Alot of my fiends, partners and employees ride bikes in 2 of my closest friends. If I'm in traffic and see a bike coming I'll try to move over to give them room to move through. The reason I don't ride is I'd probably ride like I drive and be the victim of some idiot car driver.

The problem we have is that not all people on motorbikes are enthusists. If this was the case there would be no problems as most enthusists have done 1 or more riding courses and some have participated in track days. These riders respect the road and conditions and other motorists and make allowances for idiot drivers. It's the other 70% of people on motorcycles who are clueless and try to follow what the enthusist is doing. This results in damaged cars and bikes pissing off car drivers. This is why the enthusists don't understand why alot of motorists are pissed of with bike riders.

It's not only the bikes where this is the case. The same applys with motorcars. There are a small % of good drivers surrounded by a bunch of unskilled untrained idiots that drive a car like they are a passenger on a train, completely oblivious to those around them. It's these people that go slow in the fast lane or travel 3 accross on a quiet 3 lane road, doing 70 in an 80 zone, holding up the other drivers. The requiremenst to get both car and bike licences should be much tougher and involve alot more training. This would eliminate alot of accidents and lower the road toll a great deal.

Geea.

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[Guest]

My wife and I have a saying, every time we see a motor bike on the road

"F'N LAWLESS BASSTARD"

And bugger me if they haven't broken at least one road rule by the time we've said it.

The bike riders in Sydney need a kick in the ass (and more), I never see a bikes doing the speed limit, NEVER. They change lanes without a second throught or a care for the cars around them. You only live once and when your gone you leave some other poor bas*ard with the guilt of your reckless life style.

Australia's not a 3rd world country why do we still have bikes on the road here. Don't bike riders have anything to live for?

Is the Registration and sale of road bikes a way the state Gov's strengthens our comunity "survival of the smartest"

I like speed I like to have fun but I never "piss into the wind" yet bike riders do it all the time, Wheres your sence of self preservation.

[turtle33]

  NOS XR said:

My wife and I have a saying, every time we see a motor bike on the road

"F'N LAWLESS BASSTARD"

And bugger me if they haven't broken at least one road rule by the time we've said it.

The bike riders in Sydney need a kick in the ass (and more), I never see a bikes doing the speed limit, NEVER. They change lanes without a second throught or a care for the cars around them. You only live once and when your gone you leave some other poor bas*ard with the guilt of your reckless life style.

Australia's not a 3rd world country why do we still have bikes on the road here. Don't bike riders have anything to live for?

Is the Registration and sale of road bikes a way the state Gov's strengthens our comunity "survival of the smartest"

I like speed I like to have fun but I never "piss into the wind" yet bike riders do it all the time, Wheres your sence of self preservation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree and the earth is flat, read my previous post, your prob the one I was talking about. While your at it, why not say all aborigials are criminals and all asians can cook (while your in the mood for generalisations)