Motorcycle at the lights

Maybe he was given a fright and some people don't handle that well. Bikes will lane split regardless if it's legal or not.

I lane split, but i generally won't go right to the front. Instead I sit just behind, with my front wheel about level with their rear bumper.
This allows me to see exactly what the front two cars are doing when the lights change. Normally I'm through the gap and gone before the car has moved.
I don't think anyone (including me) really likes having a bike right next to them at the lights, just gives you another thing to worry about and lots of people are stressed out enough driving, another reason to put myself in the gap behind.
I tend not to get too upset when people do stupid stuff when I'm on the bike as I treat every car as if it's trying to kill me, so am never surprised when people pull out in front of me or change lane into me etc etc...
Sounds like your guy was simply being a d***head!

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stoff said..
I treat every car as if it's trying to kill me

Same. Seems to be pretty effective so far. I never get riled up either, sounds like old mate definitely needed a pill.

www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/motorcycle

Lane filtering rules

Lane filtering is when you ride your motorcycle at low speed between stationary or slow moving vehicles travelling in the same direction you are. The 2 lines or lanes of traffic must both be travelling in the same direction. If one of the lines or lanes is a dedicated turning lane (left or right) you must not lane filter using this lane.

You're only allowed to lane filter in Queensland if you hold an open licence for the motorcycle you are riding and:

your speed when filtering is 30km/h or less
it's safe to do so.
You're not allowed to lane filter:

at a speed more than 30km/h
in school zones during school zone hours
if you're a learner or provisional licence holder
if it isn't safe.
To ensure pedestrian safety, lane filtering is only allowed between stationary or slow moving vehicles, not between a vehicle and the kerb. Any vehicle, including a motorcycle may overtake to the left of a stationary vehicle. Read more about overtaking to the left.

Nothing in the above rules says its ok to be a wanker, think your motorcylcist was out of line.

In this situation I would come right to the front and pull in front of one of the lanes so my intentions were clear to the cars. Riding a motorcycle you need to learn very quickly to chill and not get upset at every little thing, taking on a car, they get a scratch but you break bones...

in this case based on the evidence at hand, the rider is a dick...

I had a similar incident recently and I was the bike lane spliting (filtering) but when the light changed I was ready and accelerated away (much faster than the cars) and I then took up position in the left lane.. The old guy in the car that was on my right roared up in the right lane and slowed alongside me.. He then moved into my lane pushing me towards the parked cars..

I could have accelerated away but because we were at the speed limit I decided to slow down and let him move across in front of me.. So he also slows keeping level with me and continuing to squeeze me against the parked cars.. I looked across and he was looking at me and knowing what he was doing so I reached across quickly with my right hand and slapped his mirror thinking it would fold back like they normally do.. but it didn't.. My hand went quickly back to my accelerator and as I sped off I looked in my mirror to see his mirror bouncing down the road..

He stopped behind me at the next lights.. got out of his car and said he was going to the cops because I broke his mirror.. I said go for it.. It's been more than a few weeks now and haven't heard a thing..

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Chris_M said...
Well...... you are in WA

So I'm going to say he was on meth

Hardly a fair assumption to make. If he was on meth he wouldn't have stopped to start with. Sounds like he was mellowed out waiting for the light to change so probably just had a billie and thinking about a feed to satisfy his munchies?

Pot smokers can get hangry too

They can also get quite paranoid and see many more things as threats. Riding a bike you have to assume everyone wants to run you over if you want to stay alive, imagine being highly paranoid at the same time

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Chris6791 said..

Cobra said..
you can lane split, rules apply.

if you don't like lane spiting,don't go to Asia.

Depends whee you are, it's not legal in WA as far as I know.

I don't filter/split on my bike, I only have a handful of traffic lights where I live and no such thing a peak hour so it doesn't really gain me anything. Old mate in the original post, if he filters to the front he should be on the ball when the light changes and not hold up others. Bad sportsmanship on the rider's part if you ask me. More so if he loses his sh1t from it.

its Legal in QLD and thats where i ride.
if i ever ride a motorcycle in WA i will look the rules up as i did for riding in other states even other countries.

i lane split 3x this morning on a stretch of the Bruce hwy that had 15 sets of lights.
it just takes a little practice time and patience.

lane Split / Filter check list
1) will i make any real gain .
2) have i got enough room, as drag bars & foot pegs on a Harley are wide.
3) have i got time before the lights turn green to move safely between the "stationary"cars at 30km or less to get in front.
4) split only on double or triple lanes going straight
5) remember trucks have blindspots
6) watch for the clown that wants to drag at the lights
7) i never lane split moving cars
8) watch for green light and watch for red light runners

remember some think what you're doing is wrong and have issues with it
once a bloke in a ute tailgated from the lights, i stopped at a roundabout with two cars in front waiting to enter
ol mate behind me mounts the medium strip rips the utes nose in front ranting out the passengers window
How do you like it

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DavidJohn said..
so I reached across quickly with my right hand and slapped his mirror thinking it would fold back like they normally do.. but it didn't.. My hand went quickly back to my accelerator and as I sped off I looked in my mirror to see his mirror bouncing down the road..

Love your work

its legal in WA, provided you stay on one side of solid white line - bike (wheels) and foot must be on same side of line

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jn1 said...

seanhogan said..
I had a similar incident

Do bikes have the 100HP restriction in New Cal like they do in France ?

Really? I thought it was 180...

Not sure where you get this from? I can't find any reference to it being legal in WA? Though in part it's not illegal either.

If you're talking filtering to the front of a set of traffic lights it's illegal in WA. Every set of traffic lights whether it be 1,2 or 3 lanes has a solid white line for the last few metres. That solid white line effectively prohibits overtaking or crossing it, which is what you're doing when you filter all the way to the front.

The wording for overtaking, indicating etc effectively makes lane splitting in WA through moving traffic illegal as well, though there isn't a specific fine for lane splitting. There was a bit of media attention a year or two ago and they were looking at the eastern states trial (wherever it was) and they were going to consider a trial here, but govt being govt don't seem to be following up on it.

Just found this from 2008


<Extract from Hansard [COUNCIL - Tuesday, 19 February 2008] p140b-140b
Hon Nigel Hallett; Hon Jon Ford ROAD RULES — LANE SPLITTING BY MOTORCYCLISTS 5717.
Hon Nigel Hallett to the Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Police and Emergency Services
(1) Under what circumstances is lane splitting by motorcycles illegal?
(2) Which Act and regulation apply?
(3) What is the penalty?
(4) How many motorcyclists have been charged successfully with this offence in, (a) 2005; (b) 2006; and (c) so far in 2007?
(5) How many warnings have been handed out by Police for this offence in each of these periods?

Hon JON FORD replied:
(1) Lane splitting by motorcycles is not illegal within the state of Western Australia. The Australian Road Rules Management Group is currently reviewing this matter. Police usually detect motorcyclists committing other offences when performing lane splitting activities. These offences include failing to indicate and crossing the continuous white line on approach to intersections, however data specific to motorcycles is unavailable for these offences.
(2)-(5) Not applicable




I can't be bothered reading it but I found this as well www.parliament.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/601963/18_Motorcycle-Lane-Filtering-Trial-Summary-of-trial-findings.pdf

.be

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Chris6791 said..

lostatsea said..
its legal in WA, provided you stay on one side of solid white line - bike (wheels) and foot must be on same side of line

Not sure where you get this from? I can't find any reference to it being legal in WA? Though in part it's not illegal either.

If you're talking filtering to the front of a set of traffic lights it's illegal in WA. Every set of traffic lights whether it be 1,2 or 3 lanes has a solid white line for the last few metres. That solid white line effectively prohibits overtaking or crossing it, which is what you're doing when you filter all the way to the front.

agree its a grey area but end of the day, to my knowledge there is no fine (WA) applicible just for lane splitting - unless the lane split crossed the solid line etc, at a stretch you can receive a careless/reckless driving infringment for lane splitting.

surely theres a WA cop here that can settle this