[rustynutz]

New laws make NSW first to give motorcyclists approval to move past stalled, slow cars


LANE filtering by motorcyclists today is legal in NSW in an Australian first aimed at easing traffic congestion and boosting road safety. 
 
The practice involves riders travelling between lanes of halted or slow-moving cars, usually in central city areas. This includes motorcycles travelling within a lane, on the lane line or into the adjacent lane when filtering.

Government approval of the practice, announced this evening by NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay, follows a three-month trial in Sydney CBD areas.

It is expected to provide a model for all other states where laws on the practice are vague and most riders are unsure whether they are within the law. Police services have been among the groups seeking clarification of the legal position.

Filtering speeds up gridlocked traffic by removing motorcycles from the queues, and lessens the risk of riders being rear-ended by car drivers, the most-common motorcycle accident.

“Ultimately riders are doing drivers a big fat favour by lane filtering and reducing congestion for all. This also highlights the fact that the community consultation process in NSW is alive and well,” said Christopher Burns, spokesman for the Motorcycle Council of NSW.

“Lane Filtering also has the benefit of reducing congestion as motorcycles are not taking up the equivalent of a car space and with close to 4000 motorcycles travelling into the Sydney CBD every weekday one can easily estimate the benefits to car drivers.”

The practice has restrictions.

During the trials riders were not allowed to travel through moving traffic, known as lane splitting, or allowed to overtake to the left of a vehicle in the left-hand lane.

When traffic was queued at intersections, riders could move forward but had to stop behind the stop-line. And riders were not allowed in bus-only lanes.

Car and truck drivers will now have to get used to the possibility that a motorcycle might be squeezing past them in stalled traffic.

Drivers will be urged to watch both their mirrors and look for motorbikes filtering through the traffic, and riders will have to assess risks and if it looks dangerous, ride accordingly.

The Motorcycle Council congratulated Mr Gay and the Government for legalising what Mr Burns said had been “common practice for motorcycle riders across the country and overseas for decades”.

Source: New laws make NSW first to give motorcyclists approval to move past stalled,

[rustynutz]

Hellebloodyluyah!!!   

Now lets just hope the other States follow suit....

[Dazzler]

 

[beerman]

You pay less rego, wait in line.....I've had enough of those idiots who nearly take off my mirror to take the front spot only to not pay attention to the lights and hold me up.

Get in line with the rest of us....

[rustynutz]

Why doesn't your response surprise me?.....  

Well, you may very well have to suck it up if the other States follow NSW's lead.... 

[beerman]

I would hate to disappoint....

Though the less rego thing was tongue in cheek....

Nearly taking off my mirror then holding me up, happens all too often.

[rustynutz]

Actually, in some States you pay pretty much the same (rego wise) for a motorcycle as you do for a car... 


Btw beerman, if motorcyclists did what you suggest (wait in line), you'd probably be held up even more... 

[beerman]

No I wouldn't they would be behind me 

[Dazzler]

No I wouldn't they would be behind me 

 

[rustynutz]

No I wouldn't they would be behind me 

Not for long....

[Snookes]

I personally don't care as long as they don't damage my car in any way whilst moving between vehicles.
I notice one of the restrictions is that when at intersections, they must stop behind the stop -line. I'd like to know what they'd do if after working their way between vehicles, they discover the vehicles at the front of the queue have stopped right up to the stop-line, leaving no room for the motor cyclist.

[eye30]

Here in uk this has been going on from day 1.

[rustynutz]

Yep, but here in Oz our safetycrats really don't like doing anything that might encourage motorcycling.
It was only a few years ago that they were pushing to have it specifically banned.

[rustynutz]

I notice one of the restrictions is that when at intersections, they must stop behind the stop -line. I'd like to know what they'd do if after working their way between vehicles, they discover the vehicles at the front of the queue have stopped right up to the stop-line, leaving no room for the motor cyclist.

They'll just do what I always did...stop alongside the front car and when the lights change you just accelerate away and then pull in ahead of the car. 
Never did see the logic of crossing the stop line, you're leaving yourself wide open to get done by a speed/red light camera. 

[Snookes]

If, in that situation, there was more than one bike, would there be the risk for the subsequent bikes, of a collision with an adjacent vehicle because the subsequent riders couldn't accelerate away as quickly as the first bike?
I have never ridden a bike and never will but I always drive with complete consideration for bike riders because it's the right thing to do with any road user, but especially with regard to the vulnerability of bike riders.
When directly behind bikes I always leave more space than I normally would.

[rustynutz]

Good to hear you're so considerate towards motorcyclists, snookes. 

There are many drivers out there who will go out of their way to block motorcyclists from lane splitting/filtering due to their jealousy that they themselves are stuck in traffic while the motorcyclist is free to get ahead of everyone else.

Re your question, most motorcycles will out accelerate cars with ease if need be, but if they can't they will usually just merge into the rest of the traffic....

[rustynutz]

Motorcycle Lane Filtering -- Why It Should Be Legal -- Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

[rustynutz]

Tips on filtering or lane splitting - YouTube

[mjt57]

No I wouldn't they would be behind me 

Not for long....

Yes, indeed.

I can't imagine any motorbike holding up someone driving an i30...

Hell, the other day, some goose in a Porsche tried to have a go. Note the keyword, "tried" here...

[rustynutz]

  

[Dazzler]

No I wouldn't they would be behind me 

Not for long....

Yes, indeed.

I can't imagine any motorbike holding up someone driving an i30...

Hell, the other day, some goose in a Porsche tried to have a go. Note the keyword, "tried" here...

Sounds like the WRX I kept honest in our old CRDi,  up a hill near Launceston! 

[rustynutz]

Some news that will be sure to excite some of our Queensland members.... 

Apparently the Queensland Government is now considering legalising motorcycle lane filtering....  

So guys, you might want to start using those mirrors and doing head checks before changing lanes or opening doors etc... 

[Doggie 1]

What?
That horrible, nasty, stupid, Queensland government that you've been talking about? 
Must be a bad decision then. 

[TheReaper]

I just make the motorcycles wait. Get close to the car in the other lane when coming to a stop. They can wait and my car is prevented from being scratched or mirror being taken off.

[rustynutz]

Great attitude, Reaps....

Did it ever cross your mind that if you kept to the left damage is unlikely?

[FatBoy]

 

[John B]

Cant see anything wrong with this law as long as it is done as shown by the motorcyclist in Rustys video. I try to keep to the left to allow them to go forward as it is now, but I was a motorcyclist from an early age in the UK, the reason I mention this is as a teenager many of us had no way to afford a car and our first mode of transport was a motorbike and then at a later date getting a car. Having ridden motorbikes it gave us more awareness of them when driving a car . It is a shame there is not more tolerance of all road users, it sure would make driving a much more pleasant experience. Right that's me off my soap box

[rustynutz]

I wish more road users were like you, John... 

[Doggie 1]

If I'm in the right lane on the freeway in stop/start traffic, I always keep well to the right to allow room for the motorbikes.

[rustynutz]

The Queensland Government is looking at possibly allowing riders to lane filter to the left of vehicles in the left lane as well, something I believe will be illegal when lane filtering starts in NSW....

They are also discussing the possibility of changes to the rules re keeping both feet on the foot pegs and at least one hand on the handle bars.
Also the possibility of allowing the use of helmets that comply with safety standards overseas but haven't been tested to comply with our own ADR.

Must say it's refreshing that they are looking into this sort of thing....Whether they actually come to pass remains to be seen.

I do know the RACQ opposes lane filtering based on a member survey from a few years back...Not surprising as I'm guessing the majority of members would be car drivers and we know how jealous they can be when they are forced to sit in traffic congestion and a motorcyclist is free to lane filter pass...