Lane splitting

[Uys]

This is not a lane splitting argument - whether it is allowed or not.

I am just wondering what the lane splitting "rules" are. I consider myself sensitive to bikes on the road - I move over to the right so that they can pass me on the left (between the two lines on a highway) as most riders does it that way. Yesterday I am doing 140 on the R59 and I see two bikes approach - FAST! I am in the right lane and move onto the right hand white line to make space for him to pass me on the left. Sure as hell -this guy passes me on the right - less than 1m of tar - then throws me a sign - at close to 200 km/h

SO - what is the rules/preferences?

[Kamakazi]

The rule is not to exceed 120kph

Just stay in your lane & don't cross any lines to right or left.. Moving over the line on shoulder of right is also not allowed

[RobH]

They don't call the right the suicide lane for nothing.

I'm like you, I always move right to let them pass me on the left if I'm in the fast lane. I was under the impression that that was the accepted protocol for bikers - it's what I do when I'm lane splitting.

[Uys]

The rule is not to exceed 120kph

Just stay in your lane & don't cross any lines to right or left.. Moving over the line on shoulder of right is also not allowed

The 2.4GD6 go stuck in power mode - I was on the brakes all the way!

[mikeml]

This is why lane splitting at speed is so dangerous. We have different trains of thoughts. You move to the right if you are in the rh lane to give them more space between yourself and the car on your left.

I move closer to the car on the left to give them more space on the rhs, where they have the extra shoulder. As a biker, I would have preferred passing on the right as well. In city driving, this is mostly different as there is often no shoulder on either side.

[IcePick88]

It seems the bikes were keeping left, passing right.

Lane splitting mostly refers to bikes moving between lanes and cars at stationary or slow moving traffic.

One does not lane split on the highway. There is enough lanes and cars moving at speed to pass like normal.

The best thing you can do when doing your 120 and you see a fast approaching bike from behind is to keep still in your lane. Let the bike decide where to pass. There is nothing worse than a jittery car when you are approaching at Mach 1.

When going slowly in traffic, move over slightly to the left.

[Tweeling]

The 2.4GD6 go stuck in power mode - I was on the brakes all the way!

Should report this to Toyota - there might be a call back

[WAJ]

Bikes should NOT be doing Mach1 on any road. Speed limit is 120. If you approach at that mad speed, I can not judge how fast you are moving, nor expect anyone to pass me on the left (or right) at such a rate of speed while I am on the right side busy overtaking another slower vehicle.



When did it happen that bikers are exempt from the speed limits, or all the other rules of the road? Windgat bikers tend not to get very old sadly.

[Rafiki]

I ride / commute on 2 wheels.

Rule number 1 - don't be a ####
Rule number 2 - mutual respect

Rule of thumb, we ride in the fast lane and pass (lane split) on the left for cars in the far right lane and pass (lane split) for cars in the middle or left lane. This should however only be done when it is safe to do so and without disobeying the law.

Unfortunately some bikers believe they own the road and have permanent right of way, which gives the rest of us a very bad rap.

[TwinDisco]

When did it happen that bikers are exempt from the speed limits, or all the other rules of the road? Windgat bikers tend not to get very old sadly.

Bikes without number plates are apparantly exempt from speed limits and any other traffic rules.

[DouglasN]

the whole lane splitting issue is a massive grey area, basically there are a few unrelated rules/regs that are taken together to show that it is allowed, but there is no definitive ruleset for it.

That being said, it is illegal to ride on the shoulder, you should be passing between the cars, and the gap between the RH lane and the 2nd lane is referred to as the biker lane. The road shoulder, on the other hand , as mentioned before, is referred to as the suicide lane.

This thread is in reality an extension of the inconsiderate drivers thread, the numpties cant ride properly or ride bikes that are sooo wide because of their panniers etc that they actually cannot lane split. I have seen it all to often, the guys dont go between cars, they basically zigzag around cars

[JLK]

Rule for everybody is keep left and pass right. But that concept get confused in multi lanes. Some even keep right.

[riyadh]

Lane splitting isn't illegal in South Africa, however there are safety precautions motorcyclists should follow to ensure their safety:

• Don't travel more the 20km/h faster than other traffic.
• Don't lane split if traffic is travelling faster than 50km/h.
• It's safer to lane split in lanes 1 and 2.

People dont understand those 2 and have an entitlement problem when on a motorbike. I used to bike, will probably again someday.

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/gener...orcycle-safety

[Traction]

I ride / commute on 2 wheels.

Rule number 1 - don't be a ####
Rule number 2 - mutual respect

Rule of thumb, we ride in the fast lane and pass (lane split) on the left for cars in the far right lane and pass (lane split) for cars in the middle or left lane. This should however only be done when it is safe to do so and without disobeying the law.

Unfortunately some bikers believe they own the road and have permanent right of way, which gives the rest of us a very bad rap.

Intelligent comment, I also ride and commute on bikes and feel the same way.

I put up a post a while back on Wilddog of a similar experience I had driving north out of Pretoria towing my offroad bike on my trailer when I almost loaded a dual sport rider who was travelling way too fast lane splitting and only saw my road legal trailer the last second as he was looking far ahead in the traffic. I was lambasted by my fellow bikers for driving at the speed limit in my brand new 4x4 towing my completely legal trailer in the fast lane with cars in front and behind me.

As a biker i now just take note of the bikers when I am driving and stay exactly where I am and expect the bikers to also apply mutual respect and obey the law as we both legally on the road.

[LandyAndy]

I never lane split any quicker than about 20km/hr faster than the traffic that I'm splitting.

And I generally only lane split when its bumper to bumper and hardly moving.

[IcePick88]

Bikes should NOT be doing Mach1 on any road. Speed limit is 120. If you approach at that mad speed, I can not judge how fast you are moving, nor expect anyone to pass me on the left (or right) at such a rate of speed while I am on the right side busy overtaking another slower vehicle.



When did it happen that bikers are exempt from the speed limits, or all the other rules of the road? Windgat bikers tend not to get very old sadly.

I agree with your sentiments.

But to keep things safe on the road (even though he is riding very fast), I stay put in my lane with no sudden movements. At speed, if he decides to pass you on your left, and you decide to move left for him to pass on the right, the biker needs to react quickly and sometimes at speed that is impossible to change direction again. He crashed into you, kills himself and possibly injures your family in the back.

I used to ride bike a lot, and even at normal highway speeds, people in cars sometimes panic as they see you coming too late, make sudden movements when I have already chosen my path and when they move it's just a mess.

[Redman]

Huge difference between splitting lanes and being a butterfly.

I agree on the 20 km/h rule mentioned above. Makes a lot of sense.

And yes, a lot of cowboys out there. Saw one knock a car's mirror off for not judging the bikers speed correct.

That being said, I always try and remember that the lane splitters (good and bad) could have been in cars, adding to the traffic woes

[Graham]

I agree with your sentiments.

But to keep things safe on the road (even though he is riding very fast), I stay put in my lane with no sudden movements. At speed, if he decides to pass you on your left, and you decide to move left for him to pass on the right, the biker needs to react quickly and sometimes at speed that is impossible to change direction again. He crashed into you, kills himself and possibly injures your family in the back.

I used to ride bike a lot, and even at normal highway speeds, people in cars sometimes panic as they see you coming too late, make sudden movements when I have already chosen my path and when they move it's just a mess.

100% this.
If I see a bike closing in at a rapid pace I hold my line and dont move at all. When theyre going at that speed theyre already looking hundreds of metres ahead of them and dont have time to adjust for any changes inside that.

[MANDREAS]

This is not a lane splitting argument - whether it is allowed or not.

I am just wondering what the lane splitting "rules" are. I consider myself sensitive to bikes on the road - I move over to the right so that they can pass me on the left (between the two lines on a highway) as most riders does it that way. Yesterday I am doing 140 on the R59 and I see two bikes approach - FAST! I am in the right lane and move onto the right hand white line to make space for him to pass me on the left. Sure as hell -this guy passes me on the right - less than 1m of tar - then throws me a sign - at close to 200 km/h

SO - what is the rules/preferences?

Teen 200km/h is dit fastest finger first.

[New]

Commuting on the N1 between JHB and PTA each day, I am often perplexed about the degree of trust bikers show towards the general populous on the roads.

The same populous that drift over lanes while typing/talking on a phone, applying make up, still being phuza faced or what have you.... the same populous that take a gap where there is evidentially and physically not one and without using indicators....

I would not place my life in their hands or live life on the luck of the draw that they will pay attention or obey the "rules"* as you are passing them at speed! I am already feeling lucky to get home alive as I sit in an almost one and a half ton car with crumple zones, impact beams and six airbags!

*These rules also apparently include unwritten ones of knowing where most bikers normally are...