SCR: Riding on the line in the middle of the road

[LazyTrailRider]

(SCR = Sort-of Cycling Related...)

 

So I was driving back to the office from town, in traffic, at 4pm. A nice reminder of why our office is purposefully close to home, but that's not why I'm typing this.

 

Not being used to how far certain lanes back up at popular off-ramps on the M3 in peak times, I stay in the right lane and realise a little late that my turn-off lane is backed up much further than I would usually expect. Luckily, there's a slow vehicle a couple from the back, so I accelerate and without fuss manage to ease into the gap he left in front of him. Guess what though? There was a guy on a motorbike behind me who was in my blind spot and in the process of accelerating inbetween the right and left lanes, of course the end result is that he has to brake and swerve a bit to avoid me. I only noticed him when he past me, shaking his head and probably mumbling "you @#$ing idiot" to me.

 

So here's the question: What does the law say about cutting through traffic on a motorbike (or any vehicle/bike/transport form for that matter), riding/driving inbetween lanes? Even though most bikers do this, surely it's technically illegal and they don't really have any right to be upset if someone turns in front of them in what is a safe move between two lanes as far as traffic in the lanes themselves are concerned?

 

I waved a "sorry" to him, but afterwards I thought @#$% this, he should be told that he has no right to be there.

 

Whatcha think?

[Scoe]

I guess that if we or motorbike riders call to be (and are legally) considered as a 'vehicle' then it is the wrong thing to do, and i'd think, illegal... hmmmm...

It does sort of defeat the point of riding a motorbike though!

[Tiny K]

Can I agree to disagree here?

 

From a motorcyclists aspect (as I am one) it is the risk you take when zipping between slow (or fast) moving cars. I think it can be deemed illegal but as Scoe pointed out - what would then be the point of having a bike?

 

The thing that gets to me is when people move between lanes WITHOUT using indicators. If you did, good for you - that would have given the guy at least some kind of warning (depending on how fast he was moving). If you didn't... well then you are the idiot. By not using your indicators YOU endanger the lives of others.

 

Unfortunately waving sorry doesn't make a difference when you have just received an involuntary adrenalin rush in avoiding a vehicle accident - but I guess it's the thought that counts hey.

 

A bit off topic but, this campaign of 'Speed Kills' is a lie - it is more like people who drive drunk, do not use indicators or who drive un-roadworthy vehicles who are the killers.

 

My 5c worth (coz 2c don't exist anymore)

[TNT1]

It's called lane splitting. Perfectly legal to do on a motorbike under south african law.

[leet22]

Yip As the explosive one B) says its legal todo in SA. Its risky as sometimes you in a drivers blind spot or they chatting on a cellphone but something I do everyday in traffic.

[GLuvsMtb]

Legal and responsible are 2 different concepts here. We all do it on bikes. I have to do it at least twice on my commute home every evening. 1 at the Koeberg/Plattekloof T junction and 2 at the Blouberg/Gie road intersection. If I tried to do it at 55km/h on my bicycle, I'd be dead by now. The way a motorbike should do this would be to go at a sedate pace so that vehicles have time to spot the bike and that he/she have time to react if someone doesn't see you.

Always assume that you are invisible when on the bike and act accordingly. The biggest motorist comment after hitting one of us is" I didn't see him!" No matter how many lights you have flashing, motorists are not programmed to look out for us.

[TNT1]

something I do everyday in traffic.

 

Yip... Same here...

[TNT1]

Legal and responsible are 2 different concepts here.

 

Yip, there's a right and a wrong way to split...

[Guest Big H]

(SCR = Sort-of Cycling Related...)

 

So I was driving back to the office from town, in traffic, at 4pm. A nice reminder of why our office is purposefully close to home, but that's not why I'm typing this.

 

Not being used to how far certain lanes back up at popular off-ramps on the M3 in peak times, I stay in the right lane and realise a little late that my turn-off lane is backed up much further than I would usually expect. Luckily, there's a slow vehicle a couple from the back, so I accelerate and without fuss manage to ease into the gap he left in front of him. Guess what though? There was a guy on a motorbike behind me who was in my blind spot and in the process of accelerating inbetween the right and left lanes, of course the end result is that he has to brake and swerve a bit to avoid me. I only noticed him when he past me, shaking his head and probably mumbling "you @#$ing idiot" to me.

 

So here's the question: What does the law say about cutting through traffic on a motorbike (or any vehicle/bike/transport form for that matter), riding/driving inbetween lanes? Even though most bikers do this, surely it's technically illegal and they don't really have any right to be upset if someone turns in front of them in what is a safe move between two lanes as far as traffic in the lanes themselves are concerned?

 

I waved a "sorry" to him, but afterwards I thought @#$% this, he should be told that he has no right to be there.

 

Whatcha think?

 

Sorry to be a wet blanket...... the M3 is the "blue route" is it not? If so it is a freeway and it is illegal for you to ride here. Does not matter what, if you caused an collision you would have been guilty.

 

This does not solve the lane switching question but poses a different angle on the issue.

[Schwynn]

(SCR = Sort-of Cycling Related...)

 

So I was driving back to the office from town, in traffic, at 4pm. A nice reminder of why our office is purposefully close to home, but that's not why I'm typing this.

 

Not being used to how far certain lanes back up at popular off-ramps on the M3 in peak times, I stay in the right lane and realise a little late that my turn-off lane is backed up much further than I would usually expect. Luckily, there's a slow vehicle a couple from the back, so I accelerate and without fuss manage to ease into the gap he left in front of him. Guess what though? There was a guy on a motorbike behind me who was in my blind spot and in the process of accelerating inbetween the right and left lanes, of course the end result is that he has to brake and swerve a bit to avoid me. I only noticed him when he past me, shaking his head and probably mumbling "you @#$ing idiot" to me.

 

So here's the question: What does the law say about cutting through traffic on a motorbike (or any vehicle/bike/transport form for that matter), riding/driving inbetween lanes? Even though most bikers do this, surely it's technically illegal and they don't really have any right to be upset if someone turns in front of them in what is a safe move between two lanes as far as traffic in the lanes themselves are concerned?

 

I waved a "sorry" to him, but afterwards I thought @#$% this, he should be told that he has no right to be there.

 

Whatcha think?

 

From the road traffic act: http://www.transport.gov.za/library/regulations/1999/roadregs00.html

 

(6) (a) Persons, other than traffic officers in the performance of their duties, driving motor cycles on a public road, shall drive in single file except in the course of overtaking another motor cycle, and two or more persons driving motor cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time: Provided that where a public road is divided into traffic lanes, each such lane shall, for the purposes of this paragraph, be regarded as a public road.

 

 

[Schwynn]

And let's add this:

Riding on pedal cycles

 

311. (1) No person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road unless he or she is seated astride on the saddle of such pedal cycle.

 

(2) Persons riding pedal cycles on a public road shall ride in single file except in the course of overtaking another pedal cycle, and two or more persons riding pedal cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time.

 

(3) No person riding or seated on a pedal cycle on a public road shall take hold of any other vehicle in motion.

 

(4) No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall deliberately cause such pedal cycle to swerve from side to side.

 

(5) No person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall carry thereon any person, animal or object which obstructs his or her view or which prevents him or her from exercising complete control over the movements of such pedal cycle.

 

(6) A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road shall do so with at least one hand on the handle-bars of such pedal cycle.

 

(7) Whenever a portion of a public road has been set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, no person shall ride a pedal cycle on any other portion of such road.

 

(8) A person riding a pedal cycle on a public road or a portion of a public road set aside for use by persons riding pedal cycles, shall do so in such manner that all the wheels of such pedal cycle are in contact with the surface of the road at all times.

 

 

[Schwynn]

Oh, just stumbled across this on another forum and I quote:

 

 

"A mate was riding in Somerset West yesterday and on approaching a red robot he pulled out of his lane passed between two cars and stopped between them at the red robot. As he pulled away a cop car behind him pulled him over and fined him R600 for "lane splitting"!Be careful guys and girls as it has been proved that the eradication of lane splitting will bring down the road death toll by a huge percentage. It will also remove the taxi carnage and is known to heal piles in traffic officers.

 

Well I suppose seeing that there is no other law breaking on our roads lets target the real serious offenses like "lane splitting".

 

That is it I am going to give myself over to serious drinking right now and Join Dozi in his cell a bit later................!!!!!!!!!

 

Sons of beaches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

So, if it is legal to split lanes, which it is not, this guy would not have been fined...

 

[Flowta]

Sorry to be a wet blanket...... the M3 is the "blue route" is it not? If so it is a freeway and it is illegal for you to ride here. Does not matter what, if you caused an collision you would have been guilty.

 

This does not solve the lane switching question but poses a different angle on the issue.

 

Read what he wrote, he was driving!! The other guy was on a motorbike

[Guest Big H]

Read what he wrote, he was driving!! The other guy was on a motorbike

 

OK my stupid... he did say "riding/driving" a little lower. My reply still stands as it is illegal to ride a bicycle on a freeway.

[Woofie]

Morewoodmad, you seem to be on the same route as me. Where do you ride to? I go to belville._

I have to lane split on my bicycle everyday in my commuting.

And yes it often means riding between cars that are moving.

I rely heavily on cars to indicate before pulling out.

[firewolf]

Was the guy riding in Somerset West on a bicycle or a motor bike?