Riding Style Questions (lane splitting/filtering and speeding)

[ike]

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Lane splitting - I've never done it, and probably never will... too many clueless car drivers on the road, plus you risk scratching the other cars with your mirrors/handlebars etc. as you go by. Then you have a new problem to deal with.

Filtering - Can someone fill me in on what this is?

Speed - You probably won't have too much trouble doing +10 in urban areas, and +20 on the highways (depending on traffic flow of course.) If there are lots of people/jaywalkers around (as in downtown T.), you might want to just stick to the posted limit. It's probably also wise to be a little less speedy toward the end of the month - You just might get pulled over by someone who hasn't written their quota of tickets that month and is playing catch-up. Maybe quota isn't the politically correct word... replace "quota" with "Job Performance Measure"

 

[油井緋色]

Safe speed limit:
+49

 

[Sushii]

Lane splitting - I've never done it, and probably never will... too many clueless car drivers on the road, plus you risk scratching the other cars with your mirrors/handlebars etc. as you go by. Then you have a new problem to deal with.

Filtering - Can someone fill me in on what this is?

Speed - You probably won't have too much trouble doing +10 in urban areas, and +20 on the highways (depending on traffic flow of course.) If there are lots of people/jaywalkers around (as in downtown T.), you might want to just stick to the posted limit. It's probably also wise to be a little less speedy toward the end of the month - You just might get pulled over by someone who hasn't written their quota of tickets that month and is playing catch-up. Maybe quota isn't the politically correct word... replace "quota" with "Job Performance Measure"

filtering is when you are stopped at a light and there are cars infront of you and you inch forward to the start of the pack to be first. Its the same thing as spltting but the cars are idle.

 

[Kuro]

Good advice from everybody; much appreciated.

A few points that I've learned from this thread and from other riders (including an off-duty OPP officer):
-Keep the speed down in the cities (between 10 and 15 over) and keep up with the pace of traffic on the highways. Don't worry about speeding out in the country too much, just keep eyes open for patrol cars in front or behind you.
-Filtering is not a great idea. Not because of the tickets but becasue of insane car drivers who don't want you to go ahead of the queue (despite not affecting them in any way). So try not to filter too much. That's definitely a cultural shock that I'll just have to get used to.
-Your bike will often determine whether you get pulled over for either. The OPP officer I talked to mentioned that SS bikes with aftermarket stuff will get pulled over a lot whereas my BMW, despite being a sporty bike, might get overlooked).

You pretty much got it here, although not all cops can distinguish sport from super sport. I filter when stuck in a traffic jam and I have been purposely blocked, honked at and cut off by cars, SUVs and even tractor trailers. If you're going to do it, stay under 20 km/h. I've saved a lot of time filtering. Worth the risk? You be the judge. Lane split? Never.

 

[johnnycage]

I split lanes often but only to get ahead of the pack. I also wave to everyone I turn in front of to be polite. Speeding is tough. I base it on what I see, some roads its easy to hit 20-30 over but that's like lakeshore. I try not to go to crazy.

 

[stormcat]

I've seen a number of riders on sportbikes and cruisers lane split on the Gardiner. One in particular, a young guy on a black Gixxer tonight was going about it quite slowly and meticulously. I was jealous... stuck in my car. Anyway, I saw him about a km later near the Park Lawn exit pulled over by the OPP. I hope they didn't ream him too badly. Traffic was barely moving and the rider wasn't being a squid about lane splitting or anything.

 

[Baldwin]

I rarely filter or lane split. If traffic is stopped, I treat myself like any other vehicle and sit there baking in the heat waiting for something to move. But once traffic is moving I find that I can maneouver through it fairly well by just changing lanes back and forth and weaving my way through (when it's safe). If I'm on the highway and things are moving along, I'm usually that guy right behind you that passes in the right lane if you don't get out of my way.

 

[aaronshum]

I often see people open the driver side door at traffic lights to spit (nasty habit btw).

Imagine if you happen to be filtering through. BAM!! Same as trying to filter through the right at intersections and impatient cars that swerve out to turn right instead, etc.

I prefer to waste a few minutes sitting in traffic and avoid being hit.

For speeds, go with flow of traffic, otherwise be ready to be caught eventually.

 

[Cat13]

Serious question, I don't know the answer, is using the right lane when it is full of parked cars "lane splitting" ?

I wouldn't weave in stopped traffic in between lanes, but this one seems fair game.

Its not lane splitting until there is someone in the car. Even if it is parked, as soon as you passed a car with a person in it... you've lane split. I use this lane myself BUT keeping in mind that your playing for a door prize and I always try to look for someone thru the back windows. Lane splitting on the highway to me is dumb... but your choice. I have seen cars try to knock a bike that is lane splitting.

Just remember its a war between cages and bikes. The cabbies being the kamakazi for the cagers.

 

[kamper]

Serious question, I don't know the answer, is using the right lane when it is full of parked cars "lane splitting" ?

I wouldn't weave in stopped traffic in between lanes, but this one seems fair game.

I was doing this up a long line of cars on Parkside the other week and thinking nothing of it until I passed a cop. Then it occurred to me that the right lane was small enough and there was so little room that I may as well have been filtering. I assumed I was ok, but I was glad that there was no room for him/her to come after me

 

[R6EXY]

Lane Splitting / Filtering / Speeding are all illegal, partake in any of the aforementioned activities and be prepared for any consequences should you be/get caught.

 

[evang]

I don't split lanes. too dangerous with the way people drive here.

Filtering through stopped traffic on the other hand.... I do it all the time. Never had a problem. While i normally don't do it if there is a cop right in front of me or behind me, I've inadvertantly done it in front of them before, and never been stopped in the 4 years I've been riding.

 

[evang]

I was doing this up a long line of cars on Parkside the other week and thinking nothing of it until I passed a cop. Then it occurred to me that the right lane was small enough and there was so little room that I may as well have been filtering. I assumed I was ok, but I was glad that there was no room for him/her to come after me

If it's filtering past parked cars on the right, I do that in front of cops all the time. Between lanes of cars that are just stopped in traffic, i'm more cautious though.

 

[kiwi]

I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to riding here. My father and the guys at my bike dealership suggested not lane splitting. Not because of tickets but because of insane drivers who will purposely try and block you or get annoyed that you're jumping the queue. Does anyone here lane split (when traffic is stopped)? Any tips or advice or should I just forget about it?

How far above the limit should I be riding on a regular basis? When I drove here years ago I wouldn't do more than 15-20 over the limit; is this still a good compromise between safe riding (keeping up with the flow of traffic or getting to the front of the pack) and avoiding a ticket?

Much thanks for your advice.

Yeah, don't lane split. People in cars will get angry, they don't really expect you to do it and you *may* get a Stunt driving ticket.. do a google on Stunt driving and lane spitting on the DVP and you will find a thread about someone ticketed with that. The penalty for stunt driving is very severe!

Stay with the flow of traffic, but beware, from my experience being on a motorcycle is a heat score, and if there is a car speeding and a motorcycle, its usually the motorcycle that is pulled over.

 

[kiwi]

I don't split lanes. too dangerous with the way people drive here.

Filtering through stopped traffic on the other hand.... I do it all the time. Never had a problem. While i normally don't do it if there is a cop right in front of me or behind me, I've inadvertantly done it in front of them before, and never been stopped in the 4 years I've been riding.

you must ride with a horseshoe up your ***

I've seen cops pull bikes over for filtering. (not all the time)

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