Razorback
02-12-2009, 07:02 PM
Or is this some dumbass behaviour ??
I have noticed since I have been back in Adelaide that a large number of riders are totally comfortable riding up the left hand side of the traffic... in the cycle lane if its there and against the curb if its not.
A guy I saw today on a tricked out R1 with a P plate, sat in stationary traffic staring down the centreline obviously comtemplating going down the middle. He even backed up a foot and pointed his wheel at the gap, then the light went green and he thought better of it, he was about 15 cars back from the lights and right behind me.
So we take off... and Im thinking "why the #@!$ dont riders lane split much these days, especially in stationary traffic" I mean to me it almost totally defeats one of the main advantages of riding a bike in the city.
I have lane split my entire road riding career... 16-43 (yes thats right I rode an RG250 for about 18 months unlicenced and my first 750 for prolly 2 years on a 250 licence, sue me) but the point is... in 25 odd years of riding I have lane split down the MIDDLE, more often than not obnoxiously (pop it down 1 or 2 cogs from 70kmh as you enter the gap, see those drivers jump!) and never had a drama doing it... I do it to this day and will likely never stop.
Several times now I have pulled up sharp next to a car... looked down (as you do) and seen the uniform and gone "gulp" but the only comment I ever got was in Mildura... cop rolled down the window and said... "fuck nice bike!" when I had the Bandito.
But anyway I digress.... WTF is up with going down the left side...?? To me thats madness... the kid I was refering to before... after balking at going down the middle STATIONARY proceeded to weave through the traffic after he took off, including going up the left in the cycle lane at 60kmh... my eyes bugged out... but the P plate tells a story of someone in a hurry to learn a hard lesson in my opinion.
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1259793104.gif
What say you [?]
I have noticed since I have been back in Adelaide that a large number of riders are totally comfortable riding up the left hand side of the traffic... in the cycle lane if its there and against the curb if its not.
A guy I saw today on a tricked out R1 with a P plate, sat in stationary traffic staring down the centreline obviously comtemplating going down the middle. He even backed up a foot and pointed his wheel at the gap, then the light went green and he thought better of it, he was about 15 cars back from the lights and right behind me.
So we take off... and Im thinking "why the #@!$ dont riders lane split much these days, especially in stationary traffic" I mean to me it almost totally defeats one of the main advantages of riding a bike in the city.
I have lane split my entire road riding career... 16-43 (yes thats right I rode an RG250 for about 18 months unlicenced and my first 750 for prolly 2 years on a 250 licence, sue me) but the point is... in 25 odd years of riding I have lane split down the MIDDLE, more often than not obnoxiously (pop it down 1 or 2 cogs from 70kmh as you enter the gap, see those drivers jump!) and never had a drama doing it... I do it to this day and will likely never stop.
Several times now I have pulled up sharp next to a car... looked down (as you do) and seen the uniform and gone "gulp" but the only comment I ever got was in Mildura... cop rolled down the window and said... "fuck nice bike!" when I had the Bandito.
But anyway I digress.... WTF is up with going down the left side...?? To me thats madness... the kid I was refering to before... after balking at going down the middle STATIONARY proceeded to weave through the traffic after he took off, including going up the left in the cycle lane at 60kmh... my eyes bugged out... but the P plate tells a story of someone in a hurry to learn a hard lesson in my opinion.
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1259793104.gif
What say you [?]