I often get asked by learners about the legalities of "Lane Splitting". When asked to elaborate, they ask whether it is OK to travel down the center of the lane, between two lanes of cars.
My follow-up question is: "Is the traffic stationery or are both lanes moving?"
Whats the difference?
When both the lanes are stationery and a motorcycle travels between the lanes, this is known as filtering as you are filtering through the two lanes to the front of the queue.
When both lanes are moving and a motorcycle travels between the lanes, they are effectively creating an additional lane, without lane markings.
I approached the Motorcycle Riders Association of WA for clarification, this is what they handed to me
Lane Filtering
Here is the related regulation for overtaking. You will note that reg 122(1) stipulates a moving vehicle so when the vehicles are stationery, that reg doesnt apply.
122. Overtaking
(1) When overtaking a moving vehicle, a driver of a vehicle (other than a bicycle) shall, except as provided in subregulations (2) and (3) pass on the right of that vehicle, at a safe distance.
Points : 2 Modified penalty: 2PU
(2) Where a carriageway is a one-way carriageway, or has 2 or more marked lanes for vehicles traveling in the same direction, a driver may overtake and pass in another marked lane to the left of a vehicle, if conditions permit him or her to do so with safety.
Heres my view on the topic.
If as a motorcyclist, you are filtering, you are getting out of the way of vehicles coming from the back. In other words, you are reducing the risk of a rear end collision. The motorcyclist is going to pull away from the trafic light faster than the cars and get ahead of them, so it is in essence a very safe manoeuvre and it assists in improving the flow of trafic (less vehicles in the queue) and according to the letter of the law, is not illegal.
If however you are splitting, you are breaking the law. You may not create an additional lane between two moving lanes of trafic. However, as motorcyclists, we are rebelous by nature, so were going to split lanes. Do it carefully if you are going to do it. do not split if the lanes are moving faster than 40kmph. At 40kmph, an experienced alert rider can stop his motorcycle within a car length, so its relatively safe (albeit illegal). If you are lane splitting at any speed faster than 40kmph, pick a lane and stay in it, wait for a gap and use the gap as an overtaking opportunity
