Lane Filtering Trial Sydney CBD

[Sicman]

http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/motorcyclists/lane_filtering.html

Motorcycle lane filtering trial - Check Twice for Bikes

Motorcyclists were allowed to lane filter between stationary vehicles at intersections from 1 March to 30 April 2013 as part of an Australian-first trial in Sydney.

The trial took place in the northern part of the Sydney CBD using video to monitor lane filtering behaviour. It explored whether traffic flow improves without jeopardising road safety.

All road users needed to follow the usual traffic rules which included being mindful of motorcycles on the road. This meant checking twice for motorcyclists when pulling out or changing lanes.

The NSW Police Force CBD Motorcycle Response Team policed the trial area to ensure road rules were followed by all motorists.
What is lane filtering?

Motorcycle lane filtering includes:

    Motorcycles moving between stationary vehicles.
    Motorcycles travelling within the lane, on the lane line and/or into the adjacent lane when filtering.

Lane filtering trial area

The lane filtering trial was confined to an area bound by Sussex Street, Market Street, St James Road, Macquarie Street, Alfred Street and Hickson Road. Motorcyclists were not allowed to lane filter on the Cahill Expressway, Western Distributor and Bradfield Highway (Sydney Harbour Bridge).

Electronic signs were located on the roadside approaching the trial area as a reminder of the trial.
Conditions of lane filtering

When lane filtering, motorcycle riders were required to follow the below conditions:

    Motorcyclists are not allowed to travel through moving traffic (lane splitting).
    Riders must not overtake to the left of a vehicle which is in the left-hand lane.
    When traffic is queued at intersections, riders must stop at the intersection behind the stop-line.
    Riders must not filter in ‘bus only’ lanes.

Motorcycle riders were also asked to take extra care when lane filtering:

    In turning lanes.
    Near buses, cyclists and pedestrians.
    Adjacent to parked vehicles.
    Moving from traffic lights.
    Merging back into traffic.

Road rules exemption

Motorcycle riders were exempt from the following road rules in order to allow them to filter within the trial area for the trial period:

    Drivers/riders on a multi-lane road must travel entirely within a single lane (rule 146a)
    Drivers/riders must travel within a single line of traffic on a road without marked lanes (rule 146b)
    Drivers/riders on a multi-lane road must not move from one marked lane into another marked lane by crossing a continuous line separating the lanes (rule 147)

Results of lane filtering trial

Findings from the trial will be presented in late 2013.

[Shiney]

I'm looking forward to seeing what the results of this are and weather it'll result in any changes to the rules.
It would be good to get lane filtering legalised

[rustyEB]

The findings will be interesting.  Will they paint filtering in a positive or negative light. Was there less congestion? How many tin lids complained? I look forward to the results.

[Brock]

Dont try this if towing a trailer, or riding  a Spyder or Trike. Results may be not so good.

[Shiney]

Dont try this if towing a trailer, or riding  a Spyder or Trike. Results may be not so good.

 

[Marcus]

This will be an interesting report... I wonder how the outcome to be considering the study was only 2 months.

I'd like to see it given more time with the riders used to the idea

[Sicman]

It was interesting to  see their definition of filtering versus splitting i.e stationary cars you can filter, moving vehicles its not on 

[Sean]

Not knowing that part of Sydney very well, was this the best trial area or was it used to have the trial fail?  Sometimes the pollies give with one hand to appease the masses and then set it up fall. I don't have a real problem with the filtering concept, but I do see the splitting as pretty stupid given the way some Evil Knievel go about it.

[Sicman]

This part of the CBD has narrow roads, not much parking and lots of traffic from bus's to bikes and heaps of cabs and courier bikes. It was probably easy for the cops to monitor the traffic movement on a small area of the CBD than a wider area across Sydney

[Biggles]

I'm a bit of a pessimist generally, but I can't see this being accepted as sufficient evidence to suspend those three laws state-wide.  I reckon the Police would be complaining that it's too hard to regulate.

Besides that, even if it was legalised in NSW, with our mad federal system, every other State would have to carry out the same trials for themselves, with varying results.  Then there would be a suspension of the activity until everyone could agree in the interests of country-wide uniform laws, and that would be the end of it.

Sorry for being a wet blanket, but the laws always tend to the tightest control because they have to accommodate the weakest road user.

The only thing they've managed to standardise country-wide is any infringement in any State will be reported to your home State to accumulate on your record.

[Brock]

We dont need trials in WA, as it seem that filtering as such isnt illegal here. The Fuzz can get you for overtaking offenses but, if they dont like what they see.

[Shiney]

You always make WA sound so good Brock...

• Lax laws regarding motorbikes
• Inexpensive rego and insurance

If it wasn't for the excessive heat everybody would be staying at your place

[johnnyYTED]

 
most people I've spoken with werent aware of the trial ONLY being in the lower Sydney CBD or even of the trial itself. I dont think it was a good location to do it. I was doing it all across Sydney Metro.

[Sicman]

They advertised the trial details heavily in the papers for a few weeks before it started

[johnnyYTED]

 

They advertised the trial details heavily in the papers for a few weeks before it started

it would help if I read papers more often then
 

[alans1100]

They advertised the trial details heavily in the papers for a few weeks before it started

 
it would help if I read papers more often then
 

Even I knew about it and I live in SA and I don't even buy the papers. But then it was on here and other bike sites as well. Probably just before you joined up http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=3294.msg33388#msg33388

Next time I see the local guys in blue I might see what the SA situation is.

[johnnyYTED]

 
alans1100  I had just come off a year of Chemotherapy  just before I joined OzSToc and I couldnt really remember much longer than 1 hr before. Anyway I was lucky then didnt nab me for filtering,,,
all's good  I hope they do change the current laws prohibiting it..   I'm never in a rush to get anywhere so either way I'll cop a fine if I filter and get booked.

[Biggles]

I'm never in a rush to get anywhere so either way I'll cop a fine if I filter and get booked.

You've got to hope the Cop isn't short of his quota and throws the book at you:

Drivers/riders on a multi-lane road must travel entirely within a single lane (rule 146a)
Drivers/riders must travel within a single line of traffic on a road without marked lanes (rule 146b)
Drivers/riders on a multi-lane road must not move from one marked lane into another marked lane by crossing a continuous line separating the lanes (rule 147)

That probably adds up to a heap of $s and points.