For those following the thread, the following links lay down the new rules which came into effect last Tuesday (1 July) ..

Legislation:

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/sessionalview/sessional/sr/2014-383.pdf

RMS (RTA) FAQ:

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

Note that exceeding 30 k's is a 3-point offence (how they're going to establish speed in those circumstances will be interesting), but you can guarantee the usual umbrella offences of neg drive and not have control will still be used. Unable to find anything concrete about $$ fine at this stage.

Hopefully everyone will use a bit of commonsense and not cruel it for everyone by being stupid. You can bet the haters will be watching to see if we screw it up. Good luck.

 

Now that it is finally legal, The car cocks will still try and block us. Nothing has changed for them...........

Prob safe to assume that now filtering is legal, they will be more focused on targetting those who do it outside the conditions. Time honoured practices such as crossing ahead of the lead stopped car at the lights (over the stop line) to allow other bikes onto the 'grid' will prob get you knocked off for crossing line against the red. I predict you'll also get a lot of dickheads deliberately closing the gap when they see you coming. As always - be vigilant and assume the worst!

People driving cars dont like the new rule.

Get a bike and enjoy the ride :-)

As with most Positive things, Which this new rule is, comes the speculation and realizations of the negative sides to it. Why do we do this? I myself am as guilty as the next man for this but because of previous dealing in with various other changes to the traffic code/ rules, I can't help but be concerned with my and others safety. I just hope drivers do realise and understand that it is acceptable now for us to lane split. I think the relevant motoring safety authorities need to put a new ad together to help convey the new rules. FFS we pay enough taxes and such through our rego's, ctp's and the like. We will soon see........

I do it a fair amount as I commute in Sydney.
Never really had any problems.
Only hassles in Sydney traffic are Four Wheel Drivers.

Just to follow up - in NSW there are now two different on-the-spot fines for this ..

(1) Exceeding 30 kph while filtering - $623 + 3 pts (section 151-1 of the Road Rules 2008)

(2) Less than 30 kph .. but either (1) in a school zone, (2) not on a full licence, or (3) in any way 'unsafe' (the umbrella clause) - $242 + 2 pts (section 146-1 of the Road Rules 2008)

if lane filtering is now being deemed legal, how are these road rules been there since 2008?

The Road Rules generally were enacted in 2008. The changes on July 1 added a new rule (151-1) for exceeding the 30k limit and provided an exemption to an existing rule (146) if the conditions were met.

It's the little clause about 'safe manner' in the exemption to S.146 that will be the biggest problem for cyclists. Open to very wide interpretation depending on how much you piss him off.