Motorcycle road rule quiz baffles drivers: Can you answer it?

Motorists have been stumped by the rules of a common time-saving traffic manoeuvre, with some questioning whether it should be allowed.

An online quiz has shown Queensland motorists struggle with the rules around lane filtering on motorcycles, with many reporting they didn’t even know they were allowed to do it at all.

Lane filtering is the act of riding in between lanes of traffic and is often used by motorcyclists to save time during peak hour.

“Which of these motorcycle riders are lane filtering correctly?” Queensland’s department of transport and main roads asked on its Facebook page on Monday morning.

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Two of these motorcyclists are breaking the rules, can you tell which? Picture: Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads

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The answer is the green and the blue bike.

While many commenters on the post managed to get it right without any help, some were surprised the question was even being asked.

“They shouldn’t be ‘filtering’ at all, is this legal? It annoys me when bike riders weave their way through traffic at intersections,” one commenter wrote, mistaking their personal annoyance for a violation of the official road rules.

Lane filtering is legal in Qld (except in school zones) between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction if you’re moving at less than 30km/h and have an open motorbike licence.

It’s not permitted between vehicles and the side of the road.

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Even with those restrictions some people think it shouldn’t be legal at all.

“Can’t believe the stupidity of Queensland transport to allow this,” one person said. “It’s so dangerous, they only have to clip the car’s rear view mirror, and you can imagine what happens.”

“Seen two separate accidents involving pedestrians and lane filtering motorcyclists so far. One was a major disaster and the other was just lucky no one was majorly injured. Lane filtering doesn’t account for pedestrians crossing roads in stopped traffic. Pedestrians can’t see or predict oncoming bikes and bike riders can’t see pedestrians until they’re on them. Rule should be abolished,” wrote another.

A couple filters lanes on a motorbike. Picture Dean Martin

Beautiful sunny Qld is a beloved holiday destination for many (when the borders are open), but one commenter clutched their pearls in fear at the thought of lane filtering making the state resemble another popular holiday destination for Australians.

“[It’s] like we’re living in Bali, there’s gonna be lots of deaths on the road especially with big trucks. Mopeds and bikes should stay in their position on the road and not going in between cars knocking off side mirrors, this is a joke that’s not very funny,” the commenter wrote (punctuation added for readability).

“This happened yesterday when all the returning public holiday traffic was backed up on Bruce Highway at Morayfield,” one person wrote, possibly helping explain why the department of transport felt the need to quiz people on the rules.
“Had two guys on motorbikes using the far left lane to speed down past all the backed up traffic … Next minute after I waited it out, got to Narangba to see a motorbike cop had pulled them over.”