Hi Paul:

Ah, you have identified a perfect example of 'norms and customs' differences - that is a far better example than the one I picked (undertaking). In most provinces of Canada, the legislation respecting passing other vehicles (the solid line) states that the motorist may only pass "when it is safe to do so", and the lines painted on the roadways are there to provide guidance, not regulation. There is no legislation of any kind that says "you can't cross a solid line".

Thus, if you passed another vehicle by crossing over a solid line and there were no other vehicles present or coming at you in the other direction, it would be impossible to be convicted of unsafe passing.

As for the 'other place' - I've been kind of busy lately, it's tough for me to handle more than one or two forums.

Michael

Just to clear things up for anyone thinking it is legal to undertake, I have copied this from the UK Highway Code:
Quote: 242: Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake. Unquote.
Undertaking (even sounds dangerous:helpsmilie: ) is not something I would do, other than in the quoted circumstances above, ie: heavy taffic. Even then it would be done with EXTREME caution:thumbup1: Most car drivers in this country can't see a bike in front of them, let alone one coming up the (wrong) side of them:eek3: If you are seen performing this manouvre by a traffic cop in anything other than the quoted circumstances, he/she will prosecute you:hang: If I'm in such a rush, I'm late:mchappy:
Quote from here: The Highway Code



Trophymick

TrophyMick

You are quoting from the Highway Code and what they give is ADVICE, it is not LAW. I'll repeat myself, there is no offence of 'undertaking', none at all, any more than there is an offence of 'filtering'. The only offences which might be committed is that of driving without due car & attention or dangerous/reckless/careless driving, and if the undertake is carried out properly and safely, neither of these can be applied. Of course there's always a risk that the vehicle being overtaken will pull over but then I've had plenty of drivers pull over on me when passing to the right of them. For part of my former career, I was a Traffic Officer and I believe my driving/riding is of a very high standard, and I simply don't do things on the road which puts the lives of me/my passengers/other road users at risk. As I said before, I undertake often when approaching middle lane hoggers who just bimble along completely oblivious to what they are doing. It keeps them out of the lefthand lane and the lorries, and the righthand lane with the fast traffic. They feel safe (if a little deluded).

I'll repeat myself as well then:thumbup1: It is still a manouvre that is dangerous, whether it is a 'YOU MUST NOT' rule or not, it is advisory, and for good reason. And if a driver takes you out whilst you are performing such a manouvre, he will be in the right, in the eyes of the law, try it and see:clap: You (as you yourself state) are leaving yourself open to a charge of driving without due care and attention or worse, and to propegate that it is a perfectly legal and safe manouvre is wrong, especially on a forum that includes riders/drivers from other countries, that may not be fully aware of our laws:nono: I am a member of the IAM and I was trained by police officers (motorcycle), but this does not make me invincable, but even more aware of potential dangers:mchappy:
I will continue to do it my way (safe IMHO), and you no doubt will continue to do it your way, but be careful out there:cool4:

Trophymick

I stopped reading most of this thread awhile ago, but to the point of the rider that received a ticket in Arizona, I wouldn't worry about it. I live in Colorado, and receive an occasional ticket. I do pay them, but at times I've forgotten about one in another state and I get a letter in the mail telling me I have to pay it or I will get arrested next time I'm in that state. I received this letter about two months after I forgot to pay the ticket. And the letter said I still had a month to pay it. So unless you're going to be taking your time (and why not) accross North America, Alaska isn't going to know or care by the time you get there.

With regards to safety means stopping at a stop sign, sometimes, I feel like it's safer for ME, as a rider, to not stop at a stop sign. Moving is better on a motorcylcle in most places, and if ME being as safe as I can be on the road means the occasional ticket, then it's worth it. So I'm going to accellerate through someone's blind spot when I pass, and if I get a ticket then so be it. Most cops I've dealt with understand a motorcycle riders plight, and cut a lot of us some slack. Girlfriend is here. Gotta go. See you in Silverton, CO I hope.

Love the site, it's inspiring.

"and to propegate that it is a perfectly legal and safe manouvre is wrong"

Well it IS legal but as for SAFE, well motorcycle riding isn't safe anyway. Sometimes I think we must all be mugs for relying on two small pieces of rubber on the road to keep us safe. But we just love riding, don't we? I think we must agree to disagree on this point. And I haven't even mentioned tailgaters here ;-) Ride safe friend.

Phew, lot of debate going on here still! Haven't found a pc for a while though. Well I figure I'll just forget to pay and see how it pans out.

BTW, I was in 1st gear and crawling though that campsite junction but now I know I have to actually stop at Stop signs even when there's no other traffic about. Well most of the time anyway...

Please keep us posted when you get a chance, it will be interesting to hear what happens (if anything) at the Alaskan border.

You can never tell what might happen - probably nothing .
But a guy I worked with cannot travel through the US from Canada to Mexico [he has a second home there and used to drive down every winter ].
His "crime" was to not declare a half bottle of wine that was in the fridge of his travel trailer as he crossed from Mexico to the US .
Another fella I know cannot visit the US because of drink/driving conviction .

Here is my take on it. You chose to break the law and got caught. Argue all you want but that is they way it is. If you choose to nnot pay the fine and are barred from the US you really can't complain.

As for what you do at home isn't relevant. When in rome do as the romans. I am sure if I was in the UK and drove on the right side and my excuse was, thats what we do at home you would not appreciate it. Pay the fine and own up to your choice. Otherwise it can make a miner inciden a major one.

Is this because of his successful jail-break after a DUI arrest in the US or a conviction in his homeland? :)

Also, there must be more to the Wine Saga. Was it Thunderbird or Strawberry Hill?

[QUOTE=ekaphoto;142191].........Pay the fine and own up to your choice...........QUOTE]

Now that's a true buzz-kill right there. :)

Is it OK to break laws, your choice?
Is breaking laws only a problem when you are caught?

Drink driving offence was in Canada ,no jailbreaks or naughty business ,he was just caught fair and square drunk driving . The guy is an idiot anyway and deserved what he got.

The wine offence was an older guy ,now retired . Not a loudmouth nor a redneck .Maybe there was something else going on ,I wasn't there. If he had crossed at a quieter crossing maybe he would have been OK .I dunno but I know he was extremely pissed off about it and the border guards acted like jerks apparently .
I don't understand the Thunderbird or Strawberry Hill part - please enlighten me .

Canada and the US "share" criminal record info , if you've got a record the border guards can find you in their database .

Twas meant to be a smile/joke.
They're some of the dirt-cheap 'vintages' - cheap teenager and skidrow stuff.

We had discussed US tickets on another forum where the guy had ran at 100 mph+ and had to pay something like $800 US. It sounds as though you had budgeted day by day when you mentioned that $75 would put a dent in your budget, but that is a fairly cheap ticket for the US. Its up to you to pay it, but compared to some of the fines out there, or the bribes in those countries that others have had to pay bribes, $75 would be a comparatively smaller fine.