The 1st of July may just be the worst day to start legally lane filtering

From the 1st of July riders in New South Wales will be legally permitted to ride between slow moving traffic. Concurrent with the approach of this date the State Government has launched a variety of awareness raising campaigns to ensure that other motorists are not taken by surprise by the sudden change in rider behaviour.

I'm worried that it may have been too effective. I'm worried that maybe there are now "average motorists" who will paying particular attention to riders on the 1st.

Let me explain.

What is most interesting about the new laws is the creation of the offence "lane splitting". The NSW government has created a legal distinction between the two acts. Filtering is a motorcyclist moving at or below 30kmph through stationary traffic. Splitting is moving down the centreline above 30kmph or when traffic is moving regularly.

This distinction is important.

Why we filter is also important. Accidents in which another vehicle is at fault are overwhelming the cause of injury and death for riders. Essentially, rear ending a stationary motorcycle at lights or a sign is a great way for drivers to top up the accident and injury statistics for riders. It's why we filter, to move out of harms way. Two drivers involved in a rear ender will both more than likely walk away, it just means they both need to put their phones for long enough to swap information.

The move to legalize filtering was announced on February 26th 2014. Check out  this piece from NineMSN which ran on the 18th of that month. A rider films himself doing something frankly ridiculous and is then rightfully arrested and charged.

Compare it to this piece from NineMSN in April.

It's quite a change in language, isn't it? Sure the first one labels the video a "reckless sprint through busy traffic" but even that can just be considered an overly emotive description of events. It's that use of the word "cheating" that sticks with me. It's a distinct and stark value judgement about the behaviour of the second rider.

I've seen riding like this in Europe and I will admit that I am foggy on the legality of filtering/splitting down the centre of a two way street. Context would be deeply appreciated and valuable concerning whether or not the second rider really was "cheating" according to the law of the land. It is fascinating to me though that the tone of articles changes between these two dates. I'd heard that sensationalist dross sites like NineMSN only exist to magnify and feedback the already established opinions of their readers and it feels like this might be a case study in that phenomena.

The Victorian State Government has been considering filtering laws as well but in the end they rejected the proposal. Even while considering the proposed changes opposition to the introduction of filtering was piercing/shrieking/hysterical.

When the NSW Police Force put this image the flood gates opened and was inundated with the impotent outrage of the "average motorist". Comments ranged from anger to fear that riders could now "weave", as though we're all entirely unpredictable, through traffic. That we would damage cars as we passed, that we would be jumping the queue at traffic lights. Some even seemed to struggle with the concept of what a motorcycle was, or fail to understand that we too pay all the licencing, registration and insurance fees that cars do.

And then there was this guy.
 

The elders always warned me. They told me to "ride like they're all out to kill you." I think they might have been a little naive. 

Motorcyclists may be pleased that we can finally enjoy the safety of filtering legally but with the vitriol being directed at us please remember to filter legally and safely. On the road, keep your eyes peeled for anyone with an axe to grind with riders filtering. Off the road we can support SMIDSY (which may be about to become a lot more important) and always ride well.  

Alfa Romeo offering cheapest prices ever, advertises fact by confusing and enraging potential buyers.

Already stereotypes are being smashed. An Alfa!? In the COUNTRY?!

"It's not a car moite, it's an Alfa Romeo" intones the suitably impressed farmer in the new Cummins+Partners ad for Alfa after he watches a woman reduce her entire mate selection criteria to a car.

Honestly, at this point can we not just abandon all pretense and go with the full RedPill "Alfa as fuck"?

The campaign has two major problems: Firstly, its' essential message is one that the Alfisti know by heart. Secondly, it's preaching to the converted in the dumbest possible way.

Beginning with the latter; unless my watch, phone, computer and Adventure Time calender are all faulty we're well and truly into 2014. Yet the best figurative hypodermic needle this ad agency can come up with to jam into viewers the notion that they should rush out and buy this car is "if you do, women will like you?"

Please.

We're all now living in a world where 22 year old virgins produce lengthy tracts vowing revenge on the women who've reject them despite how nice of a car they drive. At this point anyone basing an ad campaign (for a hatchback of all things!) on the toxic notion that a mans' social capital is derived from the things he owns and that women have a duty to respond "appropriately" (give attention/affection which is owed to men once they pass a certain arbitrary threshold of social capital) is either a marketing exec from the fifties who owes one of his mates $50 because that time machine totally did work or is someone who is taking the whole "retro is cool when used ironically" thing way too far.

More than that; it's that if you're an Alfisti, chances are you're gonna charge out and buy the Giuletta anyway. That's kinda the point of Alfa ownership. You don't need to be told that women will like you because the dyed in the wool enthusiasts are gonna have one regardless of who does or does not find them more attractive as a result. As an expansion on that point; I know plenty of women Alfisti who have/want Giulettas. These ads sure as hell ain't advertising to most them.

So who exactly are they adverting too? With the message "It's not a car, its an Alfa Romeo" it's certainly not the mainstream car buyer. They're all lined up 'round the block to point out that "yeah, it is a car."

You know it's bad when even Batman is pissed.

That said, it's been a long time in Australia since you could buy an Alfa for the equivalent of $27,000. I am an Alfisti and I'd love to see more Alfas on Australian roads. But there must be a better way of getting the word out than this. Please Alfa Australia. Do better.