  We investigate the ballistic motion of electrons and holes in III-V
semiconductor quantum wells with spin-orbit coupling and a homogeneous in-plane
electric field. As a result of a non-perturbative treatment of both of these
influences, particle wave packets undergo a pronounced side jump perpendicular
to the field direction. For wave packets of sufficient width the amplitude of
this motion can be estimated analytically and increases with decreasing field
strength. We discuss the scaling behavior of the effect and some if its
experimental implications
