Lane Splitting? Yay or Nay?

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:14 pm

For or against? Check out this story and maybe we can sway the vote.

I say yes, but done with common sense and caution.

Lane-splitting controversy: Safety guidelines from the CHP

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:37 pm

No controversy at all.
Well, maybe in LA...

http://www.ridetowork.org/files/docs/LANE_SHARING_A_GLOBAL_SOLUTION_FOR_MOTORCYCLE_SAFETY.pdf

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:53 pm

I grew up riding in the UK where it was normal practice and great way to get through thick traffic. Arriving in the US and finding it not legal in all but CA really shocked me. I mean the whole point of motocycles as transport is to not get stuck in traffic or take up as much space as a car. Without the abilty to lane split bikes become toys that you ride for fun and far less for serious commuting. Maybe different if you live in an area that does not have traffic.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:56 pm

This is what they would do to you in VA...bunch of A Hole drivers...

"A survey conducted by the consulting firm of Ewald & Wasserman found that 78% of motorcyclists split lanes and nearly two-thirds of them reported having a car try to block them. More than half of motorists said they thought lane splitting was illegal, and 7% admitted to using their vehicle in some way to impede a motorcycle."

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:25 pm

On a hot day theres no way im sitting in traffic! in ontario canada cops dont do anything unless ur driving like an ass

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:29 pm

Here in the NYC metro area, its done all the time by the urban crouch rocket riders. Problem here is that traffic is very dense and most lanes are not that wide as in California freeways. Heavy truck traffic as well.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:33 pm

I split lanes. But I dont do it past about 35-40 miles per hour. Cars try to pinch me off every day. Especially in the mornings. Evenings doesnt seem too bad at all.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:10 pm

A jerk one night in a 4wd was sitting over so that I couldn't get through so I flicked to the other side and he deliberately moved over to try blocking me on the other side, my fist went through his mirror

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:47 pm

Done safely and responsibly, I see no problem with splitting lanes. As others have said, we have to be on our guard for disgruntled cagers. If other states start legalizing this practice, Massachusetts will be the last to do it. We were the last state in the country to allow right turns on red lights, and even now, there are "No Turn On Red" signs everywhere.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:49 pm

I was in gridlock traffic one morning and I had been lane splitting but the part Santa Monica Blvd. I was on is too narrow to sneak past cars.
When I least expected it (not that I ever expect to be hit by a lawn mower) I was rear ended by an industrial sized, city owned lawn mower with enough force to send me and the Beemer flying through the air - into the back of a cop - and then into oncoming traffic.
Had I been able to sneak past I never would have had to fight for two years in court to pay for SOME of the damage inflicted on my poor beemer..... forget about me. I was "fine"

so yea on the lane splitting thing and I dont see how any biker in their right mind would want to sit in traffic.

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:50 am

I've never been a big fan of lane splitting, though I have done it more than a few times. However the last time I apparently did it (Aug 10, 2012), I somehow got caught between a truck and a van, impacted one or both and went down hard at approx 50mph. It took 5 weeks for me to learn this, as I still have no memory of the accident or the following 3 days in the hospital. I woke up 3 days later in a local ICU with severe concussion, road rash on my face, left arm and shoulder, tore the skin off my left elbow to the bone, broken hip, and missing a fist-sized chunk of meat out of my left hip. Insurance co. still niggling over how much of the approx $175,000.00 in medical bills I will pay when they are done f--king around. Eight months later, I'm more or less physically healed, but I'm not there mentally (Yeah, maybe I never was). Haven't ridden since, may never ride again.

Consequences of lane splitting going bad can be severe, keep that in mind. Oh, and by the way, ATGATT (wear All The Gear All The Time).... I was wearing only levis, t-shirt, boots, gloves, and open face helmet. Helmet saved my life, everything else just sopped up my blood.

Ed

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:24 am

I am all for it but you ride at your own risk.
Not recommended for beginners or idiots.
Phil

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:12 am

Been there done that and think it should be legal everywhere.

With that said, I'm too scared to do it anymore. I will stick to the track and split as many riders as I can.

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:45 am

Lane splitting is illegal in my state and if it were legal, I can't imagine why I would be in such a HUGE hurry to risk my life to save a few seconds. People in cars do too many stupid maneuvers when I stay in my lane and work to stay visible in their mirrors, Split 2 lanes where the only view they have is a brief flash in one small side mirror which will NOT see me 90% of the time I am next to their car.

Risk v. reward , , , It's not worth the risk for me.

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 94 Location: uk

Like Nick earlier in the post I started in the UK where this is a perfectly legitimate technique. The guidance issued by CHP roughly coincides with the way it is done in the UK; not above 30mph and not more than 10mph above traffic speed(There are of course idiots who exceed this).
In France I can lane split according to the above rules and find a queue of 20 mopeds/bikes build up behind me very quickly!! I move over, let them pass and a few minutes later they have built up again. Cars move out of your way and help with the m/c flow. Different countries, different attitudes.
Taking the 'global overview' I do find it odd that one of the main benefits of transport by bike is illegal in the States.
All the best
Jonathan

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:53 pm

Certain situations demand it....You can't ride an air cooled engine in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour or two without cooking your bike in the summer . Traffic like that happens EVERY WEEKEND going over the bridges (tolls) to get back to NYC and then Long Island.

It's why my bike is in the back of the truck on the NE rides. That's not fun...

The key is speed differential between you and the cars ..low speeds = small problems, Higher speeds means you get run over repeatedly if you fall off after hitting anything.

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:16 pm

cbxdog wrote:

Lane splitting is illegal in my state and if it were legal, I can't imagine why I would be in such a HUGE hurry to risk my life to save a few seconds. People in cars do too many stupid maneuvers when I stay in my lane and work to stay visible in their mirrors, Split 2 lanes where the only view they have is a brief flash in one small side mirror which will NOT see me 90% of the time I am next to their car.

Risk v. reward , , , It's not worth the risk for me.

Just this morning I was being shy about cutting past a box tail truck and a full sized SUV that were kinda tight. So i just putted along at 30-35 till traffic opened up. But before I went through some jackass on a noisyableson decided he was going to jam is wide ass handle bars through there and paid for it. Truck moved over, SUV didnt, then in perfect storm like scenario, the toyota in front of them both moved over to change lanes out of the car pool lane into the no.1 and the guy ended up falling down. He didnt get run over, but not for any particular good reason. Road rash was seen as i went by, not hideous, but bad enough. He's lucky everybody had slowed to about 40. His scooter was beat up for sure.

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:38 am

YEAHHHH

All the time, and especially on highways!

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:58 pm

In holland it is legal to splitt lanes, however with a maximum speed of 20miles/hour. Perfect!

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:41 pm

I have never done it...and I never will....you want to play hockey with a two ton piece of machinery...be my guest....
This is the same sort of premise as helmets.....do what you want. Safety first.

Jebby

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:05 pm

i personally don't see a need for it if traffic is moving however I'll be the first to go onto the shoulder on the interstate and go around stopped traffic. Hell if I'm going to be the last one in line hoping the guy going 80mph behind me noticed all the brake lights...

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:56 am

Yeah if common sense is applied. I communte downtown Minneapolis and going around stopped buses and taxi's is a must.