Is this really legal in Cali?

I lane split on a fairly regular basis here in Tampa. Not a whole lot and mos tof it is moving to the head of the line of cars... Sometimes they get bitchy but I am out of their way soon enough. It also comes in real handy in rush hour traffic... Floridians have this short circuit of "your not going to get past me". Alot of our Interstates are only two lanes so inevitably some dickweed decides to hang out in the left lane leaving no way past...HA Straight down the middle I go... I do not consider it casual riding nor do I consider especially dangerous. Dangerous to me is sitting behind the slow mover while cars behind me get impatient and attempt to squeeze into the line ON me In FRONT of me whatever, better option is to get to that big wide open patch up ahead and then chill....
If done right and you get yourself out of their in a hurry, and be on your way. Most of the cagers do no teven know you are there until you are past..
 
I guess it's like Lo says
what it boils down to is what you are accustom to[/QUOTE]

I've been riding for 20 years (gosh I sound old!)  and have never seen this behavior (gosh I feel sheltered).  AZ doesn’t have a Helmut law so I've seen that lots.
My kids are trained (we ride dirt together) and say, "that guy's stoopid" when they see one without a brain bucket.

(no offence to ya'll who choose not to wear one.  ;))  

It's just what you are used to.
 
Splitting lanes was scary for me the first time I did it, but after 20 minutes or so, you become a pro at it. I ride at a constant speed, but look at each vehicle I past as a goal to pass. You can't just barrel through between a big line of cars, at least I don't.

I think it's harder to ride up the streets with the very steep grade in San Francisco! Especially if you have to come to a stop in the middle. It's hard enough trying to walk up those streets.
 
I too was a little freaked out the first time I tried it. Here we (Lo Busa, Big O, and myself) got together for a ride last year at Laguna when there was traffic ahead. Lo was leading Big O was next and then there was me. Traffic is now at a crawl and Lo and Big O head right down the middle of two lanes. I think "what are these two thinking Oh yeah that's legal here" so I follow much slower but none the less I going for it. I get to one spot where I think I can't fit and that is when some other guy on a bike splits me spliting lanes. You can tell the ones that are use to doing this. It is great passing all that traffic and knowing that it's legal. I wish we could do it here in GA.
 
Yes ,its a beautiful thing I enjoyed it when I was out there.In Jersey we do it too but its totally agin da LAW but we're all outlaws according to eastcoast caggers and we wouldn't want to dissapoint them now do we.
They have alot of respect for bikers in Cali its nice when they move out of your way.Here its just a matter of time b4 someone tries to make you into a cagger sandwich.:cool: :cool:
 
Thats the only way to get around in Okinawa!

I am not positive, but I think it is legal in Japan also. If it is illegal, then it is not enforced.

I too had never done it riding in TX/LA. But it really doesn't take much to get used to it. I tell you, it sure speeds things in traffic!
 
Yes and No. As far as it is legal to share a lane with another vehicle it is ok. weather that vehicle be a car truck or other motorcycle, but when you cross the broken line it is still considered a lane change and all the laws as far as signaling for an appropriate amount of time and distance are still in effect.
 
eak, it's illegal to ride between traffic that has stopped or between parked cars. however, if there are no cops around to catch you/enforce the law, then do it if you want to, but to me it's a bad idea.




suprafly out....................................
 
I'll stick to the country way of travel...too much "pucker factor" for me! :eek:

Kudos to those of you that can do it; takes quite a set of cojones! :tounge:
 
Let's get you in heavy rush hour traffic when it's 100 degrees outside with the heat from the engine burning your legs and making it hard to breath and your left hand tired from holding in the clutch. :drool: Your choice, to sit in traffic for another hour, or be home in 20 minutes and have a cold one. You'll convert. :beerchug:

That's quite a pair you got hangin' there. :laugh:
 
We have HOV lanes out here that Motorcycles can use. It's not the exact same thing but we can ride past stoped traffic at 60. Sometimes it unnerves me as I am just waiting for a cage to dode out in front. Can't imagine what it would be like to do it inbetween lanes.

Ride Safe Ya'll!
 
i wouldnt ever do it even if it was legal. just wait til someone pulls in front of u and hits ur arse.

TommyB :cool:
 
It really isn't that hard...

At first, I was a bit worriesome, but then I thought...

If these old Japanese men can do it on mopeds wearing suits and ties on the way to work, then i can wearing leather on a Busa! :laugh:
 
Its totally illegal over here in the UK, but cops tend to turn a blind eye if you are not being too stupid, infact our local law inforcment offer advanced training with bike police (called 'Bikesafe') and when I did mine, the cop actively encouraged it??

Andy
 
If traffic is backed up in bumper to bumper in all lanes, no one can pull out in front of you because there will be a car next to them.

You are not riding 60 mph between a row of cars. The cars are either at a stop or moving a 5-15 mph and you are going about 10-20 mph past them. Sometimes you have to slow or stop if you don't have adequate clearance to get by. The majority of drivers will see or hear you coming, and will move the cars over a bit so you can pass, but usually that's not necessary.

There are some riders that will ride 30-40 mph between cars. but I personally wouldn't do that. Once you split your first few cars, you will see that it's not a big deal to do it. There are a few bobo's who try to make it difficult for you to pass, but generally it's reasonably safe.
 
In Portugal is illegal to split lanes, but almost every biker does it. The police does look the other way so even in their presence it's ok. In case of an accident, I think it's the biker's fault.
Most cage drivers are helpful and they do give us same space to pass. Not all though.
Some are pretty stupid and make it difficult to pass. In those cases, a few bikers just kick the cages' mirrors and left'em hanging. A bigger number of bikers have their license plates folded or don't have'em at all...
 
If you haven't done it before, remember that when the cars are moving at 0-10 MPH they can't swerve and cut you off very fast even if they are trying. With our far superior braking, you can stop from 10 MPH over their speed before they get out of their lane and in front of you. You pick up on body language, glances in their mirrors, even the front wheels turning in, before they actually go and cut you off. There is plenty of time to react if you are looking for it. Obvious pinch points are when one of the lanes has an opening. You have to watch the car next to that opening and expect them to try and change lanes fast. Where you get spanked is if you are riding so fast - relative to them - that you can't stop in time. The guys who are pinched are either not paying enough attention or are riding too much faster to react. Similar to riders who rip through blind turns expecting it to be clear and gravel free. Then they backend a truck stalled on the road or slide out under an on-coming car. The riders who ride slow enough to stop in the distance they can see through the turn will usually live to tell about it. Similarly the rider who judges correctly the closure speed while lane splitting will usually live to tell about it.

Any faster and you are rolling the dice
 
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