Splitting lanes law ……. Please read B/4 doing

[Pinky Winky]

I find it kinda funny that you all say that its illegal to split lanes but everytime I do and I pass a cop I dont really think that hes going to be able to get through traffic in his squad car better than I can on the bike. Remember its only illegal if you get caught. As for the dangerous side of it. If you hit the turns at triple digit speeds on the backroads then you cant say i wouldnt put myself into that situation for danger. To all their own but I still split traffic moving or not.

 

[Mr Bogus]

I find it kinda funny that you all say that its illegal to split lanes but everytime I do and I pass a cop I dont really think that hes going to be able to get through traffic in his squad car better than I can on the bike. Remember its only illegal if you get caught. As for the dangerous side of it. If you hit the turns at triple digit speeds on the backroads then you cant say i wouldnt put myself into that situation for danger. To all their own but I still split traffic moving or not.

now now... you know that dash cam has a great memory...

 

[Pinky Winky]

Dash cam only works when the lights come on and im gone before he can hit the switch.

 

[Red05]

As for the dangerous side of it. If you hit the turns at triple digit speeds on the backroads then you cant say i wouldnt put myself into that situation for danger. To all their own but I still split traffic moving or not.

That's exactly what I was thinking reading this thread. I've put myself in MUCH more danger riding the twisties than splitting traffic at 20 MPH.

 

[BUBBA]

Gets the pooh pooh around here every time it is mentioned.. Safety, cage rage and squids are the main problems cited...

The fact that California has such massive freeways, year round riding weather and horrendous traffic issues probably contributes to the one thing that apparently the CA law makers find the only safe thing that can happen in CA only.. (plenty of other things that are only dangersous in CA however, like a neighbor painting his house, smoking cigarettes or being in a building where a bullet might have left trace amounts of lead or nitrates in the air)

Oh lest we forget now "black" cars are bad too...

I know what you mean.
This subject gets the pooh pooh here also.

But I must say this in defense of the cagers before this thread dies.

For about the better part of the last few years I have noticed that many times cagers will actually move out of my way and let me go around.
Even in dead stop traffic I have had people pull forward and away as much as they can.
When this happens, I always give the driver thumbs up or a little wave to acknowledge the courtesy.

Talking to some co-workers about this they say they have done this and when the rider waves they are thankful for the acknowledgement.

This restores my faith that people are more aware than I give them credit for and thank all those that do this.

There was a recent thread about a close call and a cager was actually helping and running a rear block for the rider – very cool.

Thanks for the ear,
Bubba

 

[UtahRider]

Last time I visited England I noticed that every time cars would stop at a traffic light all of the motorcycles would move around the cars to the front of the line. I wish that was legal here, even if lane splitting on the freeway is not. I think about doing that every time I'm stopped behind a bunch of slow vehicles at a stop light.

 

[AJAY]

That said, here is my opinion on those who may now be able to ride lanes with the cages for the first time.

That was an excellent write up, Bubba.

I have very little experience with lane splitting except in metro Boston, where lane splitting in stopped traffic (e.g., move to the front at a red light) is the accepted practice (or was, 15 years ago!).

I would add that it will take a while for auto drivers to get used to motorcycles splitting lanes if the law is changing in your state. So wait a while so you don't get beaned. Just because you can do it legally doesn't mean you have to do it. You only get to die once, so do it in a good cause.

Bubba's advice above should keep you out of trouble, but never underestimate the stoopiditty of cage drivers!

 

[214 Busa]

I find it kinda funny that you all say that its illegal to split lanes but everytime I do and I pass a cop I dont really think that hes going to be able to get through traffic in his squad car better than I can on the bike. Remember its only illegal if you get caught. As for the dangerous side of it. If you hit the turns at triple digit speeds on the backroads then you cant say i wouldnt put myself into that situation for danger. To all their own but I still split traffic moving or not.

+1 im with you bro

 

[SD1300]

I know what you mean.
This subject gets the pooh pooh here also.

But I must say this in defense of the cagers before this thread dies.

For about the better part of the last few years I have noticed that many times cagers will actually move out of my way and let me go around.
Even in dead stop traffic I have had people pull forward and away as much as they can.
When this happens, I always give the driver thumbs up or a little wave to acknowledge the courtesy.

Talking to some co-workers about this they say they have done this and when the rider waves they are thankful for the acknowledgement.

This restores my faith that people are more aware than I give them credit for and thank all those that do this.

There was a recent thread about a close call and a cager was actually helping and running a rear block for the rider – very cool.

Thanks for the ear,
Bubba

I don't split lanes much as I just don't believe in it too much (old Goldwing habit cause the thing was just too wide), .... but when I do today (like when I'm in LA trying to get home) I notice that cars who see the HID coming in between the cars do move over. I too give them a thumbs up for it. When it's tight, I wait for them to see me. I've never had a bad experience splitting but I'm not pushing my luck either. When splitting I go just a little faster than they are... not like some squids I see blasting through.

RIP Kevin

 

[BUBBA]

That was an excellent write up, Bubba.

I have very little experience with lane splitting except in metro Boston, where lane splitting in stopped traffic (e.g., move to the front at a red light) is the accepted practice (or was, 15 years ago!).

I would add that it will take a while for auto drivers to get used to motorcycles splitting lanes if the law is changing in your state. So wait a while so you don't get beaned. Just because you can do it legally doesn't mean you have to do it. You only get to die once, so do it in a good cause.

Bubba's advice above should keep you out of trouble, but never underestimate the stoopiditty of cage drivers!

AJAY

Excellent point, I know that if a state adopts this there will be a lot of getting used to it both by riders and cages.

thanks for bringing that up.

I like the fact that people are adding to this thread because we can all learn from the experiences of others and be safer riders in the process.

SD1300
Good point about bigger bikes, I was behind a HD the other day and he was cutting lanes and was just barely able to get between cars and came rather close a few times.

Thanks for the comments on this subject.
Bubba

 

[spotrot]

The link on state mc laws is much appreciated but please don't trust it.

The listing for several states I know about were wrong.

Example: RI requires the passenger wears a helmet (almost got ticketed on that last year)

Example: In many states, including CT, radar detectors are outlawed but the chart suggests the opposite.

Does anyone have an accurate listing of state laws for mcs?