Splitting Traffic

[BigmanZ]

As said before, illegal in Washington but even if it was I still wouldn't do it. It's simply unsafe because you never know what a cager is going to do. Maybe at low speed to get through congestion, but to merely pass somebody because they aren't going fast enough? Come on.
I still remember my last trip to California. I almost ran two motorcycles over when making a right hand turn, they decided to pull up on my right to make their own turn because I wasn't going fast enough. One ended up going into the ditch, the other emergency stopped and started threatening me until I got out and he realized I was twice his size. Point is I was looking for pedestrians and bicycles, not the motorbike that was parked behind me just a half second ago.
I can see where it has it's purpose, like standstill traffic or slow moving congestion. It gets bikes out of harms way and off the roads to free up the vehicles, but the problem is that people then start using it to pass vehicles on open roads at speeds that they shouldn't be splitting lanes at. Too many idiots allready on bikes, I don't need one of them under my vehicle.

 

[Projekt]

As said before, illegal in Washington but even if it was I still wouldn't do it. It's simply unsafe because you never know what a cager is going to do. Maybe at low speed to get through congestion, but to merely pass somebody because they aren't going fast enough? Come on.
I still remember my last trip to California. I almost ran two motorcycles over when making a right hand turn, they decided to pull up on my right to make their own turn because I wasn't going fast enough. One ended up going into the ditch, the other emergency stopped and started threatening me until I got out and he realized I was twice his size. Point is I was looking for pedestrians and bicycles, not the motorbike that was parked behind me just a half second ago.
I can see where it has it's purpose, like standstill traffic or slow moving congestion. It gets bikes out of harms way and off the roads to free up the vehicles, but the problem is that people then start using it to pass vehicles on open roads at speeds that they shouldn't be splitting lanes at. Too many idiots allready on bikes, I don't need one of them under my vehicle.

You are not from California, thus you exhibited typical behavior.

Californian drivers are more likely to be aware of the possiblity of a motorcycle "materializing" out of thin air next to them.

People from the rest of the US are not so inclined unless that are riders themselves.

 

[Wag]

What's interesting to me is that people who rage about how dangerous it is are the same people who never do it!

Similar to people who never fired a gun claim how dangerous that is. Or how dangerous it is to drive a car when they've never done it.

Lane-splitting is safe. If done safely. It can be done dangerously.

Just like anything else.

If you've never split lanes then you do NOT know what you're talking about when you say how dangerous it is.

Sorry for being so blunt about it!

--Wag--

 

[Rayabusa0818]

What's interesting to me is that people who rage about how dangerous it is are the same people who never do it!

Similar to people who never fired a gun claim how dangerous that is.  Or how dangerous it is to drive a car when they've never done it.  

Lane-splitting is safe.  If done safely.  It can be done dangerously.

Just like anything else.  

If you've never split lanes then you do NOT know what you're talking about when you say how dangerous it is.

Sorry for being so blunt about it!  

--Wag--

I don't do meth either,but I think it is dangerous...lane splitting if probably fine in areas where it is not illegal and customarily acceptable..however, I wouldn't attempt it around here...cagers do not expect it nor accept it.

 

[MrGxr]

Here in New Mexico it is not legal to share a lane, but it still gets done periodically by those Cali riders that have been relocating here and taking over the area... jacking up the price of everything... complaining about the weather (cold)... and in general making our low key (Land of manana [tomorrow]) life miserable... you know who I am talking about you big boy you... LMAO!!!

I had never shared a lane until the traffic around here got so that I was now stopping in traffic... Now, if I am riding alone I will share a lane up to a red light/stop sign/etc to avoid being between the cars. I also will move over to the bike path on occasion to move up, did get pulled over for this, but the motorcop understood why I did it and let me off. Also, doesn't hurt that I know most of the Law over here through my Brother... LOL.

Anyway, I have not shared a lane on the interstates and plan on not... we don't get bumper to bumper stopped traffic out here.. YET, figure a few more california's move out here and they do it just to remember what it was like back there. LOL

I am from New York and do understand what traffic is... and we don't have traffic here yet.

 

[ThunderJohn]

Oh come on go ahead do it first times free"¦. Tell your friends about it"¦..

 

[Revlis]

What's interesting to me is that people who rage about how dangerous it is are the same people who never do it!

Similar to people who never fired a gun claim how dangerous that is. Or how dangerous it is to drive a car when they've never done it.

Lane-splitting is safe. If done safely. It can be done dangerously.

Just like anything else.

If you've never split lanes then you do NOT know what you're talking about when you say how dangerous it is.

Sorry for being so blunt about it!

--Wag--

Yup, same with so much else in life...

 

[Scar]

You are just a rogue

Rathscallion!

 

[Scar]

... and we don't have traffic here yet.

I know what BOHICA stands for, George.

Did you do time in the military, perhaps? Navy maybe?

Scar

 

[MrGxr]

... and we don't have traffic here yet.

I know what BOHICA stands for, George.

Did you do time in the military, perhaps?  Navy maybe?

Scar

Air Force...

B - bend
O - over
H - here
I - it
C - comes
A - again

 

[drfbusa]

You are not from California, thus you exhibited typical behavior.

Californian drivers are more likely to be aware of the possiblity of a motorcycle "materializing" out of thin air next to them.

People from the rest of the US are not so inclined unless that are riders themselves.

I agree with Wag and Projeckt. I will not say that CA drivers are better than the rest of the counry but their expectations/behavior while driving is similar to the rest of the world. The long time CA driver will know, recognize and accept the fact that they share the road with motorcycles. Because of this they know that bikes can "materialize" out of anywhere. If you have never driven or ridden in CA then you may not appreciate the value in lane splitting. Lane splitting saves lives of riders, but more importantly, it reduces the number of cars on the road. "one less car" is a mantra in CA. For every tree hugger that buys a prius to get on the HOV lane and save on fuel consuption, we riders have been singing that line for years. Bikes move through traffic, reduce congestion and are fuel efficient.

For the non CA cagers here, the number of times that cars part way to give me space to lane split vastly outnumbers the number of times that a cager closed up the lane, threw a drink at me or opened their car door. I would venture to say that CA cagers open the lanes (imagine Moses and the Red Sea) at a ratio of 100:1. CA lane splitters, back me up here. When cagers open the lane or move a tad out of the way for me to squeeze through, I feel a sense of gratitude and commraderie with a fellow motorist... a cager no less. CHP squad cars move out of the way! I always wave back, make eye contact, head nod or a quick beep beep on the horn for these motorists. If I werent already making great time and flowing through traffic, Id stop and give these guys a hug! Most CA motorists know about bikes and lane splitting. For a mature motorist, they are fine with it. The ones that gripe the most about it are the out of state-ers.

Again "one less car." be safe folks!

 

[shean1]

I would imagin in any BIG city USA lane splitting legal or not would be very nessesary.. I do split lanes here in New York City as needed.. After more than 20 years of riding I can say alomost never fast.. If im splitting lanes its rush hour in stand still traffic. Also like a few other guys posting I dont think its the smartest idea to sit there surrounded by cars,trucks / 18 wheelers. Too much heat and fumes we should not be breathing!!!.

 

[Gunnybusa]

As said before, illegal in Washington but even if it was I still wouldn't do it. It's simply unsafe because you never know what a cager is going to do. Maybe at low speed to get through congestion, but to merely pass somebody because they aren't going fast enough? Come on.
I still remember my last trip to California. I almost ran two motorcycles over when making a right hand turn, they decided to pull up on my right to make their own turn because I wasn't going fast enough. One ended up going into the ditch, the other emergency stopped and started threatening me until I got out and he realized I was twice his size. Point is I was looking for pedestrians and bicycles, not the motorbike that was parked behind me just a half second ago.
I can see where it has it's purpose, like standstill traffic or slow moving congestion. It gets bikes out of harms way and off the roads to free up the vehicles, but the problem is that people then start using it to pass vehicles on open roads at speeds that they shouldn't be splitting lanes at. Too many idiots allready on bikes, I don't need one of them under my vehicle.

You are not from California, thus you exhibited typical behavior.

Californian drivers are more likely to be aware of the possiblity of a motorcycle "materializing" out of thin air next to them.

People from the rest of the US are not so inclined unless that are riders themselves.

concur

 

[Gunnybusa]

What's interesting to me is that people who rage about how dangerous it is are the same people who never do it!

Similar to people who never fired a gun claim how dangerous that is.  Or how dangerous it is to drive a car when they've never done it.  

Lane-splitting is safe.  If done safely.  It can be done dangerously.

Just like anything else.  

If you've never split lanes then you do NOT know what you're talking about when you say how dangerous it is.

Sorry for being so blunt about it!  

--Wag--

I concur to that as well

 

[Gunnybusa]

You are not from California, thus you exhibited typical behavior.

Californian drivers are more likely to be aware of the possiblity of a motorcycle "materializing" out of thin air next to them.

People from the rest of the US are not so inclined unless that are riders themselves.

I agree with Wag and Projeckt.  I will not say that CA drivers are better than the rest of the counry but their expectations/behavior while driving is similar to the rest of the world.  The long time CA driver will know, recognize and accept the fact that they share the road with motorcycles.  Because of this they know that bikes can "materialize" out of anywhere.  If you have never driven or ridden in CA then you may not appreciate the value in lane splitting.  Lane splitting saves lives of riders, but more importantly, it reduces the number of cars on the road.  "one less car" is a mantra in CA.  For every tree hugger that buys a prius to get on the HOV lane and save on fuel consuption, we riders have been singing that line for years.  Bikes move through traffic, reduce congestion and are fuel efficient.  

For the non CA cagers here, the number of times that cars part way to give me space to lane split vastly outnumbers the number of times that a cager closed up the lane, threw a drink at me or opened their car door.  I would venture to say that CA cagers open the lanes (imagine Moses and the Red Sea) at a ratio of 100:1.  CA lane splitters, back me up here.  When  cagers open the lane or move a tad out of the way for me to squeeze through, I feel a sense of gratitude and commraderie with a fellow motorist... a cager no less. CHP squad cars move out of the way!  I always wave back, make eye contact, head nod or a quick beep beep on the horn for these motorists.   If I werent already making great time and flowing through traffic, Id stop and give these guys a hug!  Most CA motorists know about bikes and lane splitting.  For a mature motorist, they are fine with it.  The ones that gripe the most about it are the out of state-ers.

Again "one less car."  be safe folks!

I concur to this as well !

 

[Scar]

You are not from California, thus you exhibited typical behavior.

Californian drivers are more likely to be aware of the possiblity of a motorcycle "materializing" out of thin air next to them.

People from the rest of the US are not so inclined unless that are riders themselves.

I agree with Wag and Projeckt.  I will not say that CA drivers are better than the rest of the counry but their expectations/behavior while driving is similar to the rest of the world.  The long time CA driver will know, recognize and accept the fact that they share the road with motorcycles.  Because of this they know that bikes can "materialize" out of anywhere.  If you have never driven or ridden in CA then you may not appreciate the value in lane splitting.  Lane splitting saves lives of riders, but more importantly, it reduces the number of cars on the road.  "one less car" is a mantra in CA.  For every tree hugger that buys a prius to get on the HOV lane and save on fuel consuption, we riders have been singing that line for years.  Bikes move through traffic, reduce congestion and are fuel efficient.  

For the non CA cagers here, the number of times that cars part way to give me space to lane split vastly outnumbers the number of times that a cager closed up the lane, threw a drink at me or opened their car door.  I would venture to say that CA cagers open the lanes (imagine Moses and the Red Sea) at a ratio of 100:1.  CA lane splitters, back me up here.  When  cagers open the lane or move a tad out of the way for me to squeeze through, I feel a sense of gratitude and commraderie with a fellow motorist... a cager no less. CHP squad cars move out of the way!  I always wave back, make eye contact, head nod or a quick beep beep on the horn for these motorists.   If I werent already making great time and flowing through traffic, Id stop and give these guys a hug!  Most CA motorists know about bikes and lane splitting.  For a mature motorist, they are fine with it.  The ones that gripe the most about it are the out of state-ers.

Again "one less car."  be safe folks!

I concur to this as well !

So, Gunny; someone could actually call you 'concurrant', and be accurate.

Not concurrent, but concurrant.

Symantics. Gotta love 'em.

As for taking the backs of those other CA Lane Splitters (CLS), I am behind all of you (or in front of you, as appropriate) 100%. Wave, beep, peace sign, nod, whatever. They appreciate the fact that they've been acknowledged for their actions. Who knows, maybe their kindness is contagious.

As they sit there stuck dead among all the other cages, they feel a modicum better than those who are either indifferent or proactively embittered by those of us who choose to not sit amongst them.

Ride safe, ya'llz.

Scar

 

[Gunnybusa]

I concur

 

[Scar]

I concur

 

[Wag]

Well, hey, I might as well concur as well!

--Wag--

 

[spot]

So this is why the cops are so pissed off at us its not the bike its how we ride them now its comming into view. I know your going to bash me for saying this but I don't want to hear another report about a car doing something stupid.