CA Lane Splitters

[JulesMaximus]

Honestly, when it comes to lane splitting, if you've got no experience on a bike, you really don't have any idea what you're talking about in terms of the pros and cons. It's a situation you can't really truly understand until you're in it. I'm sure many will balk at this point of view, but I don't really care. You're safe in your cage and i'm outside, unprotected from the elements with multi-ton steel projectiles piloted by large proportion of drivers with substandard skills and/or anger management issues.

I lane split if freeway traffic goes below 40. I have had to avoid getting rear ended on my bikes because drivers don't pay attention. At least if i'm going to crash due to lane splitting, I am in a heightened state of awareness and can correct accordingly, vs being caught off guard by a vehicle driven by a distracted driver. I've been a distracted driver so I don't even fault them for minor oversights (adjusting radio, conversing with passengers, etc). But knowing my own habbits, lane splitting is a form of riding that follows the "every driver is trying to kill me" mentality that riders need.

:thumbsup: Pretty much this.

I'll say this, lane splitting in gridlock bumper to bumper traffic on the 15 freeway is tiring and not something I really enjoy, but I enjoy sitting in stop and go traffic with a running motorcycle engine with heat pouring off of it in agonizing waves between my legs even less. So I lane split.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Most car drivers don't realize these things about motorcycles

1. Zero blind spots
2. Eye level is much higher
3. Typically, there is a ton of room between you and the car and the other lane.

You have no clue if you don't ride.

 

[Jumpem]

Lane splitters all deserve to crash into open car doors.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Lane splitters all deserve to crash into open car doors.

And the people who open car doors on passing motorcycles deserve to be beaten to death.

 

[jdoggg12]

Lane splitters all deserve to crash into open car doors.

Before I give in to a semi-obvious troll... care to explain the reasoning behind your stance?

 

[Jumpem]

Before I give in to a semi-obvious troll... care to explain the reasoning behind your stance?

I think it is dangerous to those in vehicles and on motorcycles. There isn't exactly a lot of room between two lanes. then add that vehicles are moving to the mix. I also think it is likely to cause property damage to the vehicles being squeezed past.

 

[Fenixgoon]

I think it is dangerous to those in vehicles and on motorcycles. There isn't exactly a lot of room between two lanes. then add that vehicles are moving to the mix. I also think it is likely to cause property damage to the vehicles being squeezed past.

there's a lot more space than you think. it's obviously also bike dependent. and when i'm not sure i can split, i just pull back into one of the regular lanes.

 

[jdoggg12]

I think it is dangerous to those in vehicles and on motorcycles. There isn't exactly a lot of room between two lanes. then add that vehicles are moving to the mix. I also think it is likely to cause property damage to the vehicles being squeezed past.

Well then... you're a f^cking idiot. To say that motorcyclists deserve to die* because YOU'RE afraid your car might get a dent is idiocy to the Nth degree. First of all, you obviously didn't read any of the empirical studies from the site I linked earlier. It has been demonstrated that splitting is safer for riders than it is dangerous. Second, yes, there is actually quite a lot of room in most lanes-9 ft minimum and up to 15ft on most highways, interstate lanes are over 12' wide (1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane#Lane_width 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_standards).

People like YOU are the reason it's so dangerous... "Lane splitters all deserve to crash into open car doors." Take one minute and just picture yourself having a conversation with a family member that decided to ride and lane split, in California. You'd have just told your father/mother/brother/wife/etc. that they deserve to attacked for doing something legal because you disagree with it.

As long as the rider is doing it with reasonable caution, as set forth in the CHP guidelines, it's a right that bikers all over the country should have... just like the rest of the world.

*Yes, die. Doing that would very likely seriously injure or kill the motorcyclist.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I think it is dangerous to those in vehicles and on motorcycles. There isn't exactly a lot of room between two lanes. then add that vehicles are moving to the mix. I also think it is likely to cause property damage to the vehicles being squeezed past.

I would bet you'd be hard pressed to find ANY accidents involving lane splitting where someone in a car was injured.

The danger just isn't there for motorists.

 

[ummduh]

I love lane splitting. I've never driven any kind of road bike, and probably never will. However lane splitting just plain makes sense. It should be legal nation wide. Its a huge positive to getting out of a car, IMO.

I don't understand the hate some people have from it. Jealously perhaps? I'm certainly jealous, that's for sure. I just don't have the balls to get on a street bike, I have 0 restraint and would be dead in a hurry. But I'd probably have a giant smile on my face!

Why would you care if you think it is dangerous to the rider? If they're willing to go for it, more power to them. Not my business. They're already taking a big chance on a bike already.

 

[Drako]

Most car drivers don't realize these things about motorcycles

1. Zero blind spots

You have no clue if you don't ride.

LOL, at zero blind spots.

 

[JulesMaximus]

LOL, at zero blind spots.

If you turn your head you can pretty much eliminate most blind spots in a car. There are some exceptions of course (quite a lot actually) but with a motorcycle you get none of the obstruction from roof pillars etc.

 

[Drako]

If you turn your head you can pretty much eliminate most blind spots in a car. There are some exceptions of course (quite a lot actually) but with a motorcycle you get none of the obstruction from roof pillars etc.

I have not ridden in over 10 years, but saying zero blind spots is being pretty disingenuous. :\

My daily driver is a convertible, and with the top down, I would argue that my visibility/awareness is better because I don't have the helmet on.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have not ridden in over 10 years, but saying zero blind spots is being pretty disingenuous. :\

My daily driver is a convertible, and with the top down, I would argue that my visibility/awareness is better because I don't have the helmet on.

Well, if you ride a motorcycle and never turn your head then you're an idiot with a death wish. If you actually look in your mirrors and turn your head you can eliminate any blind spots pretty easily.

 

[Greenman]

Lane splitters all deserve to crash into open car doors.

I don't really mind the stupid statement, but lets be honest, you're mad because they get to pull in front of you. You don't like the idea of someone not having to wait their turn in traffic like you do. It's not "fair" that they get to go and you don't.

 

[jdoggg12]

As a track rider, we're not allowed to use mirrors... that mentality has carried over to my street riding and I'd never want to go back. Having mirrors is nice, however, you should constantly be scanning with your eyes/head as if you didn't have mirrors.

So my thought is... no, motorcycles don't have blind spots. A blind spot is an area that is physically obstructed from your view in using mirrors AND turning your head. On a bike, generally, helmets have ~105* of peripheral vision in either direction from forward [1]. That said by turning your head 90* in either direction should give you 360* horizontal FOV (105* FOV to either side of looking forward + 90* head turn = 195* visbility in either direction after turning one's head). If you don't turn your head, that's your mistake, not a limitation of riding.

1 -https://rideapart.com/articles/would-you-buy-a-motorcycle-helmet-because-of-better-vision

 

[jtvang125]

I have no issues with bikers splitting lanes but I'm seeing more and more of them doing it carelessly and recklessly. I'll be going 75 on the freeway and they'll fly by going 10-15 plus. That's fine when done in the gap between the carpool/hov lane and #1 lane because there's more room. When done between the regular lanes there's literally just inches between the bike and my side mirrors.

Just this past Labor Day weekend I saw more than a handful of bikers splitting lanes between big rigs and cars on a curve. One miscalculation and he might be a pancake underneath that big rig.

 

[skyking]

That's not lane splitting, it is suicidal behavior.
Using as it is intended, I see no problem with lane splitting.

 

[jdoggg12]

Just saw this. Thought it was relevant to the topic

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3204990.html

 

[Fenixgoon]

Just saw this. Thought it was relevant to the topic

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3204990.html

well duh. speed is generally not what makes a situation dangerous. speed differential is what really creates a problem.

i'm assuming they cited the recent study that basically showed lanesplitting, provided you move about <10mph faster than traffic, is just as safe as riding in a regular lane.

 

[kitatech]

But knowing my own habits, lane splitting is a form of riding that follows the "every driver is trying to kill me" mentality that riders need.

I feel that way every time I'm in my car...

In my trip down BACK to south Florida from Chicago last year, the ONLY time traffic picked UP speed when nearing a metro area, exceeding the previous 5-10mph over the legal limit to 10+mph, was HERE, at home...

Bikers, AND cars, are driven here as if their windshield was the driver's video monitor rather than a window to reality. They don't merely spit lanes, the obliterate them.