Motorcyclists for Lane-splitting in the USA

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Andrew · #21 Post by **Andrew** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:23 am

You also live in Cali. The point we're trying to make is if the goal is to make it legal everywhere, just blatantly ignoring the law may not be the best way to go about it.

VermilionX · #22 Post by **VermilionX** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:32 am

Andrew78108 wrote:You also live in Cali. The point we're trying to make is if the goal is to make it legal everywhere, just blatantly ignoring the law may not be the best way to go about it.

yeah i know... im just rubbing it in.

Loonette · #23 Post by **Loonette** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:33 am

ZooTech wrote:
Loonette wrote:It would take a lot more than peer pressure to get me to break the law.

Wha'choo laughin' at, Willis?!

Hang on - I have to take a break before I respond...

Okay, that's better. I have never broken the law out of peer pressure. I only break the law because my own thinking process believes that there's no other way to get me through the day. Which I'm sure is why some folks would lane split. Which is fine - that's between them, other involved motorists, and the law. It's the whole, c'mon, you know you wanna!! business that irritates me.

ZooMan, you are such a little troublemaker!!

Cheers,
Loonette

Bugg · #24 Post by **Bugg** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:09 am

ha, If you're going to make a new law, I propose that if you own more than one vehicle, one has to be a motorcycle!..how's that for raising driver awareness??

Kim · #25 Post by **Kim** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:06 am

This is my personal opinion on lane splitting. If motorcyclists want respect and courtesy on the road, then we all need to follow the laws and guidelines, i.e, stay in your own lane and wait your turn to get there just like everyone else.

Why should a motorcycle have an advantage of getting somewhere faster simply because he's narrow enough to fit in between two cars?

I can just see more road rage happening because the cages are resentful of the bikes slipping on ahead of them.

Just my $.02.

Chris8187 · #26 Post by **Chris8187** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:23 am

Kim wrote:Why should a motorcycle have an advantage of getting somewhere faster simply because he's narrow enough to fit in between two cars?

Because the motorcycle is narrow enough to fit through two cars. I live in New Jersey, and I lane split when I feel like doing it, usually at lights where there is a long line. I see nothing wrong with lane splitting if it is done responsibly. I think people are a little too sensitive about the person who throws the door in front of you. How many times does that happen? Calculated risk comes in here, and I'll definitely take the chance than to sit in traffic with everyone else. Most people don't care or actually do let you by anyway. I hate all this everything should be fair talk. The world isn't fair, and it never will be. Take all the advantages you can get.

#27 Post by **storysunfolding** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:42 am

ZooTech wrote:
Loonette wrote:It would take a lot more than peer pressure to get me to break the law.

I can't help but laugh when ZooTech suddenly appears in a thread.

dieziege · #28 Post by **dieziege** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:54 am

Kim wrote:This is my personal opinion on lane splitting. If motorcyclists want respect and courtesy on the road, then we all need to follow the laws and guidelines, i.e, stay in your own lane and wait your turn to get there just like everyone else.

Why should a motorcycle have an advantage of getting somewhere faster simply because he's narrow enough to fit in between two cars?

I can just see more road rage happening because the cages are resentful of the bikes slipping on ahead of them.

Just my $.02.

There are two main reasons why a motorcycle should have that "advantage".

The first is the public good. Filtering reduces congestion for everyone. It provides an incentive for people to switch from larger and less economical vehicles like SUVs to two-wheeled vehicles that burn less fuel and require fewer resources to maintain. This is a well studied benefit with hard numbers backing it up. It is the reason filtering is legal in places like the UK. It is also the reason motorcycles are allowed access to carpool/HOV lanes in many parts of the US.

The second is the safety of motorcyclists. Being struck from behind in dense traffic is a very real danger to motorcyclists, and it is greatly reduced by filtering. This is another well studied and real benefit.

Filtering is a win for everyone... it is a win for cars because it means less congestion. It is a win for the environment because it means less pollution. It is a win for the economy because it means less wasted fuel, less of our nation's resources dedicated to buying large and inefficient cars and SUVs. A win for motorcyclists because it is safer and faster.

That is why California, famous for being a "Nanny State" that tries to micromanage everyone's lives and prevent anything that is the least bit harmful, allows and encourages filtering by motorcycles.

There are no actual downsides. There is the imagined downside of "road rage"... but frankly it isn't a filtering problem... and with reduced congestion leading to reduced commute times, filtering actually helps fight road rage too.

Randy · #29 Post by **Randy** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 5:45 pm

Make it so. I wish it were that easy. I really would like to be able to lane split legally wherever I go.

I would also like to win the lottery, but it probably won't happen.

dieziege · #30 Post by **dieziege** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:12 pm

If ABATE can get helmet laws reversed, a similarly political group could get lane splitting legalized.