Lane splitting...

[JC Viper]

I remember reading a letter in a UK bike magazine. This guy was hit while passing by an inattentive cager. The cager admitted he was at fault but then changed his story when the cops came.

When both biker and driver went to court the judge said something along the lines of when you're on a bike, you're meant to filter or something similar. Who'd have thunk it.

Now I remember, the cager said that the biker went in between cars and suddenly just cut him off while in reality the cager wanted to make a quick move to the curb without even looking.

[Kal]

Quick question- a motorcycle lane splitting through heavy traffic has NEVER pissed you off?

No, but then I don't drive a car. We have cars in europe not much longer than my bike, if I am out of the way filtering then that is extra roadspace for someone else to use. whish is why I believe it is not illegal here - we're a big population on a small island, we have to use space effectively.

2. oh please, if you're stuck in traffic, you have NEVER at all been angered by a biker splitting traffic? I know most of the time I don't care if a biker is cutting traffic but sometimes I'm in a hurry; I'm pissed off; i'm in a bad mood, and so sometimes I dislike the bikers coming cruising between the cars.

I had this arguement with an ex-colleague who likes cars.

1) In the rain I get wet
2) In the snow I get cold
2) I have no stereo
3) I have no air conditioning
4) In an accident I am significantly more likely to be hurt or killed than a car driver

Against which having the advantage of lane splitting seems more than reasonable. Motorbikes and cars are not the same. To treat them the same because some people aren't adult enough to accept that is just crazy.

I wonder how much the same drivers will winge when Bikes get access to Bus lanes over here.

[JC Viper]

Quick question- a motorcycle lane splitting through heavy traffic has NEVER pissed you off?

No, but then I don't drive a car. We have cars in europe not much longer than my bike, if I am out of the way filtering then that is extra roadspace for someone else to use. whish is why I believe it is not illegal here - we're a big population on a small island, we have to use space effectively.

2. oh please, if you're stuck in traffic, you have NEVER at all been angered by a biker splitting traffic? I know most of the time I don't care if a biker is cutting traffic but sometimes I'm in a hurry; I'm pissed off; i'm in a bad mood, and so sometimes I dislike the bikers coming cruising between the cars.

I had this arguement with an ex-colleague who likes cars.

1) In the rain I get wet
2) In the snow I get cold
2) I have no stereo
3) I have no air conditioning
4) In an accident I am significantly more likely to be hurt or killed than a car driver

Against which having the advantage of lane splitting seems more than reasonable. Motorbikes and cars are not the same. To treat them the same because some people aren't adult enough to accept that is just crazy.

I wonder how much the same drivers will winge when Bikes get access to Bus lanes over here.

How do you get wet if you buy gear that's water / weather proof or have rain gear?

An MP3 player with one earbud is good enough and no chance of being obnoxious with the volume unlike cagers with stereos. Of course I know someone with a Sirius radio on their bike and some tank mounted speakers...

That is usually my answer when people bring up those things. I also brag about getting 53 MPG along with the ability to fit in narrow spaces when some idiot is double parked on a one way street.

[Kal]

I feel personal stereos are a safety issue and wont wear one on the bike.

I don't wear my 'wet gear' if I don't need it when I leave the house. If it decides to rain after that, and lets face it I live in a wet Country, then I am going to get wet.

To be honest rain is just one of those dodo happens issues.

[ofblong]

I feel personal stereos are a safety issue and wont wear one on the bike.

I don't wear my 'wet gear' if I don't need it when I leave the house. If it decides to rain after that, and lets face it I live in a wet Country, then I am going to get wet.

To be honest rain is just one of those dodo happens issues.

I agree. without headphones on I have a better chance of reacting because I heard something before I saw it and it gives me a better chance to react.

[sv-wolf]

In congested areas why should you get to your destination faster than me because im in a car instead of a bike? you should wait in the congestion just like everyone else and use the full LANE to pass the other LANE not lane split. I mean its not my fault you didnt leave your location a few minutes earlier to avoid the congestion.

That's an arguement based on sheer self-righteousness. And self-righteousness on the road is dangerous. It causes people to want to open their doors on passing bikes. It causes people to act irrationally and results in accidents.

The argument is also absurd. You might as well ask why, on an open road, should the guy in the sportscar driving in the fast lane get home faster than the guy on the 50cc Honda, just because his vehicle is capable of it? Should he hold down his speed to 40mph in the name of fairness? It's exactly the same logic and equally daft. You use whatever advantages your vehicle gives you on the road.

Anything you do on the road, so long as it is done carefully and safely is OK in my book. Lane splitting can be done safely or it can be done in a dangerous manner. That's the only valid criterion for judging it.

If the biker lane-splits carelessly, and without due attention to safety then he is at fault. If the driver reacts dangerously becuase he is self-righteously peeved at a bike's ability to filter, then he is at fault.

The British Highway Code states quite clearly it is not the driver/rider's responsibility to 'enforce the rules of the road' (whatever he conceives them to be - or believes they ought to be). It is his responsibility to drive/ride safely in all circumstances and with the interests of all road-users in mind whatever his view of their behaviour. I'll go along with that. It sounds like the voice of sanity to me.

[ANDS!]

I lane split this week. It's becoming second nature to know when/where to do it. Have I cut through serious traffic? Yes. I've also kept my bike from overheating by being stuck in neutral/1st Gear. Plus it lets me chat with folks at lights.

[shane-o]

legal to split lanes/filter here only if the traffic has completely stopped, ie. you can not split moving cars.

however

I split everything stopped, slowly moving and open roads at highway speeds.




I like to have the idots behind me not infront, also I hate stopping behind cars wondering if the car/bus/truck following me is going to fail to see the stopped traffic and take me out, safer to just get in front of them.


One safety tip for the newbs to lane splitting city traffic, after riding down the middle of the cars to the front always put your bike in front of one of the cars, never sit in between cars at the lights you can get trapped there by wankers and if you stall it on take off, you have the risk of many excellerating cars comming way to close to your feet

[shane-o]

No its not the same. Lane splitting in a construction zone is usually 1 lane not 2. Its not lane splitting if there is more than one lane and your passing on the left/right LANE (which passing on the right on a highway is illegal just like driving in the left lane is illegal). You need to read up on the defenition of Lane splitting. If there are 2 lanes of road and there is a stand still I WILL pull over in front of you if your trying to pass especially if its a construction zone. If it is 80mph traffic I could give a whoot less because that means both lanes are open, not congested, and if you want to ride faster than me fine. there is no reason to lane split if there is open road and everyones doing like 80 mph. In congested areas why should you get to your destination faster than me because im in a car instead of a bike? you should wait in the congestion just like everyone else and use the full LANE to pass the other LANE not lane split. I mean its not my fault you didnt leave your location a few minutes earlier to avoid the congestion.

your 1 bike is not going to make 1 iota of difference to congested traffic if you stay in line or not. Also as I mentioned before im not talking about city roads im talking about highways/freeways where there is road construction going on. Yes michigan is one of the few states that will give you a $500 ticket (thats what the price used to be as my friend got a ticket for this) for waiting till the last second to move over for a construction choke point.

your off ya meds right?

I swear people like you should be strung up naked and the rest of us "normal thinking motorcyclists" should be able to throw big rocks at ya until ya get a clue !!!!


Reading dodo like that makes me wonder do you actually ride a bike????

[Kal]

I'd missed you shane-o.