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Lane splitting

ursharkfuel

God got one thing wrong: Stupid should be PAINFUL!
Member
I heard from an attorney in our off season that wanted me to testify in a lawsuit that involved a lane splitting rider that was paralyzed from the waist down. Based on what I saw I told him that you don't want me on the stand as a witness because I think your client helped to create his own situation.

What happened: I was in my SUV following all the other cars on a packed California highway creeping along at about 10 to 15 mph. And of course the usual suspects come up the lanes, most at a reasonable speeds, and others too fast, but some were gunning their throttles I assume if they judged two vehicles are too close together to easily pass and some are far too loud for those close quarters to be doing that. Some would wave if they moved over and others gave drivers the finger that didn't do anything. Anyway I remember the guy involved gunned his straight pipe v twin, which has an unmistakable sound, right beside us and scared the hell out of me and everyone with me, but I fortunately did not move the steering wheel. He then past the car in front of me and got to the next car in our lane and did the same thing, but that poor lady must have panicked because she pulled her wheel to the right and tragically pinned that dude between her SUV and a large truck. According to his attorney that caused serious damage to his back and pelvis which did not surpise me from what I saw that day. I stopped and could tell he was hurt badly as we treated him for shock. The sad thing was, I could see he had plenty of room to pass, she just didn't move out of her lane to the left and make additional room like some of the other drivers were doing - and he was just loudly making a point. A point in retrospect he really should not have made as it turns out. I told the attorney, I am a bike rider and I was a MSF instructor from 88-92 and I do not lane split, nor do I believe in loud pipes. Putting me on the stand would not help his case, and I have not heard from him since - that was October.

Back when I was teaching MSF classes I had a police officer and his daughter in a class and he explained that the California Vehicle code actually did not permit lane splitting. He said (at that time) the code clearly states, one vehicle per lane at a time. Bikes riding side by side in a lane was not legal either. He said lane splitting was tolerated to allow air cooled bikes to move SLOWLY between cars for airflow only. And if they were moving much faster than walking speed it would be considered reckless driving. When it came to reckless driving he added, that could happen any any speed, with any vehicle, if the vehicle was being operated in an unsafe manner.

I also investigated bike accidents as part of my instructor role while in the USAF and I can tell you I saw far too many wrecks and one fatality caused by lane splitting. The bikes and riders always seemed to be the losers in those collisions because right or wrong they got hurt and it was enough to make me stop lane splitting. I'm simpley not in that big a hurry to risk it.

What about you, do you do it, do your friends do it, have you seen any wrecks caused by it? And BTW, cars can legally change lanes in traffic - it is the splitters coming from behind have to yield assuming they are not moving too fast to avoid colliding which also happens and they wrongly blame the vehicle driver.
 
Never have and never will.

I was a police officer in my better years. My state didnt tolerate it, and i hope they never legalize it. There were enough squids out there doing enough stupid things (wheelies) in traffic, and crash landing.....can u imagine what those knuckleheads would do if that were legalized...
 
Well , almost nobody here in Texas signals for a lane change so it would be quite a foolish gamble to attempt lane splitting here . When I lived and rode in Ca. I did it often but never felt like it was the right thing to do or that I had some right to do it legally .
 
I live in NY and I will not sit still in traffic and run the risk in getting killed. I responsibly split when traffic is very heavy between 0 and 15 mph. I have yet to be pulled over for it. To say that splitting shouldn't be permitted at all because some will ruin it for all is very narrow minded. Kind of like punishing all gun owners for the few that misuse them.
 

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I live here in Southern California and have been lane splitting for years. I am cautious while doing it and have saved many hours of time. Traffic can be very bad here and if done safely I think it is good. I have followed police on a bike splitting traffic a few times too. I always split at a safe speed 15-20mph and if it is tight I will just stay in my lane and be patient till there is more space. There are some riders in our area that go way too fast or gun their bikes in neutral to get a car drivers attention. I am not one of them but my head is always on a swivel to make sure I am being courteous while splitting.
 
I've never lived in a area where it was congested enough to lane split; I've never done it.
Question: On my C-14, with the luggage on, is the bike narrow enough?
Aren't the raised lane dividing dots in the road super annoying to constantly ride over?
I might be riding down PCH Hwy 1 from Ojai to Venice beach LA this spring and may get a chance to lane split some.
Nick
2014 C-14
 
One does not ride the "Bot Dots " for long.
By the way the section of the PCH from Point Mugu to Santa Monica is a major speed trap.
 
The example cited is common. Passing on the right raises your risk because car drivers don't expect a motorcycle to be there. Additionally,
the convex mirror on the car's right side can make a motorcycle nearly invisible due to it's small size.

It's illegal here in Florida, but like many infractions, are not enforced due to the reluctance of officers to expose themselves and other drivers to the risks of a chase and likely escape of the rider.

Larry
 
The example cited is common. Passing on the right raises your risk because car drivers don't expect a motorcycle to be there. Additionally,
the convex mirror on the car's right side can make a motorcycle nearly invisible due to it's small size.

It's illegal here in Florida, but like many infractions, are not enforced due to the reluctance of officers to expose themselves and other drivers to the risks of a chase and likely escape of the rider.

Larry
So you're saying motorcycle riders always run in Florida? Good to know...
 
Just got my American Motorcyclist magazine in the mail and there is a story on Montana becoming the third state to adopt lane-filtering legislation (along with CA and Utah.)
 
“Montana bill S.B. 9, which goes into effect October 1, 2021, says that motorcyclists are allowed to split between other motorists when the lanes are wide enough, road conditions are safe, and the rider is traveling under 20 mph. Motorcyclists must stay within 10 mph of the ambient traffic.

Even at this lower speed allowance of Lane filtering there is so much to this left open for interpretation - really disagree and find this is not smart.

Would be interesting to see the motorcycle accident rate before / after implementation.
 
Having ridden for many years in California it has been my good fortune to never have had an incident while lane splitting. My approach is one of extreme caution. I have both of my brake points covered... 2 fingers over the front lever and the right foot poised over the rear brake pedal. My observation skills are in high alert... are people drifting ahead? Are they texting or distracted? What is my differential speed with surrounding traffic? At what speed should I simply blend back into the average speed of the vehicles around me? These are all considerations that I am updating constantly. Add to that the possibility of spotting road debris and falling objects from the loaded trucks going my way. Do you know how many mattresses, couch cushions, dresser drawers and wooden chairs litter the highways around the 1st of the month when people are carelessly moving?

Anyway... let it be known that on at least two occasions I have let a Highway Patrol and Sheriffs go on ahead without me because they are riding between traffic at a higher speed than I am comfortable with. I like having law enforcement ahead of me when splitting traffic for the simple fact most people straighten up a bit when they see the "Ticket Master" riding by between lanes and therefor are a bit more cognizant of their driving awareness. I prefer not being the lead motorcycle in the motorcycle caravans that are working their was through stop and go traffic that happen frequently in my area. However, we do have plenty of courtesy on display as people in the number 1 lane are often aware and move over when they see motorcycles coming up through slow moving traffic. I do my best to give them a thumbs up after I pass if the risk factor is favorable. I also see on occasion those believers in loud pipes save lives as well as the horrible gestures they give on occasion that diminishes the overall "Ambassadorship" of motorcycle riders in general. Having said that... it is my belief the way we drive affects those around us and the better we drive and the more respectful we are to other drivers the better it is for everybody long term and short term.

Many times while splitting lanes I have been tailgated by faster lane splitters.... I simply move over and let them go... I will watch and see if anything happens that could have possibly been me.

So... why do I split lanes? Because to sit there when I can keep moving especially in backed up traffic at a standstill is beyond my ability to stay patient. Having commuted for decades in the Southern California jungle of congested traffic is simply too much for me. I have commuted as much as 15,000 miles in 5 months before by car.... 2.5 to 3.5 hours to get home is very taxing. I bought the Concours to make it comfortable... My other bike is a Hayabusa and its fun.... but not so much for commuting.

My closest call? Traffic was stopped when approaching a traffic light. Some guy jumped out of his truck and the first moment I saw him was when he rounded the front go his pickup to grab something out of the box on the passenger side. I did a short stop where the rear wheel came off the ground briefly. He stood right next to me not saying a word as he fished out of the box whatever he was after. Had I not been holding in the clutch I would have hit him on the back with my left fist. I am glad I didn't do that because it would not have changed anything. Had I hit him with 500+ lbs of motorcycle ( on the Busa ) he would have gone down hard... and it would have been somebodies fault... not sure who... it was not a pedestrian crosswalk area.

Anyway... those are my thoughts and experiences... comments are welcome.
 
Personal feelings of self-preservation and opinions about lane splitting aside -- I suspect the SUV driver will be cutting a check for the injured motorcycle rider. The current law in California makes it illegal for a motorist to move their vehicle to impede a lane splitting bike, and that sound like what occurred. I empathize with the motorist that that was not her intention, but that's why they call it an accident.
I lane split all day long, but I don't believe that loud pipes are an effective tool at communicating with surrounding motorists. I've been known to rarely use a horn tap to get someone's attention if they are lazily pinching the MC lane, but by then I'm usually at a dead stop and there's no way to get pinned. I have no interest in being right but also in the back of an ambulance.
If you keep on top of the trial, I'd be interested to hear the verdict.
 
I do a lot of stupid things on a motorcycle, but I'm not a lane splitter.

Ride safe, Ted
Honestly it is not a stupid thing if you are careful, considerate and your time is important. California is a car crazed and a very populated state and I have a healthy respect when I utilize lane splitting. Most of the country does not allow it and when I am in those states I follow the law. I do respect your opinion Ted since I have known you for a long time. :)
 
My OOps. Wasn't trying to say that Lane splitting is stupid.
Just saying it's not something I would do as I take e'nuff chances as it is. **
Everyone has their own choice.

** NOTE: I live in Texas / not allowed / frowned on / ie; Would piss off the rednecks. (which makes it more dangerous)

See y'all at the National.
Ride safe, Ted
 
I live in NY and I will not sit still in traffic and run the risk in getting killed. I responsibly split when traffic is very heavy between 0 and 15 mph. I have yet to be pulled over for it. To say that splitting shouldn't be permitted at all because some will ruin it for all is very narrow minded. Kind of like punishing all gun owners for the few that misuse them.
Nice pic, it just doesn't show the folks wedged BETWEEN cars when the bigger vehicle leaves it's lane due to texting, phone use, inattention, avoiding an obstacle and so on. I watch my mirror when stopped as much as I watch the intersection. More than once I have had to ease up beside the vehicle in front of me because of someone stopping too long behind me and it happens in 4 wheelers also.

Narrow minded? Sure, but no more than the belief that being between cars in no lane is some how safer than being in front of behind them in lanes only designed for ONE vehicle to occupy. And while I fully support the 2nd amendment, I am none too kind to a gun owner that acts recklessly or does not handle their arms safely which makes all of us look bad when they become yet another bad "accident" stat.
 
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I live here in Southern California and have been lane splitting for years. I am cautious while doing it and have saved many hours of time. Traffic can be very bad here and if done safely I think it is good. I have followed police on a bike splitting traffic a few times too. I always split at a safe speed 15-20mph and if it is tight I will just stay in my lane and be patient till there is more space. There are some riders in our area that go way too fast or gun their bikes in neutral to get a car drivers attention. I am not one of them but my head is always on a swivel to make sure I am being courteous while splitting.

I'm in Cali too where traffic is a way of life. Lane splitting is a personal choice, but I cannot get behind the "it is safer" argument is all. And it sounds like you are trying to be cautious when doing so - way to go! But it truly is not "legal" here as some have said because vehicle code does not permit more than one vehicle in the same lane and there is no "bike lane" on the highway, splitting just tolerated. And some smart lawyer will challenge the claimed law allowing it and win on the precedent that already exists in the vehicle code prohibiting it.

I'm not convinced loud pipes are anything but obnoxious either, but people do it and that is definitely not legal. And they swear that the noise is safer, while in the same breath they argue that helmets are unsafe - oops, laughed so hard on that one I almost wet myself. Time for a bathroom break.
 
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I don't lane split. I lived in Jacksonville, Florida for a few years and I did see some bikers lane splitting. Some of them were very reckless and could have caused accidents. So I'm on the side of not doing it.
 
I'm in Cali too where traffic is a way of life. Lane splitting is a personal choice, but I cannot get behind the "it is safer" argument is all. And it sounds like you are trying to be cautious when doing so - way to go! But it truly is not "legal" here as some have said because vehicle code does not permit more than one vehicle in the same lane and there is no "bike lane" on the highway, splitting just tolerated. And some smart lawyer will challenge the claimed law allowing it and win on the precedent that already exists in the vehicle code prohibiting it.
You're mistaken about the law. It is legal to share lanes in California, and has been for decades. You see it with vehicles on a two lane road at a stop sign, where there is room, one car making a right turn pulls alongside a stopped car going straight and for a moment, they are sharing the lane. The street didn't add a lane -- it's termed lane sharing. Now you could argue that that shouldn't have applied when vehicles are not coming to stop, or whatever, but that's just personal feeling of right or wrong -- no basis in the law, which included no such prohibition or definition.

But more importantly, on August 19, 2016, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 51. This made it officially legal for motorcyclists to lane split. The new law formally defined lane splitting in California’s vehicle code. It also explicitly authorized the CHP to provide educational guidelines on lane splitting. It also creates an obligation for motorists not to impede a motorcycle that's splitting lanes.

Now I'm not encouraging folks to lane split if they aren't comfortable with it. And I definitely don't think it's wise to do it in other states (both because it's illegal and because drivers don't expect it).
 
I respectfully disagree.

Just because something is practice, and people do it, does not make it legal. Tolerated does not equal legal. The vehicle code is very clear when it comes to respect for marked lanes. "Making" another lane because there is room to make a right turn when lane is not marked is not legal according to the vehicle code. I never said the 2016 "lane splitting" law is not on the books, but it is in conflict with existing laws and the newer law normally comes out the loser when there is a court challenge. The only way to fix that is to add an exception or change the existing laws.

And before someone steps in to argue that the code article below does not say exactly one vehicle per lane, that was defined earlier in the vehicle code when "overtaking" was explained and the limits applied to it. To overtake on a two lane road it must be done safely in the lane for on coming traffic or in a second lane if there are two or more lanes in the same direction. NO WHERE DOES THE CODE PERMIT OCCUPYING THE SAME LANE to pass, travel, or stop. The code is very clear that the intent is one lane per vehicle. So riding side by side in a lane or lane splitting is not legal, but this will not be the first time laws have been past that are in conflict with each other which is why we have courts.

Vehicle Code - VEH

DIVISION 11. RULES OF THE ROAD [21000 - 23336]

( Division 11 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

CHAPTER 3. Driving, Overtaking, and Passing [21650 - 21761]

( Chapter 3 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )


ARTICLE 1. Driving on Right Side [21650 - 21664]

( Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

21658.

Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.
 
I respectfully disagree.

Just because something is practice, and people do it, does not make it legal. Tolerated does not equal legal. The vehicle code is very clear when it comes to respect for marked lanes. "Making" another lane because there is room to make a right turn when lane is not marked is not legal according to the vehicle code. I never said the 2016 "lane splitting" law is not on the books, but it is in conflict with existing laws and the newer law normally comes out the loser when there is a court challenge. The only way to fix that is to add an exception or change the existing laws.

And before someone steps in to argue that the code article below does not say exactly one vehicle per lane, that was defined earlier in the vehicle code when "overtaking" was explained and the limits applied to it. To overtake on a two lane road it must be done safely in the lane for on coming traffic or in a second lane if there are two or more lanes in the same direction. NO WHERE DOES THE CODE PERMIT OCCUPYING THE SAME LANE to pass, travel, or stop. The code is very clear that the intent is one lane per vehicle. So riding side by side in a lane or lane splitting is not legal, but this will not be the first time laws have been past that are in conflict with each other which is why we have courts.

Vehicle Code - VEH

DIVISION 11. RULES OF THE ROAD [21000 - 23336]

( Division 11 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

CHAPTER 3. Driving, Overtaking, and Passing [21650 - 21761]

( Chapter 3 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )


ARTICLE 1. Driving on Right Side [21650 - 21664]

( Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

21658.

Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.
I am not going to read all of your post, but it is legal in Calif, tellin ya for a friend!
As of August 19th, 2016, lane splitting is officially legal in California. Lane splitting, also known as lane sharing, refers to the practice of a motorcyclist riding between lanes of traffic that is either stopped or moving slowly.
 
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I am not going to read all of your post, but it is legal in Calif, tellin ya for a friend!
As of August 19th, 2016, lane splitting is officially legal in California. Lane splitting, also known as lane sharing, refers to the practice of a motorcyclist riding between lanes of traffic that is either stopped or moving slowly.

Oh I have no doubt something that "permits" lane splitting was passed in 2016, but my point has been from the start of our conversation, it isn't safe and the vehicle code is full of older laws that do not allow it. So when it is challenged in court, the 2016 "law" will lose to the earlier precedents and the idiots in the legislature will need to start over because they didn't do their homework.
 
Oh I have no doubt something that "permits" lane splitting was passed in 2016, but my point has been from the start of our conversation, it isn't safe and the vehicle code is full of older laws that do not allow it. So when it is challenged in court, the 2016 "law" will lose to the earlier precedents and the idiots in the legislature will need to start over because they didn't do their homework.
I never said it was safe and I don’t do it. I believe you said splitting and being legal isn’t the same , I know it isn’t verbatim of your comment but you get the jist,as a good reminder why I don’t do it ,in my area yesterday a bike tried to split a semi and another vehicle on the freeway, my coworkers saw body parts and blood spilled for 50’ , I saw some pictures and it wasn’t pretty, carry on splitting at your own risk I risk enough staying in my own lane.
 
Personal feelings of self-preservation and opinions about lane splitting aside -- I suspect the SUV driver will be cutting a check for the injured motorcycle rider. The current law in California makes it illegal for a motorist to move their vehicle to impede a lane splitting bike, and that sound like what occurred. I empathize with the motorist that that was not her intention, but that's why they call it an accident.
I lane split all day long, but I don't believe that loud pipes are an effective tool at communicating with surrounding motorists. I've been known to rarely use a horn tap to get someone's attention if they are lazily pinching the MC lane, but by then I'm usually at a dead stop and there's no way to get pinned. I have no interest in being right but also in the back of an ambulance.
If you keep on top of the trial, I'd be interested to hear the verdict.

I hear what you are saying, but I doubt the driver of the car will pay anything, nor do I have any way to keep up with the trial because the wreck happened more than a year ago and my only contact with anyone was October 2020 - a random call on a call phone I have since replaced.

There is an easy explanation why the driver will not pay, it was simply an accident. Her defense could be, I moved to make room but the bike was on the other side and in her blind spot And when there are 4 to 6 lanes of cars, it is difficult to know EXACTLY where the noisemaker actually is. I saw him coming because I was looking for him - maybe because I'm a rider. Many of the drivers in Cali are not situationally aware and can't tell you what day of the week it is for an assortment of reasons.

The rest of the story:
The dude was jacking his throttle like it was his right to everyone's lane which was simply not the case. There is no law that says you need to crowd the car to the left or right to make way for a lane splitter, because then you are at risk and so is the driver you are crowding. The lane you are in is YOURS and the law is clear on that. I was in the CENTER of my lane in a Subaru Forester and that A-HOLE still lit me up because he that was his thing - I guess he likes to intimidate drivers. And from all I saw in that 30 minutes or so dealing with him at the scene I am convinced that is true. From all appearances his aggressiveness led to his injury because he scared the crap out of that lady and everyone that stopped at the scene said the same thing - including me. I saw him coming and he still startled me! And he had enough room for two bikes. The bike was loud as hell and the dude was being obnoxious with everyone. Not exactly an ambassador of goodwill for the rest of us on two wheels. It was tough to see him hurt so bad, yet he was nasty to the folks trying to help after the fact - including the EMTs. I would never wish that on anyone, but I am not crying about it either because he made it clear in everyway he could to all that came in contact with him that he was not a very nice person.
 
I never said it was safe and I don’t do it. I believe you said splitting and being legal isn’t the same , I know it isn’t verbatim of your comment but you get the jist,as a good reminder why I don’t do it ,in my area yesterday a bike tried to split a semi and another vehicle on the freeway, my coworkers saw body parts and blood spilled for 50’ , I saw some pictures and it wasn’t pretty, carry on splitting at your own risk I risk enough staying in my own lane.

I think you mistook my meaning. In the first part of that reply I was talking about folks squeezing up to make a turn. Just because people do it, doesn't make it right.

We agree and I respect your opinion. You're smart not to do it! Those that want to do it should not dance around the issue and just accept the risk. Those that want to transfer the blame for their risky behavior really scorch my a$$. I do dumb things all the time, and when I do, I know who to blame when I see him in the mirror every morning when I shave.

Take care buddy
 
i did it when i was in navy in the bay area. its quite intense and left me rattled everytime i got home. one particular incident was especially frightful. I was on the oakland bay bridge bridge splitting lanes following a sport bike. i was on a vulcan 500. a old van had extra wide mirrors and my handlebars hit it as i drove by. i was freaked after that. still kept doing it though. probably not the wisest course of action.
 
Mentioned Dan Dan the Fireman in another thread. Constant, high quality YouTube content producer, class offerings, etc., also a medical/ First Responder background.

Nonetheless see this recently produced video, DDFM exposes in his stages of alertness why you are rattled every time you got home. Lane Splitting section is mid part of this short video.

I watch DDFM on a regular basis, refresher of MSF content in every video and keeps in forefront of your mind. Additionally his separate content of breaking down accidents and responses thereof is equally insightful.

DDFM doesn’t keep you guessing he is a true wealth of knowledge and an educator - everyone do yourself a favor: take a look..
 
Mentioned Dan Dan the Fireman in another thread. Constant, high quality YouTube content producer, class offerings, etc., also a medical/ First Responder background.

Nonetheless see this recently produced video, DDFM exposes in his stages of alertness why you are rattled every time you got home. Lane Splitting section is mid part of this short video.

I watch DDFM on a regular basis, refresher of MSF content in every video and keeps in forefront of your mind. Additionally his separate content of breaking down accidents and responses thereof is equally insightful.

DDFM doesn’t keep you guessing he is a true wealth of knowledge and an educator - everyone do yourself a favor: take a look..

Great stuff!! That dude is spot on in his analysis. And I think the lane splitting video is the northbound side of the 15 freeway heading toward the Cajon Pass just above Devore. I recognize the area and have commuted on it for decades. Afternoon to evening traffic is difficult there.

Blue this is not aimed at you, it is more to the group of dissenters: It is a fact that the more space you have, the safer you are, and the smaller the spot, the more difficult it is to escape or avoid trouble. Why? reaction time is all but gone and the unpredictability of the nearby vehicles. Lane splitting is your decision to trade your safety buffer to save a on travel time. So accept the risk and quit with the weak alibis and lame justifications - it isn't safe, it never will be, and if something happens - the vehicles around you may get dents and scratches, but you often get MUCH WORSE. So man up about it and stop trying to dress it up. That dog simply will not hunt no matter what you say - legal or not treally doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to risk.

And for the next topic - Does smoking pot make you smarter........ LMAO! OMG would those justifications be a laugh
 
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i did it when i was in navy in the bay area. its quite intense and left me rattled everytime i got home. one particular incident was especially frightful. I was on the oakland bay bridge bridge splitting lanes following a sport bike. i was on a vulcan 500. a old van had extra wide mirrors and my handlebars hit it as i drove by. i was freaked after that. still kept doing it though. probably not the wisest course of action.

Thankfully you survived. A little older, and a little wiser now I bet.

I was once young, 10 feet tall and bulletproof - or so I thought! Now I do not choose to light the fuse on a bomb of my own making, and I certainly don't blame others the times that I do strike that match.

Have you noticed none of the splitters are willing to discuss stopping distances in those confined spaces, they just like to claim they can stop in time, but the physics say they are wrong even if they had superhuman reaction times - and we all know they don't, because they are checking their mirrors and such.
 
It's legal in many places around the world. Someone said they wouldn't want to be squeezed in between two cars... I would rather be squeezed in between two cars rather then have a car slam me from behind doing anything above 30mph. To each their own. Here is where you can split legally worldwide.

 
Totally agree. It’s legal here in California as well and I lane split all day past, around and through LEOs — never once even had a light flash or PA warning. Certain others will disagree (endlessly), but I’ll be down the road and past the accident while they are walking the bike through traffic. Different strokes. :cool:
 
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I totally agree too. I certainly respect anyone that does not want to split traffic and there are times when I stay right where I am because it is outside my comfort zone. It is legal here in California and I am glad that I have that option and I take advantage of it where I think it makes sense.
 
If looked at from a worldwide perspective, filtering is the rule, and the states in the US that don't allow it are the exception.

If filtering is unsafe, why are other states now beginning to allow it? The answer is that studies have been done that reveal that it is at least as safe as sitting in the lane waiting to get rear ended, and it has the benefit of alleviating traffic congestion.

This article sums it up:
 
Totally agree. It’s legal here in California as well and I lane split all day past, around and through LEOs — never once even had a light flash or PA warning. Certain others will disagree (endlessly), but I’ll be down the road and past the accident while they are walking the bike through traffic. Different strokes. :cool:
I wouldn't chance this if it were legal here in AL, but that's me assessing the risk. Now, if the option were open for bikes to legally do this on the paved shoulder of the interstate (while negotiating around the road debris), I might consider it.
 
Hawaii made that legal in 2018. Will be interesting to see how it turns out, but they also have some unique challenges with a large portion of motorists being tourists (so they will never become accustomed to motorcyclists passing stopped traffic on the shoulder, and won’t be looking for it). Enjoy your ride.
 
I notice that somehow lane splitting and riding on the shoulder have been equated in this thread.
When using the shoulder of a roadway you are not in a "lane" and it is for emergency purposes only.
While lane splitting requires extreme attention for the rider you should still be in the devoted spaces for traffic.
While I try to plan my rides away from traffic I find with practice, patience, and planning lane splitting makes outing more enjoyable.
 
If looked at from a worldwide perspective, filtering is the rule, and the states in the US that don't allow it are the exception.

If filtering is unsafe, why are other states now beginning to allow it? The answer is that studies have been done that reveal that it is at least as safe as sitting in the lane waiting to get rear ended, and it has the benefit of alleviating traffic congestion.

This article sums it up:

I finally got around to reading this article and found it laughable.

The writer is quite a wordsmith, or at least has a well worn thesaurus in hand. But this wordy thesis does little to "resolve" anything. I found it unnecessarily complicated in an attempt to sound somewhat informed on the subject while talking about evidence - while drawing conclusions from thin air. An example of supportive data used was nearly 13 years old from a country that when the study took place restricted lane splitting to only when traffic was not moving and thus reportable incidents would have a low survey representative population which could only produce low results. Not to mention the study country was Germany where a drivers license is as difficult to obtain as a pilots license in the US and they are deadly serious about driving. German drivers are so serious about driving that they pull over to drink a soda, eat a snack, or have a smoke. I lived there for 4 years and STILL recall the lecture I got from a German friend as I dug into the cola and pom fritz (French Fries) I just purchased from a roadside stand before getting back in the car and driving away. No, I'm sorry, but American drivers are very different than German drivers. I trust Germans at Autobahn speeds, Americans? Not one bit! So much for the anecdotal and empirical evidence mumbo jumbo when it comes to a German study applied to America as evidence.

But since I am discussing evidence let's reflect on that. There is an old saying, I think it was Mark Twain that says, there are three kinds of lies, there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. This article was written in 2020, yet the author uses statistics published a decade or two ago - and he thought we wouldn't notice..... I'm sorry but that is no accident because to much has changed when it comes to vehicle laws, inspection requirements, vehicle lighting tech and so on. Years ago, some states would allow bikes to have tail lights that were on par with those of a bicycle! I have seen custom bikes with exactly that! You cannot see those bikes when you are following behind them, much less coming to a stop in an intersection at speed. It is no small wonder why those folks get rolled up on and they are also the same bikes with no turn signals, reflectors, and su standard headlights as well. No, there's a good reason why obsolete data was used and it does not surprise me at all to see it. Nor does the use of weak data from other countries shock me either. It allows the writer to pseudo support their conclusions when selected data, the data that supports their conclusion BEFORE the story was ever written, and nothing else.

A few closing observations. A little common sense is all that is required. Like, you cannot avoid a hypothetical rear end collision by dramatically reducing your ability to react and respond while moving forward. The physics say you're conclusions are all wrong. Road/highway congestion is not improved by increasing the number of vehicles in the same lane at the same time - that is the definition of congestion. Visibility around an object is improved the farther you are from an object, and diminishes the closer you get to one. I can see all around most a car from about 50 feet behind a car, but when I am on top of one - not so much. It's that pesky physics thing again......The logic of avoiding a possible accident, by dramatically improving the chances of a different kind of accident happening just doesn't work.
 
I notice that somehow lane splitting and riding on the shoulder have been equated in this thread.
When using the shoulder of a roadway you are not in a "lane" and it is for emergency purposes only.
While lane splitting requires extreme attention for the rider you should still be in the devoted spaces for traffic.
While I try to plan my rides away from traffic I find with practice, patience, and planning lane splitting makes outing more enjoyable.

If you enjoy it, that's cool. I just object to the silly justifications and denial of folks when it comes to doing it. Hell I could get hit by a Martian death ray while waiting for a light to change. I don't think there is a high probability of that actually happening, but anything is possible I guess when the discussion degrades to "well it could happen." But I do know what is more likely to happen when I am at times just inches from other cars and I have given up my ability to FULLY control my own destiny.

It's all about being honest about the risk and you definitely are honest about it. Be safe brother
 
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