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right lane runners

pslshawn

Member
Member
Although it has taken me a little while, I finally realize why most COGgers avoid the slab like the plague...besides flattening tires.  But when you’re not retired (I hate you retired guys :nananana: :pokestick:) and need to get home, it is sometimes unavoidable.

I got on 75 south below Atlanta yesterday coming home from the SE BTH rally, in hopes that I could make some time.  It was the typical highway non-sense…cagers not having a clue about the rules of the road...thinking they own the left lane at 65mph, riding in truckers blind spots for miles, getting on the highway like they’re driving down main street, etc., etc., etc.

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the times the left and center lanes were congested with idiots waiting to die, but the right lane was literally clear for miles so I would get on the throttle and run the right lane hugging the line/shoulder until I had to get back in, which I did safely without cutting anyone or riding up on anyone.

But it really doesn’t matter, the fact is I became a frustrated rider on a bike that has power to spare and power to get you in trouble if you don’t respect it.  Most of you know better than me…frustration and riding is a bad recipe.

What do you do in a situation like that?

Do you ride with the rest of the lemmings and hope you don’t get side-swiped by an inattentive driver, or do you use the skill, experience, power and nimbleness of the bike to get away, even if it means running the right lane?  What is safer?

I need to talk to a Zen Master about achieving a better mind-set in the saddle, regardless of conditions.
 
KLUKE-anniv.jpg


Grasshopper, create space cushion around you if possible. If need to pass on right, make sure shoulder is drivable.

When you can snatch the FOB from my hand, it will be time for you to leave!.

Master Po


 
kv5e said:
KLUKE-anniv.jpg


Grasshopper, create space cushion around you if possible. If need to pass on right, make sure shoulder is drivable.

When you can snatch the FOB from my hand, it will be time for you to leave!.

Master Po

I'm good now, thanks Craig! :motonoises:
 
Shawn said:
...But when you’re not retired (I hate you retired guys :nananana: :pokestick:) and need to get home, it is sometimes unavoidable.

...But it really doesn’t matter, the fact is I became a frustrated rider on a bike that has power to spare and power to get you in trouble if you don’t respect it.  Most of you know better than me…frustration and riding is a bad recipe...
Sorry, I'm retired and lovin' it.  :D

I wouldn't hesitate to go down the right lane...but with some caveats.  First, no one is expecting you there, so don't be surprised if someone else jumps in front of you.  You did it, so expect them to do it.  Riding on the far right next to the shoulder, pretty much puts you out of anyone's visibility.  I think I would approach it like the "smart" lane-splitters in California do...move through the traffic, but not with a huge speed differential.  Second, you left out one huge way to get out of trouble.  We think of our throttle first, but our brakes will have more effect to change our speed and get us out of trouble than our throttle.  Even on a C14.

Chris
 
I85, I185, 431 & 231 were no different yesterday. Left lane was consistently clogged and little or no traffic in right lane. I did make good time MOST of the way thru Atlanta by staying mostly right at hyper-velocity speeds that I had not experienced before. I DO NOT recommend or solicit my technique for Atlanta traffic.

But, I agree with your observation. Even on the open highway, I tend to live in the right lane and follow the proper left lane protocol.

My two complaints yesterday were the left lane issue, and why do people NOT turn on their lights in the rain?????? It was coming down hard and heavy with nearly zero visibility and 25% of the vehicles had no lights on.

 
I DRIVE (not ride if I  can help it) in Atlanta 2-3 times a week and almost always find the right lane moving faster. People, well, they're mostly stupid and selfish, not to mention self-righteous (you shouldn't be speeding) lane hogs. There. Did I say that?

I pass on the right with care, more on the bike than in the cage. But on the bike, it becomes a creep up and quickly pass to get past and out of the blind spot. Unfortunately on the C-14, I find myself having to stop occasionally to reset my brain, because the process quickly becomes "pass that car," then... "pass THAT car...", then PASS THAT CAR" until I'm moving WAY too fast.

Probably two, no three big dangers in Atlanta: Distracted  drivers, suddenly slowing/stopping traffic because of the accordion effect of mixed speed traffic and pot holes big enough to swallow your whole front wheel that are 18" deep. Really. 18" deep because the asphalt is that thick from years of overlays.

You might see people doing anything on these roads since they practically live in their cars. I've seen people eating, putting on makeup, getting dressed, reading books, writing with a pen/pencil, watching a video, talking or texting, and one woman whowas putting on panty hose while behind the wheel. Don't ask me  how she was steering, self-driving car maybe? Oh no, I remember now, she was a pretty blonde and it was on cruise control.  :-[

Be careful in Hotlanta.
 
I85 from Atlanta to past Commerce is horrible with the left lane idiots, I avoid it when I'm in the area. Last fall I rode from Houston to DC and back and had the most trouble with that driving style in Virginia, I also gave in and used the right lane to pass.
 
Since all the slow driving idiots are now tend to occupy Left lane, DOT and NHTSA must change rules for vehicle overtake (passing in American) from "overtaking on the left only" to overtaking an idiot by all means necessary!  :))
 
oldsmoboat said:
I'd split lanes.

OH NO...not in Ga., or any other state where it's not legal.  Would never do it!  The cagers recognize it in Cal., they may not like it, but they recognize it.  IMHO, doing that in most other populous states will get you dead...it tends to really piss off the cagers.  It tends to piss off the LEOs also if you get caught. 
 
A guy passed me splitting lanes in Washington.  I had him on video and sent a note off to the local police saying I had the evidence.  I never heard back.  It may be illegal in Washington, but I don't think the cops care.  Probably if you did it in front of one, he'd write you up.  Otherwise, I think it'll spread very quickly.
 
I haven't tried lane splitting riding C14. Hovewer, I'd done it riding smaller bikes in the past. One time I'd done when WASP was stuck in the same gridlock. He turned out to be an empathetic type as the temperatures were reaching 90°F. I'd used left shoulder, slowly moving toward the exit.
But like others mentioned, lane splitting could induce problems, including road rage.
Proceed with caution if lane splitting is your thing!
 
Rules of the road no longer exist. Left lane campers have created a very dangerous scenario. Passing on the right has become one of the tools you must use to survive on a bike. But beware of the guy using a GPS and lane dives to catch an off ramp at the last second. It's all about getting into open space. Now more than ever a bike must travel faster than the flow of traffic. IMO
 
There is a common thread here, Atlanta. Truckers hate that mess of a city. I feel sorry for those who have to commute in that s**t. My goals when I ride are to stay out of the BIG cities and off of the interstates.
 
What do you do in a situation like that?


Find alternate routes. Seriously.


For a few years I’d commute from Richmond, Va, to Dover, DE, most weekends. Short path was on 95/495 around DC.


Well 495 around DC in traffic in SUMMER could be hellish. Alternate path was a highway that parallels 95 in VA and skirts east of DC. Longer ride (about 30 min extra), but steady speeds through much nicer areas. And easy to stop for a coffee/food in some neat places (had a favorite diner on that path).


Just yesterday I missed my exit for a major highway, ended up on a parallel “highway” (2 lane road here in CO). Followed it for 20 miles - didn’t take any longer than if I’d gotten on the “real” highway, even though speed limit was lower. Secondary road had zero traffic and 3 stop signs, while highway was busy with multiple lights.


Higher limits doesn’t always mean faster travel. Anymore we take secondaries - I can actually use cruise there.
 
kv5e said:
KLUKE-anniv.jpg


Grasshopper, create space cushion around you if possible. If need to pass on right, make sure shoulder is drivable.

When you can snatch the FOB from my hand, it will be time for you to leave!.

Master Po


Now that’s funny!
 
I pass on the right all the time, I don't like it as its illegal in OH, but the police do it and they seem to turn a blind eye concerning that unless you are being a complete idiot. As stated above, there are no rules anymore, especially road politeness, manners and etiquette. And, its just not being taught anymore, drivers ED amounts to about 10hrs of staying alive with an instructor on the road.
 
I moved out of Atlanta to rural Washington state thirty years ago... :beerchug:

Mixed feelings...I love the Atlanta area...but, the traffic... :(
 
Necro.

Here in Wisconsin some of the cities (Madison) are considering new traffic ordinances to ALLOW using the shoulder for all traffic, when safe and reasonable.

The lack of taxation powers and infrastructure projects in last 8-10 years have left us with HUGE congestion problems where there were none before, as we see them today.

I have done it for years depending on the circumstances, knowing that some cagers will pull out a wheel in anger to try and block.

Circumstances; can I see the exit I want, is there an overpass ahead, how much debris (nails) can I see on the shoulder, how hot is it, is the jam a result of 1st responders at a crash, etc.? 
 
I ride where it's legal to split lanes, so have much less opportunity to ride down the right shoulder.

But where I have had the opportunity -- like on long freeway on ramps where traffic is backed up half a mile to the metering lights -- I WILL roll down the right shoulder to bypass traffic. When I do it, i creep past at a very sedate speed and I do create a much bigger space cushion than I would if splitting.

I fully recognize that I'm not only exposing myself for a ticket, I'm also exposed to danger from the guy who decides to jump to the right so he can pull over and take his jacket off, or mess with his GPS or whatever. It will happen and he'll never look to see if someone is coming up the shoulder.
 
Regarding driving on the shoulder:  On the limited access roads when it's stopped or very slow, the shoulder should be kept clear for emergency vehicles.  I've seen what happens when a cop car is speeding along the shoulder and somebody decides to pull over without checking what's coming.
 
Tour1 said:
Regarding driving on the shoulder:  On the limited access roads when it's stopped or very slow, the shoulder should be kept clear for emergency vehicles.  I've seen what happens when a cop car is speeding along the shoulder and somebody decides to pull over without checking what's coming.
cop would be violating traffic laws unless he had lights and siren on,and then he should not be going more than 20mph and be able to stop if someone does pull in front of him.on 3-6 lane freeways the left lane passing means nothing, at rush hour its all one big parking lot.
 
bajasam said:
Tour1 said:
Regarding driving on the shoulder:  On the limited access roads when it's stopped or very slow, the shoulder should be kept clear for emergency vehicles.  I've seen what happens when a cop car is speeding along the shoulder and somebody decides to pull over without checking what's coming.
cop would be violating traffic laws unless he had lights and siren on,and then he should not be going more than 20mph and be able to stop if someone does pull in front of him.on 3-6 lane freeways the left lane passing means nothing, at rush hour its all one big parking lot.


True , He would be violating the law , but its done all the time around here (DFW) . I think some folks think they have some kind of protective shield around them . So many ignorant moves every day ,over and over .
 
IIRC police in the state of NY have a blanket exception to all traffic laws.  It's one of the reasons you can see police cars parked every which way at an accident scene, they're simply allowed to do it.
 
Going back and forth from IN to Cols OH I stay in the right lane and drive 3-10 over at all times. Never anyone out there.

I have a million mile no accident truck driver friend that grew up in OH that has been in the People republic of CA as he calls it for years. I send him dashcam video monthly showing him dashcam vids of trucks sitting in the middle lane, Ohio State fans in the right lanes camped out and me happily moving up an empty lane with no one in the forseeable distance. Drives him bat shit crazy as he sends me back notes that "the truckers should have their license pulled" Sadly the middle lane has become the de facto driving lane and the biggest risk you run on I 70 is the bear in the air that sees you and radios to the Trooper sitting at the Plain City exit waiting to pull you over NOT for passing on the right but for being 3-10 over. He does not care about your dashcam showing traffic in the left lane not moving or your go pro vids pulling along side people who are texting and swerving while holding up traffic.
 
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