Lane Splitting

[ricochetrider]

I'm all for lane splitting, or filtering...
Like anything else, it's gotta be done sensibly.
I agree that the average US citizen is a LOOOOOONG way from being able to deal with it, figure it out, and/or tolerate it.
Yet watch the people in massive SUVs cutting across lanes of traffic, turning left in front of people instead of waiting their turn, and generally being goofy...

I guess - unlike us- they have the
"right of weight".

 

[pauls1150]

New Link

A working link for the petition is

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/allow-motorcycle-lane-sharing-all-public-roads/qP86QbjN

 

[saddleman]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle. It is along the line if you are in line to purchase something with a cart full & someone with just one item walks past you to the front of the line.

 

[visian]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle. It is along the line if you are in line to purchase something with a cart full & someone with just one item walks past you to the front of the line.

Think of the extra space in the lane as the express checkout line.

It's safer for bikes and cars because the rider doesn't have to pass at speed, and it reduces the chance for the rider to be rear-ended.

 

[rangerreece]

National Helmet Law

I am all for sensical laws, absolutely for them. I definitely think there should be a law that allows and defines lane splitting for every state that has multi-lane big city traffic congestion. I believe that's every state in the union now. Here in AL, as it turns out, I have been a consistent law breaker for years now. Apparently under title 32 it is illegal to coast (place the vehicle in neutral or engage the clutch as you go down a hill). Because laws are only designed with safety in mind I should have been dead 1.5 million times now. While reading up on the traffic laws of the state I found many such laws still on the books that have little or no application since they were written 100 years ago. Maybe, just maybe, someone collecting tax dollars as a source of income should take some time out of there busy schedule and SCRUB the law from time to time, specifically traffic laws.

If I were in charge (which I'm not) a couple of things I would like to see on books regarding motorcycles:

1. DOT approved helmets to ride on public streets nation wide. (The lack of helmet laws in some states compromises much of what we try to accomplish as a motorcycle community)
2. Decibel limitations noise ordnance enforcement.
3. Up the standards on DOT approved gear to something other than the lowest common denominator.
4. Incorporate DOT approved boots, gloves, and riding jacket, into the PPE equation.
5. Minimum reflectivity required when riding at night TBD.
6. Must be BRC qualified.
7. Must take a riding test to receive M endorsement on drivers license.

Very similar to the requirements associated with the military requirements to operate a motorcycle while on active duty, I know, but hey it could work.

 

[omega man]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle. It is along the line if you are in line to purchase something with a cart full & someone with just one item walks past you to the front of the line.

Think of the extra space in the lane as the express checkout line.

It's safer for bikes and cars because the rider doesn't have to pass at speed, and it reduces the chance for the rider to be rear-ended.

Here in the northeast it would be kinda dangerous A good example is there is a bill that looks like it is about to be passed requiring headlights when the wipers are on (limited visibility). We seem to have to legislate as a reminder what should be done as a common sense practice. It will take a long time for motorists to get used to that- even longer to get adjusted to lane splitting.
There are a number of safety advantages as well. As Visian mentioned the "crush factor", a number of bikes- as well as riders, do real poor sitting in traffic and overheating.
OM

 

[greenwald]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle. It is along the line if you are in line to purchase something with a cart full & someone with just one item walks past you to the front of the line.

Hey! That kind of polite, good manners, chivalrous kind of attitude is not tolerated by the new, 21st century Man, and will be shouted/tweeted/hash-tagged down if you continue!

 

[akbeemer]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle. It is along the line if you are in line to purchase something with a cart full & someone with just one item walks past you to the front of the line.

Good etiquette is what people decide it should be. In much of the world filtering is considered within the bounds of good behavior and an argument can be made that it helps reduce congestion and makes traffic flow better in high traffic areas. What is socially acceptable in the UK and LA may be taken as an attack on another driver's machismo in NC or MT.

 

[David13]

Saddleman.
I don't know if I subscribe to your sense of manners.
I will explain mine. At any time (!!!) when I am in the check out line at the supermarket with a cart full of groceries, I Absolutely Will offer anyone, Anyone with one or two items to go ahead. If there is someone in front of me, I absolutely, Absolutely say to them, hey, would you mind if this fellow or lady goes ahead with one or two or three items? Always they say, of course.
And if I have one, or two ... or three items, I always ask to go ahead, and 99 times out of 100 they say, oh sure, go ahead. I then converse with them pleasantly.
In fact, this very same thing has been institutionalized. It is now an institution, so I am not sure where you been. It is called and marked with a big sign, the "10 items or less line" the "Cash Only" line.
It has been around for a long time.
I don't know where you live. But I get the impression that you are a grumpy old man. And that you live around a lot of grumpy people.
Here most most most people make room so that motorcycles can go to the head of the line. Why not? They know that the motorcycle will be long gone when they get their foot off the brake, and that they would like to go ahead too if their vehicle weren't so wide. Ain't nothing wrong with it.
It all takes social skills. You need to be able to talk to and relate to your fellow man, and woman. And it takes a good attitude. Here a lot of people have a good attitude. Of course, the weather here does that to a person.
dc

 

[henzilla]

I have had many a flagman or woman walk out to get my attention for us to move to the front of the roadwork delayed traffic. Never had anyone call foul as they realize as mentioned , we will be on down the road before they have moved much. I always give the flagger a big thanks as we move around the trucks, rv, whatever.


I see benefits as long as folks use their heads...on both sides.

Ugh on the need to dictate gear we ride in...slippery slope to me.That's a whole other pig to wrestle

My biggest decision would be asking myself why I got myself in the position to need to lanesplit on any regular basis, short of living in CA or wherever it was accepted...I try to time the anticipated rolling roadblocks or just go a different way
For those who get to do it regularly...ride on!

 

[AKsuited]

It just seems plain rude to me to think you can go to the front of the line in traffic just because you are in a different vehicle.

This is probably the main reason the police in California have so many motorcycles: easy to get through traffic jams to accidents, or other emergency calls. Are they being rude?

And how, exactly, does it harm other motorists when motorcycles filter on by them? If no motorcycles filtered by, or a hundred did do, it would change nothing for a car driver stuck in stop and crawl traffic. It would be bad to filter to the front and then hold up traffic by not keeping up with the flow, but I don't see that happening. Motorcyclists filtering through traffic serves to increase the capacity of that highway, and would tend to help everyone.

The most common accident on Interstates is the rear-ender, so filtering would cut down on that risk, while it admittedly increases others.

Harry

 

[junkjohn]

Is passing on the left or right in the grass, lane splitting? They would have to go way out of their way to open a door on you.

 

[pauls1150]

Passing on either shoulder is absolutely illegal - it's an Emergency Lane - and cops do watch for that (cars included), even when everything is dead stopped, even if your exit really is only just a coupla feet ahead.

Passing on the grass... (what's that? not much grows in the concrete, or the sand berms... or is it a double entendre...) Maybe if you're on a GS and the officer is in a car - 'coz the RT, HD, and Kawi-mounted officers WILL follow you!

Usually we stick to the space between the #1 and #2 lanes, bouncing on the Botts Dots. (Sometimes referred to as "driving by Braille".) High beam with Modulator is a good idea here. If it's opportune, we'll use any 'tween-the-lanes space, but more caution is actually required there; the cars expect us (at least the two who aren't phoning) at 1 & 2. We also use the 4-yellow stripes between the High Occupancy Vehicle lane and the #1 lane, if even the HOV is plugged up (often). That's also blatantly illegal, but the cops seem to permit it if one is not being a dammed fool.

 

[weschmann]

It would seem to me that lane splitting would slow down an already slow situation in stop and go traffic as car drivers would have to worry about the additional weaving in and out of traffic of the MC rider. Especially at stop lights, it just makes sense that if you increase the number of vehicles waiting to move through a green light, that motorcycle traffic will decrease the number of total vehicles moving through the light. It would seem to me to be very similar where you have two lanes of traffic merging into one lane due to road construction, where you have all those inconsiderate drivers racing to the last possible point to merge and then cutting over in front of the more considerate drivers who get in line early and wait for their turn. I agree, in most US rush hour traffic, lane splitting will lead to a lot more road rage from inconsiderate motorcycle riders jamming up bottlenecks. I'd agree that it's OK for police motorcycle's responding to accidents, but for everyday drivers, it's just a another diversion to cause an accident; right up there with cell phones, texting, grooming, news paper reading etc.....

 

[98lee]

It would seem to me that lane splitting would slow down an already slow situation in stop and go traffic as car drivers would have to worry about the additional weaving in and out of traffic of the MC rider. Especially at stop lights, it just makes sense that if you increase the number of vehicles waiting to move through a green light, that motorcycle traffic will decrease the number of total vehicles moving through the light. It would seem to me to be very similar where you have two lanes of traffic merging into one lane due to road construction, where you have all those inconsiderate drivers racing to the last possible point to merge and then cutting over in front of the more considerate drivers who get in line early and wait for their turn. I agree, in most US rush hour traffic, lane splitting will lead to a lot more road rage from inconsiderate motorcycle riders jamming up bottlenecks. I'd agree that it's OK for police motorcycle's responding to accidents, but for everyday drivers, it's just a another diversion to cause an accident; right up there with cell phones, texting, grooming, news paper reading etc.....

There is no weaving in and out. On freeways, the motorcycle uses a "lane" (should be between the #1 and #2 lanes).
Lane splitting usually stops when traffic reaches around 40-45mph (enough for good airflow to air cooled bikes).

You've got it backwards. At lights, you are creating MORE lanes while stopped when the bikes filter to the front. The bikes are long gone before the first cars can even get across the intersection, thereby INCREASING space for the cars.

The largest problem is the A--hole mentality of those that beleive that no one should be able to go quicker than them. Those are the self-righteous road boulders that you find hanging out in the fast lane with a mile of empty lane in front of them and a mile of bumper to bumper traffic behind them or those on a beautifol winding mountain road with 20 cars behind them but they REFUSE to use the turn outs to let any one by (in CA, the law says if you have more than 5, you should use the turnouts to let them pass, but some people are too self-rightous to do that).

It's really about courtesy. If you were strolling down a narrow sidewalk side by side with your wife, and a dozen people (walking faster) came up behind you, would you step to the right for an instant and let them by, or would you"stand your ground " and hold them back for several miles??? The same courtesies should be applied to th roads.

 

[pauls1150]

Right on, Lee, and well put.

On the freeways, we slow down Nobody else. Since we are the initiators of the "Lane Sharing", it is our responsibility to do it safely. Weaving is not sharing - weaving is careless and ticketable.

On surface streets, the lanes - and the spaces between them - are a bit narrower (not by Code, but by reality), so it obviously calls for more caution AND more basic consideration for the cars. Even if several bikes "filter up", it only takes a couple of seconds max for us to clear out from the line; and if there are many bikes, it's sort-of an unwritten "accepted way" that we don't all bunch up at the front, we can makes another group a few cars back. Another good thing that Americans should learn by driving & riding overseas. The traffic in London, Rome, and Munich is just as dense, but they're better educated and better drivers.

But there will always be some (lack of) mentality where the car driver will think, "They're getting ahead of me, so that's the same as I'm getting pushed back, and I don't like it." Of course, these are typically big cars with just one person in 'em...

 

[RandyBailey]

I tried lane splitting for the first time about 25 years ago, two-up on a loaded Connie. All was going well until we whacked an SUV mirror and put a crease down a sedan. I was younger and dumber then. Doubt I would do it again on my RT, but my Ducati Monster would be ideal for lane splitting.

 

[weschmann]

Right on, Lee, and well put.

What part would you say is "well put"? The comment about A-Hole mentality? I would have thought a forum moderator would have a little bit more finesse in a response than to call another opinion an A-Hole mentality. I don't have any issue with someone going faster than me, but have a problem if I have to watch for motorcycles bunching up at a stop light. In a 30 second stop light, if 5 seconds are lost to the movement of motorcycles clearing out means a couple of cars in line will have to wait for the next light. On the highway, at speed, there really isn't any reason to lane split, but would agree with you that the speed in each lane should be driven as designated by fast lane, slow lane etc. Folks can be inconsiderate whether driving a car or a bike. But like loud pipes, lane splitting is just something more to make the majority of folks have a bad taste about MC riders.
As far as European drivers, I can't say as I have any opinion of whether they are better drivers or worse, although I've driven in Paris, England and Norway, but I will admit that they don't seem to get the same enjoyment out of a leisurely drive through town. Always seem to be in such a rush that any deviation from the normal risky drive routine causes instant feedback....
But hey, that's why I live in the mid-west; life is not as hectic as on the coast. I rather like it that way!

 

[rangerreece]

'What part would you say is "well put"?'
I can answer that one.

There is no weaving in and out. On freeways, the motorcycle uses a "lane" (should be between the #1 and #2 lanes).

Lane splitting usually stops when traffic reaches around 40-45mph (enough for good airflow to air cooled bikes).

It's really about courtesy. If you were strolling down a narrow sidewalk side by side with your wife, and a dozen people (walking faster) came up behind you, would you step to the right for an instant and let them by, or would you"stand your ground " and hold them back for several miles??? The same courtesies should be applied to th roads.

 

[dieselyoda]

A Canadian perspective, just 'cause I can and throw a curve ball.

Lane splitting in any Canadian province/territory, Verbotten, yooze go straight to Gulag! Oh sorry, getting my Russian and German all farfromgroovin.

Canada adopts some of the rules of the USA to keep my wonderful neighbours to the south from getting too confused on our roads and then we add some to help you pay for our universal health care system that sucks. We like to think that the fine you are paying is consideration for the penalty of not adopting the Metric system.

A very clear difference from my rides in the USA is that you don't "track". We do. If you are in, say the right hand track of your lane, and you want to move to the left hand track of your lane, it requires a complete lane change.............With me???? Signal, shoulder check and move over 3'.

It is illegal here and totally a good fine that if you make a right turn from the curb track you are in and don't enter the curb track of the lane you want. Against the law to turn right from the left track.

Canada doesn't know from lane splitting or bored/punched and never will. When I pull "A" and "B' trains, you split the lane, not my fault you are squishy under my duals because I don't see you.