Georgia Lane Splitting

[mattmiller]

Lane splitting anywhere is so dangerous. Now don't get me wrong I do live with some danger but splitting lanes just is not worth the extra couple of minutes you might save unless you get crunched between two cars or trucks. I will not even pass a car that has it's left signal on and waiting to go left. One time I was following a young girl in an Audi near where I live. She put on her left signal and pulled left to the center of the road and stopped. I began to move right and got set to pass her. Then without warning she went to the right. Luckily I was about 5 feet behind her and I swerved left. My front tire hit her left rear bumper and almost took me down. I was so pissed off and relieved that I did not crash that I kept going so I would not do something stupid. We need all of us riders to survive DON'T LANE SPLIT ANYWHERE REGUARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAW SAYS!!!!!

[JWMcDonald]

DON'T LANE SPLIT ANYWHERE REGUARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAW SAYS!!!!!

Blegh!

[AKsuited]

One time I was following a young girl in an Audi near where I live. She put on her left signal and pulled left to the center of the road and stopped. I began to move right and got set to pass her. Then without warning she went to the right.

Same thing happened to me: young woman moved left, signaled a left turn, then turned right! Lucky for me I held back and avoided a collision.

And just today I slowed and signaled a right turn into my driveway: idiot behind me (in my mirror) wanted in the worst way to pass me on the right! I moved right to block that and turned right into my driveway.

Never underestimate the number of idiots out there, and never drive aggressively.

Harry

[dsimon9]

I am attaching a link which leads to an article summarizing the conclusions of a study regarding the safety of lane splitting.

Personally, I lived in Southern California for 13years, where I did massive amounts of lane splitting. Never had an issue.

Drivers trying to pass me on the shoulder at high speeds - a problem
Drivers driving against traffic - a problem
Stuff falling off the back of trucks - a problem
Lane splitting - no problem

Just my $0.02 worth. YMMV

[ExGMan]

DON'T LANE SPLIT ANYWHERE REGUARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAW SAYS!!!!!

Gee, Matt, why don't you head out to California and give it a try before condemning it for everyone? California drivers and riders make it work very well.

[daboo]

Washington has had some bills introduced to make lane splitting legal. So far, none have passed. Some riders are starting to lane split anyway. They are either braver or more stupid than me. Not sure which.

I wish it was legal and an established practice like it is in California. It would be so nice. But I think I'll wait a couple years for it to be widely known...if the bill ever passes. Even after it is legal, there will still be times when someone won't know it is legal and will cut you off.

Chris

[lkraus]

Gee, Matt, why don't you head out to California and give it a try before condemning it for everyone? California drivers and riders make it work very well.

Well, Matt has not posted here in two years.

I think he's still stuck in traffic.

[WooDmEn]

New to GA, I've been told we can't split lanes here. Does anyone do it and if so, how to the police feel about it?

Not part of the culture like in SoCal. Others will take offense and possibly endanger you.

[shortythorne]

New to GA, I've been told we can't split lanes here. Does anyone do it and if so, how to the police feel about it?

Had it happen to me in GA by a guy on a Harley (go figure). Scared the crap out of me because when I realized he was there, he was only inches from by left handlebar grip . However, I gave him a mean look so I'm sure he is still reeling from that .

[lgb]

Gee, Matt, why don't you head out to California and give it a try before condemning it for everyone? California drivers and riders make it work very well.

Couldn't agree with you more...

[greenwald]

Not part of the culture like in SoCal. Others will take offense and possibly endanger you.

+1 !

[beemerdood]

Not part of the culture like in SoCal. Others will take offense and possibly endanger you.

+1 !

It will take a while to become "part of the culture like in SoCal." But it will happen. Riding a motorcycle already "endanger[s]" us, there's no "possibly" about it. Lane sharing makes us a bit safer, when done properly.

Here's something I wrote in a previous discussion on the topic of lane sharing.

The most recent study that I've seen comes from the Safe Transportation Research & Education Center, University of California, Berkeley, and was done in 2015. They studied almost 6,000 motorcycle accidents. About 1,000 of them were LSM (lane splitting motorcyclists). Here's a comment from the Abstract.

Lane-splitting appears to be a relatively safe motorcycle riding strategy if done in traffic moving at 50 MPH or less and if motorcyclists do not exceed the speed of other vehicles by more than 15 MPH. A significant number of motorcyclists lane-split in fast-moving traffic or at excessive speed differentials. These riders could lower their risk of injury by restricting the environments in which they lane-split and by reducing their speed differential when they do choose to lanesplit. [Emphasis is mine]
http://www.ots.ca.gov/pdf/Publicatio...afety-2015.pdf

For those opposed to lane sharing, I suggest a read of the study. It might open a few eyes. It's fairly short, the "Results" section takes only 4 pages.

For those who don't like reading such things, highlights of the study were published in several of the popular motorcycle magazines. Here's a link to one of them. http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/06/02...s-rider-saftey

[csochin]

I commute daily, roughly 30 miles each way, in NorCal and regularly lane share as the traffic is often moving well under 30 MPH -- been doing so for years. During my commute, many drivers are cognizant of lane sharing and will even make extra room for you to get by -- especially for the bigger bikes. Of course, you have a few jealous, out of state drivers, or those that are too busy texting that won't.

[PGlaves]

Here in rural west Texas we don't exactly have lane sharing/splitting. But we do have "drive friendly" as explained on the DOT maps. Pull right to expedite passes of quicker vehicles. So onto the shoulder they go to permit passing. In the Urban areas of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin I don't know what happens - I simply avoid the places - but suspect a modicum of manners even in urban areas. Texans are encouraged to respond.

p.s. My frame of reference is rural Brewster County by the National Park.

[beemerdood]

... During my commute, many drivers are cognizant of lane sharing and will even make extra room for you to get by -- especially for the bigger bikes.

If possible, I wave "thanks" at those folks as I pass. On many rides, my shoulder gets tired from all the waving.