CHP Lane Splitting Guidelines

[theunderfighter]

I saw a guy in a huge HD that was pushing peoples passenger side mirrors forward when they blocked him or rode to far in the right side of the lane. While it was hilarious, it is also kinda dumb, cause now these drivers cannot use that mirror to look back and see me coming as well.

I have been lane Sharing for a year and a half now in Socal, and I love it. There are some guys who split slower than me, and for the most part they move over and let the faster bikes by, and there are some who split faster than I do, and I do my best to let them by. It is amazing how Motorcyclist are so much nicer to each-other than drivers are.

I find this diagram to be interesting, however this info needs to be updates in the Drivers handbook:
California Driver Handbook - Sharing the Road

It looks like the Motorcycle guide book has been updated, at least the online version:
Motorcycle Handbook


I have a few questions for those of you who live in California and who are comfortable lane sharing.

1> How do you determine what is 10mph faster than the flow of traffic.

2> Do you feel unsafe passing faster than 10mph faster? For me personally when traffic is fully stopped I feel safe traveling about 30mph, which can vary from being 10-30mph faster than traffic depending on the exact speed. I think it is more dangerous to be constantly worrying about my exact speed while splitting, I prefer to keep my eyes on the road and the traffic patterns. Things like gaps opening up in one lane and watching for cars from the next lane possibly changing lanes without indicating to get into the said gap are more of concern for me than whether or not i am 10mph faster than traffic.

3> Thoughts about splitting above 30mph?

This is the first time i have seen this in writing, when I took my test nearly 2 years ago there was nothing about speeds at which to split at in the motorcycle handbook. I actually feel safer splitting at speeds above 30mph, and here is my reason why. When cars are traveling at a steady speed above 30mph they are less likely to suddenly change lanes, at least that has been my personal experience.

I don't worry too much about it. When we're moving, I feel it's easier to kinda "bob and weave". I don't worry about the speed too much. I just make sure I'm somewhere near the speed limit.

 

[firefly]

So last Thursday evening, I am in the fast lane at rush-hour traffic on EB Hwy 80. I pull up behind an orange slammed Busa with a rider in Colors just starting to lane split.

The left lane is maybe 15 mph. As we split at 25mph an old red beater four door sedan cuts from the middle lane to the faster left lane. The Busa locks up his brakes, riding his horn. I swerve to go around him. At a dead stop the cage driver flips the Busa off, so the Busa rider starts yelling and pounding on the right front passenger window of the car. I pass on the right.

Not 10 cars up (and now at 25mph) another car pulls left into me. I have a break in the lane, so I swerve to the fast lane. He sees me and goes back to the middle lane, waving his arm like he is apologizing. (I lost count of all the nice drivers who moved over to let me split, when they heard me coming for the next three miles.)

An hour later at CG Bike Night I see the Orange Busa. I ask the MC member what happened after I passed him on the right. He yells, "Yea! This guy saw it," to his MC friends and girlfriends. He pulls a big hand-full of large steel ball bearings from his right jacket pocket and says, "Thats all right. I f*cked up his car." :tdown::tdown::tdown:

Man, that's not lane splitting at all, "a car pulls in front" ? and you didn't see it coming? in these cases a smooth transaction of exchanging spaces, no big deal at all, if you are still expecting car drivers to see you while splitting lanes you are in big trouble. That Busa guy is not going to be around much longer.

I get cut off at least 20 times a day, the driver never even knows it happened, I don't try to let the driver know what happened, each of us go our marry way, next.

 

[mabbott]

Man, that's not lane splitting at all, "a car pulls in front" ? and you didn't see it coming? in these cases a smooth transaction of exchanging spaces, no big deal at all, if you are still expecting car drivers to see you while splitting lanes you are in big trouble. That Busa guy is not going to be around much longer.

I get cut off at least 20 times a day, the driver never even knows it happened, I don't try to let the driver know what happened, each of us go our marry way, next.

I agree, I am always looking for blinkers, head turns, and most importantly tires! The tires tell you where they are going and looking for the turning front tire has helped me so many times!

I try not to get upset at being cut off, sometimes I do when it was a close one. If the driver notices and waves, that at least makes me feel better. When someone blocks me, I find another way around them and smile in my helmet as they are behind me in traffic.

 

[firefly]

I agree, I am always looking for blinkers, head turns, and most importantly tires! The tires tell you where they are going and looking for the turning front tire has helped me so many times!

I try not to get upset at being cut off, sometimes I do when it was a close one. If the driver notices and waves, that at least makes me feel better. When someone blocks me, I find another way around them and smile in my helmet as they are behind me in traffic.

+1 on front tire direction & movement. its a wast of energy to get upset, we know they don't see us an even if the do see us they can't judge how fast we're moving.
lane splitting is a combination of making oneself visible when needed and invisible most of the time.:stunta]:

 

[Sactown2008]

High Beams

+1 on front tire direction & movement. its a wast of energy to get upset, we know they don't see us an even if the do see us they can't judge how fast we're moving.
lane splitting is a combination of making oneself visible when needed and invisible most of the time.:stunta]:

Anyone ride with high beams on during the daylight. A friend said he has done it since he bought his Suzuki cruiser in 2001, "The dealers said you want to be seen during daylight driving."

 

[OneSizeFitsAll]

Anyone ride with high beams on during the daylight. A friend said he has done it since he bought his Suzuki cruiser in 2001, "The dealers said you want to be seen during daylight driving."

Actually studies show riding with your high beams on makes it harder for other drivers to judge your speed-not a good thing.
Instead of using your high beams during the day (illegal in many states) try adding some small driving lights down on your forks. This is much different than what most people see and will catch their eye much better than high beams.
It's about being seen!

 

[Dustin]

Actually studies show riding with your high beams on makes it harder for other drivers to judge your speed-not a good thing.

Exactly! I wish more people would understand this. I will add that studies have also shown that high beams have an effect on ability to judge distance as well as speed. Not a good combination

 

[BDazzler]

Exactly! I wish more people would understand this. I will add that studies have also shown that high beams have an effect on ability to judge distance as well as speed. Not a good combination

I guess I'm doing it wrong. I always ride on high beam in the daylight. I don't understand the distance speed thing at all. :kuku:

 

[Dustin]

I guess I'm doing it wrong. I always ride on high beam in the daylight. I don't understand the distance speed thing at all. :kuku:

I'll see if I can find some details on this. I saw an episode of a UK biking show a few years back that addressed exactly why this was so, along with other myths of riding. I wish, for the life of me, I could find it again

That same effect occurs when a driver looks directly into the headlight of a motorcyclist using their high beam. Unlike the low beam setting, which intentionally shifts the beam down and to the right, away from oncoming traffic, the high beam setting shines its light directly down and across the road, and into the eyes of the drivers of oncoming vehicles. This is why the law says you must turn off your high beams within a certain distance of approaching traffic, and why vehicles must have a high beam indicator, and the law makes no distinction as to the time of day when addressing this subject. Motorcyclists may think that the law only applies at night, since it is silent on the subject, and that daytime use is both acceptable and an appropriate safety practice.

What actually happens, often enough, is that when a motorcyclist leaves their high beam on as they approach another car, they become a white fog of light. Unfortunately, this is often interpreted by the driver’s brain as meaning nothing is there. If the brain can’t see it, and the driver is already not paying attention, he or she is almost certain not to see the motorcycle. Even if the driver is alert enough to be aware of the presence of another vehicle, the masking effect of the light may make it impossible to judge things like speed, lane position, or even the motorcycle’s use of a turn signal. This can lead to drivers turning left in front of a motorcycle they did not see or could not judge speed and distance on, among other things.

I know it seems reasonable that a big bright splotch of light will get noticed by other drivers and thus, make you safer. The way our brain processes what our eyes see is a bit more complex than that. This is why a motorcycle can just suddenly 'vanish' behind something as small as the pole that holds up a stop sign. The bike is still there but the angle at which the driver is, the bike is and the pole is will make the brain 'forget' about it.

 

[Dustin]

What an RAF pilot can teach us about being safe on the road

 

[BDazzler]

I'll see if I can find some details on this. I saw an episode of a UK biking show a few years back that addressed exactly why this was so, along with other myths of riding. I wish, for the life of me, I could find it again



I know it seems reasonable that a big bright splotch of light will get noticed by other drivers and thus, make you safer. The way our brain processes what our eyes see is a bit more complex than that. This is why a motorcycle can just suddenly 'vanish' behind something as small as the pole that holds up a stop sign. The bike is still there but the angle at which the driver is, the bike is and the pole is will make the brain 'forget' about it.

It sounds like a "deer in headlights" effect. I get what they are saying, but I still don't buy it. I'll most likely keep riding on high beam in the day. :doh2: Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

 

[Ssky0078]

I'll see if I can find some details on this. I saw an episode of a UK biking show a few years back that addressed exactly why this was so, along with other myths of riding. I wish, for the life of me, I could find it again



I know it seems reasonable that a big bright splotch of light will get noticed by other drivers and thus, make you safer. The way our brain processes what our eyes see is a bit more complex than that. This is why a motorcycle can just suddenly 'vanish' behind something as small as the pole that holds up a stop sign. The bike is still there but the angle at which the driver is, the bike is and the pole is will make the brain 'forget' about it.

I think what happens is that direct light into the eye will cause the pupil to constrict, narrowing the focus and thus changing the actual distance perceived. Some drivers will freeze while others may think they need to make hastier move.

If you can think of the movies where they have the headlights coming in the distance toward the character and there is that drawn out period for the vehicle to actually arrive, it's not just dramatic pause, but a way that light and contrast of light can play with the brain.

The high beam is directed up and down the road at approximately a drivers eye height, so it may be just enough direct light to cause this change.

 

[Klurejr]

Actually studies show riding with your high beams on makes it harder for other drivers to judge your speed-not a good thing.
Instead of using your high beams during the day (illegal in many states) try adding some small driving lights down on your forks. This is much different than what most people see and will catch their eye much better than high beams.
It's about being seen!

Do you have any links to these studies? I am curious if this has more to do with judging distance when one is stopped at a cross street and looking to turn out and you see a bike/car approaching. I wonder if these studies in corporate judging speed and distance for a vehicle approaching from behind while moving?

In My experience the vast majority of drivers are unable to gauges approach speed for a vehicle coming up behind them period, lights, no lights or high beams. I cannot count how many times I am approaching a vehicle going 10-20mph faster than them, and they pull right into my lane when driving my car.

I would attribute it to a few factors:
1 - They did not look before they moved over.
2 - They looked and saw my car approaching, but did not look long enough to consider I was closing the gap.
3 - They looked long enough but are just unable to determine speed and distance. (some people just can't do this, that is why some can play ball, and some cannot, unfortunately hand eye coordination has nothing to do with getting a Drivers License)
4 - They see me coming but just don't care.

When I think about all these factors, my biggest concern when on the bike splitting lanes verses driving my car is I want to be seen, Period.

It makes more sense to me that the high beams on during the day gives me a greater chance at being seen. I think Just being seen splitting will increase the chances of a vehicle not changing lanes as I approach while lane splitting, where as if I am harder to be seen people will move across the shared lane not knowing I am there.

Obviously My line of reasoning here is not a peer reviewed study, just my own personal experience and logic from lane sharing here in Cali the last few years.


One other item to add to the list of things to look for is brief eye contact with the driver in their mirror.

I hope someday the other 49 states make this legal so every else can experience the blessing of Lane Sharing.