Why Lane Sharing is Safe - Article and Video

I am so tempted to just go ahead and split here in AZ. I hate coming up to a light and just waiting to get smashed from behind.

I've seen this happen once while I was driving my cage like 5 years ago. I was at a light and a bike was sitting next to me and we're about 3 cars from the front. This dumb chick just comes up and tags the back of this bike and knocks the guy off and the bike over. Luckily he wasn't hurt, and it was mostly plastics damage but the chick gets out of the car and was like "sorry I didn't see you." The guy had reflective piping on his jacket and it was a blue and white Gsxr600.

Also, I hate going the with the flow of traffic. I give myself a big safety cushion in front of me because I don't want to run up somebodies backside. I get people who get mad, peel around me and then cut me off only to sit behind the guy I was for the next couple of miles. I'm going the speedlimit and/or with the flow of traffic.

AZ is so stupid, you aren't required to wear a helmet, and can't lane split.
 
I'm a fan of it in very slow traffic and especially when the traffic has stopped and I can get to the lights at the front......I'm much safer with all the cars behind me. Unfortunately, the Australian law makers don't agree and we can get big fines (in NSW anyway) for lane spliting (even though I have seen motorcycle cops doing it too!). Another problem for us is that we don't have 3 or 4 feet between cars.....often we have to jiggle the bars the get past mirrors! Just adds to the excitment!!
 
I often find myself doing it anyway here in Missouri when I can get away with it for many reasons. Mostly though it's when I'm behind someone not paying any attention, because they're too busy talking on the phone. I've had people change lanes and almost run me over too many times without signaling or even looking in the mirror now to want to stay behind some of these inattentive idiots..
 
Ssky0078 said:
I've seen this happen once while I was driving my cage like 5 years ago. I was at a light and a bike was sitting next to me and we're about 3 cars from the front. This dumb chick just comes up and tags the back of this bike and knocks the guy off and the bike over. Luckily he wasn't hurt, and it was mostly plastics damage but the chick gets out of the car and was like "sorry I didn't see you." The guy had reflective piping on his jacket and it was a blue and white Gsxr600.
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Just this past year (2012) a rider in San Diego was killed because he chose to NOT share the lane when traffic on the freeway came to a sudden stop. He was struck from behind and crushed into the vehicle in front of him. If he had simply slowed down and just moved into the space between cars he would be alive today.

AZ is so stupid, you aren't required to wear a helmet, and can't lane split.
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yeah, those two laws certainly do not complement each other. When it comes to helmets and seat-belts I believe that if you choose to not use them then Hospitals and emergency personnel should be exempt from trying to save your life. If you cannot take a quick second to provide some safety for yourself, you obviously do not care about your own life, so why should it be saved? Not that I think something so harsh would ever work out in real life....

PK1 said:
I'm a fan of it in very slow traffic and especially when the traffic has stopped and I can get to the lights at the front......I'm much safer with all the cars behind me. Unfortunately, the Australian law makers don't agree and we can get big fines (in NSW anyway) for lane spliting (even though I have seen motorcycle cops doing it too!). Another problem for us is that we don't have 3 or 4 feet between cars.....often we have to jiggle the bars the get past mirrors! Just adds to the excitment!!
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Your laws regarding lane size must be different, The US government recommends that all lanes be 12 feet wide here. The main freeways I use for commuting have these very wide lanes which give plenty of room when passing most cars. I did however find that the Lanes on the 101 Freeway in Downtown LA are much tighter when I took my bike up there once. I clipped a few mirrors and decided I had to slow way down compared with how I ride in San Diego, and in a few cases I nearly had to stop to wiggle around cars. That was not very comfortable feeling.

osage said:
I've had people change lanes and almost run me over too many times without signaling or even looking in the mirror now to want to stay behind some of these inattentive idiots..
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I found it interesting that one of the biggest arguments from people commenting on that article was that when lane sharing they cannot see the motorcycles and don't want to hit them, when in fact like you said even when not lane sharing people are prone to just not look and the danger of being hit riding in the next lane over is just as high.
 
Anyone who's read my California trip report from 2012 knows that I am a huge fan of lane splitting having done it for the first time ever down there. I was a bit apprehensive about trying it at first, being from a place that doesn't have large US-style lanes or legal splitting. After I put my big boy pants on, I was in motorcycle heaven. It really is superior and drivers down there seemed to make room for you.

I have and do lane share out here but it is very situational. It's often not looked up on with favour and bitter people will sometimes be aggressive. I am a very polite and conscientious rider so I typically don't run into trouble. Other, more confrontational riders have lots of tales to tell :deadhorse:
 
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I really wish Washington had it. My eyes don't leave the mirros at stoplights and I leave a couple car lengths so I have a route out so im not a pancake.
 
ethandf06 said:
I really wish Washington had it. My eyes don't leave the mirros at stoplights and I leave a couple car lengths so I have a route out so im not a pancake.
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:tup:

I have the exact same habit, I always have, even in a car. It's so easy to move out of the way on a bike so I make sure to leave a few exits whenever I'm stopped and stay in gear, clutch in--ready to ride away at a moment's notice
 
ethandf06 said:
It kills me when guys put it in neutral and rest there hands on the tank.
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The only time I take the bike out of gear is if at a stop light that I know is going to take a min or two to change, I need to adjust something that requires both hands, otherwise I am always in gear ready to go if needed......

I thought that was bike 101 stuff.
 
Well guys I got more info on my friend Jordon who was just killed on his motorcycle. He was sitting at a stop light and some stupid broad ran him down. We think he even had his helmet on because his head wasn't bandaged up or anything. If you hit your head just the wrong way you get swelling on the brain and can be brain dead in no time.

I wonder how many motorcycle deaths occur a year because somebody can't tell the tail lights from a motorcycle and the tail lights of the cars in front of them.

I hate sitting at lights now and am so tempted to just start filtering. I might ask a cop how much the ticket is and just risk it.
 
slitting lanes

I live in Houston, Tx and I split lanes. I know its not legal but I'm putting my safety in my own hands. I drive trucks over the road and I see motorcycles in California doing it and it appears to be safe. I've never seen a motorcycle accident in California in my 18 year driving career. I'll split em until I get caught. Ride safe!!!
 
I've always split lanes, survived about 9yrs riding daily in Sydney. I refuse to be a target to inattention and that seems to be getting worse than ever. If I get a ticket I will tell the cop it won't stop me. I ride in a way to make it as safe as possible for me. Get to the front, open out a gap and stay in it if possible.
 
Blanchy said:
I've always split lanes, survived about 9yrs riding daily in Sydney. I refuse to be a target to inattention and that seems to be getting worse than ever. If I get a ticket I will tell the cop it won't stop me. I ride in a way to make it as safe as possible for me. Get to the front, open out a gap and stay in it if possible.
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I agree. Ive split since i started riding because im too busy thinking about what is safe rather than what is legal.

Besides if you are splitting only bike cops can catch you. Only a real miserable biker cop would target a splitting bike with the intent of fining us.
 
In Los Angeles its the ONLY way to ride a bike, I am in this traffic on a daily bases, that's why I ride. it does require skill but its much safer than being at the mercy of a distracted texter. on the 10 & 405 freeways its a jungle out there. the intense attention is a very enjoyable mental exercise oddly enough its also very relaxing to me as it washes all other thoughts away. the only focus is to be fluid & create your own path leaving all these cagers stuck behind:)), people here are nice enough to open space when they become aware of your presence. what's important is you reading the traffic situation & reacting to it before it happens = no surprises, I don't care much about drivers seeing me though I thank them if they do. for the past 9 years I've been riding extensively in Los Angeles & love every second of it. on several occasions a motorcycle COP in front of me let me pass.
I think it should be legalized in all states
 
allthough I don't care for the looks of it and I don't use it all the time I keep my top case on because ppl look at as i go by even though its a WTF look from some, I don't care what they think.. up here I swear some days im living in MAD MAX movie.. Im allways in fear of a dits hitting me from behind
 
There are many threads on this. The bottom line is that splitting is NOT illegal in Texas. It is also not provided by law either.

Individual cops can cite a biker for reckless driving if they choose, though, which realistically be obvious comparing a nutcase weaving through traffic at high rates of speed, and the lane splitting shown properly.

Unfortunately, there are bike-hating cops - mostly ready to pounce on us because of the nutcases among us, so it's a wager if its going to be your lucky day or not.

One reason I don't is that drivers don't know how to react here, and we are surrounded by idiots and rednecks who would take offense and retaliate for it. Hell, some don't even like to be passed in the next lane!

So, how often do you pass a cop anyway, and can you limit splitting to when its appropriate and safe?

But it is a moving violation, so at least in the big cities, it's a hefty fine!
 
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