How do you feel about lane splitting motorcyclists?

[sendler]

I can't vote because the choices are worded too extreme. I ride 18,000 miles a year to work. Lane splitting is not legal in NY but I do see applications for it. One of which is NOT splitting to move up 3 cars at every stop light. This is the same as cutting the line in the store, creates a drag race, and if 3 or more bikes split up to a light the later ones become an obstacle for cars that need to change lanes. If it is normal traffic and lights, stay in your lane. If the freeway becomes a rolling parking lot for miles on end every day, then it makes good social sense to let the bikes split at up to 10 mph speed difference and 25 mph max. If the speed of traffic goes above 25, get back in a lane.

[niky]

The options are way too extreme. When done safely, I have no problem with lane splitting. In fact, when I'm in crawling traffic, I move over when I see a bike in my mirrors.

But I live in a land where there are a dozen bikes to every car, and lanes are just a smidge over seven feet wide. Everyone splits. It's chaos. Come up to an intersection and if you're first at the lights, you'll find twenty bikes slotted in line in front of you before it turns green. It turns into a bottleneck as not all bike riders have 600ccs of rip-snorting power under them.

And lastly, it's a matter of safety. As a road user, you have to ensure that people know you're there. If your vehicle is positioned where other road users don't expect it to be, and where others can't see you (that line between lanes is a blind spot in the mirrors), then you're in danger from people who don't have the presence of mind to map out where other road users are before merging or pulling out.

Best case scenario, I think, is a dedicated motorbike lane, but that might not work for you guys over there, where the bike:car ratio is more towards the car side.

[chrisgerman1983]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIUTXIsJz3o

As long as it isn't this type of lane splitting I am fine with it... People wouldn't expect a peddle bike to sit in traffic and they are supposed to follow the same rules of the road...

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by sendler

I can't vote because the choices are worded too extreme.

That's true. The wording of it is such that there is a bias toward producing a favorable result.

[HilseeJ]

How do you feel about lane splitting motorcyclists?

Doesn't bother me. Natural selection will kick in eventually

[a8ksh4]

I rode year round in CA for several years so, naturally, I regard myself as an expert on this matter...

In many cases, lane splitting is much safer than sitting, in line, in stop and go traffic. There's much less chance of being rear ended or having someone cut over into the open spot that you happen to be inhabiting. When cruising a little faster than traffic (at lower speeds), each time the motorcyclist moves up a position, they can time the move with other cars so that there's usually not an opportunity for a car to cut them off. When there is, there's also room for the bike to move w/ the car.

I've always thought that quiet bikes were more safe since cars move much less erratically when they don't know you're coming up behind them. :P It's always fun when a car notices you coming and moves over only to give someone else the pinch on the other side.

Regarding moving up three cars at an intersection... this is a pain if the rider stalls their bike and make everyone wait, but otherwise, its another safety thing. It's a lot less dangerous for a bike out in front of a pack of cars than it is riding in a big clump of cars. Out front, there are always multiple escape paths if a car does something wild.

I've heard the story about CHP being the reason why it's legal in CA. Those guys are like Samurai on two wheels, the way they can move through traffic and keep ahead of the game. I have so much respect for them.

[cfg83]

a8ksh4 -

Originally Posted by a8ksh4

...

I've heard the story about CHP being the reason why it's legal in CA. Those guys are like Samurai on two wheels, the way they can move through traffic and keep ahead of the game. I have so much respect for them.

That's the story I'm repeating until told otherwise. Maybe the CHiPs TeeVee show passed the legislation, .

CarloSW2