How do you feel about lane splitting motorcyclists?

[theycallmeebryan]

Just curious as to what the ecomodder crowd thinks about lane splitters.

I do it while riding because it allows me to keep my momentum up, which in turn allows me to get better gas mileage in traffic.

I've notice that some drivers get really pissed off when they see me doing it, mainly a single person in a car by themselves, sitting in traffic. I've had a few motorists blatantly try to hit me with their cars , which i feel is down right assault.

The way i look at it, I am 2 feet wide on my motorcycle, motorists are 8-12 feet wide in their cars. What harm am i doing to them by lane splitting? It does not affect their commute in any way other then them throwing a temper tantrum because they have to sit in traffic. There's nothing stopping them from getting a motorcycle and doing the same thing!

[Fat Charlie]

When you get to that light (stop sign, tollbooth or whatever other bottleneck is holding up traffic) up ahead, all of a sudden you're a full fledged vehicle with a right to the full lane. Apparently more of a right than the people you just passed to get that spot.

Then there are times that you're not going to the real bottleneck, but are trying to get to your turn just short of it. I'm sorry, but none of the cars you're passing can tell the difference.

[Ryland]

My state doesn't allow motorcycles to lane split, but I think that they all should, it's a better use of the road.

Here we are allowed to ride bicycles on the shoulder and if there is room to pass ride two abreast in the road, fallowing the same laws as cars, but when coming up to a stop light it's nice to be able to zip past all of the stopped cars and be the first to go when the light changes.

[cfg83]

theycallmeebryan -

I think California allows it because the motorcycle cops do it(?). I am fine with it. I think the law is 5 MPH over the current speed of traffic.

I had a motorcycle and my POV is that you trade safety for "perks", in this case the ability to keep moving in stalled traffic. I had a friend who joked about opening his door on them and I scolded him that he might be injuring me!

CarloSW2

[Frank Lee]

Not allowed in the Midwest but got to do it out in Cali- it's awesome!

Any cage drivers that are POd about it are simply jealous. That the bikes can cruise right on through does not affect THEIR ETA one bit.

[Thymeclock]

It's illegal here and with good reason. If you are not staying in your lane it's a safety issue.

BTW, the poll choices are rather extreme, therefore showing some bias.

It doesn't "piss me off" nor do I "want to ram them". However they should not be exempt from the basic law for vehicular traffic about staying in lane.

[NachtRitter]

As mentioned, CA allows it (for speeds under 10mph) and I'm glad they do. I take advantage of it when I ride, and make room for bikes when I don't.

What I don't like is the "Harley" riders with open pipes that feel they need to constantly blat their throttle as they make their way through the traffic... that's totally unnecessary.

What I also don't like is if the traffic is heavy but moving at PSL or better and the bikers decide that's a good time to lane split... at that speed, it's dangerous.

But both of those cases are not a lane splitting problem, but rather a stupidity problem.

[UFO]

If it's legal, I don't necessarily have a problem with it. I visited LA a while back and had several bikes ripping down between the lines of cars, I found it alarming and dangerous (for them). In Denver there are enough people not paying attention, the toll on thrill-seeking bikers would be high. I'm glad it is not legal here.

[Ryland]

The parts that people seem to get upset about are the people who are breaking the law by having loud exhaust, going over the speed limit (5mph or 10mph faster then the other traffic) or people who are no longer in the lane or between lanes but are fully on the shoulder, then of course the people who don't use their turn signals to tell you that they are trying to get in to the lane that you are in.

Everyone else seems to be a big cry baby, because they are stuck in a car that is taking up to much space.

[user removed]

Air cooled bikes sitting in motionless traffic risk engines overheating or worse.
Never rode or drove in a state where lane splitting was legal.

regards
Mech