Lane Splitting

[TLRam1]

Trying again to get this passed in Texas, I filled this out from AMA, never has made it far in legislature.

https://cqrcengage.com/amacycle/app/...feg0HjoXk&lp=0

[nakedbiker]

I first started biking 40 years ago and never bothered lane splitting. I used to see other bikers doing it but always felt it was a bit dangerous and I wasn't sure if it was actually legal.
About a year ago I bought a cheap bike (1986 Yamaha RSX 100) for riding to work and get back into biking after 30 years. As I prefer 4 strokes I sold it and got a 1980 Honda 250N Superdream.
Although I only have a short commute to work, the traffic is a lot worse than it was back in the day. So I started to lane split and as my confidence grew it became part of my daily ride.
But I only do it when traffic is at a standstill and only when I feel comfortable with the road conditions. I reckon it saves me about 20 minutes, even though it's a short journey so feel it's worth it.
I only ever pass on the right (I live in the UK) and can't believe the number of cagers who will deliberately move out to try and stop me passing.
As bikers we have to be extra careful and attentive and read the road, but when lane splitting we have to step it up a level. I can understand anyone not being comfortable with lane splitting but I think in the right circumstances and conditions it's well worth considering.

Ride with care!
   

[Super Scooter Guy]

Think about what lane splitting/filtering would have done for him. This is why I filter in NYC.

[BettinANDlosing]

Oregon has a ballot measure coming up this year for legal filtering. I am all for it. I filter pretty much every day anyway, no reason to wait in traffic when you can scoot on by!!!

[wkreps]

 I would think the big thing to make sure happens (nice grammar) is to educate the cagers to let them know, it's OK to go to the front of the line at lights. I don't need somebody tailgating me (road raging) cause he/she thinks I cut in line.

[manimal]

Even filtering to the front of the line, there are still risks; red light runners, and or dealing with backed-up traffic in the intersection of those trying to make it through a turn signal cycle.

ALWAYS, look left, right, and left again for your safety. Be a little patient before gunning it through an intersection. I have read of a lot of accidents of those at the front of the line.

For this reason, and depending on the intersection(s), there are times I will either wait in line, or filter in behind the first car. Then, later filter my way through slower traffic, if/when safe.

[klaviator]

Studies done on lane splitting have consistently shown that it is SAFER to split lanes than to just go with stop and go traffic.  Lanes splitting is a normal way of riding in MOST OF THE WORLD outside the U. S.   Lane splitting speeds up the flow of ALL traffic, not just those who are riding.  The main reason we don't have it here is that the average American driver is a MORON when it comes to driving.  The typical mentality is that: "if I am stuck in traffic, everyone else should be too."  They don't realize that they would get there faster as well if bikes were allowed to filter and split lanes.

[BettinANDlosing]

So true, the average American driver is total crap. I love lane splitting people get soo mad when it's gridlock and you just slide by. I can get to work 2x faster on my scooter than a car. Su should motorcyclist suffer congestion if we aren't the cause? Honestly we should get tax credits or something for helping rush hour congestion, at least free parking in the city. In Portland it's the same price to park at a meter in a scooter or a car, how is that fair. There's a ballot measure for lane splitting coming up in Oregon, but people here are major pussies and i see no hope in it being legal, hell they can't even make the freeway speed limit 65 it's 50 everywhere and retards drive 45 regardless of traffic.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Took the fellows in the video awhile to justify their repeated statements that lane splitting was safer.
So, 30% more rear enders if not lane splitting.
Makes me think that being more visible from the rear - by, 1) wearing high visibilty gear (jackets and helmets - which are the parts of a rider most visible to a following car) and, 2) adding bright LEDs as rear facing running lights and extra brake lights will take some percentage points off of that 30%.

Lane splitting would be suicidal on my country roads & small town street riding. If I lived in a big city I'd take public transport - and save the bike for w/e rural rides.
In the past few days the temps have risen above freezing - and I (the ONLY person in this county on 2 wheels for months now) have been joined by a lot of bike riders. No helmet, black bike, black jacket - pegging the tachometer.  Riding "Stealth", and cool.
Did see one couple on a bright yellow GoldWing - with their stereo so loud I thought John Legend was putting on a free concert at a gas station a quarter mile down the street. (he's a local boy - so it was possible)
Stig

[GLV55]

.....The main reason we don't have it here is that the average American driver is a MORON when it comes to driving.  The typical mentality is that: "if I am stuck in traffic, everyone else should be too."  They don't realize that they would get there faster as well if bikes were allowed to filter and split lanes.

So very true! I'm amazed at how clueless cagers are, and how distracted they are the vast majority of the time.

[Yager200i]

Lane splitting interests me but in the same vane it seems to me that would would make the ride pretty scary. One advantage they pointed out that I hadn't thought of though was the 30% drop in rear end deaths. That's a nice benefit thats hard to argue against.

You gain a new perspective when you realize you can go pretty much anywhere you want on the road if the need arises... so it becomes much easier to avoid that maniac in a Hummer H2 barreling down on you at high speed who doesn't even see you because he's fiddling with the center console video and sexting on his cell phone while shaving and eating a burger... just go in between the cars. No problem.

[0BARK4322]

Well, it has it's Pro's and con's

[ad_astra]

It's illegal here but I have done it. I got stuck in a 4 way crossing when the car ahead of me stopped short. had no choice. Since I was already lane splitting, in a traffic jam, just went for it and shaved off about 5 minutes. at least three quarters of the 2 wheeled vehicles you see in this town are big cruisers, the rest sport bikes. there are very few scooters, and the few there are seem to stay clear of the four lane roads  so I suspect I shocked a few people.

[ScooterWolf]

I've never been a fan. It seems to invite more trouble than it's worth. I have no problem if there's a traffic jam and you ride on the sides of a road, given there's space. My question is who is at fault if you are lane splitting and a car pulls in front of you?

Also, how will your insurance look at it? Even if it's legal, are you covered for such a move?

I have a simple philosophy. In a contest with any kind of car (even a golf cart or a Cooper Mini) you're not going to win. The ideas of putting myself and my bike between multi-ton cars in a situation where people are getting impatient and angry doesn't seem like a good idea. Hell, I hate it when cyclist lane split and come close to hitting me as I'm sitting in my scooter seat. It comes out of nowhere and can unnerve a driver if they're not expecting it. Take that feeling and image if a rider lane splits and places themselves at the head of a line at a red light. Invitation to inciting road rage? maybe.

Is lane splitting an entitlement riders want to exploit, or a bad tactical riding idea? I can live without it. Ideally, I try to avoid the heavily congested routes whenever possible anyway so the need for lane splitting never comes up.

-Wolf

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

Rear end crashes down 30%, being cut off increase 30%. You don't get anything for free these days!!! I NEVER lane split more than 20mph over traffic speed. I just use it to get out of gridlock situations.

Your assessment sounds about right to me...