What lane do you ride in?

[Hoolander2]

Unless it's rush hour, I have observed that cars and trucks tend to run in "packs".  I do whatever necessary NOT to be in one of these packs.  If I see a pack approching from behind me, I speed up, if possible.  If I see one ahead, I stay well behind em.  If I find myself in the middle of a pack forming, I usually move to the right and let all them "jet pilots" go on ahead so I'm not involved in the racing that inevetably occurs. 

This works for me on interstates too as long as it's not completely full of heavy fast traffic.  I do the same in my car. 

[TechGuy]

I ride differently than I drive. I have been noticing, when I ride, the "bubble" around me is MUCH smaller. I live in California so lane sharing (splitting) is the 100% norm for me. I split every ride; nearly every light.  When there are more than two lanes going the direction I am going and it is safe to do so.

What does this mean? This means I spend a lot of time between lanes of traffic. When you spend a high percentage of your ride time between lanes of traffic, your comfort level for having cages near you goes way up. You are within a foot of cage mirrors and two feet of body work and truck sides all the time. When I drive my truck or my wife's MINI, I would never consider getting within a foot of another cage....EVER.

When I split, I tend to move to the stop line, squirt ahead of the stop light pack, ride in the empty section between packs, and then split to front of the next cage pack at the next light... lather, rinse, repeat.

[ts1]

You are within a foot of cage mirrors and two feet of body work and truck sides all the time.

If you do this in Roma or Chennai, other guys will zoom through the 2 feet gap.

[Hoolander2]

Zoom through the 2 foot gap -- Haaaa!     Yeah, I've been wanting more and more to start lane splitting at least at stop lights and bumper to bumper traffic but no courage for it yet since I know the police around here would ticket me for it in a heartbeat. 

The packs are constantly changing, dropping apart, and re-forming so it's a constant effort to stay out of them. 

I was taught in defensive driving class, (years ago) when three lanes go in the same direction, such as an interstate hwy or expressway, to cruise in the middle lane.  This way you don't have to deal with the drivers merging from the right -- nor do you have to ride/drive with the lunatics who are doing well over the speed limit in the left.  I don't know if this applies to today's drivers, though, who will pass at 90 on the right!   

[gregspeople250]

I do the international norm of staying right except to pass and I stay out of packs as much as possible.  If you stay in the right lane, your biggest concern is only one lane.  In the middle lanes you must keep track of two lanes...

[ScooterWolf]

I'm with you in staying in the right, only only on my commuting route I stick to the left because of the division barrier. In the right there's traffic merging from ramps, and stores so the left lane gives me the best safety.

When I get to riding on a superhighway I'll have to adapt my style for what ever's best.

-Wolfe

[blue]

just pick a lane and ridei t like you own it they cant pass you in the same lane they should be the one geting a ticket if they do.  just ride it like you own it.

[wordslinger]

..i follow all the rules of the road..

..dang...

..i've splitted lanes only one time in three years of riding...

 

[oswaldters]

..i've splitted lanes only one time in three years of riding...

You'll live longer that way!

[wordslinger]

...i reckon.......

[Portland Steve]

I don't ride my 150 Super 8 on the highway.  The traffic is too fast and I can barely get to the posted highway speed.  When I get there, I have nothing left.
Highway riding was spooky even on my 120 hp Yamaha FZ1.
If you are on a scooter (unless it's one of the big ones), you should stick to the right lane.

[axy]

I don't ride my 150 Super 8 on the highway.  The traffic is too fast and I can barely get to the posted highway speed.  When I get there, I have nothing left.
Highway riding was spooky even on my 120 hp Yamaha FZ1.

It is hard for me to understand this.
With 125 cc scoot your speed is just about right for the far right lane: it is comparable to the speed of trucks.
Why was it spooky on FZ1?

[TechGuy]

Once you get used to splitting, you feel SAFER splitting than not.

If you are between two cages, the cages behind you can not hit you. Cages to the sides must hit the cage next to you first. If you are stopped, cages don't hop and cannot move sideways. If they move left in their lane, the right side is open. If I move to the front of pack at a traffic light, I don't need to ride in the pack after the light turns green, I ride ahead of this pack and behind the pack that just turned onto the roadway ahead of us.

I am not saying I split while moving at the speed limit (that is crazy and dangerous), just while the traffic is backed up or at traffic controls.

[Portland Steve]

It is hard for me to understand this.
With 125 cc scoot your speed is just about right for the far right lane: it is comparable to the speed of trucks.
Why was it spooky on FZ1?

I hate riding motorcycles of any kind on the freeway (granted, I haven't tried a Goldwing).  The FZ1 is a great bike for all occasions and has more than enough power to deal with freeway traffic, but I still don't like it.
Between the wind blast, noise and the droning on at the same speed, I get frazzled.  Add trucks and cars to the mix and it is "spooky".
In the past, when I could afford my FZ1, I would ride on the highway to get to a nice stretch of curving country road.
As for the 150 scooter, I still maintain that riding on the highway is not a good idea.  Highway speeds out here are in the 65 - 70 mph range, even in the slow lane, so you won't be "just about right" with your speed and the last thing that I want to be doing on a motorbike is hanging out with trucks in the right lane.

When I am on a motorbike on the freeway, I stay to the right or middle lane if a three lane road.  I try not to let myself get stuck between cars or trucks and will quickly accelerate into the left lane and leave the cages in the dust in search of a more lonely piece of highway.
You can't do this if your 150cc scoot is topped out at 55 or 60.  Don't get me started about the stability of a scooter vs. a motorcycle at highway speeds.

None of this is to bash scooters since I own one and it is a hoot to drive to work (no freeways thank you).  It makes me smile every day.

[blue]

Just pick a lane and ride it like you own it.dont give any passing room. make theam go around you.
Here we have to ride to the right of the road and stay in the right lane but not to the side.I ride just to the right so they dont have room to pass,