Posted on 03/31/2010 7:29:11 AM PDT by Dick Holmes
Same here. I had long highway commutes. Never had any kind of issue lane splitting in Ca because it's expected by drivers -except those newbs from out of state that continue to frantically switch back and forth to dead stopped lanes of traffic. They are easily avoided though.
Much more dangerous to bikes is the left hand turn from the on-coming lane.
I'm not the one demanding special privileges.
Incidentally I recall safety studies that concluded accidents are much less likely if all vehicles are traveling at the same speed ,so 80 mph motorcycles threading through 30 mph car traffic is unwise.
Some of the most frightening times in my life have occurred since I moved to California. I am a good driver, a damn good driver and 2-3 times a year I am shocked out of my gourd to have a cycle zip past me just when I have been initiating a lane change. I literally have to pull over to get my heart beating normally again.
You can call me, and my fellow automobilers, any name you want. I find it funny, actually.
The list actually wasn’t mine, I responded only to your question about who is taking the elitist position in this argument. It is still my opinion, despite the name calling, that you are taking the elitist position.
You want special rights and privileges for no other reason than your own convenience. Kind of the way Congress enacts laws and exempts themselves. Doesn’t get much more elitist than that.
I don’t share some of the visceral dislike some drivers feel for bikers, I save that visceral dislike for arrogant bicyclists and smokers who throw their butts out of their car windows (as though the entire world is their ashtray).
That’s one thing I think the cagers don’t understand. Bikers ... and in particular ...bikers who are splitting lanes have a greatly heightened sense of the traffic. We usually see 10 or more cars down the road. We can see the guy who might suddenly change lanes before we get there. We can see the accident getting ready to happen from 100 feet away. We can avoid most incidents with mobility ... it used to be even better without helmets. All that advantage goes away when we have to sit in traffic and risk getting plowed into by a rear ending un-alert cager. I would rather risk that cager on the move than be a sitting duck for him
Good point about laws versus risky behavior-but the point is different if the risky behavior puts other people at risk.
It’s on the internet look up the Calif study that shows that SAFE lane splitting is safer. My nephew who is a CHP showed it to me. BTW he splits lanes faster than I do
I learned to ride in CA and found it easy to do in very slow moving traffic, but once over 15mph or so, I didn’t do it. I was more paranoid about getting rear-ended in stop-n-go than having to be hyper vigilant while (technically) lane-sharing.
For normal commuting I took a train and walked to work—I hate stop-n-go and purposely picked an apt near a train station.
The statement is true in both states where it is legal and those where it is accepted practice. The exception would be the unusually irresponsible bike rider.
And bikes would have seat belts.
In a car crash you want to stay with the car. In a bike crash you want to get away from the bike. Belts on bikes would be counter-productive ... kinda like helmets
Anyone who’s spent time in Bay Area traffic knows motorcyclists rarely hesitate to zip between gridlocked cars. It’s called “lane splitting,” and, to the chagrin of many motorists, California is one of the few states where it’s legal.
Motorcyclists argue that lane splitting, when done carefully, is no more dangerous than riding with the flow of traffic.
“The level of safety is about the same because what you lose in space you make up for in heightened awareness,” said David Peterson, president of the Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club.
A study conducted four years ago by a University of Southern California researcher supports that claim.
The study, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation, concluded that lane splitting is safer than sitting in stop-and-go traffic, where bikers are far more likely to be “sandwiched” between two cars.
“For a motorcyclist, that’s the safest place to be,” Professor Harry Hurt said shortly after releasing his study. “A lot of people think it’s a hazard, but the cold, hard facts are that it’s not.”
Motorcyclists like lane splitting for one simple reason: It whittles down the time spent sitting in traffic.
“Everybody likes to keep moving,” Peterson said. “I save a tremendous amount of time.”
Peterson said lane splitting to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza shaves at least 15 minutes off his commute between El Cerrito and Novato. Other riders said lane splitting halves the time spent riding from the East Bay to San Francisco.
California Highway Patrol officers embrace lane splitting because it allows a quicker response to emergencies. And those who ride air-cooled motorcycles say they have to keep moving to prevent their engines from overheating.
The statement in large part is true. They are more in tune to what’s happening around them because chances are slim they are multi-tasking. The folks in cars are putting on make-up, texting. fiddling with the radio etc etc. Another advantage is the point of view a biker has. They sit higher, so not only can they see a mile down the road, they can see down into the cars and see what the drivers are doing.
of course.
If you bother to enforce sensible laws, and make sure drivers actually have the skills to drive before they get a license, turns out you don't need speed limits on the superslab.
I am very sceptical of anything that increases the number or type of hazards the ordinary driver must watch for.
Thank you. I was unaware it’s legal in Ca. I believe it was not back when I was riding a bike though. Everyone did it, including motorcycle cops. It wasn’t unusual to see a chain of 6 bikes lane-splitting rush hour traffic one of them being a cop.
Much of the irresponsible antics we see bikers pull these days can be attributed to those “extreme” bike stunt videos all over youtube.
Most splitting takes place between two cars adjacent to each other.
Your thesis fails. Lane splitters won't often be hit by cars changing lanes (for they can't change lanes, when there is another car next to them), or else it wouldn't be called splitting.(!)
I've only split lanes myself, when traffic came to a crawl, then I would only pass carefully at about 5-10 mph more than the stalled or slow traffic.
Let the rider decide. Then, if the cop says, "hey buddy, too fast, unsafe" the rider can sign, then pay the ticket. If he ain't dead.
This is a very dangerous maneuver, and I would not lane-split.
##
Spot on.
Are you serious?
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