Lanesplitting

[PhilB]

Hear, hear! I moved from CA to NH a few years ago, and one of the biggest things I miss is lanesplitting
Also, trivia, but in the 2nd picture of this article, the 4th bike, near the top of the picture, is me and my Ducati Monster, on the 5 freeway in San Diego.

Motorcycle lane splitting: Better for riders, better for drivers, and safer than sitting in traffic

PhilB

[breakdirt916]

they passed a bill to legalize it finally in CA, but it got delayed or something

dude just died on the 5 north in san clemente splitting...I've been driving the truck a lot recently

[PhilB]

they passed a bill to legalize it finally in CA, but it got delayed or something

dude just died on the 5 north in san clemente splitting...I've been driving the truck a lot recently

It has always been legal in CA, by virtue of not being illegal. The CHP has consistently supported the practice and worked to prevent it being outlawed. They have long promoted by word of mouth some guidelines for doing it safely. A while ago, the CHP published those guidelines on its own website, but some asshole lawyer sued over it and they had to take them off.

PhilB

[breakdirt916]

ya, technically it was "lane sharing", and never illegal, but after those guidelines got pulled down, that same criteria is now being put into a bill by the state assembly:

"Lane splitting" on road to legalization in California after State Assembly bill passes - CBS News

just been delayed

[PhilB]

ya, technically it was "lane sharing", and never illegal, but after those guidelines got pulled down, that same criteria is now being put into a bill by the state assembly:

"Lane splitting" on road to legalization in California after State Assembly bill passes - CBS News

just been delayed

It would be better if it was left alone, but the CA government is incapable of letting anything be. A big part of why I don't live there anymore.

PhilB

[breakdirt916]

I figure making it legal just gives formal reason to write a ticket and make $$ for the dude splitting at 70

[PhilB]

I figure making it legal just gives formal reason to write a ticket and make $$ for the dude splitting at 70

Or to harass and fine the dude splitting perfectly safely at 35.

PhilB

[vinicio]

I might be moving to Boston in the near future. I'm currently in San Francisco and appreciate being able to lane split. When I lived in NYC, I split lanes (safely and sanely) and never got ticketed. A lot of riders there split lanes despite it's illegality (how else would you ever get anywhere?) and cagers didn't seem to give a shit one way or another. My question is, do riders in New England do it anyway? Is it generally accepted in the motorcycling community or is it frowned upon by other riders? I assume cagers frown upon it.

[Gixxer]

If anyone were to open a car door on a bike lane splitting, it's New Englanders, specifically people in Boston

Tuesday night I saw some bikes lane splitting in the tunnel.. as tempted as I am to do it.. I just don't have the balls, as I'm too nervous to eat shit and by shit, I mean a car door.

[-Dutch-]

I do it occasionally on my morning commute, but only when traffic on 95 is at a standstill. Yes, it's frowned upon by some drivers, but most are actually pretty accommodating.

[zombie]

most european country's allow lane splitting.
I do it and it really seems to piss off drivers up here
could never figure out why drivers are so bothered about it

[caloots]

Cuz they are massholes and they feel cheated cuz you are beating traffic while they are sitting in it

[reks95]

I've only seen it a few times in the burbs.
I'm told it's more common in the city.
My route has a lot of suburban cops looking to generate revenue.
If I did it, I'm pretty sure I'd get ticketed.

[RandyO]

where I ride, I can't lane split even if it was legal,

#1 requirement to lane split is other traffic to share the lane with

[jwm2k3]

Rotella?

[nhbubba]

My question is, do riders in New England do it anyway? Is it generally accepted in the motorcycling community or is it frowned upon by other riders? I assume cagers frown upon it.

Yes. Riders do it anyway.
Yes. "Cagers" frown upon it.

I believe that New England has more "me first" ism on its roads than most other places. I've brought this subject up in my office several times. Each time the most sedate, beige camcord driving working stiffs you've ever met volunteer to me that they'd "swerve in front of me" if they saw me lane splitting. That's right folks, they'd try to fucking kill me because I was getting somewhere faster than they were. "It's not fair!" they cry. "You mean you'd attempt to take my life over this?!" "Well. But it isn't fair! You shouldn't do it!"

The idea isn't even popular amongst all riders. This forum is very heavily biased towards the track-addict, sport(ier) bike crowd. We do not represent the average New England rider. There is a facebook group "New England Riders". (And a forum too, I believe. I've never read it.) It is a much wider group and includes the cruiser and tourer crowds. Raise the subject of lane splitting in New England with that crowd. Watch the retardedness unfold in front of you.

I'm dumfounded why everyone thinks this is their business. Everyone outside of the 49 states of the US; that is California and every other country makes this work. Why the fuck can't we?!

[caloots]

Exactly... Whiny bitches cuz you don't have to sit in traffic

[e30addict]

We do not represent the average New England rider. There is a facebook group "New England Riders". (And a forum too, I believe. I've never read it.) It is a much wider group and includes the cruiser and tourer crowds. Raise the subject of lane splitting in New England with that crowd. Watch the retardedness unfold in front of you.

Considering a large subset of that group is still trying to figure out how to use the front brake, just how are they going to figure out lane sharing without laying her down all the time?

[caloots]

Considering a large subset of that group is still trying to figure out how to use the front brake, just how are they going to figure out lane sharing without laying her down all the time?

Hahaha... It's funny cuz it's true

[nhbubba]

Now now.
The bottom line is your average New England rider is too afraid to split. Either because they are afraid of getting caught and ticketed, because they are afraid of retaliation from drivers, or because they legitimately believe that splitting is not safe. Most of the riders that are willing to split anyway are the ones that give us all a bad name. The whole situation compounds itself.

[oVTo]

Aren't those the exact same reasons listed in the posts above describing why most NESRians don't lane split? Maybe that was your point.

[Falko]

Worst part is, most of the asshats who bitch about lane splitting are the same ones that would pull out in front of you and inconvenience you to save themselves 1.57 seconds, but God forbid you get around them to save some time.

[zombie]

Now now. Most of the riders that are willing to split anyway are the ones that give us all a bad name.

another safety expert talking crap.
if you want to live in fear thats your problem
lane filtering is a perfectly safe option for a motorcycle
it's the regulators that think they know best that put in restrictions and
it's another way of generating revenue.

[nhbubba]

another safety expert talking crap.

I think you may have misread my position on this subject.

[TheIglu]

Yeah, he did.