MA lane-splitting Bill

[Dave603]

Even if it passes, I'll still be opening my car doors to lane splitters.

It's dangerous and should never be done. Don't like sitting in traffic? Too bad, Take your car.

Ummm not sure if you are using sarcasm? lol

I think lane splitting helps with congestion, think of all the extra cars on the road if nobody rode motorcycles. They take up less room in traffic, are more maneuverable in traffic, burn less fuel, and are probably safer because every time I'm stuck in traffic I see everyone in their cars texting and not paying attention to the bumper they are about to plow into.

[golden chicken]

Traffic relief is a BS excuse for lane splitting in America.

How's it working out for LA? Traffic doesn't magically disappear off the 405 because a handful of the people on the road are filtering through.

[jwm2k3]

Even if it passes, I'll still be opening my car doors to lane splitters.

It's dangerous and should never be done. Don't like sitting in traffic? Too bad, Take your car.

Hey, thats a fuckin asshole statement. Opening you door? To intentionally hurt someone? I would beat you with my helmet if you did that to me. Dick.

And this is a terrible way to make a joke, sarcasm or not, its not funny. Id def fuck you up.

[breakdirt916]

Traffic relief is a BS excuse for lane splitting in America.

How's it working out for LA? Traffic doesn't magically disappear off the 405 because a handful of the people on the road are filtering through.

I commute down the 405...some mornings it seems like I'm the only bike

but the way I see it in CA - lane "splitting" was never legal...lane "sharing" was never deemed "illegal", and now it's just stuck that way. traffic is and has always been bad in LA

[SwiftTone]

I commute down the 405...some mornings it seems like I'm the only bike

but the way I see it in CA - lane "splitting" was never legal...lane "sharing" was never deemed "illegal", and now it's just stuck that way. traffic is and has always been bad in LA

I read in the mags that they made it officially legal in CA a month or two ago. Proper language in the lawbooks and all. Might want to check

[Dave603]

Traffic relief is a BS excuse for lane splitting in America.

How's it working out for LA? Traffic doesn't magically disappear off the 405 because a handful of the people on the road are filtering through.

You're right the traffic does not magically disappear. But then again I've never had to worry about the traffic because every time I've ridden on the 405 i could just filter through.

[nhbubba]

Traffic relief is a BS excuse for lane splitting in America.

How's it working out for LA? Traffic doesn't magically disappear off the 405 because a handful of the people on the road are filtering through.

I disagree. Everything is relative. I suggest that traffic would be worse if everyone was in a car and better if everyone was on a bike. The reality of LA is somewhere in the middle.

[golden chicken]

Sure. If EVERYONE commuted on motorcycles, but the social experiment that is LA shows us that Americans will cling to their cars despite endless traffic jams, high fuel prices, and generally great riding weather and roads.

Furthermore, something like 10% of drivers in California openly admitted to attempting to block lane splitters. If people still succumb to their 'hey, that's not fair!' gut reactions where the practice is accepted, I don't see selfish Massachusetts drivers changing their attitude overnight at all.

I mean, really, look at it from the majority's point of view. If you're sitting in traffic, aggravated and powerless, your life doesn't get any easier when a rider sails by you unimpeded. So why vote to pass this? Sure, as a rider I can't say I've never taken advantage of lane splitting, but as a driver, I also understand the frustration of traffic.

[Garandman]

I feel like a lot of NH and VT drivers will pull out of the way to let us pass, whereas MA drivers might intentionally try to block/hit you.

I drove miles on the Cape a number of times (bridge traffic) and it was never a problem. Only time I've done it.

Even in CA riders complain of some people who intentionally block them, and others who change lanes without warning.

I think it would be wise to assume this is high risk unless the speed difference is fairly low. On the Cape I was following literally dozens of other bikes.

[MarkMarine]

Even if it passes, I'll still be opening my car doors to lane splitters.

It's dangerous and should never be done. Don't like sitting in traffic? Too bad, Take your car.

I've had this done to me. It didn't go great for the driver, they were charged with a felony and insurance bought me new bodywork/forks/wheel/gear. If you want to open your door to take someone out, consider the jail time involved. You don't get a pass, most cops ride motorcycles too, they aren't fans of this sort of behavior.

[Wanderer]

I love lanesplitting. If I didnt, there are times I could add an hour or more to my journey when I head to see my parents. London > Somerset in the summer can be very traffic-heavy.

Problem I think is the attitude of drivers. In places where filtering/splitting is allowed, the drivers seem to understand that each bike that passes is one less vehicle in the queue - everyone benefits overall. In places where its not allowed, or retrofitted into the legislation, there is a lot more of a 'Not going to let you past - you wait like me!' attitude.

[golden chicken]

And were you hit with any sort of marked lane violation or anything like that, Mark?

[Jim]

I honestly wouldnt open a door.
But if i see someone lane splitting in my rear view, i will move my car a little more towards the center so they cant fit between.

I've almost been clipped too many times on my car and bike from obnoxious lane splitters. one time, i reached for the guy's kill switch when he nearly missed my left elbow while sitting in traffic on my bike.

[MarkMarine]

I honestly wouldnt open a door.
But if i see someone lane splitting in my rear view, i will move my car a little more towards the center so they cant fit between.

I've almost been clipped too many times on my car and bike from obnoxious lane splitters. one time, i reached for the guy's kill switch when he nearly missed my left elbow while sitting in traffic on my bike.

You've got some anger issues to work out buddy. Goosefraba. Maybe you should hum a few bars of "I feel pretty" while you're in traffic. But seriously, just worry about your own shit. If someone is on a bike and wants to split and doesn't ACTUALLY touch you or your car, just relax and don't be an asshole. If you're in your lane and someone clips you, then you've got a really legitimate reason to get upset. Not until then though.

[MarkMarine]

And were you hit with any sort of marked lane violation or anything like that, Mark?

I was in CA, so no. In MA I'm sure I would get one if that happened, but that wouldn't negate any of the charges the guy got. He went in for 3-5, so just consider how much you enjoy being able to drive around, go to races, chase girls, etc. next time you think about intentionally hitting a lane-splitter.

[Jim]

opening a door is straight up attempt to hit a lane splitter.

but isnt it the rider's responsibility to safety go through traffic? if they cant make it and end up taking out a mirror or crashing, i assume it's the biker's fault, right?

[tsorfas]

I've had this done to me. It didn't go great for the driver, they were charged with a felony and insurance bought me new bodywork/forks/wheel/gear. If you want to open your door to take someone out, consider the jail time involved. You don't get a pass, most cops ride motorcycles too, they aren't fans of this sort of behavior.

That wouldn't happen in MA. He would be considered 100% at fault.

[MarkMarine]

opening a door is straight up attempt to hit a lane splitter.

but isnt it the rider's responsibility to safety go through traffic? if they cant make it and end up taking out a mirror or crashing, i assume it's the biker's fault, right?

Here, if you aren't TRYING to hit a lane splitter, and they take out a mirror or get caught in any other way, sure, by insurance standpoints the rider is at fault, and cops will give them a ticket. But insurance isn't the only thing you have to answer to, and if you purposely use your car as a deadly weapon to try to run someone over, you're going to have a shit storm on your hands. You're going to end up in court trying to explain why you opened a door in the middle of traffic just as a rider went by, or some other stupid action. Just look at that case in NH where a teenager ran a guy on a sportbike off the road, and who is standing in court? The guy on the bike who was probably speeding, or the stupid kid who tried to kill the guy on the bike. Yeah, it's the attempted murder, not the guy guilty of a traffic violation.

[nhbubba]

Never mind how morally indefensible it is to try to kill someone for wiggling past you in traffic.

[golden chicken]

If someone is on a bike and wants to split and doesn't ACTUALLY touch you or your car, just relax and don't be an asshole. If you're in your lane and someone clips you, then you've got a really legitimate reason to get upset. Not until then though.

I sort of understand being surprised and alarmed by a rider splitting that you didn't notice coming. When you are driving, you sort of expect that the whole width of the lane is yours to use and every other car on the road is afforded the same.

So, with that in mind, you develop a cushion of space that you feel comfortable keeping between you and other cars. When a bike zips by inside that cushion, it can be shocking.

[MarkMarine]

Never mind how morally indefensible it is to try to kill someone for wiggling past you in traffic.

Exactly. Thank you for putting a finer point on what I was saying.

[golden chicken]

I think it would be difficult for a rider to prove that a car actively and willfully attempted to block your progress or hit you with their car. The driver could simply claim that they didn't see the rider and you'd be deadlocked at that point. Opening the door while on the highway is pretty much inexcusable, though.

[MarkMarine]

And don't say it's not that serious. Car doors are pointed metal and neck level.

[nhbubba]

The bottom line is that irregardless of who violates what traffic law, trying to kill someone else is a really, really bad thing to do. I learned this a long time ago. Maybe some missed class that day.

On the other hand, I wouldn't dare split so fast relative to traffic that I could not stop or take some sort of evasive maneuver.

But as an automobile driver I find it laughable that people get so worked up because one more person gets in front of them. It's like a 2nd grader screaming out "Haaaaaay! Noooooo cutting! That's not fair!!!"

Get over yourself and realize that is one less driver on the road tying things up.

This should absolutely be legal. It should be expected. If you want to split, you are more than welcome to buy yourself a motorcycle and join me.

(All this from a guy who doesn't split.. btw.)

[Mr. Kurtz]

Agreed it should be legal, agreed people who get upset by it(regardless of it's legality) are lowering themselves to the level of a whiny brat child.