Rider down on my commute

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Hope he's ok ferrett.

But that's why I wouldn't lane split even if it were legal here. Too easy for something like that to happen and no maneuvering room. If you can't stop in time you're screwed.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Buddy of mine over on the ST forum got it day before yesterday while lane splitting in CA

accident at 1:11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbVJY4IEI-0

Huh. Really a solid capture (https://www.innovv.com). Interesting how life unfolds from the cages after the event.

... foggy.

[the Ferret]

Mostly. Right wrist, right hip need some attention. He was geared up and doing under 30 upon impact.

If you notice it records his speed. Seems to me traffic was running between 30 & 40 for the most part and he was running near 60 at times. To me, and this is just me and my paranoia, traffic was moving fast enough to stay in line with traffic, and the differential between traffic and his lane splitting speed was too great, but what do I know? I have never lane split in my life. Watching vids of other people doing it scares the beejeebus out of me and is enough to convince me not to do it. Maybe if traffic was dead stopped, but not while it's moving.

[Houtman_imp]

To me lane splitting is not the smartest thing to do , you NEVER know if/when a car changes lanes. Only when the traffic is at a standstill would I perhaps do it when it is legal .

[Gone in 60]

Splitting is a constant study of reading traffic and making judgement calls. When is traffic going fast enough that you duck back between cars? Do you split in spots where the gaps between cars would be inviting to drivers in the next lane? It's easy to watch the video and make judgments. I'm not going to.

On my commute, the traffic is a constant stop-and-go accordion. There are daily rear end collisions. Harsh reality, but if I had to choose between his side-glance accident and being rearended, I'd take his accident. I'd have taken every precaution - fully geared, hi-viz, white helmet, multiple lights on my bike, and using my best judgement.

I left the video running for a minute, and the next one that came up showed an accident on I-15 at Rainbow Road in northern San Diego county. That's the exit I take to get to my in-laws' house. Can happen anywhere.

[Gone in 60]

Speaking of lane splitting, last night on the way home, I encountered what is about my least favorite type of California rider. What I term the "militant splitter."

For a few miles on my home-bound ride, the car pool lane is up against the concrete barrier on the left. So, it's natural that the cars in that lane will ride either in the middle of the lane or slightly to the right to avoid being close to the wall. I'm patient with drivers in this section, not expecting many of them to move over and make room for me. The lane is also narrower here as there is no shoulder. Car pool traffic in this area ranges from 0-5 mph.

Last night, I was behind an R1200GS with the big metal "adventure boxes" on both sides, making him very wide. He was determined to let everyone in that section know that it was his unassailable right to get past them. Waddling up next to cars a bit too far to the right for his taste, revving to get their attention, then wagging a finger at them. And, apparently so absorbed in his fury that he didn't notice that he was holding up me, and a very impatient sport bike rider behind me. As soon as I could make a hole, I let the sporty around, and let him rev, flash brights, and just about plow the GS out of his way.

Since the GS was wider than me, I used him to my advantage, and let him widen the gap, giving me a very comfortable view of his antics.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Speaking of lane splitting, last night on the way home, I encountered what is about my least favorite type of California rider. What I term the "militant splitter."

For a few miles on my home-bound ride, the car pool lane is up against the concrete barrier on the left. So, it's natural that the cars in that lane will ride either in the middle of the lane or slightly to the right to avoid being close to the wall. I'm patient with drivers in this section, not expecting many of them to move over and make room for me. The lane is also narrower here as there is no shoulder. Car pool traffic in this area ranges from 0-5 mph.

Last night, I was behind an R1200GS with the big metal "adventure boxes" on both sides, making him very wide. He was determined to let everyone in that section know that it was his unassailable right to get past them. Waddling up next to cars a bit too far to the right for his taste, revving to get their attention, then wagging a finger at them. And, apparently so absorbed in his fury that he didn't notice that he was holding up me, and a very impatient sport bike rider behind me. As soon as I could make a hole, I let the sporty around, and let him rev, flash brights, and just about plow the GS out of his way.

Since the GS was wider than me, I used him to my advantage, and let him widen the gap, giving me a very comfortable view of his antics.

LOL....like a fullback...

[GoldOxide_imp]

Useful strategies.

[Gone in 60]

Precisely. I love being behind a wide bike, as long as he isn't riding like a jerk.