Lane Splitting in California

[holy666diver_imp]

Lane splitting in heavy traffic especially stop and go is safer. It eliminates the chance of you being rear ended being between two cars. This is especially safer when you are at a red light at a complete stop, chillin between two cars can save your rear end big time. I only lane split going 3-15mph and always have my hand over the clutch and brake. If I'm going faster I'll only split when two cars are parallel and split between them which eliminates them suddenly changing lanes. I usually never split trucks when traffic is moving but at a stop I will if there is ample room.

Please don't flame me.

I think lanesplitting - to me - is crazy. I would not do it, I just don't have the nerves and I have too many mouths counting on my income. For you braver types, it's OK.

I will say I'm glad it does not seem to be common here in Texas. When I was out in San Fran and LA last summer with the fam, I was quite shocked when a bike zipped up the "lanesplitting" area in the 3 feet between my car and the car in the lane next to me.

I'm a bit of a Safety Sally working in the Refining and O&G industries my whole life so this notion of "lane splitting" is lost on me. But I guess I'm just a paranoid "old school" fart when it comes to this sort of thing.

Again, this is just me. I know most of you probably are OK with it, but for me - no.

Glad to hear your bike wasn't damaged, and cannot believe the van you hit didn't notice - sounds like that are pretty loud to miss . . . .

[the Ferret]

Here's a photo I took of a guy lane splitting to the left of my buddy Jim. BTW it's weird when you are sitting there in traffic with a car on each side of you and a guy comes blasting past on a bike.

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/Calitrip478_zpsc5284e46.jpg.html]

[metallyguitarded_imp]

Fortunately, to date, I have yet to clip a mirror (or anything else) while lane splitting. And lane splitting is something I do often. There are times when I'm content to sit behind a car and wait it out like everyone else but then there are times, especially in the after work rush hour, that I take advantage of the ability to split lanes to get out in front or, at a minimum, keep moving forward while others are stuck in gridlock.

I've read articles on how lane splitting, if done properly, is actually safer than waiting behind another vehicle. Having been rear-ended twice in my car while at a stop, there's a certain logic to that point of view. I've determined the most dangerous times are in heavy traffic where a gap has opened up in an adjacent lane. It's at those moments when cars in the lane moving slower are tempted to make a sudden change into the faster moving lane. Despite the frequency with which motorcyclists lane split in California, many drivers aren't expecting to see a motorcycle between the lanes of traffic and in their rush to change lanes, tragedy can result. When traffic is bumper to bumper, however, as is pretty common in Southern California, the cars are secure in their lanes and splitting them becomes much safer. The only real hazard that comes from that with any regularity are the knuckleheads who intentionally move over to block your path, feeling that we're somehow cheating by lane splitting. I stay calm and slow down until they eventually move over or an opportunity to pass presents itself. And it always does.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of motorcyclists who unsafely lane split, flying by cars way too quickly, weaving in and out of traffic in what appears to be a reckless manner, often times rev'ing their engines and making everyone around them nervous and upset. Those guys aren't winning us any fans out on the road. I'll continue to lane split in a responsible way when conditions warrant it. I hope I don't clip any mirrors along the way!

[the Ferret]

Oh if I lived there and had to sit in that traffic everyday, I'd soon grow a pair and figure out how to do it. That traffic was ridiculous.

[emptysea]

I don't have to worry about clipping the mirrors. My hips would hit first.

[ChipBeck_imp]

Gentlemen,

Currently California is the only state that allows lane splitting. There are no laws explicitly allowing it or making it illegal in CA. The California Highway Patrol has outlined "safe and prudent" guidelines that say motorcycles can lane split at speeds up to 30 MPH with a variance of no more than 10 MPH over the prevailing speed of traffic. According to the AMA, Oregon, Washington, and Texas are considering bills to make lane splitting legal and the AMA is lending support siting two California studies that conclude that lane splitting is a safe and effective tactic for riders. Non lane splitting riders are rear ended at twice the rate as lane splitting riders. Other benefits are reduced travel time, better fuel mileage, and higher rates of motorcycle usage.

I got this info from this months HOG magazine. Cheers.

Chip

[kevbroce_imp]

I split every day. Its made living in Los Angeles bearable, traffic here is atrocious. It was nerve racking at first, now its second nature. Just like riding a motorcycle was for the first time, just like driving a car on the freeway first time. You get used to it.

[Rebel73_imp]

In bumper to bumper, I just can't sit there and crawl along with all the cagers. I'll split at a prudent speed of no more than 15mph above the speed of traffic, and then only if traffic is going under 30mph.

[Cormanus]

Lane filtering, as we call it in Australia, is legal in New South Wales and Queensland. The Australian Capital Territory is conducting a trial and Victoria is currently considering making it legal. In Queensland, it is legal only at speeds up to 30 kph (< 20 mph). Luckily for me I live in the country so I don't often have to confront decisions about whether to do it. If I lived in the city I'm sure I'd become adept at it. The opportunity to move past near stationary traffic would be irresistible.

[Papa Weeley_imp]

I've certainly done my share of it, though it was all years ago when I was commuting from Orange County into downtown L.A. (and I was younger and owned larger cojones). It always freaked me out, but as others have said, L.A. traffic is so brutal you almost have to take advantage of it. I never did any of the 60-80mph/moving far faster than the speed of traffic stuff you see a lot of kids on sportbikes do. I certainly didn't top my speed at 30 all the time either, although I always kept within 5-10mph of cars around me.
It's bad enough trying to stay safe in heavy traffic on a motorcycle anyway, but as MG stated, the biggest problem are the A-holes who purposely try to block you/hit you as if you're doing something illegal, or getting away with something they can't do.