Lane splitting (sharing) interview

[emptysea]

There seems to be an assumption that European motorcyclists are safer and/or better riders. I don't necessarily dispute that, but I have never seen any factual comparisons.

[Riko_imp]

I was exaggerating when I implied no one would buy a bike if lane splitting is forbidden.
But its so natural, a second nature almost for bikers here, I think a prohibition would have some influence on sales in a (western) Europe thats so densly populated and where cars are stuck in traffic jams during the week in the day.

Californians laugh at the rule? Europeans do not?
You should see how many bikers here follow those set speedlimits , including me.

Its a matter of common practice.
In the US you dont know the concept in legal practise.
Every action that implies the practice would be answered with a negative reaction because its not known and its forbidden.
I'm not even surprised that its not accepted by the public in the state where its legal.

It will take long practice and a serious change of mindset to make it normal behaviour in daily traffic..
As your long explanation shows, you perfectly describe lane splitting from the standpoint of a car only.
Mindset.

The study/studies you refer to are American?
If I were in America, I wouldn't lane split either, heck no
Cagers don't know the practice, so they don't expect a biker next to them, thus they would not anticipate lane-splitters.
No wonder studies show there is an increase in side swipes of motorcycles and rear end collisions by motorcycles when lane splitting.

So I bet European studies show the opposite.
Cagers here know it and behave accordingly.

Quote:Since it has been going on in Europe and California for so many years, residents of those areas have become accustomed to it. In the rest of the United States it would take another 30 or 40 years for drivers in those states to become accustomed to it, and in the meantime, there would be a lot of animosity and accidents (darn safety thing rearing it's ugly head again). I suspect eventually it will become accepted practice in this country, but probably not in my lifetime.
so true

There seems to be an assumption that European motorcyclists are safer and/or better riders. I don't necessarily dispute that, but I have never seen any factual comparisons.

lol funny.

Who said that and where did you read that?

I certainly do not acknowledge that statement

[treytexag_imp]

From an European perspective

I watch a lot of youtube videos, also about motorcycles and vlogs worldwide.
While lane-splitting is accepted in Europe, I have the impression it is indeed frowned upon in the US, even in the only state where it is allowed (or is it in more than one state now?)

I cannot understand why its not regulated or even not allowed in certain states.
You guys are famous for having long roads and when I see videos I see roads that are broad enough for a bike to lane split.

Why would one forbid a motorcycle to use its full potential?
Because if you forbid a motorcycle to lane split, why even buy a motorcycle, would be the conclusion in Europe
People buy a motorcycle here to lane split as one of the main reasons...

In Belgium there is even a specific law that explicitly allows lane splitting, be it under certain conditions:
- no faster than 50km/h = 31mph
- there has to be a speed difference between the car and the motorcycle no more than 10km/h = 6mph
- only allowed between the 2 most left lanes.

Also, go to Italy or Rome, your eyes will fall off with what you see there

Just saying, forbidding lane splitting is plain stupid.
Arguments against them are funny as heck and seems a good excuse to harass motorcyclists.
The so called safety argument to forbid this practice to protect the motorcyclist is a joke, if car drivers would be more alert and actually take into account that they share the street with more nimble motorcyclists that lane split, you got no safety argument left.
Again, with those kind of streets you would have to open your door wide or actually steer your car into the path of a lane splitting bike to actually make lane splitting dangerous.

I've ridden in Europe (5 countries) and the vehicles there for the most part are much smaller than the vehicles here. Never saw a semi, a class A motor home or 5th wheeler, a full size pick up truck (much less king cab dually), full size Van, or full size SUV for that matter over there (although I am sure some people have them). Get an SUV and full size pickup side by side both in the middle of their lanes and see how much space is left between them, not much, which is why motorcycles with wide bars and saddlebags don't split much. Read the tests in the motorcycle magazines like Cycle, Rider, Motorcyclists, Road Runner etc and they will mention bag width and the fact that the bags make splitting difficult and dangerous because there isn't that much room between vehicles. You don't have to open doors to narrow your lane here, the size of your vehicle does that automatically.

Since it has been going on in Europe and California for so many years, residents of those areas have become accustomed to it. In the rest of the United States it would take another 30 or 40 years for drivers in those states to become accustomed to it, and in the meantime, there would be a lot of animosity and accidents (darn safety thing rearing it's ugly head again). I suspect eventually it will become accepted practice in this country, but probably not in my lifetime.

Mickey, I love this description of the feeling of riding a motorcycle . . . .

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Then there is the always popular belief that "YOU CAN'T CUT IN FRONT OF ME!!! I CAN'T DO THAT, SO NEITHER CAN YOU!!!". Such a nice mentality to have, wouldn't you say?

Yeah, you have be very careful of that in America. "If you're not first, you're last."

Gotta read the vehicle and driver and decide what's best.

I have had 80-year-old ladies drag race me from a stoplight after I split up between the cars.

Some people feel they have "a perfect right" to use vigilante justice.

You know, for the literary and poli-sci-minded reader, Alexis de Tocqueville's "[url=https://www.amazon.com/Democracy-America-Penguin-Classics-Tocqueville/dp/0140447601]Democracy in America" does a superb job of describing the American mindset. A great deal of good, some not so good.