Lane Filtering ...

[SportsterDoc]

Got my digital version of Motorcycle Consumer News yesterday, and glanced at what looks like a comprehensive article on lane splitting, so that will be a good read.

Here's a weird little twist to the lane splitting conversation. It's generally agreed that the safest place to split is between the left-most hand lane and the one to its right. In many cases on California freeways, this puts the rider between a car pool lane and the standard left lane of traffic, and unless there is a double yellow line restricting the rider to one lane or another, there's usually a larger gap between lanes.

As I mentioned, many drivers on the left move further to the left when they see me coming up in their mirrors, and I give them a wave of thanks. However, in tight quarters, sometimes cars to the right move over to the right as well.

During the morning conversation here at the office today, one of my coworkers who uses the same freeway I do said "You guys are rude. I always see you waving to the cars on your left, but whenever I move over to the right for you bikers, I never get a wave!"

I had to explain to her how a motorcycle works. "I'd love to wave at you too, but my right hand is on the gas pedal. I can't let go or I wouldn't be passing you."

Yes, although splitting between lanes 1 & 2 was the most common and accepted practice before car pool lanes existed.

As for the Gold Wing rider, he could find himself cited/arrested for vehicle tampering per 10852 of the Ca Vehicle Code.

[emptysea]

Seems to me that on most 4 lanes, there’s enough room on shoulder to stripe off a “mini-lane” that would serve a dual purpose as a motorcycle passing lane while reminding drivers that motorcycles may be present. Might not work everywhere, but I think it could be effective in many urban areas

[SportsterDoc]

In the U.S., left is faster traffic, right is suposed to be slower.
It could be hazardous if a vehicle with engine trouble goes to the shoulder without looking or signaling.

My worst M/C crash, in 1963, was due to 18 wheeler with engine trouble turning left in front of me, without looking ahead or signaling.

[emptysea]

I would contend that a vehicle with engine trouble at the exact time a motorcycle passes would be rare and that an unsignaled lane change is far more likely to happen between lanes than on the shoulders. Maybe the stripes would only be on the left shoulder.

Interesting point about slower traffic keeping to the right and faster traffic passing on the left. When one splits a lane he is passing on the left of one vehicle and on the right of another.

[Gone in 60]

Not to keep my rant going regarding lane splitting here in CA, but another aspect of the practice that will need to be learned by riders in other states as the practice gains use around the country is proper riding etiquette between motorcyclists who are splitting. And, I bring it up because I need to vent about an unpleasant incident that happened on my way in this morning.

Along my daily commute, I'm splitting lanes about 60 percent of the 11 mile distance. And, since I'm a conservative rider, I realize that people may come up behind me who want to split at a faster speed than I do. So, while I'm at full situational awareness, watching the actions of each vehicle I slide between, I'm also glancing in my mirror periodically to check for riders coming up behind me. More often than not, it's a Highway Patrol officer trying to get somewhere more urgently than myself. As I see an opening on my left, I'll slide into that pocket, giving the following rider the opportunity to pass me and not slow down or alter his vector.

The seasoned rider recognizes my maneuver and gives me a quick wave of thanks as he passes. However, this action always seems to confuse new riders, or riders who are new to splitting. This morning, I saw a brand new BMW S1000RR coming up behind me. "Beautiful new bike", I thought. As I scanned ahead, I saw a large gap between cars to my left, and moved into it to give the Beemer space to glide past. Rather than doing so, he came up along side and slowed, staying right next to me.

I'm now riding Ponch-and-John style, a few feet away from another rider. I see his new BMW jacket, new BMW helmet, and temporary tag on the bike. I also start noticing he's a bit wobbly. I surmise that a wave to this new rider to either speed up or slow down and not stay next to me would just confuse the bugger, so I slow, giving him my full lane space. He needs all the space he can get, as he's clearly not familiar with riding in tight quarters with another rider. Eventually, he passes the car in front of us both, and I imagined myself helping him pick up his damaged machine miles down the road.

I pray I won't encounter him on the way home.

[alan.hopkins_imp]

I understand the term filtering, we do it all the time in the Uk, but what is lane splitting?


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[the Ferret]

Alan lane splitting is riding between lanes of moving cars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4_xU-hpAHY

fast lane splitting lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjtjexSg0SM

[alan.hopkins_imp]

Alan lane splitting is riding between lanes of moving cars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4_xU-hpAHY

fast lane splitting lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjtjexSg0SM

Got it.

That doesn’t happen as much in the UK. Only by riders with a certain death wish.

Filtering on a bike is second nature.


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[the Ferret]

check out the vids I posted

[Gone in 60]

I think this sticker I picked up at the biker show over the weekend is appropriate to the conversation...