Splitting lanes

[Tailgate]

Do you split lanes? In the state of CA it is legal and many (I don't think it's all but....) motorcyclists do it (including cops). I LOVE splitting lanes. It's an art. I know some 4-wheel motorists get locked up (or is it jealous?) over the practice but, nevertheless, it is legal in CA. Talk about "advantage" of being on a motorcycle: you come up to a red light, there are 10+ vehicles already queued up in front of you. You see that the cross green-light traffic has just recently started---or not due to cease soon----so you know you have enough time and split the lanes to the front (you might even be pleasantly surprised to join another motorcyclist first in line) When the light turns green---you have already made the mandatory all-important possible red-light runner evaluation---you pull away effortlessly and before the two motorists who were beside you even get rolling. Motorcycles: it's a freedom thing.

 

[HavBlue]

Do you split lanes? In the state of CA it is legal and many (I don't think it's all but....) motorcyclists do it (including cops). I LOVE splitting lanes. It's an art. I know some 4-wheel motorists get locked up (or is it jealous?) over the practice but, nevertheless, it is legal in CA. Talk about "advantage" of being on a motorcycle: you come up to a red light, there are 10+ vehicles already queued up in front of you. You see that the cross green-light traffic has just recently started---or not due to cease soon----so you know you have enough time and split the lanes to the front (you might even be pleasantly surprised to join another motorcyclist first in line) When the light turns green---you have already made the mandatory all-important possible red-light runner evaluation---you pull away effortlessly and before the two motorists who were beside you even get rolling. Motorcycles: it's a freedom thing.

How long have you been running the gap (splitting)?

 

[4fun]

I try and do every thing that will keep me riding safely. Splitting lanes seems to just add to the dangers. Maybe not so much with stopped cars, but it will lead to bad riding habits.

 

[PlasticPig]

In the UK it is called filtering and is prefectly legal, now I am in FL I don't think it is here so I don't do it.

Also, the car drvers here are far more likely just to change lane without looking and no warning.

 

[reiobard]

Also, the car drvers here are far more likely just to change lane without looking and no warning.

That may be because Florida is America's retirement community.

I don't split lanes because it is illegal, but if it were legal it would probably scare the poop out of me if the cars were moving.

 

[bikerider]

I wouldn't do it if it were legal. Just dosent seem safe. Just my opinion.

 

[Doorag]

...it would probably scare the poop out of me if the cars were moving.

You should try it on the highway when all the cars ar moving 70 (or more!) Some guy passed me like I was standing still on the M25 the other day and I was in the fast lane going about 85-90 with a load of other cars. He was filtering. Madness...

 

[Tailgate]

How long have you been running the gap (splitting)?

Before you and probably many others catergorize me as crazy-risky, let me clarify, I was talking about lane splitting at traffic light queues. However, motorcylists (especially cops) often split lanes during freeway backups when traffic is at a near standstill. How long have I been spilitting the gap? I purchased my new FZ6 Nov, 2007 so not very long (I used to ride in the 70's however) Here in CA, it's almost the norm at traffic light queues...I'd say it's more the veteran riders? Maybe somebody will do a survey sometime?

 

[Cali rider]

I split lanes.

I am more concerned about traveling through a busy intersection than splitting traffic. Whenever I meet new riders for a group ride I bring up the subject to see how everyone feels about it. If even one person is not down with it we don't do it.

 

[Wavex]

Lane splitting is one of the main reasons I love motorcycles... I could not imagine it otherwise... try living in LA, or Paris, or any big city without lane splitting.... it would make you just as lame as cagers!!!

 

[nimzotech]

I split lanes now more often than not. As one's skills and bike confidence improve, one tends to be bolder with the bike. Let’s put it this way; where legal, not splitting lanes is like failing to use the empty express lane at the grocery store when buying only a handful or less of items. I remember being scared splitting lanes on a freeway during bumper-to-bumper traffic. Now, I zip by at 30-40 MPH between the cars. Sometimes I am passed by other motorcyclists; sometimes I pass others. On another note, still being a bike noob (1000 + miles experience on a bike) the fastest I rode was just over 90 MPH on my FZ6 - not splitting lanes at that speed...
:Sport:

 

[Boneman]

For some retarded reason, Lane Splitting is also illegal here in Canada.

I love the UK where bikers can do it as well as pulling up to the front of traffic at stop lights so bikes can get off the line and in front of the traffic.

Seems to make perfect sense...which is why I guess it's still illegal here!

If lane splitting were leagal here, there would still is a time and a place for it.

 

[DefyInertia]

Wish I could, but I can't....yet.

try living in LA, or Paris, or any big city without lane splitting.... it would make you just as lame as cagers!!!

Now I'm lame, huh, thanks dude...

 

[Wavex]

lol well if it's illegal, then you can`t do much about it... so you are exempt from my comment :rockon:

Seriously though, every night when I leave work for home, I get to the end of the freeway and there's usually 1 to 3 miles of traffic jams... which translate into about 30minutes of wasted time if you`re in your car... why in the world would I stay at the end of the line and wait 30min, when I can cruise at 20-30mph between cars and get to the start of the line in 5 minutes?

Sometimes I see ppl on their sportbikes (nevermind Harleys, they are just too big and useless anyway) and they are waiting there in the back of a 2 miles traffic jam... I always wonder what the hell they`re doing
If you are worried of the dangers, fine, you can still split lanes going super slow and being extra careful... what's going to happen to you at 10mph??

Anyway, sorry about the rant, I just don`t get it hehe

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

OT comment here...Doorag is freaking me out. His profile says he's from London, but he's got a tattered Confederate flag as his avatar. Weird.

Dumb question, Doorag...you DO know what that flag represents, right?

 

[wolfc70]

I have split lanes here in WI. It is illegal of course, but there are times the stopped cages just get in the way, mainly of exits. I also move through stopped traffic when the left or right turn lanes are blocked by cages. Where I live, drivers seem to leave two car lengths in front of them at lights causing the turn lanes to be blocked. So I usually slowly (don't want to scare that soccer mom on the cell driving the Yukon with kids hanging out the windows) move around them to get to the turn lane. I wish the State Legislature would legalize lane splitting here. It is time to elect motorcyclists to government, I mean Harley is headquartered here, yet WI is pretty motorcycle unfriendly.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Lane splitting is one of the main reasons I love motorcycles... I could not imagine it otherwise... try living in LA, or Paris, or any big city without lane splitting.... it would make you just as lame as cagers!!!

Even though it's illegal here in Nevada, I will only do it if it's absolutely necessary. Traffic tends to back up pretty bad here along the strip. At times, I will also split lanes if I see that it will save me a rotation of the lights. One note, as you get the pole position at the intersection and get the green signal, you have to be extra careful when you take off because that's when you will most likely encounter the cagers running the yellow, red lights or even the last second left turn.

 

[Wavex]

It's easy to see through pretty much all intersections here in LA So I always check before taking off :thumbup:

 

[nimzotech]

... One note, as you get the pole position at the intersection and get the green signal, you have to be extra careful when you take off because that's when you will most likely encounter the cagers running the yellow, red lights or even the last second left turn.

Agreed! Most motorcycle accidents occur on intersections. Very dangerous.

 

[HavBlue]

Lets go back a bit with lane splitting. While most would say it is "legal" in California, in reality it is not. It is termed "permissible" for a reason and that reason is why the other 49 states are skeptical about even considering it. It all comes down to liability. No state wants to pass legislation on a law that would give the rider reciprocity in the case of splitting and the potential for accidents therein. In the last 4 years two states, Texas and Washington have introduced legislation that would allow splitting and both went down in defeat. At present, the State of New Jersey is currently in the active study mode with regard to splitting. It does however remain to be seen how they move on this.

I spent most of my life riding in southern California and over the years watched some real bone heads bite it while splitting and this was generally caused by excessive speed and a lack of focus in the gap. Splitting while vehicles around you are stopped is a piece of cake. Taking off from a light faster than the cages on your right or left is no big deal as the average 250cc bike wouldn't have a problem in the right hands. The problems start when the vehicles around you are moving and parallel gaps occur because cagers in traffic will attempt to stuff a 16" long cage in a 12' long gap and they could care less if you are there.

Splitting isn't an art, it's a skill but the California highways offer something that many eastern cities and other locations around these United States fail to offer and this is lanes that are 9' wide. Around many of the places I go here in the east these same lane are only 8' wide and drivers are not ready for bikes coming up the gap at all.

I miss being able to split and feel a rider with appropriate skills is actually safer in the gap than waiting to be a piece of meat in a sandwich. I also understand it would take years for cagers to become used to bikes in the gap and it would also cause many rider accidents if not fatalities until they do become accustomed to it. It would also help if we didn't have these narrow lanes to deal with. Splitting can be an awesome advantage but it can also be one of the most dangerous things we will do as riders if that splitting rider has limited skills and a moments lack of focus.