Do you ride the shoulder in traffic jams?

[pookamatic]

I have and still will do it as I approach an intersection with a long line of cars. I give a good look out for the man, and do 10 mph up the shoulder and make my turn or pull into corner store.

Haven't done it on the highways. The shoulders are really nasty, and from what I've read (mostly here), it's a more serious offense and more dangerous than splitting.

I've pretty much stopped splitting too. It kills me to wait. Splitting feels great, and just makes sense to get one extra idling engine off the asphalt as quickly as possible. However, I've had some cage rage as a result. Some innocuous ("that's illegal!"), some downright criminal (guy cut the wheel and tried to hit me). I can't accept this risk AND have it by my "fault" at the same time.

 

[pookamatic]

And to answer one of the original questions... No I haven't been pulled over but I did see a guy on a cruiser riding 2up pulled over. I was in my car on 202, sitting and waiting for an accident to be cleared. He putted by me and everyone else, then I saw him again having a chat with one of the responding officers at the scene.

I spoke to a PA trooper, also an FZ6 owner, about this topic. His response?

"Fellow biker or not. You're probably getting a ticket from me for splitting."

 

[rumblestrip]

Haven't done it on the highways. The shoulders are really nasty, and from what I've read (mostly here), it's a more serious offense and more dangerous than splitting.

Me neither. Ironically, my handle here is "rumblestrip". I wouldn't want to hit that on the bike...in a van full of sleeping musicians...yes, please. :spank: That $@&# is hilarious. Their heads all pop up in the rearview mirror like prairie dogs (or what have you).

 

[turbid]

i did it a few times when cars stick too much to the right that they close access (we are right hand drive). i dont like to do it but because as said before there is a lot of debris on the shoulder and besides, many car drivers never bother to look to the left and tend to cut you off, not to mention passengers opening car doors in traffic jams because they find it quicker walking than waiting to be driven to their destination.

 

[FIZZER6]

I've never lane split or ridden the shoulder (both illegal here in VA). My commute is 50-70 mph all backroads, I'm lucky if I get behind one car on my commute because it's an excuse to pass and let the Fizzer sing! :BLAA:

I avoid riding in cities at all costs.