POLL: Do you Cross the Double Yellow?

[dxh24]

i've only ever done it once. but this actually reminds me.... Ever been on one of those roads where its like: "why isnt this a passing zone?" (even in a car) and on the same road there will be a passing zone where visibility is not nearly enough to be safe or so short you'd have to be in an f1 car to make a pass and get back in before its solid again.... H&S at its best....

 

[Kazza]

I'm really glad you posted this.

It's useful to go through life knowing that our own personal cost/risk-beneift analysis may change suddenly or unexpectedly.

Also, NOT crossing the line for some might mean following one car for one small part of the day at 55 down a straight road instead of 65 while for others it might be the difference between being mostly bored in the twisties for 250 miles (and being tailgated) during the course of a 10 hour day vs. having a blast in the twisties for 350 miles over the course of a ten hour day.

As a newbie, I never wanted to do anything "illegal".

I'm no longer a newbie.

I'm in charge of my life/risks when I'm on a bike. I wouldn't want to injure myself, but I'll be the best judge of what I deem to be safe and what is "stupid".

I had the confidence to overtake on solid lines, but I wasn't stupid enough to do it when I couldn't see what was ahead of me or to do it when there was oncoming traffic.

There were a lot of logging trucks, RV's, caravans and slow drivers BUT most of them moved over and let me overtake them.

:thumbup: to them.

And yep, those twisties - NO WAY was a caravan spoiling that for me

 

[aziebell]

I don't really think it's off topic. $240 and traffic school.

Don't forget the penalty the insurance company will likely place on your current rates!

 

[zmeiaspas]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHFGx8371Dc]YouTube - Trying out another angle[/ame]

1:12 and 2:01 are the type of passes I wouldn't think twice to do I wish the camera was mounted on my windshield so that you guys could actually see ahead. It's kinda hard to judge visibility when my ass is blocking everything :BLAA:

I think passing on a bike is A LOT safer than passing in a cage. I'm with Motogiro - the bike is so much quicker and smaller that having separate rules for bikes and other vehicles would totally make sense IMO.

 

[nlj515]

Other explained:

I only pass when it is dangerous to STAY behind a slow moving vehicle. I'm not worried about the slow vehicle in front of me it's the idiot thats about to run me down from behind that i worry about.

 

[discgolfdude]

I certainly do especially in my home city since I can get away with it...
I do it occasionally outside once I make sure the po-po isn't watching.

There is no way in heck I'm going to wait behind a slow poke. Yes I am impatient.

Aren't you a LEO??

 

[discgolfdude]

I guess I'm like most, I only pass when I need to, and when it is safe to do so. I drive hundreds of miles a week as a bus driver, and I see jerks in both cars and on bikes weave in and out between cars and trucks to gain an inch of pavement. It doesn't make sense for people to do that!! I even saw a guy on a sport bike, not sure what kind, weave in and out of traffic and when he was clear pop a wheelie! Then again, I've seen a lot. When and where you do cross the line, be careful and be aware what is around you!

 

[Motogiro]

Now I get why you were reluctant to follow my reckless abandon of the dbl yellow when we were riding

240 & school would work on me - for a while....

I had legal trying to dismiss it but the courts want their revenues. I do still do it...and more so now that I'm not fighting the ticket.

I mean, we're out in the sticks for cryin out loud! No traffic, stuck behind a tank billowing out the equivalent of 1 billion cow farts and all your grandmothers cans of hairspray. Lots of room but a double yellow line. It's not like we're doing it in urban areas in traffic!

 

[Motogiro]

Don't forget the penalty the insurance company will likely place on your current rates!

Well now I'm thinking of quitting riding. That was the straw that broke the camels back. Kidding of course. Not that I really have the money but I just shelled out another $480 for some Kevlar protection because I really do care about my quality of life.

Regardless F=ma no matter what box someone tries to put something in...
I've crashed twice last year. Had nothing to do with yellow lines. The point is we all ride for different reasons and if the reason moves me I pass. I don't do it all the time and I agree to pay the prices even when they are harsh and painful.
Do I welcome the price? Hell no! I'm on a pain budget. I think body modification is cool but I just have one tattoo I made a long time ago.
If it was honestly a question of logic and money there would be a lot less people riding because people crash on bikes and it generally hurts and damages worse than in a cage. Riding and modding and ATGATT is not as economical as it might be first perceived. But!!!!! There is almost nothing like riding!!

I will never have a thought, good, bad or judgemental on a person because they do or don't cross the double yellow but I do care how people enjoy their lives.

Man I've really started to become a rebel! :spank:

 

[greg]

unless i have very good reason to then i never cross or overtake another vehicle on double white lines. They are normally there for a good reason, i.e. indicating that it's not safe to overtake (bend coming up, hidden dip etc)

In terms of the law, it would very likely result in a pulling over fine and points.

It is legal to overtake very slow moving traffic though, such as bicycles. (in the UK)

 

[rjo3491]

I never do. I guess I'm lame

No, you're smart. Operating outside of the norm, doing what other vehicles don't expect you to do is begging for trouble even if it's clear you can make the pass. It's too easy to be killed by a careless driver turning in front of us - why would we want to increase the odds of getting hurt/killed by our own decisions?

 

[chaskell27]

Other- I will pass on the double yellow if it is clear and the car in front of me is going the speed limit or less... I call them speed limiters.

I almost forgot the most important condition... I ALWAYS check all around for the police before I pull the trigger!!

 

[kharrel]

Single car and it is safe maybe. If I know the road I'm on it is more likely. More than one car and almost never. Guys I ride with do it often and I've seen to many close calls.

 

[Erci]

Nothing lame about that at all. It's a personal choice based on many things.

But I would be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

I do believe there are times when crossing double yellow can be safe (safer than many legal things we do on our bikes).. my reason for not doing it is simple: I cannot be 100% sure I won't get pulled over.. you'd be surprised how good cops can be at hiding.
I'm not willing to pay the fine and deal with 3+ years of increased insurance premiums.

 

[Tailgate]

I don't really think it's off topic. $240 and traffic school.

Motogiro---didn't completing the traffic school mean that the ticket/violation is not on your record? That's why I took traffic School---so it wouldn't be on my record and, hence, no reason for insurance rates to go up.

 

[spock]

Straight forward question....just curious what others do.

Poll is PRIVATE.

My friend crosses the double-yellow to pass when safe/prudent but stays in his lane otherwise. He does this very often on back roads. Sometimes if he comes up on a chain of cars on a twisty road he'll carefully/slowly leap frog until he gets in front and is able to take off. He always gives a wave of respect if at all possible. He tries not to buzz anyone and makes a big effort not to force anything (always trying to keep the unknown unknown in mind).

But he's not perfect nor does he have 30+ years of riding experience, not even close.

You?

Techniques?

Strong opinions?

:thumbup:

I do it that way as well

 

[chuckfz6ryder]

I voted NEVER, but that is such a strong word. I usually ride legally, maybe a little over the speed limit, but I figure our speedometers are off, so I justify it that way. I'm sure I cross the yellow lines sometimes, esp. when riding with other bikers (thinking of my last ride with a buddy on an FJR1300, we were both airborne at one point, I'm sure we were breaking some laws).

 

[Erci]

Motogiro---didn't completing the traffic school mean that the ticket/violation is not on your record? That's why I took traffic School---so it wouldn't be on my record and, hence, no reason for insurance rates to go up.

In NJ, I believe we can only do safety course for point reduction once every 3 years. So it's not really an "out".

 

[MHS]

didn't completing the traffic school mean that the ticket/violation is not on your record?

Don't know about anywhere else, but here traffic school doesn't remove a moving violation from your record, it just lets you avoid paying the fine for the ticket (though still have to pay court costs) and prevents it from counting against your license.

edit: and here it's once a year (12 months from prior offense). I'm not sure about being able to do it for different violations in that time.

 

[Fleksta]

If I'm sure it is safe AND the driver ahead is really puttering along I will pass; otherwise I wait.