Do you lane split?

[The Pilot]

Quick background, I spent years riding in LA traffic everyday and enjoyed on the regular the advantages of lane splitting going around SoCal everyday... now I’m trapped in Jersey for a while and still find myself splitting lanes from time to time... usually only on super hot days moving to the front of lights, most of the time accompanied by at least one Jersey native giving me a one finger salute.

What are your thoughts on lane splitting / filtering where you live?

 

[njloco]

If and when you get stopped, just say, those ass holes were on their phones and I wanted to get away from them, It has worked so far.
Yes, I lane split especially in this high humidity we've been having, just don't pass the cop car if your doing it, they tend to get pissed off.

 

[Sdrxb12s]

You guys arnt worried about someone opening their door on you?

 

[The Pilot]

You guys arnt worried about someone opening their door on you?

In 20 years and probably close to 200k miles doing it I’ve never had anyone open a door on me. Had a few close calls with people changing lanes, but honestly I always felt significantly safer splitting lanes. I am more worried about getting rear ended by someone not paying attention, I see at least 1 rear ending accident a day! Seriously these people can’t drive.

 

[njloco]

If they open a door on me and I can still move afterward, I would beat the snot out of them !

" Seriously these people can’t drive " you ain't kidding ! We have some of the dumbest drivers in the world, they give them their drivers license just for showing up to take the test. Though it's probably not as bad as Florida and a bunch of other states it's not far behind either.

 

[Sdrxb12s]

You ever see Canada's worst drivers show lmao

 

[outthere]

Riding a motorcycle along side cagers is dangerous.

 

[The Pilot]

" Seriously these people can’t drive " you ain't kidding ! We have some of the dumbest drivers in the world, they give them their drivers license just for showing up to take the test. Though it's probably not as bad as Florida and a bunch of other states it's not far behind either.

Well, was in the car yesterday and got rear ended yet again! Sitting stopped at a light behind 20 cars... motionless for over a minute with no one behind me.... then the screech of tires and the gentle caress of a moron hitting be at 20 mph... at least they tried.

They need to put up some solid steel chicanes around Jersey to thin the herd out.

 

[njloco]

This works ! It does a nice job on front and rear quarter panels when they try to cut me off.

 

[jetlee]

I lane split, for quite a many years, in Cali. I've been sideswiped twice (went down first time, second time stayed up) but never a door opened on me. Study has shown accidents from lane splitting are less ... damaging(? can't think of better word) ... to the rider than when not lane splitting.

 

[Cooter]

For 4 years I commuted 90 miles round trip, in So Cal. Thats up to 2-3 HOURS each way along the very worst freeways So. Cal had to offer. I'm talking 6+ lanes each direction of 5-15 mph traffic for the entire drive of 45 miles.
No, your city is NOT "just as bad as Cali" Period:upset:
I tried using my big diesel truck as a linebacker, a commuter car as a tight end, a cruiser as a wide receiver, and a sport naked as a tall wide receiver With the bikes I could get home in 1.5 hours on the worst days instead of 3, but the adrenaline dump from being so alert and getting cut off every few miles and side swiped about every other week, would make me shake for the rest of the 1.5 hours I 'saved' by riding. I tried being mad, I tried hitting mirrors, I tried open pipes, and the only thing that left me with sanity was finding calming Zen knowing that oblivious a-holes wearing a safety cage are never going to care about anything but themselves. Even after killing you, they'd be more concerned with being late for dinner.

I learned a LOT in that time. There are distinct ways of splitting lanes safely, and doing it dangerously. Being courteous to the cars around you is part of the first one.

Even though it's safe, and relieves traffic for everyone, I'm afraid the biggest problem with 'legalizing' it on other states (besides the asking part but I digress) is that the car drivers just aren't used to it. Or even used to motorcycles at all. "HEY! he's getting ahead of me in traffic!" is a sentence for motorcycle death from a cager who's been stewing behind the wheel for an hour.

 

[njloco]

I can see that the traffic in and around LA hasn't changed at all since 1977-78. Your right Cooter there aren't too many people that can visualize 6 lanes in each direction and nobody going anyplace, not to mention how wide each lane is, unless they've driven in it there in Cali themselves. I notice you don't mention the bump strips which I think would be a pain when lane splitting ?

When I'm in the truck and I come up on bikers, I'll cruise behind them even f it's only one and G-D help anyone that messes with them !

 

[outthere]

I was also a commuter on a motorcycle. 1978-1980. Santa Rosa to Livermore. 100+ each way. Had kids and joined the cagers. Can't imagine what it would be like now. Probably a bit safer because of traffic and combined slower speeds. My last street bike was an RZ 350 with R1 suspension. Looked cool but changed directions like a truck.

 

[Cooter]

Typically I'll split between the car pool lane and the passing lane (but never when they open up to exit). Its a little wider and the don't-ever-cross-this-double-yellow stops some people from jumping over without signaling, and theres not usually reflectors or Botts dots there.

If there is bumps, I'm only going 10-15 mph faster than traffic so their speed (5mph) + my speed (+/- 10mph) means I'm only going 20 or so. If traffic is going 55, I'm not splitting.

The biggest issue is that no one working for Cal Trans or Balfour Beatty has ever ridden a motorcycle. They spend much less attention to the wheel-swallowing potholes between traffic lanes. I have been airborn more times than the 5.2 Billion dollars of per year for "transportation projects" I pay for in 48¢/gallon TAX on fuel, should allow:mad-new:

 

[Cooter]

Probably a bit safer because of traffic and combined slower speeds.

I wish. Every time the engineers add an automatic safety feature on a car, people immediately stop doing the thing that kept us all safe. Like turning their own neck slightly to look in a mirror. No little light on the mirror? Well sure! Crank away at that steering wheel, no need to actually see if the spot you want to occupy is clear.

Backing up? No beeps? Sure! Just keep coming, why even look?

Bubbles and I watched an automatic parallel parking BMW X-5 push a construction cone out of the way and sink a back tire in an open sewer grate. We were eating on the patio and there was no amount of yelling or hand waving form anyone that the lady in the hermetically sealed interior noticed.

 

[Barrett]

We get "traffic" here every now and then. like last Sunday late afternoon i was coming down Hunsicker Bridge road to drive across. was clear sailing on my end as you can see from first pic.....then just got into the bridge and 2 of my neighbors had to stop on other side because i was first in. they didn't mind. stopped on other side to chat with them for a minute. guess it could have been considered "traffic jam", of sorts. happens every now and then around here.

 

[34nineteen]

We get "traffic" here every now and then. like last Sunday late afternoon i was coming down Hunsicker Bridge road to drive across. was clear sailing on my end as you can see from first pic.....then just got into the bridge and 2 of my neighbors had to stop on other side because i was first in. they didn't mind. stopped on other side to chat with them for a minute. guess it could have been considered "traffic jam", of sorts. happens every now and then around here.

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is your buggy the one with the " we dont care how they do it in japan" sticker?

 

[Cooter]

I'd hit them with the air horn, and put my phone down long enough to yell "Roll Foal!"


JK, that's an idyllic pic John. You seem to have a lot of pictures of covered bridges, are you SURE you're not Clint Eastwood? You're alter ego's secret is ok here:angel:

 

[34nineteen]

I especially like the Pinetown bridge. Which is your favorite?

 

[34nineteen]

You seem to have a lot of pictures of covered bridges, are you SURE you're not Clint Eastwood? You're alter ego's secret is ok here:angel:

Ah, the Bridges of "Lancaster" County. I just got the reference.