Driving in heavy traffic (stop to 5mph) several motorcycles whiz by at 30 to 40mph. We are talking about how dangerous it is. In my driving on the east coast this year I didn't see any lane splitting.
Anyway, we come across a Harley that had passed us earlier lying on its side behind a silver Ford Ranger with a severely warped bed. The Ranger probably didn't see the Harley when changing lanes. The motorcycle driver was being attended to on the side of the road with Fire on its way.
Harleys...
It is risky, but as a motorcyclist myself I feel like the risk of being rear ended in stop and go traffic is also pretty great. At least when lane sharing I feel less vulnerable. I can't imagine just sitting there in traffic when I could fit around it. Sounds like torture. That being said, when I do it I'm constantly scanning and anticipating what other cars will do. Only once in several years of commuting around the Los Angeles area did I have a close call. I got sandwiched between a flatbed truck and a bus going down the 710. My handlebar got snagged by the flatbed and the bike got pulled down. Luckily I was only moving at around 15 MPH and was able to brush myself off and get back on the saddle. I'm just thankful it wasn't one of the times when I had a Leica robot strapped on the back.
A buddy of mine shared a story from nearly 50 years ago now when he was a serious "motorsickle" fan. He was riding double with a buddy and they were staying too close to the rear end of a semi on I-44 in Oklahoma. Suddenly, the semi took a sharp swerve to the left so they did the same. The next thing he remembered was coming to in the ditch. His buddy was still out cold. He started wandering all over the ditch, this way and that. When his buddy came to he asked him why he was stumbling all around the ditch. My buddy told him, "I'm lookin' for my arm." His buddy laughed and laughed and finally told him, "You dummy, it's right there behind your head." In the crash his right arm had fully dislocated and was laying across his shoulders.
The semi had swerved to straddle a very large, very dead dog. They hit it dead center, you might say, with the result being a rapid exit from the highway and crash.
I rode into the early 1980s on a 200 mile round trip to work at Pine Bluff with very little problems.
Then suddenly local road became an unsafe place for two wheels.
First it was an armadillo that near ran under me, so I tapped it with my toe and near kicked myself in the back of the head.
Then got caught in a thunderstorm 20mins from home and ran up behind dim taillights going about 40mph and dropped off a level of pavement and came to a stop in the wrong lane looking at traffic.
Oh yeah, there is nothing like getting passed at 5am by pulp wood that had fallen off the log truck.....
Then the road filled with traffic and every outing was a close call from on coming traffic and others cutting me off.
Accidents are all to frequent, I called in a fresh downed tree from saturated r/w. Had took out the guard rail and covered the North bound lane of Hwy 8 on the south end of bridge entry on Wright Patman Lake. One car was already into the limbs backing out and headed around.
Too many people in too much of a hurry around here.
There is at least one vehicle a year sliding down the ditch saying they swerved to miss a deer or hob crossin' out front and cause I am at one of few passing areas on a narrow section of 75mph highway.
:whistle:
[MEDIA=youtube]vMB7BCk11wc[/MEDIA]
FL/GA PLS., post: 326826, member: 379 wrote: [MEDIA=youtube]vMB7BCk11wc[/MEDIA]
:bad:
Brad Ott, post: 326827, member: 197 wrote: :bad:
Scared ya, didn't it? 😉
Precision-geo-inc, post: 326796, member: 9801 wrote: Harleys...
It is risky, but as a motorcyclist myself I feel like the risk of being rear ended in stop and go traffic is also pretty great. At least when lane sharing I feel less vulnerable. I can't imagine just sitting there in traffic when I could fit around it. Sounds like torture. That being said, when I do it I'm constantly scanning and anticipating what other cars will do. Only once in several years of commuting around the Los Angeles area did I have a close call. I got sandwiched between a flatbed truck and a bus going down the 710. My handlebar got snagged by the flatbed and the bike got pulled down. Luckily I was only moving at around 15 MPH and was able to brush myself off and get back on the saddle. I'm just thankful it wasn't one of the times when I had a Leica robot strapped on the back.
"I can't imagine just sitting there in traffic when I could fit around it."
Really! You can't imagine obeying the law?! Shame on you!!
Jim in AZ, post: 326834, member: 249 wrote: Really! You can't imagine obeying the law?! Shame on you!!
Actually Jim, lane splitting is quite legal in some places.
It blew my mind the first time I saw it done.
Jim in AZ, post: 326834, member: 249 wrote: "I can't imagine just sitting there in traffic when I could fit around it."
Really! You can't imagine obeying the law?! Shame on you!!
It's legal here in CA my friend. The cops do it everyday. Shame on you for making assumptions.
Whether laws and ethics have much in common is a whole other topic for debate.
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My days riding have contributed substantially to my Internet handle. Among our group of friends I was considered a bit nuts for the stunts I pulled. I am realistic enough to know that my survival was more luck then skill. Even so I never considered white lining. ..
Filtering and lane-splitting has been an argument back and forth for some time now. Unlike California, it is illegal in Oklahoma. I myself avoid the practice, but I avoid traffic congestion also. Although I ride to work and back, my hours are selective and my office is close. I do not depend on my scooter for primary transportation.
I read a story a few years back about a fellow that was 'splitting the cages' in stalled morning traffic when a stopped driver opened the door to empty a coffee container. The law suit was lengthy with the motorcyclist ultimately found responsible not only for the damage to the car's door, but the driver's loss of most of the function of his arm and hand. Things like that keep this silverback cracker playing it safe in traffic. Just because something's not illegal really doesn't certify it as a safe practice. Here's a link to the American Motorcycle Association's view on the practice:
I'd like to think still riding after I've reached old age is a testament to my conservative driving habits. Almost all of my "owwies" have been my own damned fault.
edit: fitting that my BeerLeg odometer just rolled to an even 4K on a 'motorcycle post'...kuhl....
Welcome to the club. We don't have many meetings, though. It's a bit like being a member of the club on Saturday Night Live for those who have hosted at least ten times. Outsiders wonder about you.
Welcome to the club. Only seven of us now, so you are eligible for one-seventh of all the rewards and benefits. One member has been absent for several months now and another gets paid a stipend to be here. So there are really only five here voluntarily these days. It's been tough lately with only four and a bunch of 2-2 votes with no one to break the tie.
paden cash, post: 326839, member: 20 wrote: Filtering and lane-splitting has been an argument back and forth for some time now. Unlike California, it is illegal in Oklahoma. I myself avoid the practice, but I avoid traffic congestion also. Although I ride to work and back, my hours are selective and my office is close. I do not depend on my scooter for primary transportation.
It is legal in California. CHP policy for its officers is it's okay up to 35mph.
See the lack of it in VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, NYS, CONN, RI, and MA leads me to believe it may be illegal in those States.
Precision-geo-inc, post: 326837, member: 9801 wrote: It's legal here in CA my friend. The cops do it everyday. Shame on you for making assumptions.
Whether laws and ethics have much in common is a whole other topic for debate.
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Legal?! Really?! Wow - sorry then, although I can't imagine why its legal... (Edit - Just read Mr. Cash's link, can't say I agree with it.)
I have actually considered opening my door while stopped in traffic to discourage it but am afraid I would be injured. Saw a driver beat the living hell out of a motorcyclist when I was young for doing it - that probably influenced me.
Jim in AZ, post: 326859, member: 249 wrote: Legal?! Really?! Wow - sorry then, although I can't imagine why its legal... (Edit - Just read Mr. Cash's link, can't say I agree with it.)
I have actually considered opening my door while stopped in traffic to discourage it but am afraid I would be injured. Saw a driver beat the living hell out of a motorcyclist when I was young for doing it - that probably influenced me.
Read Paden's link. It's legal because it's actually safer than sitting in traffic with a bunch of people playing on their cell phones.
It's sad how car drivers, who have nothing to really lose besides maybe a side mirror, have such righteous animosity towards cyclists who have potentially everything to lose if things go wrong. In other countries such entitlement doesn't exist on the part of car drivers. Everyone shares the road most likely because before they could afford a car they too were riding around on scooters or motorcycles.
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Precision-geo-inc, post: 326864, member: 9801 wrote: Read Paden's link. It's legal because it's actually safer than sitting in traffic with a bunch of people playing on their cell phones.
It's sad how car drivers, who have nothing to really lose besides maybe a side mirror, have such righteous animosity towards cyclists who have potentially everything to lose if things go wrong. In other countries such entitlement doesn't exist on the part of car drivers. Everyone shares the road most likely because before they could afford a car they too were riding around on scooters or motorcycles.
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I have seen a lot of dangerous motorcycle drivers. It is a "two way street."
Dave Karoly, post: 326844, member: 94 wrote: It is legal in California. CHP policy for its officers is it's okay up to 35mph.
My understanding, based on recent news stories, is that it's neither legal not illegal in California, but rather a matter of officer discretion. There's a bill before the legislature right now that would make it legal.
The first time a Harley split the lane by my drivers side door, I about crapped my pant. I didn't see him coming up behind me and suddenly he was right at my door. Come to think about it, I also about crapped my pants the second time that it happened. And the third time....
