Motorcyclist splitting lanes clipped me last week

I'm sure we all realise that there are good cyclists and bad cyclists just like there are good drivers and bad drivers.

Most cyclists out here follow the rules, a few choose to be a vajajay in traffic and they stand out so they get talked about.

Wally wrote: They put a separated bike lane on several aves in Manhattan. They go pretty much unused while these idiots ride in traffic and knock mirrors off vehicles they feel are taking their space.

If they are badly designed as many are around here, I well understand bicycle riders not using them.

Like this It appears from nowhere and then fades away, while launching you into a multi-lane cross-over traffic circle.

Or this Nothing like pinching a kid (it's in front of a school) on a bicycle in between two merging lanes of cars.

Here, our state is full of absolutely awful bicycle lanes.

aircooled wrote:

novaderrik wrote: why do people on 2 wheels get special privileges that people in 4 wheels don't? y'all can wait in line like everyone else..

Well, lets see. They use way less gas, take up about 1/4 the room on the road, take almost no parking space, pose almost no collision danger to cars (OP exception noted), and do this at a potentially much higher personal risk. So, is there a reason they should? BTW - I don't split to the front (not a super fast bike is part of the reason), but I don't ride on busy streets much. I did once stop at the front, and pull to the left to let cars turn right. A lady pulled up to my right, but did not turn... she raced through the intersection when the light turned! Needles to say, I was a wee bit pissed off about that!

I'd be interested in seeing how many negative comments about filtering are from forum members who've either been motorcyclists or live in urban areas.

I'm both, though I haven't had a close-in-suburbs-to-downtown-DC commute in a few years. When I did I chose the bike and gear for a pitched battle between myself and the homicidal somnambulists with their Prius/RAV4/CRV/X3s and continual email checking and answering Very Important Texts.

As a matter of self preservation I move forward through traffic continually. I'm never not passing everyone, even if it's at a very small speed differential. I ride a KTM supermoto which is not terribly fast but has exceptional handling, accelleration, grip and brakes. I generally wear a 2-piece armored Aerostich Darien suit in hi-viz yellow, nearly-motocross boots, armored gloves and a visored dual sport helmet. At stop lights I tend to filter to the front and leave the traffic behind. I take up less space and it's less time spent as a potential target/impact zone.

I do not EVER lane split through moving traffic unless it's very, very slow traffic jam conditions. When I'm in California on the 405 and it's going 30 and bikes come through at 60, I can't help but cringe at the potential for lost legs and spinal injuries. The riders are literally putting their lives in the hands of disinterested, distracted drivers.

But filtering, done safely, makes more room for cars and exposes the motorcycle/scooter/bicycle rider to fewer risk opportunities.

In reply to Trans_Maro:

Just 12 cyclists? That's better than the 9 cyclists that use the $20mil Cardinal Greenway here....

motomoron wrote: I'd be interested in seeing how many negative comments about filtering are from forum members who've either been motorcyclists or live in urban areas.

I'm going with zero from people who ride in urban traffic.

And you should post pics of the KTM.

G. P. Snorklewacker wrote:

motomoron wrote: I'd be interested in seeing how many negative comments about filtering are from forum members who've either been motorcyclists or live in urban areas.

I'm going with zero from people who ride in urban traffic. And you should post pics of the KTM.

I've been riding street since I was 14, which is the legal age in TN, so 24 years. I've commuted on bikes for the last 16 years in Nashville traffic. My commute went from 20 miles round trip to 72 miles round trip, with a mix of interstate and city, and on bikes ranging from an old Honda 450 to the current k1300s, so yeah I have my share of urban riding. Filtering is just not something that happens here, at least I never see it, and I'm one of the few people in the area riding year around.

In reply to G. P. Snorklewacker:

Long time urban motorcyclist and at various times messenger and road racer. I can state that this thing is the fastest thing with a license plate from one side of a city to the other.

68 HP, 297 pounds.

I wonder if CA. actually says that lane splitting is legal or that they don't say it is illegal.

If there was room could you do it with a small car ?

a lot of things are allowed with out being specifically legal.

In NY there is a law about staying in lane.

Eh, if you've driven in any major metro area in CA for a short time you get used to it pretty quickly. Nobody who has lived here for any amount of time really even thinks twice about it. I just move over a little if i'm in the #1 and they're coming by pretty fast compared to traffic.

I'd rather they split lanes. It bothers me more when they dilly dally in front of me in traffic just in case supermom on her cell behind me isn't paying attention and makes a sandwich out of the guy. Also would rather them filter... they're just going to jet off the line out onto open road and be one less thing to worry about as soon as the light turns green. Both are common practice here and I see more people doing these things than hanging around in traffic. It's pretty rare is see someone NOT splitting or filtering, and when I do I assume they're new riders and give them a wide berth, they always look skittish/nervous.

Bicyclists I don't mind if they filter as long as they stay to the right and out of the way.

In reply to iceracer:

I'm pretty sure that it's a matter of lane splitting not specifically being illegal, like it is in every other other state. I thought there was a bill being pushed around recently, to actually make it legal, with limits and "rules".

Insurance found the cyclist 100% at fault, initial estimate was $2700, but I am thinking that will end up about $1000 too low.

Oh…My…Gaud

Talk about an extreme violation of the spirit of the law…some shiny happy person on a Can Am (you know, those factory built three wheelers) was lane splitting the E36 M3 out of the 118 freeway going through Chatsworth this morning.

I know there has been some general disagreement on this thread but hopefully we can all come together on the concept that lane splitting with something that’s probably wider than some cars (SMART, Fiat 500, etc.) is a really, really bad idea Um-K.

I tried to get a picture for you guys but he was out of range before I could pull my phone out…hope he filled out the donor card.

Adults don't ride tricycles.

technically aren't all of those 3 wheelers classified as motorcycles for registration?

johndej wrote: technically aren't all of those 3 wheelers classified as motorcycles for registration?

Yep, I believe the DMV considers anything with less than four wheels to be a motorcycle; hence the extreme violation of the spirit of the law.

No, according to this thread, it would be OK to do that if it could be done reasonably and safely, which I find very doubtful in this case. I have driven the 118 many times, he had to get VERY close to the cars. Frankly I am amazed he could even fit.

I (and I am sure others) do not consider lane splitting and absolute OK to do at all times kind of thing (I won't do it unless traffic is stopped and very backed up). There are a-holes everywhere, in cars, on motorcycles, on bikes, on tricycles, on unicycles. If it helps you to look at everything in absolute black and white, on and off terms, so be it, but realize that is not how reality works in almost all cases.

BTW - it is fairly common for cars to share lanes (at least around here). Haven't you ever seen a car slide by on the right, sharing a lane with the car in the right lane (I know... the horror!!!) to make a right turn? It's safe, it's reasonable, and it has no affect on the car he shares the lane with.

Here are the rules regarding lane splitting: http://lanesplittingislegal.com/assets/docs/CHP-lane-splitting-guidelines-California.pdf

It can only be done legally at very low speed.

Those of you foaming at the mouth over this need to do some reading.

If someone flies between two vehicles moving at high speed, going far faster than they are, it's still illegal and they're still idiots.

To clarify though, this is in general not about laws or rules, just very good guidelines. There is one note about laws in it though:

(from above linked document)

Messages for Other Vehicle Drivers

1 - Lane splitting by motorcycles is not illegal in California when done in a safe and prudent manner.

2 - Motorists should not take it upon themselves to discourage motorcyclists from lane splitting.

3 - Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal (CVC 22400).

4 - Opening a vehicle door to impede a motorcycle is illegal (CVC 22517).

5 - Never drive while distracted.

Lane splitting is illegal in Georgia.

I had a guy hit the back of my car in traffic who was lane splitting. It was stop-n-go traffic and I had drifted to the left of my lane, so when the guy in front of me moved forward I moved back to the center of my lane. WHUMP!

I watch my mirrors like a hawk and I had seen the bike WAAAAY back behind me, but nothing was moving, so neither was he I thought. Where the hell did he come from? He rolls up beside me and starts screaming that I tried to kill him, and that he was lane splitting. He also threatened to call the cops. I informed him that lane splitting was illegal in GA and he was welcome to call. He cussed me out and rode off in the left emergency lane til he was out of sight. Guess I'm lucky he didn't bash my mirror or kick my car.

Around here usually I just see squids blowing down the emergency lanes.

Trans_Maro wrote: Here are the rules regarding lane splitting: http://lanesplittingislegal.com/assets/docs/CHP-lane-splitting-guidelines-California.pdf It can only be done legally at very low speed. Those of you foaming at the mouth over this need to do some reading. If someone flies between two vehicles moving at high speed, going far faster than they are, it's still illegal and they're still idiots.

You do realize that the blurb you linked to is utterly meaningless, right? There are no "rules" on lane splitting, it is just not illegal to do it. That is the case now, and has been for at least 6 months, when the DMV and CHP took down the "guidelines" that they had briefly posted.

I don't know that I have driven on a road where it would be practical for a 3 wheeler to try and split lanes, hence it would not generally be safe, and generally would be illegal.

In reply to Toebra:

They're trying to pass legislation to allow lane splitting in B.C. and that is the exact wording they are using.

I'm not defending what any of these goofs are doing if it is against the law or unsafe, no matter where or when they do it.

It just seems like a lot of people in this topic are associating "lane splitting" with the 100mph+ squid flyby on the highway.

Seriously, if traffic is at a standstill and I can slowly run the shoulder or fit between the cars to get out of being a sitting duck in the middle of a traffic jam while at the same time, allowing one of the already enraged drivers to get that one car length ahead that they desperately desire, what is the problem?

I can't imagine how it would be safe to lane split on an adult tricycle.