Lane Splitting (outside CA)

I know it isn't really legal anywhere else. Who does it anyway?

I learned to ride in California where lane splitting is legal and makes sense. Now I'm in Ohio, and it is not kosher here. Well, I rode the bike to work yesterday and during the rush-hour commute home I did not feel like staying sandwiched between cages as they accordioned along the freeway. Just hopped on the white line and kept riding along at about 35 (or no more than 15mph faster than traffic) where no one could rear end me.

So... anyone else follow this practice in spite of stupid laws? Or do you just obey the letter of the law?

Taking the bike sure made the commute easier and more fun, but I'm thinking I'll probably just stick to driving the S2000 to not have to worry about being crushed by someone angry at me for cutting in line, or getting a ticket from a police officer who probably won't appreciate the argument that, "This practice is actually safer, and your law is stupid."

I do it when I can. I got a finger wag from a cop the other day while passing a line of stopped cars but haven't had any other issues.

I see some doing it in heavy highway traffic. I really see no reason not to (disregarding the fact that it is law) as long as you are cautious.

In NJ and some of PA, people actively try to murder you when you do it, so I tend to only do it in times of need.

Sounds like a good way to get hurt. Since it's not legal, us car drivers aren't looking for bikes doing that. When I'm in traffic, there are a lot of people jumping from lane to lane. I know I would never do it on a bike in Ohio, but that's just me. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

Just get a trials bike and ride over the top of cars?

I don't lane split(but I'm also rarely on multilane roads with stopped traffic)

I commute on my bike year around almost everyday. The commute is 72 miles round trip. I would LOVE to be able to do it legally, but I have been riding for over 20 years and I don't do it. To me it's like the bicyclists that do whatever they want because they're on a bicycle, which pisses me off. I don't do anything on my bike that I wouldn't do in a car other than run the red lights and that's legal in TN.

Plus, it's like Bravenrace says...people are not expecting it where you are now. In CA sure, but in Ohio or in my case TN hell no.

In reply to Cotton:

It's legal in TN for you to run red lights? Please explain further.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Cotton: It's legal in TN for you to run red lights? Please explain further.

It's a stop and go type deal on the lights that have sensors. The bikes don't trigger the sensors, so legally you're allowed to press on "with caution" after coming to a complete stop.

http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/1310757/beginning-july-1-tennessee-motorcyclists-can-legally-run-some-red-lights

Lane splitting in CA is expected, so the cages aren't surprised to see you there. Try it in NY and you may get an opened door, squeezed between two trucks or worse.

NONACK wrote: In NJ and some of PA, people actively try to murder you when you do it, so I tend to only do it in times of need.

+1.

I do it anyway because (muhahahahaha) I CAN! but I anticipate potential violence so I only do it where I'm gone before someone can leap out and take all their wife/kid/job/traffic frustrations out on a guy operating as if rules didn't apply to him

I used to lane split often, mainly in stopped traffic when in the city, but almost never in moving traffic due to the unpredictability of drivers in the Baltimore/DC region. A beautiful thing about Alaska is while the drivers are awful there's almost never enough traffic to want to lane split. :)

I think I'm just going to stick to using the car when I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dealing with rush hour traffic.

As for doing it because you CAN, or this being like bicyclists who run red lights and generally ignore the rules of the road for their own convenience... the statistics and most authorities say that lane splitting is actually the safer way to negotiate heavy traffic. Aside from people actively trying to hurt you (opening doors or squeezing you), it actually lowers most of the risks if you do it properly. Basically no chance of getting rear ended. Even the people changing lanes thing. Think about what your space looks like holding a spot in the conga line between two cars. Car drivers are going to see an open space large enough to merge into with some buffer room. And you remain perpetually in that risky scenario just waiting for the one driver who doesn't see the bike. If you are lane splitting, you can see where those danger zones are ahead of time, read the traffic, prepare, and zip through them being exposed to that risk for only a few seconds.

Beer Baron wrote: I think I'm just going to stick to using the car when I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dealing with rush hour traffic. As for doing it because you CAN, or this being like bicyclists who run red lights and generally ignore the rules of the road for their own convenience... the statistics and most authorities say that lane splitting is actually the *safer* way to negotiate heavy traffic. Aside from people actively trying to hurt you (opening doors or squeezing you), it actually lowers most of the risks if you do it properly. Basically no chance of getting rear ended. Even the people changing lanes thing. Think about what your space looks like holding a spot in the conga line between two cars. Car drivers are going to see an open space large enough to merge into with some buffer room. And you remain perpetually in that risky scenario just waiting for the one driver who doesn't see the bike. If you are lane splitting, you can see where those danger zones are ahead of time, read the traffic, prepare, and zip through them being exposed to that risk for only a few seconds.

Statistics can say whatever you want them to say. Like I said I do a lot of miles and am used to all sorts of crap happening. I think you're making a lot of assumptions about the motorists around you personally, but hey whatever works for you. Like I said I'd do it if it were legal here, but I don't see it as being any safer than what I do now, just more convenient.

It's legal in the UK, too, and even there I only did it very carefully. Just because it's legal doesn't mean your average yakking-on-the-phone-while-drinking-coffee-while-painting-his-nails-black-while-driving person will have enough awareness either.

I don't like sitting in traffic (I've been rear ended on a bike before) but given how many people get upset if you manage to roll by their cage while they're stuck even if it is legal, I only do it with extreme caution where it is legal.

914Driver wrote: Lane splitting in CA is expected, so the cages aren't surprised to see you there. Try it in NY and you may get an opened door, squeezed between two trucks or worse.

Unless they're from out of state.

When I was in California a few years ago, the first few lane splitters scared the crap out of me. Had there been contact, it might have been my fault, but he'd still be the dead guy.

As a long time motorcyclist, I don't think lane splitting is a great idea.

Frankly I'm shocked that it's legal anywhere and I'm shocked that people do it. Seems very dangerous to me, mostly because people are already oblivious to bikes and having someone come up alongside in stopped traffic would be totally unexpected.

I really don't know of anywhere around here (like total mid-Atlantic region) that cagers wouldn't be very offended and actively try to block you or worse.

Here is what the American Motorcyclist Association has to say about lane splitting (in short, they are cautiously in favor, and highly supportive of legalizing it): americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/PositionStatements/LaneSplitting.aspx

But a big part of it being safer definitely has to do with car drivers being familiar and comfortable with the practice.

I don't do it. Seems like even more of a invitation for mayhem than usual. I grew up in Cali and my sister still lives there. When I visit and a bike blows past me lane splitting it scares the crap out of me because I don't expect it.

People are unpredictable, lane splitting invites disaster...

Frankly I think its tedious enough to be on the lookout for bikes, let alone bikes doing things that only bikes are allowed to do. That's coming from somebody who makes a point of paying attention while driving, imagine how often other people are looking for you doing abnormal stuff.

Never done it in 22 years of riding motorcycles. Its not worth it given how people drive in south Florida.

If I'm behind one car at a red light and want to turn right I might sneak around that car. Other than that one specific circumstance I wouldn't even think about being somewhere that the cagers are not expecting me to be.

The only time I've used it is when traffic is STOPPED on the highway, usually due to an accident or heavy construction. I'll do ~10 mph past the stopped cars until I pass the stoppage, then merge back in and ride normally.

So far (knock on wood), no issues, but I try to be as courteous as possible.