Should Lane Splitting be legal in all 50 States

[Yuma]

Originally Posted by Mo Mentum

Make it legal in all 50. If it works here in CA (and it DOES), it should work most anywhere. When done right, its not a problem. What I hate to see (and what gives lane splitting a bad name with cagers) are the dumbasses going balls-out between the lanes. You don't need to go 50 mph faster than the flow of traffic. Slow the hell down!

+1, I agree whole heartily..
Plus in states like Arizona & Nevada it would help in the heat...


Yuma,

[DAKEZ]

I am in Montana at the moment and can say:
No lane splitting needed here

[bongodave]

I've been riding here in Cali for about 6 months, now. It's no biggie, and keeps the bike from overheating.

Don't know why it isn't legal everywhere. Way safer than waiting to get rear-ended in the stop-and-go.

[Poveiro]

Originally Posted by bongodave

Way safer than waiting to get rear-ended in the stop-and-go.

I didn't voted because I don't live in any of the 50 states but completly agree with the quote above.
In here very rarely I do it as some cagers just do on purpose to block you making it dangerous and I mean just going slowly by them very carefull you can see there exprections.
Lot more of education is needed.

[old wanderer]

I have been lane splitting since 1957 when I bought my 1st bike. It has come as no little shock to me the local attitude of the drivers here in WA where I just moved this year.

1. Seems like everybody takes a perverse pleasure in moving into the fast lane and driving EXACLTY the posted speed limit. (Not my custom).

2. There seems to be a real socialistic attitude. Does not matter if you have a VW Van or a Ferrari, they think we should all move peacefully as a herd.

Friday night I was comming home from work. I turned off the highway behind a tool truck and some sports car. I moved to the left lane, opened the throttle on my Aprilia, and shot by both of them before they could merge to the left. I was stopped for the red light, and the guy in the sports car pulled up right next to my right leg....yelling "You are really a jerk"

My reply was..."Don't ya just love it"

Lane splitting for any performance based bike is by far the safest way to ride.

[markk53]

Originally Posted by dakarboy

interesting topic. my neighbor whom is a pretty laid back guy (who does not or has ever rode) was absolutely incensed when I road by him on my way into the city. he let me have it with both barrels, "its unsafe, its illegal, i did not see you, you are going to kill your self, why should you when i cannot?" I tried to break it down for him.

#1 there is a difference in lane splitting through congested stopped traffic and doing at super +speeds when the traffic is moving well

#2 Its actually safer

#3 is it my fault you are not aware of your surroundings?


of course his eyes glazed over and nothing i said meant anything. but, the real issue is selling this to johny q public who is completely ignorant of the subject.

He'd shit himself in parts of Europe. Drivers allow lane splitting on two lane roads, provided there is room. The drivers will open up for the overtaking vehicle. Legal? I don't know, but sure is courteous as heck! One friend in the military told me they do it for cars or bikes. A few others did the Alps tour on BMWs and said the same - the European drivers realize some drivers will go faster, at legal speeds or not legal speeds, and will allow those faster drivers the right-of-way needed to allow them past. That was especially true with bikes on the tighter roadways.

There was even a video out on the web, I think it was posted here, of a supermoto rider who was blasting around the roads (clearly some European country), wheelying past cars, left of center... never a horn honked at the idiot. He even split the two lane road - on the back wheel, with the oncoming vehicle giving room.

Imagine that happening in this country... drivers think they're entitled to screw everyone but them. There is so little courtesy it stinks.

[markk53]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

I am in Montana at the moment and can say:
No lane splitting needed here

You mean there are actually lanes in Montana?

[docjsh]

In Seoul, a metropolitan area of more than 20 million and with millions of cars on the road, lane splitting is the norm in all conditions. Most intersections will have between 2 and 10 bikes or scooters at the front of the traffic and it is normal to pass cars into on-coming lanes (when no cars are coming) or against the curb at the side of roads. My biggest worry is always the threat of punctures by riding along the curb to get by traffic (I've had 6 flats in the last year).

I've never ridden at home in the states other than doing a MSC last winter and I worry that if/when I return that I will be too impatient to ride there. The temptation may be too much for me to split lanes and I'm certain that the cops of Colorado would not be happy with me if I did.

[bongodave]

Originally Posted by markk53

He'd shit himself in parts of Europe. Drivers allow lane splitting on two lane roads, provided there is room. The drivers will open up for the overtaking vehicle. Legal? I don't know, but sure is courteous as heck! One friend in the military told me they do it for cars or bikes. A few others did the Alps tour on BMWs and said the same - the European drivers realize some drivers will go faster, at legal speeds or not legal speeds, and will allow those faster drivers the right-of-way needed to allow them past. That was especially true with bikes on the tighter roadways.

There was even a video out on the web, I think it was posted here, of a supermoto rider who was blasting around the roads (clearly some European country), wheelying past cars, left of center... never a horn honked at the idiot. He even split the two lane road - on the back wheel, with the oncoming vehicle giving room.

Imagine that happening in this country... drivers think they're entitled to screw everyone but them. There is so little courtesy it stinks.

Yeah, I get that sometimes here, where it's legal! I've had instances where people will get closer to my line just to make it too narrow for me to go on by. I ride an XR650R; narrow, but the bars are wide. It clears cars, but SUVs can slow me down.
I remember one lady in particular, just glaring at me in her rearview and doing all she could to make me sit behind her on a city street.
I finally got around her, and gave her the ADV salute. Normally, I don't let it bug me, but she was SO nasty!

In all fairness, I've had other people who saw me coming and moved over.

I think that with gas prices being what they are, more people will be riding bikes and scooters, whether they have experience or not. We have to let people know they should "drive friendly," like they do in Texas!

Letting a bike go by won't slow a cager down. Not letting it by can hurt somebody.

[bongodave]

I've posted about this before, but I heard about a friend of a friend who hit a mirror with his right bar. It locked up the front and he ate it.

Barkbusters, people! Better to pay for a mirror than pay for a mirror AND whatever other damage you've done to your own hide or bike.

I have plastic ones. My next farkle will be an upgrade to some sturdier aluminum framed model.

[beechum1]

anyone have any idea how many water cooled engines there are out there??? then the rest of us have to deal with overheating. of course, no one on the other side realizes this.

then there's the atgatt, roasting in the protective gear that these F'in people give us little option but to wear to protect ourselves from the same people that say lane sharing is dangerous.

Don't get me started.... Land of the free my ass.

[guns_equal_freedom]

Originally Posted by svs

It's stupid to ask bikes to operate like cars. That's when they become invisible. Allow bikes to take advantage of their greatest assets: Small size and very maneuverable.

Except for the garbage barge BMW's....

[Mudcat]

Originally Posted by bongodave

Yeah, I get that sometimes here, where it's legal! I've had instances where people will get closer to my line just to make it too narrow for me to go on by. .

I find the vast majority of people are very courteous toward me on my bike. They make lane splitting fun.

[dwoodward]

Originally Posted by Mudcat

I find the vast majority of people are very courteous toward me on my bike. They make lane splitting fun.

Uh, R1150RT-P?

[bongodave]

Originally Posted by beechum1

anyone have any idea how many water cooled engines there are out there??? then the rest of us have to deal with overheating. of course, no one on the other side realizes this.

then there's the atgatt, roasting in the protective gear that these F'in people give us little option but to wear to protect ourselves from the same people that say lane sharing is dangerous.

Don't get me started.... Land of the free my ass.

Preach it, brother! Amen!

I have to add that my bike is water cooled, but has no fan. Move it or it cooks!