Lane Splitting: California (Finally) Gets Something Right

saintfan · 02-14-2013, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by TheOak

No I don't ride, and I am not looking at it from a riders point of view. I'm looking at it from a defensive driving stand which is I don't want any one in my lane between me and the lines ever.

If I have to swerve for anything I don't want to have to live with crushing a rider. I have great respect for riders and if there is one anywhere near me I give them plenty of room because they are unprotected.

From a riders standpoint if I did ride, there are way too many idiots on cell phones, putting on make up, changing a radio station.... paying attention to everything but what they should be for me to chance it. The odds as I see it are better that I won't get rear ended than some idiot side swiping me.

At the speeds suggested the driver wouldn't (shouldn't) have a need for abrupt changes and, assuming the rider is minding the rules, he/she would have plenty of time to react. Also keep in mind we're not riding along side another vehicle at the same speed. We going a bit faster, which is the whole idea. Most wrecks that happen happen because the rider was going to fast or otherwise not paying attention and rides into the back of a vehicle - and that happens everywhere, including California.

Let me also say that when splitting, in many cases, I can see the driver in their mirror and I can tell if that person is paying attention and I adjust my maneuver accordingly, and when I'm in the vicinity of an idiot I bust my ass to be somewhere else.

I guess the only thing I can truly say is that you might better understand if you were ever 'caught up in the wash' of bumper to bumper traffic on a bike - at least from the rider's perspective. As for the driver, at least out here, most are well aware of the bikes and the lane splitting.

But hey, if you're doing it at 80 then, well, yeah, you're asking for trouble. You see some of that out here, but you also see it in Texas and other places where splitting isn't legal (even though low-speed splitting should be legal everywhere). I'm not going to applaud California for much, but in this case I certainly do.

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

In the greater Houston area, it's not an issue. But in locales such as San Francisco and Paris, etc... it can be. Common sense should prevail, rather than burdensome rules and regs.

Agree that common sense is the ticket which is what CHP is trying to push. Like I said, I've been stopped for being too aggressive. There is a line, and even though some of us cross it sometimes we know when we do. Splitting as prescribed by CHP recommendations is safe...for everyone.

02-14-2013, 11:13 AM	#6
saintfan Donated Plasma Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 18,556 Blog Entries: 5	Re: Lane Splitting: California (Finally) Gets Something Right Originally Posted by TheOak No I don't ride, and I am not looking at it from a riders point of view. I'm looking at it from a defensive driving stand which is I don't want any one in my lane between me and the lines ever. If I have to swerve for anything I don't want to have to live with crushing a rider. I have great respect for riders and if there is one anywhere near me I give them plenty of room because they are unprotected. From a riders standpoint if I did ride, there are way too many idiots on cell phones, putting on make up, changing a radio station.... paying attention to everything but what they should be for me to chance it. The odds as I see it are better that I won't get rear ended than some idiot side swiping me. At the speeds suggested the driver wouldn't (shouldn't) have a need for abrupt changes and, assuming the rider is minding the rules, he/she would have plenty of time to react. Also keep in mind we're not riding along side another vehicle at the same speed. We going a bit faster, which is the whole idea. Most wrecks that happen happen because the rider was going to fast or otherwise not paying attention and rides into the back of a vehicle - and that happens everywhere, including California. Let me also say that when splitting, in many cases, I can see the driver in their mirror and I can tell if that person is paying attention and I adjust my maneuver accordingly, and when I'm in the vicinity of an idiot I bust my ass to be somewhere else. I guess the only thing I can truly say is that you might better understand if you were ever 'caught up in the wash' of bumper to bumper traffic on a bike - at least from the rider's perspective. As for the driver, at least out here, most are well aware of the bikes and the lane splitting. But hey, if you're doing it at 80 then, well, yeah, you're asking for trouble. You see some of that out here, but you also see it in Texas and other places where splitting isn't legal (even though low-speed splitting should be legal everywhere). I'm not going to applaud California for much, but in this case I certainly do. Originally Posted by SmashMouth In the greater Houston area, it's not an issue. But in locales such as San Francisco and Paris, etc... it can be. Common sense should prevail, rather than burdensome rules and regs. Agree that common sense is the ticket which is what CHP is trying to push. Like I said, I've been stopped for being too aggressive. There is a line, and even though some of us cross it sometimes we know when we do. Splitting as prescribed by CHP recommendations is safe...for everyone.
	C'mon Man...