Motorcycle lane splitting deemed safe

People keep talking about not seeing the bike… as someone who’s lanesplit for years I gotta say: If you’re counting on cars to see you you’re on your way to becoming a greasespot. Assume you’re invisible and act accordingly. Especially… NEVER try to split past a car with a gap it could change lanes into!

4 Likes

Right. Got it. Your zen-like state while stopped in traffic is to be held above all other goals, sacred and inviolable.

Nah, just kidding. You and your zen-like state are just going to have to deal with it. My M1 endorsement trumps your nap.

Trust me when I say that your arm will suffer more damage than the front of my motorcycle.

Isn’t that a straw-man argument? Where did I (or anyone else) suggest that?

I’m saying you should pay attention. I thought that was abundantly clear.

And now you’re engaging in dishonesty. I most certainly did not say anything about “cruise missile-esque bikers”. I said (again) that you should be paying attention.

Shame on you for attempting such a transparently obvious attempt at distorting what I said.

twice while stopped in traffic, bikers drove between the cars on their Harleys, and twice, they ripped the side mirror off my car. Both times the cost was below my deductible, and both times, the guys just kept on going. No chance to get their license plates, which are smaller than a cars, even if you could see it sitting in your car as they tool away.

I’d also like to point out that nobody is expecting a biker to drive between cars in slow, stop and go traffic. At least, I’m focused on the bumper of the car ahead of me, and not a sneak attack from the rear. Many times, I’ve caught a glimpse of a bike trying to get through, as the car next to me glides closer to the white line separating us. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s dangerous.

Correction to title: “Motorcycle lane splitting deemed safe, unless pissing off a BMW driver and reminding them that they need to pay attention to the road.”
Caution: F-bombs Ahoy

1 Like

And going back to the actual study, this is in fact what makes lanesplitting not-unsafe. If a motorcyclist is fully in a lane, taking up the space that so many automobile drivers seem to be arguing they should stay in, there’s a pretty good chance of some car driver trying to barge into that spot they see as empty. A car driver will not typically, however, try to change lanes into a space already occupied by another car.

1 Like

Y’know, I don’t think randomly telling a driver with an open window to put down their fucking phone as you lane split … is a great idea.

I’m my area, 2 people were shot for laughing at a dude who was hanging his feet out the window of his car. The less time I spend on the roads of LA the better.

You don’t actually get a say in the matter. At least in California, it’s legal to lane split. Your personal beliefs in that context are irrelevant.

Besides, if the data says it is safe, then who cares what people’s personal beliefs are? What, lane splitting is a bad idea because God told us so?

2 Likes

Data? I’ve lost 2 side mirrors to 400 lb bikers wheeling their Harleys between slow moving cars, and had more close calls than I can count. That’s real.

If that’s the case, I would expect insurance companies to be pressing more. The data should be there, if it is more than an individual anecdote.

1 Like

I put in 21 years as a claims adjuster …Believe it or not, Insurance Companies have little control over these types of laws…and ultimately, costs are just passed onto the customer. For example, here in Calif (the last I heard) most accidents are caused by the uninsured, which account for only 12% of the cars on the road. The industry tried real hard to pass a law that would make accidents ‘no fault’. In this case, your insurer would fix your vehicle, and the other guy’s would fix his (presuming you and he had insurance). This would have saved the companies, and the customers a fortune. Not only do you no longer need a ‘liability’ dept to determine who was at fault, but legal expenses would drop too as there would be no suits under the law. Did it pass? If you live in California, check your insurance for the ‘liability’ portion of your policy. :wink:

1 Like

You’re just not trying hard enough.

5 Likes

Neither is intentionally hit & running a motorcyclist who’s wearing a helmet cam.

I too want to be grand marshall of my own parade, every day.

2 Likes

Being a jerk is never a good life choice. What bugged me about this is the unsolicited rudeness. Go about your business, citizens.

(Not that rudeness is any kind of justification for injury, but couldn’t this all have been avoided if people … went about their collective business?)

I’ll take unsolicited rudeness over reckless endangerment any day. Distracted driving isn’t anybody’s own personal business any more than drunk driving is, both are our collective business. People texting/talking while driving ought to be shamed and harassed at every opportunity, until they finally decide “fuck it, this can wait, I don’t need all these people yelling at me.”

(I’m assuming the rider saw the driver texting or whatever, well before the driver reached the light. If he were already stopped when he picked up the phone it probably wouldn’t have provoked the outburst, unless the rider has serious anger management issues.)

I don’t think anyone should be “shamed and harassed at every opportunity”. I remember an episode of Mythbusters where they did a bunch of driving tests and people who were very tired (sleep deprived) performed worse than when drunk. Should we shame and harass anyone who looks tired while driving, too?

I agree that texting while driving isn’t great, but y’know, citizens should go about their business unless there is clear and present danger (driver swerving around the road, etc).

1 Like