http://www.mbike.com/news/2011/07/st...tting-is-safe/

I have always felt that lane splitting should be LEGAL here in NY under certain circumstances, and that it was safer for me to go through stop and go traffic, rather than sit there and be subjected to the person behind me, who is not paying attention because, hey, it's only slow moving traffic...


I also always felt that it is a horrible waste of gas to sit through 3 cycles of a stop light, when a motorcycle could split lanes to the front and be through the intersection before the car driver even has gotten forward momentum going.

The study I linked to above seems a tad bit non-academic, but maybe it makes some good points?

 

Riding the California freeways (especially during rush hour traffic) would suck a fat man's *** without lane sharing. I can't imagine not being able to split lanes...it would be pure misery.

 

I'm all for splitting lanes. So glad I live here where it's OK. But, this article trys to make a case for lane splitting because it reduces rear end collisions. I would suggest that while that might be true, the increase in sideswipe accidents is greatly increased far beyond any rear end collision reduction. What would be preferable would be making lane splitting legal and national in nature. The biggest problem is that drivers of cars don't "expect" to find a motorcycle passing them in their lane and/or feel that it isn't fair and so try and discourage the practice by blocking the motorcycle. If lane splitting were common and frequent these problems might be reduced.

 

Here in Okinawa Japan Lane Splitting / Sharing is illegal but expected. On two wheels it is not uncommon to see folks move to the front of stopped traffic and even pass cops with rising any concerns. When I say it is expected I mean cagers expect you to move faster than them and I have had them try to lane share with me. I don't like that, especially when it is the little old lady on the cell phone!!

 

Lane sharing is good for the country. We need it on a national level.

 

Had some dipshit try to run me into the divider one time because he didn't like me rolling past on the inside shoulder. He then damn near ran into everyone else between us trying to get up to try and pinch me again. Traffic was stopped and it was 100+ degrees out. I was close to putting the bike on the stand and beating the hell out of the moron.

 

Lane splitting is wonderful and saves tons of traffic time sitting in traffic for mortocyclists. it also puts them in danger of side swipping. saw a guy last week splitting lanes in stop and go traffic on the 5 frwy just south of Los Angeles. (one of the bussiest here in so cal) he was cooking pretty good, doing about 45 mph through stop and go between the car pool lane and the next lane to the right. Sure as **** about 2 miles from where he passed me he was down from a side swipe. he looked ok, but the bike was trashed.

it was also a ricer, and it usually seems to be the ricers that get side swiped, but not the harley guys. guess we're just happier going slower cutting lanes, but still getting through traffic. (this is only my opinion not a fact)

 

Haven't touched the interstate in years unless its the only way there or its the closest gas station. Here in the North Coast a person can get anywhere w/out 'em. But "lane splitting" is good in my point of view, should be expanded. Keeps everyone on their toes.

 

Live on the East Coast by any chance? In NJ cagers would make it a point to block you from splitting.

 

Sharing lanes is the worst idea ever conceived from a saftey standpoint.