Splitting Lanes: Should it be Legal Everywhere?
#231
09-13-2014 | 01:04 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,133
Likes: 503
From: Lake County, IL
Uhh, since you are intent on being ignorant, I mustn't do anything for you. But if your mind ever opens, type "www.google.com" and go from there. You might find that while Arizona had plenty of rear-end collision deaths of all vehicle types, their rate of fatalities for motorcyclists was three times higher than that of California. The ratios of other vehicles was comparable, but the rate of motorcycle deaths was one third in California due to rear-end collision. The only difference is that lane-splitting is legal in California.
Whoa, there, pardner...back that bus up. (My underlining for emphasis.)
If you're into Googling, I would strongly suggest you start with "Correlation does not imply causation".
There is zero probability that the difference in death rates is solely due to lanesplitting, unless every. single. other. thing. that applies to or involves motorcycling is 100% identical in both states. That would include all licensing requirements, training requirements, training available, average age of riders, most common types of motorcycles, average annual miles ridden, mix of urban/rural riding, etc., etc., etc..
You can't point to one parameter and say that's the only difference. It isn't.
If you're into Googling, I would strongly suggest you start with "Correlation does not imply causation".
There is zero probability that the difference in death rates is solely due to lanesplitting, unless every. single. other. thing. that applies to or involves motorcycling is 100% identical in both states. That would include all licensing requirements, training requirements, training available, average age of riders, most common types of motorcycles, average annual miles ridden, mix of urban/rural riding, etc., etc., etc..
You can't point to one parameter and say that's the only difference. It isn't.
The main difference I'd think of is in the extent of nasty urban traffic congestion, and that's only one variable. I'd expect more accidents come with more areas of high traffic density.
#232
09-13-2014 | 07:22 AM
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 47
From: Tokyo
Not unusual for a group of 8 or 9 of us to lane split and stream or pour through traffic between lanes of cars and all of us pull up at the front of any traffic stopped at red lights.
Traffic here is used to it and will usually make room so we can get through, they seem to have a very good sense for bikes as they have pretty much all ridden bicycles and lots of them have ridden small scooters to commute at some stage.
Once in a while you will strike an *** hole who will close the gap but they are rare.
Traffic here is used to it and will usually make room so we can get through, they seem to have a very good sense for bikes as they have pretty much all ridden bicycles and lots of them have ridden small scooters to commute at some stage.
Once in a while you will strike an *** hole who will close the gap but they are rare.
#234
09-13-2014 | 08:42 AM
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 494
Likes: 63
From: Bay Area, CA
You do realize it is your state that has the law, not California, correct? You live in the nanny state that needed to pass a law saying you can't lane split.
#235
09-13-2014 | 10:35 AM
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 843
Likes: 28
From: CO
This is the one case where cali ISNT acting like the nanny state.
#236
09-13-2014 | 10:51 AM
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,750
Likes: 457
From: Here and now
#237
09-13-2014 | 11:16 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 32,841
Likes: 17,195
From: Newcastle, OK
`Sure glad I don`t live there and drive on that hell slab.
By riding like everyone`s out to flatten you......
Until you try it, it doesn't really seem as if it would work, I'll agree. It would seem dangerous to drive 55mph with a speeding truck approaching you head on only a few feet away, but milions of people manage that just fine, even though it was probably scary when we first started driving. Once you get in the split on a bike, it's just about riding a motorcycle in a straight line, and the cars alongside are going relatively the same speed instead of closing at a combined rate of over 100mph as in the oncoming truck scenario.
One thing that may add to someeople's trepidation is the roads.I've ridden a few thousand miles in Oklahoma, and nearly all the roads in the countryside don't have shoulders. Why is that ? That probably heightens the sensation of how close the cars are alongside of you. And where do the cars that die on the road stop ? In thetraffic lanes, and not onthe side of the road ?
Now THAT seems really scary to me. How do you survive the danger ?
One thing that may add to someeople's trepidation is the roads.I've ridden a few thousand miles in Oklahoma, and nearly all the roads in the countryside don't have shoulders. Why is that ? That probably heightens the sensation of how close the cars are alongside of you. And where do the cars that die on the road stop ? In thetraffic lanes, and not onthe side of the road ?
Now THAT seems really scary to me. How do you survive the danger ?
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 10-21-2014 at 09:50 AM.
#239
09-13-2014 | 11:38 AM
Novice
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Like bicycles motorcycles should get their own lane too.
Lane splitting is dangerous no matter how u slice it, heck I was just in Cali. and sure enough I almost took out a guy doing it. I was in my 18 whlr. and if I would have started moving over w/out looking in my fish eye he would have been road kill. He was on a BMW with suit cases on the sides way to wide to be splitting lanes to begin with IMO I mean the thing looked like a baggage cart at the Bellagio.
To answer the original question I vote yes, legal everywhere.
I still would prefer a motorcycle lane only, that would be boss.
Lane splitting is dangerous no matter how u slice it, heck I was just in Cali. and sure enough I almost took out a guy doing it. I was in my 18 whlr. and if I would have started moving over w/out looking in my fish eye he would have been road kill. He was on a BMW with suit cases on the sides way to wide to be splitting lanes to begin with IMO I mean the thing looked like a baggage cart at the Bellagio.
To answer the original question I vote yes, legal everywhere.
I still would prefer a motorcycle lane only, that would be boss.
Last edited by david t; 09-13-2014 at 11:47 AM.
#240
09-13-2014 | 11:41 AM
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 940
Likes: 3
Like bicycles motorcycles should get their own lane too.
Lane splitting is dangerous no matter how u slice it, heck I was just in Cali. and sure enough I almost took out a guy doing it. I was in my 18 whlr. and if I would have started moving over w/out looking in my fish eye he would have been road kill. He was on a BMW with suit cases on the sides way to wide to be splitting lanes to begin with IMO I mean the thing looked like a baggage cart at the Bellagio.
Lane splitting is dangerous no matter how u slice it, heck I was just in Cali. and sure enough I almost took out a guy doing it. I was in my 18 whlr. and if I would have started moving over w/out looking in my fish eye he would have been road kill. He was on a BMW with suit cases on the sides way to wide to be splitting lanes to begin with IMO I mean the thing looked like a baggage cart at the Bellagio.
So who would have been at fault in an accident like this? The rider who was doing something legal, or the driver who started merging into another lane without checking his mirrors?