Nobody lane splits in the Chicago or Milwaukee area. California is the only state I'm aware of where riders lane split.

 

Why would anybody get angry???? Filtering IS splitting, you are confused.

3 lanes of freeway traffic are dead stop or slowly rolling.
There is 6 feet of open space between cars that are going nowhere.
You point your front wheel and ride slowly between them.

 

A lot of anti lanesplitters here have never been in ca traffic on the 405 or 101 at rush(?) hour. About every 1/4 mile you will see a rear end collision, so you want to be in between cars and NOT lane split?

 

Hey, rationalize it all you want that you're doing the right thing... if you want to split lanes, as I already stated, I couldn't care less, go ahead. And if I happen to pass you as you've eaten it big time tangling with a vehicle three times your size, don't mind me as I ride by and think I still couldn't care less... not sure what's in your beer that you take my view point and then try to tie it into carpool lanes and right-hand lanes, but in the bay area, you already know that 99% of the lane splitting is not in stop and go traffic. If you don't split lanes, bikers are sitting in long lines? I'd almost believe you if I hadn't live here all my life. I'm frequently on highway 101 in commute traffic and while the speeds are low, or slow, it isn't even close to stop and go, and there are a ton of lane splitters blowing past. Nothing to do with overheating air cooled engines. How many years was the Volkswagen Beetle and Bus built? And when production ended here for the US, it had nothing to do with all the 'blown up Volkswagens' littered along the road. They no longer met state and Federal emissions. How many Harley's have you seen blown up along the road, because they didn't split lanes? None? Guess I'll need to do Google for all the national headlines on stories were Harley's blew-up their engines because they refused to split lanes. Funny stuff, but just a justification for riding the way you want to ride.

Split lanes all you want... that's what medical and life insurance is for, right? I don't know you, your not a family member and your not my neighbor, so really, I don't give a crap. Some people are destined to be a statistic, so go do what you gotta do. 'Statistics' might raise my Harley insurance $3 bucks a year... in your case, I'll gladly pay it.

And I should point out, that I frequently see two types of lane-splitters. Some actually do split lanes in a reasonable and prudent manner; unfortunately, what I observe most often is the type of motorcycle lane-splitting that encourages road rage and retaliation at it's worst. At best, they **** off a lot of people and help justify the negative view those motorists already hold of motorcyclists.

 

ONLY people who split lanes can have an opinion? I'd think that anybody sitting in a car and has had a biker pass them within a few inches at speeds of 15-30 mph faster then the traffic could have an opinion, and maybe they've never even ridden a motorcycle. Anyone who's been mirror clipped has a valid opinion. Anyone who has been hit by a motorcycle has a valid opinion.

About 15 years ago I got hit in my car by a lane-splitting motorcyclist and he went down hard, as he was probably going 40 mph faster than the slow traffic. He did $6,000 in damage to my car, totaled his bike and almost himself. Guy probably still walks with the resulting limp from all his injuries to this day. Even though he had passed quite a few vehicles over a long stretch of highway and consequently there were a lot a witnesses, until you've been in that situation with the mental anguish and aspect of being sued for something you had no control over, I don't think only people who 'actually split lanes' get to post their view point.

 

Not lane splitting, but locked mirrors with another truck. $1500 in damage with $500 deductible. Other driver vanished. Great, that butt-head spent my money.

So tell me all the MC lane splitters will stop and make me whole after they rip my mirrors- not! Splitters are strictly liable for any damage but good luck on that working out.

 

I've hit someone's mirror twice and both times I pulled over to exchange info. Both times they left the scene.

 

if i hit your mirror hard enough to take it off im not going to be riding very far.


its quite simple if your lane splitting the you are in the wrong when contacting another vehicle. chp's golden rule is its always the bikes fault unless there are several witnesses to attest otherwise.

 

Saw that too did you ? Big difference between enjoying a ride and the combat of commute traffic , they are not one in the same.

As far as sitting traffic ain't happening, if there's room I'm gone.

 

Lane splitting on a Piglet or Sport-bike is one thing but it's an entirely different game when you're piloting a a dresser that's three feet wide with a gap that's three feet and six inches.