Do you guys ever split lanes?
#41
07-16-2007, 12:16 PM
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RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
I consider myself a very cautious rider. I don't ride like a nut with a death wish, but I'm a lane-splitting SOB. I currently live in Glendale and work in downtown LA (am from TX originally).When I first moved to CA I swore that I would never lane split and now I do it almost every time I commute on my bike. Here's what changed my mind about it:
1. I only do it when traffic is going 45 mph or slower so that I have a little more time to react if I need it.
2. I only go 5-10 mph faster than the cars around me.
3. I've watched so many CHP guys do it that I learned a bunch of tricks to do it safely.
4. I have very loud pipes, which makes those on the phone in traffic around me get out of the way, and also helps other cars hear me. My pipes have saved me from many a jam.
5. During rush hour, the space between the #1 and #2 lanes is twice as wide as my bike because all of the commuters in the LA area know that bikes split and they make plenty of room for them.
6. I would rather take matters into my own hands than have to worry about getting rear-ended every 5 seconds. I'm not sure that lane-splitting is any safer than staying in line, but I feel like I have more control when I'm splitting. There are accidents on almost every freeway in LA every single morning that are 99% rear-end collisions from folks doing too many things other than paying attention to the road while they are driving.
Everyone has to "ride their own ride" and choose where to be on the "risk ladder" so you're gonna do whatever you feel safe doing, regardless of what anyone else says - which is as it should be. I don't want to change anyone else's mind about how they ride, but above is why I changed my view on this. If you ask bikers in SoCal about this, many of them commute on bikes for the simple reason that they can split lanes. As an example, when I have to go down to my office in Irvine from LA, taking the car has been as much as 7 hours round-trip before and usually averages about 4-4.5 hours. On the bike I average 2 hours round trip.
I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m gonna buy a camera for my helmet so that I can show others what it’s like.
1. I only do it when traffic is going 45 mph or slower so that I have a little more time to react if I need it.
2. I only go 5-10 mph faster than the cars around me.
3. I've watched so many CHP guys do it that I learned a bunch of tricks to do it safely.
4. I have very loud pipes, which makes those on the phone in traffic around me get out of the way, and also helps other cars hear me. My pipes have saved me from many a jam.
5. During rush hour, the space between the #1 and #2 lanes is twice as wide as my bike because all of the commuters in the LA area know that bikes split and they make plenty of room for them.
6. I would rather take matters into my own hands than have to worry about getting rear-ended every 5 seconds. I'm not sure that lane-splitting is any safer than staying in line, but I feel like I have more control when I'm splitting. There are accidents on almost every freeway in LA every single morning that are 99% rear-end collisions from folks doing too many things other than paying attention to the road while they are driving.
Everyone has to "ride their own ride" and choose where to be on the "risk ladder" so you're gonna do whatever you feel safe doing, regardless of what anyone else says - which is as it should be. I don't want to change anyone else's mind about how they ride, but above is why I changed my view on this. If you ask bikers in SoCal about this, many of them commute on bikes for the simple reason that they can split lanes. As an example, when I have to go down to my office in Irvine from LA, taking the car has been as much as 7 hours round-trip before and usually averages about 4-4.5 hours. On the bike I average 2 hours round trip.
I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m gonna buy a camera for my helmet so that I can show others what it’s like.
#42
07-16-2007, 12:54 PM
RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
ORIGINAL: sgreen0313
I consider myself a very cautious rider. I don't ride like a nut with a death wish, but I'm a lane-splitting SOB. I currently live in Glendale and work in downtown LA (am from TX originally).When I first moved to CA I swore that I would never lane split and now I do it almost every time I commute on my bike. Here's what changed my mind about it:
1. I only do it when traffic is going 45 mph or slower so that I have a little more time to react if I need it.
2. I only go 5-10 mph faster than the cars around me.
3. I've watched so many CHP guys do it that I learned a bunch of tricks to do it safely.
4. I have very loud pipes, which makes those on the phone in traffic around me get out of the way, and also helps other cars hear me. My pipes have saved me from many a jam.
5. During rush hour, the space between the #1 and #2 lanes is twice as wide as my bike because all of the commuters in the LA area know that bikes split and they make plenty of room for them.
6. I would rather take matters into my own hands than have to worry about getting rear-ended every 5 seconds. I'm not sure that lane-splitting is any safer than staying in line, but I feel like I have more control when I'm splitting. There are accidents on almost every freeway in LA every single morning that are 99% rear-end collisions from folks doing too many things other than paying attention to the road while they are driving.
Everyone has to "ride their own ride" and choose where to be on the "risk ladder" so you're gonna do whatever you feel safe doing, regardless of what anyone else says - which is as it should be. I don't want to change anyone else's mind about how they ride, but above is why I changed my view on this. If you ask bikers in SoCal about this, many of them commute on bikes for the simple reason that they can split lanes. As an example, when I have to go down to my office in Irvine from LA, taking the car has been as much as 7 hours round-trip before and usually averages about 4-4.5 hours. On the bike I average 2 hours round trip.
I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m gonna buy a camera for my helmet so that I can show others what it’s like.
I consider myself a very cautious rider. I don't ride like a nut with a death wish, but I'm a lane-splitting SOB. I currently live in Glendale and work in downtown LA (am from TX originally).When I first moved to CA I swore that I would never lane split and now I do it almost every time I commute on my bike. Here's what changed my mind about it:
1. I only do it when traffic is going 45 mph or slower so that I have a little more time to react if I need it.
2. I only go 5-10 mph faster than the cars around me.
3. I've watched so many CHP guys do it that I learned a bunch of tricks to do it safely.
4. I have very loud pipes, which makes those on the phone in traffic around me get out of the way, and also helps other cars hear me. My pipes have saved me from many a jam.
5. During rush hour, the space between the #1 and #2 lanes is twice as wide as my bike because all of the commuters in the LA area know that bikes split and they make plenty of room for them.
6. I would rather take matters into my own hands than have to worry about getting rear-ended every 5 seconds. I'm not sure that lane-splitting is any safer than staying in line, but I feel like I have more control when I'm splitting. There are accidents on almost every freeway in LA every single morning that are 99% rear-end collisions from folks doing too many things other than paying attention to the road while they are driving.
Everyone has to "ride their own ride" and choose where to be on the "risk ladder" so you're gonna do whatever you feel safe doing, regardless of what anyone else says - which is as it should be. I don't want to change anyone else's mind about how they ride, but above is why I changed my view on this. If you ask bikers in SoCal about this, many of them commute on bikes for the simple reason that they can split lanes. As an example, when I have to go down to my office in Irvine from LA, taking the car has been as much as 7 hours round-trip before and usually averages about 4-4.5 hours. On the bike I average 2 hours round trip.
I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m gonna buy a camera for my helmet so that I can show others what it’s like.
What pipe do you have on your bike? They look great! I am in the market for pipes, just trying to decide what to get...
#43
07-16-2007, 01:04 PM
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RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
ORIGINAL: SteveInCA
Here in CA it's legal to split lanes. I found myself doing it a lot when i rode sport bikes. I'm only 120 miles deep into my first harley. Do you guys ever split lanes/go in between cars? Is it a bad idea? I go to the front of the pack by riding between cars when cagers are stopped at a light. But more and more i find myself tempted to ride between and past cars while moving in lanes, due to the insane amount of traffic in los angeles. Thoughts?
Here in CA it's legal to split lanes. I found myself doing it a lot when i rode sport bikes. I'm only 120 miles deep into my first harley. Do you guys ever split lanes/go in between cars? Is it a bad idea? I go to the front of the pack by riding between cars when cagers are stopped at a light. But more and more i find myself tempted to ride between and past cars while moving in lanes, due to the insane amount of traffic in los angeles. Thoughts?
#44
07-16-2007, 01:16 PM
#45
07-16-2007, 01:27 PM
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#46
07-16-2007, 01:32 PM
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RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
Dale Franks & San Rico,
When I saw the I-40 I-25 reference I, too thought of Albuq. Grew up there and now live in SoCal.
Mark & Brian, the radio morning guys movedto L.A.from the South years ago and they were peeved to see cyclists splitting lanes so they announced on the airthat they wanted everyone in their cars to open their doors on the count of three to "disrupt" the lane splitting. Don't know if anyone got hit but I heard they were raked over the coals by the station GM (a Harley guy) for doing it!
When I saw the I-40 I-25 reference I, too thought of Albuq. Grew up there and now live in SoCal.
Mark & Brian, the radio morning guys movedto L.A.from the South years ago and they were peeved to see cyclists splitting lanes so they announced on the airthat they wanted everyone in their cars to open their doors on the count of three to "disrupt" the lane splitting. Don't know if anyone got hit but I heard they were raked over the coals by the station GM (a Harley guy) for doing it!
#47
07-16-2007, 01:36 PM
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RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
thanks PJ. Here's some info on my pipes, along with video and audio goodies.
https://www.hdforums.com/m_753948/mp.../tm.htm#753948
https://www.hdforums.com/m_753948/mp.../tm.htm#753948
#48
07-16-2007, 01:37 PM
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RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
ORIGINAL: stevieg
Dale Franks & San Rico,
When I saw the I-40 I-25 reference I, too thought of Albuq. Grew up there and now live in SoCal.
Mark & Brian, the radio morning guys movedto L.A.from the South years ago and they were peeved to see cyclists splitting lanes so they announced on the airthat they wanted everyone in their cars to open their doors on the count of three to "disrupt" the lane splitting. Don't know if anyone got hit but I heard they were raked over the coals by the station GM (a Harley guy) for doing it!
Dale Franks & San Rico,
When I saw the I-40 I-25 reference I, too thought of Albuq. Grew up there and now live in SoCal.
Mark & Brian, the radio morning guys movedto L.A.from the South years ago and they were peeved to see cyclists splitting lanes so they announced on the airthat they wanted everyone in their cars to open their doors on the count of three to "disrupt" the lane splitting. Don't know if anyone got hit but I heard they were raked over the coals by the station GM (a Harley guy) for doing it!
#49
07-16-2007, 08:58 PM
RE: Do you guys ever split lanes?
Wow, more riders from SoCal than I thought!
I take a collection of freeways, including the Orange Crush, to work each day in OC and stick to the carpool lanes (cuts the ride from 50 min to 25). I'll split when traffic is stopped, or slow, but on occasion I have passed someone on the right side of the lane going 60+ when it's clear they know I'm there. Sometimes I let the sport bikes clear a path. When cagers are going 30 or so, I don't have the cojones to weave like the squids. It's too unpredictable.
I agree with the statement that the freeways are safer than streets and intersections, as long as you are smart. On the freeway, you're more likely to get yourself hurt with a bad decision.
I take a collection of freeways, including the Orange Crush, to work each day in OC and stick to the carpool lanes (cuts the ride from 50 min to 25). I'll split when traffic is stopped, or slow, but on occasion I have passed someone on the right side of the lane going 60+ when it's clear they know I'm there. Sometimes I let the sport bikes clear a path. When cagers are going 30 or so, I don't have the cojones to weave like the squids. It's too unpredictable.
I agree with the statement that the freeways are safer than streets and intersections, as long as you are smart. On the freeway, you're more likely to get yourself hurt with a bad decision.
#50
07-17-2007, 06:42 AM
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